Negative emotions and rheumatoid arthritis, what is their relationship?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects all the joints in the body. When it occurs, it usually causes some very annoying symptoms such as persistent pain, inflammation, loss of mobility and stiffness in the affected parts. Its causes are being discovered at a slow pace, but some research has linked negative emotions and rheumatoid arthritis in its course and evolution.

The importance of psychology in the course of this disease already began to be raised at the beginning of the 20th century. However, it did not begin to be studied seriously until 1950. In this year, rheumatoid arthritis began to be classified as one of the most important psychosomatic disorders. From this moment on, research on the topic has become increasingly abundant.

In this article We will study the data obtained to date on the relationship between negative emotions and rheumatoid arthritis.. We will also discover some of the most relevant characteristics of this disease, as well as some tips to be able to live with it in a better way.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

Below we will study some of the most common symptoms and characteristics of this disease. All of them occur in the main joints of the body. The most affected are normally the wrists and those found in the fingers; However, this alteration can occur in any part of the body where two or more bones join.

Thus, for example, it is possible to find symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in the following areas:

Elbows.Knees.Shoulders.Neck.Jaw.Ankles.Feet.Hips.

Depending on the person suffering from the disease, The symptoms produced by it can vary greatly.. The most common are the following: swelling, lack of mobility, burning, hypersensitivity and pain. Let’s look at each of them.

1. Swelling

Often the first symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is swelling in the affected joints. These can become inflamed and take on a much larger size than normal during an acute episode of the disease.. When the disorder is not severe, the swelling may appear alone, but in more severe cases it is usually accompanied by pain.

2. Lack of mobility

Increasing joint size generally makes it more difficult to move them. When this symptom becomes especially severe, the person may encounter serious difficulties in carrying out certain actions in their normal life.

3. Burning

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are often accompanied by an annoying burning sensation in the affected areas.. Generally, this is nothing more than a slight discomfort; But added to the rest of the symptoms, it can become an impediment to the lives of those who suffer from this disease.

4. Hypersensitivity

In addition to all the previous annoyances, People with rheumatoid arthritis also suffer from increased tenderness in the affected joints. Thus, all sensations will be amplified. This also influences the increase in pain, the next symptom that we are going to see.

5. Acute pain

The worst symptom that people affected by this disease usually describe is a sharp pain every time you perform certain movements or even a slight blow to the joints. This can incapacitate them, to the point of preventing them from leading a normal life.

It is pertinent to mention thatApproximately 1% of the general population suffers from rheumatoid arthritis, with women being the most affected population., with a ratio of 3 to 1 compared to men. For its part, the course of the disease is totally unpredictable, with periods of calm alternating with periods of exacerbation.

Relationship between negative emotions and rheumatoid arthritis

But what is the relationship between negative emotions and rheumatoid arthritis? The latest research has shown that some emotional states can cause an increase in the most problematic symptoms; and also, directly increase the chances of suffering from this problem.

Of all the emotions we can feel, those that show the greatest relationship with this problem are depression, anxiety and anger. On the contrary, Characteristics such as efficiency or a resistant personality usually correlate with less pronounced symptoms when this disease is present.

The truth is that There is no single known cause for this disease.. However, the relationship between negative emotions and rheumatoid arthritis is especially well documented. For this reason, many doctors consider that the best treatment to combat this problem is to work on the patients’ emotional level.

Thus, improving emotional understanding and expression can be very effective in reducing, among other things, pain. Although the symptoms do not disappear completely in most cases, many patients manage to greatly improve their quality of life thanks to the training of emotions.

Due to this, correctly coping with this disease is key to overcoming it. Therefore, if you are suffering from its symptoms or know someone who has them, do not hesitate to go to a mental health professional. He will be able to help you combat the most acute symptoms of the problem.

Effective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis

The effectiveness of the cognitive behavioral therapy has been especially recognized in this disease. In fact, since 1996 the National Institute of Health in the USA has been identifying this intervention as the most effective treatment from a psychological perspective.

Likewise, an interesting point that the studies indicate is that The effectiveness of the therapy increases if it is carried out in the first years of the disease. In particular, research that has carried out a retrospective analysis indicates greater effectiveness in patients with more recent onset. Especially in the first 7 years of the disease.

The interventions that have been carried out so far focus, first of all, in sessions on pain and the functioning of the disease; Afterwards, relaxation and hypnosis training is necessary.as well as behavioral techniques to improve the level of activity by planning activities and cognitive techniques to manage dysfunctional thoughts in the disease.

As you see, mind and body are indivisible. We tend to see the mind as an entity separate from the physical, when in reality it is nothing more than a manifestation of another part of the body: the brain. Therefore, whenever you have any physical ailment, do not hesitate to also examine your mind.

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