Autoimmune diseases are illnesses that occur when the body's tissue mistakenly
             attacks its own immune system. Patients with these types of diseases have antibodies in
             their blood that target their own body's tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune
             disease that causes chronic inflammation the joints as well as other organs in the body. It
             often develops gradually over a period of years, however, in rare cases it can appear
             Rheumatoid arthritis affects more than two million people each year in the United
             States alone. It afflicts people of all races equally, but is three times more common in
             women than in men. It occurs most often in people twenty to fifty years old, however,
             young children and the elderly also have the potential to develop the disease. The exact
             cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. The job of the immune system is to protect the
             body from infection. In rheumatoid arthritis there is a trigger to the immune system to
             attack the joints and organs. Immune cells, called lymphocytes, are activated and chemical
             messengers are expressed in inflamed areas. It was once suspected that infectious agents
             such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi caused the disease but it was never proven and the
             theory isn't studied much anymore. Some scientists now believe that the tendency to
             develop rheumatoid arthritis may be genetically inherited. Enviornmental and hormonal
             factors are also being studied as well as the theory that smoking increases the risk of
             The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis come and go depending on the severity of
             the disease. When the body's tissues are inflamed, the disease is said to be active. When
             the inflammation subsides, the disease is said to be in remission. Remissions can last
             weeks, months, or even years. During this time the symptoms disappear and the patient
             feels well. When the patient has a relapse, the symptoms return and is...