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The things that cause rheumatoid arthritis have not been exactly identified. Other than psychological, environmental, hormonal, genetic and immunological factors, smoking is often identified by doctors as being a possible factor that triggers the disease.
A major life event such as a bereavement, intense joy or a divorce could also be triggering factors. The variation in pain that can occur during pregnancy and after childbirth points to a hormonal origin.
FERTILE GROUND FOR THE ONSET OF ARTHRITIS
The illness can also have a genetic component (known as “predisposition”), which provide a fertile ground for other triggering factors to take effect. Research is being conducted in this area and has already successfully identified genes that could explain certain family predispositions.
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Last updated: 3/10/17
