| Smoking or nonsmoking? | | | | smoking can make the disease and pain worse. |
| How many times have you been asked that question | | | | Smokers with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to |
| when you entered your favorite restaurant? | | | | develop complications of rheumatoid arthritis that |
| If you answered nonsmoking, you are directed to a | | | | affect parts of the body other than joints than |
| smoke-free area where you can eat your food | | | | nonsmokers. |
| without the rancid smell of smoke to truly enjoy the | | | | What is rheumatoid arthritis? |
| flavor of your food. After all, you pay hard-earned | | | | Rheumatoid arthritis causes chronic inflammation and |
| money to go and enjoy a meal. You don't want | | | | degeneration of the joints, especially the fingers, |
| someone else's smoking to interfere with your | | | | hands, shoulders, knees, feet, and ankles. It is easily |
| evening. Hopefully you will continue to choose the | | | | recognizable by swollen joints, by x-rays revealing |
| nonsmoking section because studies show that | | | | erosion around the affected joints, and by the |
| smoking increases your risk of developing rheumatoid | | | | presence of antibodies in the blood known as the |
| arthritis, as well as many other different medical | | | | rheumatoid factor. |
| difficulties. | | | | What does rheumatoid arthritis cause? |
| It used to be smoking was allowed in every public | | | | Rheumatoid arthritis causes many medical deficiencies |
| place, but that's simply not the case anymore. There | | | | such as: |
| are some states that ban smoking in public gathering | | | | - Anemia |
| places. Despite the money that is made from | | | | - Crippling pain |
| smoking, cities and states are banning together to | | | | - Fatigue |
| read the facts about smoking and don't wish to | | | | - Fever |
| remain vulnerable for potential lawsuits. The health | | | | - Stiffness |
| industry is becoming quite successful at relaying the | | | | - Swelling |
| health hazards associated with smoking. You want | | | | - Uncontrollable weight loss |
| the facts, right? Well, let's discover what smoking | | | | How can smoking cause rheumatoid arthritis? |
| does to your body. | | | | Researchers aren't positive of the reason why |
| Smoking gives you... | | | | smoking increases rheumatoid arthritis, but they are |
| - An empty wallet | | | | sure that smokers have worse rheumatoid arthritis |
| - Bad breath | | | | than nonsmokers. The more years and more |
| - Breathing difficulties | | | | frequently you've smoked can dramatically increase |
| - Frequent colds and coughs | | | | your chance of worsening the symptoms of your |
| - Lung cancer | | | | rheumatoid arthritis. |
| - Medical difficulties | | | | How many people are afflicted with rheumatoid |
| - Prison-like addictions | | | | arthritis? |
| - Risk of infections | | | | About 2.9 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid |
| - Smelly clothes | | | | arthritis. |
| - Yellow fingertips and teeth | | | | Which gender is more susceptible to suffer from |
| How can smoking make my rheumatoid arthritis | | | | rheumatoid arthritis? |
| worse? | | | | Women are two to three times more susceptible |
| Statistics show that cigarette smoking causes 87% | | | | than men to be diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. |
| of lung cancer deaths. Smokers are about twice as | | | | At what age do people acquire rheumatoid arthritis? |
| likely as a nonsmoker to suffer from rheumatoid | | | | The typical age that people get rheumatoid arthritis is |
| arthritis. If you already have rheumatoid arthritis, | | | | between the ages of 25-50. |