Common Questions: Rheumatoid Arthritis
What is rheumatoid arthritis?
What is the difference between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis?
How is RA diagnosed?
Can RA be fatal?
Are there home remedies for rheumatoid arthritis?
Common Questions: Colon and Rectal (Colorectal) Cancer
What are the early warning signs of colorectal cancer?
How long does it take for colorectal cancer to develop?
Are colon cancer, rectal cancer, and colorectal cancer all the same?
Can you die from colorectal cancer?
Where is the first place colorectal cancer spreads?
Next Question
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition in which your immune system mistakes the linings of your joints as foreign and attacks them. The damage results in inflammation and pain.
Blood in the stool, a change in bowel habits marked by constipation or diarrhea, fatigue, weakness, abdominal pain, bloating, and weight loss are among the early signs of colon cancer.
Rheumatoid arthritis inflames the joint lining, eventually eroding the joint. With osteoarthritis, multiple causes may damage the cartilage that covers the ends of the bones in a joint. The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis is considered more of a mechanical (wear and tear) disease.
Most cases of colorectal cancer begin as a polyp, and it may take as long as 10 to 15 years to become cancerous. For this reason, regular screening to identify and remove polyps is the best way to prevent colon cancer.
No single test can diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Doctors consider symptoms such as joint swelling and morning stiffness. Blood tests detect rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs), which are markers for systemic inflammation. X-ray, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans can help determine joint health.
Colon cancer begins in the colon and rectal cancer begins in the rectum, but both areas are part of the digestive system. Because of this, cancers that occur in either area are sometimes referred to as colorectal cancer.
RA is not generally considered a lethal disease. The disease can usually be managed with medication.
Yes. The odds of survival are highest for colorectal cancers caught at an early stage. For example, localized colorectal cancer that has not spread outside the colon or rectum has a 90 percent five-year survival rate, while those cancers that have spread to nearby or distant organs have 75 percent and 14 percent five-year survival rates, respectively.
All Questions
Exercise is an essential aspect of RA treatment, consisting of stretching, aerobics, and strength training. For pain and inflammation, try heat treatment to soothe stiff joints, or cold treatments for acute pain, as well as over-the-counter topical ointments and specialized braces or splints that support the joints.
Colon cancer typically spreads to the liver first, though it can spread to other areas of the body, including the lungs and brain.
