Rheumatoid arthritis seronegative: symptoms, treatment, predictions

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that is accompanied by a lesion of connective tissue elements of the body and is manifested by polyarthritis of unexplained etiology. The disease is severe in its course and the peculiarities of therapy. Pathology has several varieties, one of which is seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

Characteristic differences of the form

During the disease in the serum of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis there is a specific marker - a rheumatoid factor. These are antibodies, which the body produces on its own tissues. The factor has the property of binding to the body's antigens.

Rheumatoid arthritis seronegative is characterized by the fact that the patient does not have a similar factor, but this does not affect the progression of the disease in any way. The disease does not start as sharply as other forms, and the course and symptoms are less pronounced.

The onset of manifestations begins with the defeat of one or more joints, but symmetry is not characteristic of them. Large joints are involved in the process more often, the joints of the fingers - less often.

Etiology of the disease

Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, whose prognosis is more favorable than other pathologies, develops against the background of the following factors:

• Hereditary predisposition;
• Severe environmental conditions in the living conditions;
• Viral diseases;
• Diseases of the endocrine system;
• Stressful situations;
• Mechanical damage to the elements of the musculoskeletal system;
• Allergic reactions;
• infectious diseases;
• Hypothermia.

The risk group includes older people (from 40 years). An interesting point about long-breast-feeding women: lactation up to two years reduces the likelihood of developing the disease threefold.

Clinical picture

Consider how seronegative rheumatoid arthritis progresses. Symptoms begin with the fact that there is discomfort and pain in the area of one of the joints. Patients complain of a feeling of mild stiffness in the morning, fever, chills, weakness.

If the stiffness is pronounced and first of all the lesion of the small joints occurs, this indicates that the type of the disease is seropositive. Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by pathology in large joints, for example, the knee or hip. The pathology of one joint is called monoarthritis.

In addition, the patient has the following manifestations:

• Increased regional lymph nodes;
• Weight loss;
• Muscular atrophy;
• Kidney damage.

From the joints with the progression of the condition, you can determine the following:

• Fibrotic nature of the changes;
• Presence of contractures;
• Frequent exacerbations of the disease;
• Violation of the function of the joints;
• One-sided localization of the lesion during the first year;
• In the future, small joints are involved in the process.

Stages of the disease

The course of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis goes through 4 stages:

Stage I - development of osteoporosis in the joint region. The density of bone tissue decreases with a further decrease in their mineralization.

II stage - there is a narrowing of the joint joint gap.

III stage - the bone tissue is covered with erosions.

IV stage - defeat of the joint progresses until complete immobilization.

Methods of diagnosis

After the examination, the doctor prescribes general clinical tests. Analysis of peripheral blood determines the presence of signs of inflammation in the body: increased sedimentation rate of erythrocytes and leukocytosis. The leukocyte formula shows an increase in the number of stab neutrophils.

The Vaaler-Rose reaction is a specific method for diagnosing the presence of rheumatoid factor. The absence of the latter in the serum confirms rheumatoid arthritis seronegative.

The patient is then given an X-ray, which determines the following pathologies:

• Slight deformation of feet;
• Preponderance of ankylosing;
• osteoporosis;
• Initial changes in the wrist joints.

Features of therapy

Treatment of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis should be complex and consist of drug therapy, diet, physical therapy and physical therapy.

Drug treatment occurs in two stages. For a start, eliminate the symptoms. If the patient is suffering from fever and chills, the doctor prescribes antipyretic agents. The best option is a series of ibuprofen, which not only stops heat, but also has anti-inflammatory effect.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs also help to remove pain and discomfort. They are used in the form of tablets and ointments, gels for external use. From this group use:

• Ibuprofen.
• "Movalis".
• "Diclobert".
• "Revmoxicam".

Soreness will help to stop the usual analgesics ("Analgin", "Dexalgin"), and if these two groups are ineffective they use hormones ("Hydrocortisone", "Dexamethasone").

Cytotoxic drugs are another group of drugs that are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, however, the use of these medications is not always advisable, so they are prescribed individually in every clinical case. Representatives - "Methotrexate", "Cyclophosphane".

In the case of ineffectiveness of standard treatment regimens, the use of specific antibodies is prescribed. This method is innovative in the field of therapy of autoimmune diseases. The introduced antibodies counteract the production of active substances that cause the development of an inflammatory reaction.

Physiotherapy and exercise therapy

In parallel with drug therapy, physiotherapy methods are used:

• acupuncture;
• Laser therapy;
• Magnetotherapy;
• cryotherapy.

Physiotherapy exercises can only be carried out after acute acute stage of the disease, when there is no strong soreness. Exercise is performed alone or in a group of patients with a similar condition.

Use the following exercises to restore lost joint function:

1. Rotational movements of the brush, straightening his hand and squeezing his fingers into a fist.
2. Move your fingers in a horizontal or vertical projection.
3. The thumb touches the other fingers on the arm.
4. A small ball is rolled and squeezed in the palm of your hand.
5. Flexion and extension movements in the elbow and knee joints.
6. Rotational movements of the humeral and hip joints.
7. Makhi legs.
8. Squats.
9. Walking on half-bent legs.

Traditional methods of treatment

The use of exclusively traditional methods of therapy will not have the expected result. If the patient has already decided to use ointments and other home remedies, then it is worth combining them with the pharmacy drugs prescribed by the doctor.

There are several effective recipes that help relieve pain and ease the patient's condition:

1. Two cups of lilac kidneys pour a glass of vodka or half diluted alcohol. Infuse for 10 days in a dark cool place. The received infusion is triturated by pathological zones twice a day for at least 2 weeks.
2. The large carrots are washed, peeled and rubbed on a fine grater. There add turpentine and vegetable oil (each of 5 drops). The resulting mass is applied to the gauze cut and fixed to a sore spot in the form of a compress. The procedure is carried out at least 10 times a night. You can alternate with compresses and applications from the juice of the leaves of aloe.
3. A tablespoon of dry string pour a liter of boiling water, for half an hour, boil over low heat and strain. The resulting broth is added to the water for the treatment baths.

Diet

Treatment of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, which is underlined by favorable predictions, should include correction of the diet. Patients should limit the following products to the maximum extent possible:

• Fatty;
• Sweet;
• Smoked products;
• Pickled;
• citrus;
• Dairy;
• Pork.

In the diet must include enough fish and seafood, fresh vegetables and fruits, eggs, cereals.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely cure rheumatoid arthritis seronegative. Patients have to fight the disease before the end of life. However, observing the advice of specialists, the scheme chosen treatment, diet will slow the progression of the disease and create conditions for a full life.

The main point is an immediate appeal to a medical and preventive institution immediately after the first pathological symptoms and manifestations of the musculoskeletal system.