Rheumatoid arthritis or RA is an inflammatory disease in which the immune system of our body mistakenly attacks tissues and joints rather than foreign substances. This leads to inflammation that makes affected areas thicken, thus causing pain and swelling in different parts. If left untreated, rheumatoid arthritis would damage your cartilage or even bones. Joint deformity would also happen and cannot be reversed. Therefore, it is important to know some common causes and risk factors of rheumatoid arthritis to take some preventive measures.
Genetics
Genes might play a role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. This means that the condition would run in families and pass down from generation to generation. Therefore, people with parents, siblings, or close relatives dealing with this health condition are at especially high risks. Several genetic variants involving in the condition include STAT4 – regulate and activate immune responses, PTPN22 – related to the progression and development of rheumatoid arthritis, and C5 or TRAF1 – related to chronic inflammation. However, not all people with those variants would experience symptoms. Ideally, it is better to have regular health checks to detect the condition early for better treatment options. [1]
