| Pleurisy, also called pleuritis, is an inflammation of the | | | | aching and throbbing and eventually deformity. |
| pleura. Pleurisy can be generated by a variety of | | | | Sometimes rheumatoid arthritis symptoms make |
| infectious and non-infectious causes. Pleurisy is caused | | | | even the simplest activities - such as opening a jar or |
| by swelling and irritation of the membrane that | | | | taking a walk - difficult to manage. Rheumatoid |
| surrounds the lungs. Certain autoimmune diseases | | | | arthritis is two to three times more common in |
| (such as systemic lupus erythematosus) can irritate | | | | women than in men and generally occurs between |
| the pleura. It is usually a symptom of another illness. | | | | the ages of 40 and 60. But rheumatoid arthritis can |
| It is also called Pleuritic Chest Pain. Pleurisy can | | | | also affect young children and older adults. It is |
| develop from many things, including bacterial or viral | | | | commonly polyarticular; that is, it affects many joints. |
| infections of the lungs (such as pneumonia), TB, | | | | About seventy-five percent of those affected are |
| lupus, chest injury or trauma, a blood clot in the lung, | | | | women, and 1-3% of women may develop |
| or cancer. Sometimes a cause cannot be found. The | | | | rheumatoid arthritis is their lifetime. The disease most |
| effects of pleurisy can often be felt long after the | | | | often begins between the fourth and sixth decades |
| condition has gone away.The hallmark of pleurisy is | | | | of life; however, RA can develop at any age. RA |
| severe chest pain that starts suddenly. | | | | usually affects joints on both sides of the body |
| The pain is often strong or stabbing when you take | | | | equally. Wrists, fingers, knees, feet, and ankles are |
| a deep breath. It usually subsides or disappears | | | | the most commonly affected.Rheumatoid arthritis is |
| between breaths. It's usually felt on one side of the | | | | two to three times more common in women than in |
| stomach area or lower chest. Deep breathing and | | | | men and generally occurs between the ages of 40 |
| coughing often make it worse. Pleurisy causes fluid to | | | | and 60. But rheumatoid arthritis can also affect young |
| collect inside the lung area. Breathing may be rapid | | | | children and older adults. Inflammation, soft tissue |
| and shallow because deep breathing induces pain; the | | | | swelling, and the involvement of multiple joints are |
| muscles on the painful side move less than those on | | | | common signs and symptoms that distinguish |
| the other side. When an accumulation of fluids (pleural | | | | rheumatoid and other inflammatory arthritis from |
| effusion) is associated with pleurisy, the pain usually | | | | non-inflammatory arthritis such as osteoarthritis. |
| disappears because the fluid serves as a lubricant. | | | | Treatments include medicine, lifestyle changes and |
| Treatment depends on what is causing the pleurisy. | | | | surgery. These can slow or stop joint damage and |
| Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. | | | | reduce pain and swelling. To quickly reduce joint |
| Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory form of | | | | inflammation and symptoms, first-line treatment |
| arthritis that causes joint pain and damage. It | | | | usually consists of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory |
| affecting more than two million people in the United | | | | drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin and |
| States. Rheumatoid arthritis attacks the lining of your | | | | others), naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve), celecoxib |
| joints (synovium) causing swelling that can result in | | | | (Celebrex) and many others. |