Why Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Affect Women More Than Men? Sab Hormones Ka Chakker Hai, Sis!
Why would our own bodies want to attack us?
We, women, will never have an easy life. Apart from pay parity, fighting gender bias and breaking stereotypes, we also have to care for our health because apparently, our bodies are more prone to developing diseases than men. Duniya mein hum aaye hai to jeena hi padega, zindagi agar zeher hai peena hi padega! Anyway, February 2 marks Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness Day, one of those diseases that women are more susceptible to than men. Now, just like society, even diseases have a gender preference regarding whose life can they will make harder. Just kidding! It’s our own bodies that do that to us. Who would’ve thought? So, here’s a little in detail about why Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) affects women more than men. This is not to scare you but to inform you and make you aware!
What is Rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto-immune disease that targets the joints in the body. Ideally, one’s immunity is supposed to protect the body from diseases but, in this case, it attacks the healthy bone tissues for reasons which are not yet known. Since the immune system targets the bone joints, they tend to swell and inflame, which can be very painful. In addition to this, RA can also affect other organs like the eyes, skin, lungs and heart.
Rheumatoid Arthritis in women
As per a report by Medical News Today, female hormones, progesterone, estrogen, and androgens are what cause the onset of Rheumatoid Arthritis. The chances of young women developing RA are two to three times more than men. Also, the symptoms of this disease may be more severe for women than men.
One of the reasons why women also are more prone to developing RA is because of the hormonal changes in their bodies. A woman’s body undergoes many hormonal changes throughout her life and some of the reasons for the same are pregnancy, oral contraceptive pills, menopause, and even conditions like PCOS.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Here are some of the symptoms of RA that you should look out for:
- Swollen and painful joints
- Dryness in eyes and mouth
- Bone deformity
- Anaemia
- Stiff joints for over an hour
Also read: World Arthritis Day: Women Are Prone To Early Onset Of Arthritis, Here’s How You Can Protect Your Bones
So, ladies, if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it is best you consult a doctor as early as possible. As they say, a stitch in time saves nine!
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