Which Rheumatism is the Most Dangerous?
Rheumatic diseases are a general term used to refer to a group of inflammatory, autoimmune and degenerative diseases that can affect the whole body, especially muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments. While some rheumatic diseases have mild symptoms, some types of rheumatism can cause serious complications. This is why experts looking for an answer to the question “Which rheumatism is the most dangerous?” first consider the symptoms of common rheumatic diseases worldwide and the effects of the symptoms on tissues and organs.
What are Rheumatic Diseases?
Rheumatic diseases are various health problems characterized by pain, stiffness and swelling, especially in the joints and bones. For this reason, rheumatism is also commonly defined as a disease characterized by pain and swelling in the joints. Rheumatism, which originates from the Greek word “rheuma” meaning movement, can affect various tissues and organs of the body, especially the musculoskeletal system.
Although the exact cause of rheumatic diseases is unknown, research shows that various genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of the disease. When environmental factors are mentioned, infectious diseases such as Epstein-Barr virus, which is thought to cause systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), come to mind first. While some rheumatic diseases have mild symptoms, the majority are painful and can negatively affect the quality of life. Therefore, in response to the question “What is the most dangerous disease?”, considering the negative impact of some types of rheumatism on life expectancy, it can be said that rheumatism is considered among the most dangerous diseases.
Although the symptoms vary according to the type of rheumatic diseases, some common symptoms are as follows:
- Pain felt in different parts of the body, especially joints, bones and muscles,
- Swelling in the joints,
- Stiffness in muscles and joints,
- Decreased mobility,
- Fatigue
- High fever in some rheumatic diseases,
- Involuntary weight loss.
Among the symptoms of rheumatism listed above, pain, swelling and stiffness affecting joints, muscles and bones are the most common symptoms that patients complain about. For this reason, rheumatism is often described as “a painful disease that manifests itself in the joints and muscles”.
Today, more than 200 rheumatic diseases are known. The vast majority of these diseases are inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In other words, the immune system perceives one’s own tissues and organs as foreign and defends against them, which is one of the main causes of rheumatic diseases. The main types of rheumatism common worldwide are as follows:
- Rheumatoid arthritis,
- Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE),
- Ankylosing spondylitis
- Psoriatic arthritis,
- Scleroderma
- Behcet’s disease
- Osteoarthritis (arthritis),
- Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Each of the above rheumatic diseases has a different impact on patients. Therefore, just as it is not easy to answer questions such as “Which is the most dangerous depression?” or “Which is the most dangerous cancer?”, it is difficult to give a clear answer to the question “Which is the most dangerous rheumatism?”. However, some types of rheumatism, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and scleroderma, have a greater impact on health than others.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of rheumatism characterized by stiffness, pain and swelling in the joints. It is therefore not difficult for some patients, especially those with rheumatoid arthritis, to answer the question “What is joint stiffness?” because they often experience it. Rheumatoid arthritis, also known by different names such as inflammatory rheumatism or inflammatory joint rheumatism, is a type of inflammatory rheumatism caused by an autoimmune (wrong reaction of the immune system) that can affect different tissues and organs of the body, especially joints, muscles, bones, connective tissue and tendons.
One of the characteristic features of rheumatoid arthritis is its symmetrical progression. In other words, patients with inflammatory rheumatism often affect the same joints on both sides of the body.
Rheumatoid arthritis initially occurs mostly in small joints, such as the finger joints. If the necessary treatment is not followed, the disease can progress and affect other joints, bones and even organs such as the lungs, kidneys and brain. One of the most common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is stiffness in the joints, especially after waking up in the morning. When these patients consult specialists, they usually complain of pain in their finger joints in the morning. In some cases, rheumatoid arthritis can also manifest itself with pain in the finger joints during pregnancy. For this reason, specialists can first diagnose the disease using diagnostic methods that help visualize the joints, such as a finger rheumatism test.
The exact cause of inflammatory rheumatism is unknown, but several studies suggest that genetic factors may play a role in rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, risk factors such as smoking and obesity can also increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Today, the symptoms of inflammatory rheumatism can be controlled using various medications or surgical methods. Therefore, while in the past rheumatoid arthritis could have undesirable effects on life expectancy and life expectancy, today the quality of life of patients can be improved with early intervention and correct treatment planning.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is another type of rheumatism that occurs as a result of the autoimmune immune system perceiving its own tissues as foreign and developing a false immune response against them. Although lupus, an autoimmune disease, usually affects a single organ initially, it can cause inflammation in all tissues and organs in later stages. SLE is the most common type of lupus, which has different types such as cutaneous lupus, neonatal lupus and drug-induced lupus.
SLE, whose symptoms include joint pain, anemia, headaches, bleeding disorders, can affect the joints, skin, kidneys, heart and other organs. Although there is no definitive treatment, the disease can be diagnosed at an early stage by consulting a health institution and performing the necessary examinations. Although lupus is one of the most dangerous diseases when it comes to rheumatism, anti-inflammatory and/or immunosuppressive drugs prescribed by specialists during the treatment process can help control symptoms.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammatory rheumatic disease that affects the bones in different parts of the body, especially the spine. The exact cause of ankylosing spondylitis, which occurs especially in young people, is unknown, but there are some studies showing that genetic factors play a role in the development of the disease. Spinal inflammation is one of the most common symptoms in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. If left undiagnosed and untreated at an early stage, inflammation in the spine can progress and lead to complete fusion of the spinal bones and impaired mobility.
Ankylosing spondylitis, which manifests itself with symptoms such as stiffness, pain, loss of appetite and fatigue in the spine in the morning, can spread to other parts of the body in the future and cause serious complications such as eye inflammation, intestinal inflammation and heart valve inflammation.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Psoriatic arthritis, also commonly referred to as psoriatic rheumatism, is a type of inflammatory rheumatism that affects people with psoriasis, which is characterized by redness and silvery dandruff on the skin. Although the symptoms of psoriatic arthritis vary from person to person, symptoms such as muscle and joint pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints, psoriasis-colored dandruff on skin areas such as the scalp, flaking, pitting of the nails, and separation of the nail from the skin are common. When planning the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, specialists first take into account the severity of the disease. The aim of treatment is to prevent the inflammation from progressing and to control symptoms.
Scleroderma
Scleroderma is an autoimmune condition characterized by hardening and thickening of the skin and organs. Originating from the Greek word ‘sclerosis’ meaning hardness, scleroderma means hard skin. Although it is a rare health problem, the fact that it affects organs such as the heart, lungs and kidneys as well as the skin makes it one of the most dangerous types of rheumatism.
When it comes to the symptoms of scleroderma, the first thing that comes to mind is the discoloration of the fingers due to decreased blood flow, also known as Raynaud’s phenomenon. Especially in cold weather, the color of fingers and toes may turn blue or purple. There is currently no definitive cure for the disease. However, it is possible to control the symptoms with the help of some medications. Since scleroderma can affect the skin and other organs, specialists from various branches such as rheumatology, dermatology and internal medicine departments act in a multidisciplinary approach in the treatment process.
Behcet’s Disease
Behçet’s disease or Behçet’s syndrome, first described in 1937 by Hulusi Behçet, a Turkish physician, is an inflammatory, chronic health condition characterized by recurrent mouth sores or genital sores, also called aphthae. Although the exact cause of Behçet’s disease, which is more common in countries along the historic Silk Road, including Turkey, is unknown, genetic factors play a major role in the emergence of the disease.
In some cases, in addition to mouth and genital sores, the eyes, brain, skin, blood vessels and joints may also be involved. Studies show that 30-50% of Behçet’s cases have joint involvement. There is no medicine that can completely cure Behçet’s disease. However, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment planning can help control symptoms and prevent organ damage.
Rheumatic diseases are common health problems worldwide that can cause symptoms such as inflammation, stiffness and swelling, especially in joints, bones, muscles, tendons and connective tissue. In other words, looking at the various studies on “Is rheumatism dangerous?”, it can be seen that some types of rheumatism can cause serious complications by affecting other tissues and organs. Today, with the help of advances in health technology, even the symptoms of the most dangerous diseases can be controlled with an appropriate treatment plan. For this reason, it is especially important for those with a family history of rheumatism to make an appointment with a specialist physician and have regular check-ups.
