![]() ![]() Your doctor will discuss your overall health and medical history and ask about any medications you may be taking. When the body is exposed to this trigger, the immune system begins to produce substances that attack the joints. There is usually a trigger, such as an infection or environmental factor, which activates the genes. Although it is not an inherited disease, researchers believe that some people have genes that make them more susceptible. The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is not known. Over time, the synovium invades and damages the bone and cartilage, as well as ligaments and tendons, and may cause serious joint deformity and disability. In rheumatoid arthritis, immune cells attack the synovium covering the joint, causing it to swell. This means that the immune system attacks its own tissues. ![]() Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. It is symmetrical, meaning that it usually affects the same joint on both sides of the body. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that can affect multiple joints throughout the body, and often starts in the foot and ankle. Osteoarthritis develops slowly, causing pain and stiffness that worsen over time. In addition to age, other risk factors for osteoarthritis include obesity and family history of the disease. This can result in bone rubbing on bone, and produce painful osteophytes (bone spurs). As the cartilage wears away, it becomes frayed and rough, and the protective space between the bones decreases. In osteoarthritis, the cartilage in the joint gradually wears away. Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative or wear-and-tear arthritis, is a common problem for many people after they reach middle age, but it may occur in younger people, too. The major types of arthritis that affect the foot and ankle are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and posttraumatic arthritis. ![]()
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