Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that is accompanied by damage to the connective tissue elements of the body and is manifested by polyarthritis of unknown etiology. The disease is severe in its course and features of therapy. Pathology has several varieties, one of which is seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.
Characteristic differences in shape
During the period of illness in the blood serum of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis there is a specific marker - rheumatoid factor. These are antibodies that the body produces against its own tissues. The factor tends to bind to the body's antigens.
Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by the fact that the patient does not have a similar factor, but this does not affect the progression of the disease. The disease does not begin as acutely 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 they are not characterized by symmetry. Large joints are involved in the process more often, jointsfingers - less often.
Etiology of disease
Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, the prognosis of which is more favorable compared to other forms of pathology, develops against the background of the following factors:
- hereditary predisposition;
- difficult environmental situation in living conditions;
- viral diseases;
- diseases of the endocrine system;
- stress situations;
- mechanical damage to elements of the musculoskeletal system;
- allergic reactions;
- infectious diseases;
- hypothermia.
The risk group includes older people (from 40 years old). An interesting point about long-term breastfeeding women: lactation up to two years reduces the likelihood of developing the disease by a factor of three.
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 stiffness is pronounced and small joints are affected first, this indicates that the type of disease is seropositive. Seronegative rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by pathology in large joints, such as the knee or hip. The pathology of one joint is called monoarthritis.
ExceptIn addition, the patient has the following symptoms:
- enlargement of regional lymph nodes;
- weight loss;
- muscular atrophy;
- kidney damage.
On the side of the joints with the progression of the condition, the following can be determined:
- fibrous nature of changes;
- presence of contractures;
- frequent exacerbations of the disease;
- impaired joint function;
- unilateral localization of the lesion during the first year;
- small joints are involved in the process.
Stages of disease
The course of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis goes through 4 stages:
I stage - the development of osteoporosis in the joint area. Bone density decreases with a further decrease in their mineralization.
II stage - there is a narrowing of the connective joint space.
III stage - bone tissue is covered with erosions.
IV stage - joint damage progresses up to complete immobilization.
Diagnostic Methods
After the examination, the doctor prescribes general clinical tests. Peripheral blood analysis determines the presence of signs of inflammation in the body: an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate and leukocytosis. In the leukocyte formula, an increase in the number of stab neutrophils is found.
The Waaler-Rose test is a specific method for diagnosing the presence of rheumatoid factor. The absence of the latter in the blood serum confirms rheumatoidarthritis seronegative.
Next, the patient undergoes an x-ray, which determines the following pathologies:
- minor foot deformity;
- prevalence of ankylosing;
- osteoporosis;
- initial changes in the wrist joints.
Features of therapy
Treatment of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis should be comprehensive and consist of drug therapy, diet, physical therapy and exercise therapy.
Drug treatment occurs in two stages. First, eliminate the symptoms. If the patient is tormented by fever and chills, the doctor prescribes antipyretics. The best option would be a range of ibuprofen, which not only relieves fever, but also has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can also eliminate pain and discomfort. They are used in the form of tablet forms and ointments, gels for external use. From this group use:
- "Ibuprofen".
- "Movalis".
- "Dicloberl".
- "Revmoxicam".
Soreness will also be relieved by conventional analgesics ("Analgin", "Dexalgin"), and if these two groups are ineffective, hormonal agents ("Hydrocortisone", "Dexamethasone") are used.
Cytostatics 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 each clinical case. Representatives - "Methotrexate", "Cyclophosphamide".
In 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 injected antibodies counteract the production of active substances that cause the development of an inflammatory reaction.
Physiotherapy and exercise therapy
Physiotherapy methods are used in parallel with drug therapy:
- acupuncture;
- laser therapy;
- magnetotherapy;
- cryotherapy.
Therapeutic exercise is allowed only after the acute stage of the disease has been stopped, when there is no severe pain. Exercise therapy is carried out alone or in a group of patients with a similar condition.
Use the following exercises to restore lost joint function:
- Rotational movements of the hand, straightening the arm and clenching the fingers into a fist.
- Finger movements in horizontal or vertical projection.
- The thumb touches the other fingers on the hand.
- A small ball is rolled and squeezed in the palm of your hand.
- Flexion and extension movements in the elbow and knee joints.
- Rotational movements of the shoulder and hip joints.
- Mahi legs.
- Squats.
- Walking on bent legs.
Folk treatments
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-made products, then it is worth combining them with pharmaceutical preparations prescribed by a doctor.
There are several effective recipes that help relieve pain and alleviate the patient's condition:
- Pour two glasses of lilac buds with a glass of vodka or half diluted alcohol. Insist for 10 days in a dark cool place. The resulting infusion rub the pathological zones twice a day for at least 2 weeks.
- Large carrots are washed, peeled and rubbed on a fine grater. Turpentine and vegetable oil are added there (5 drops each). The resulting mass is applied to a gauze cut and fixed to the sore spot in the form of a compress. Carry out the procedure at night at least 10 times. Can be alternated with compresses and applications of aloe leaf juice.
- Pour a tablespoon of dry string with a liter of boiling water, boil over low heat for half an hour and strain. Add the resulting decoction to the water for therapeutic baths.
Diet
Treatment for seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, which has a favorable prognosis, should include dietary modification. Patients should limit the following foods as much as possible:
- fat;
- sweet;
- smoked meats;
- marinated;
- citrus;
- dairy;
- pork.
The diet should include a sufficient amount of fish and seafood, fresh vegetables and fruits, eggs, cereals.
Unfortunately, seronegative rheumatoid arthritis cannot be completely cured. Patients have to fight the disease for the rest of their lives. However, following the advice of specialists, the scheme of the chosen treatment, diet will slow down the progression of the disease and create conditions for a full life.
The main point is the immediate appeal to a medical institution immediately after the first pathological symptoms and manifestations of the musculoskeletal system.
