Symptoms for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Unlike other types of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is actually an autoimmune disease. The immune system of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis turns on its own, particularly attacking the joints and other surrounding tissue.

In a way, rheumatoid arthritis could be likened to allergies but with starkly different symptoms. While the common symptoms of allergies include runny nose, itchiness of the eyes, and skin rash, the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis include inflammation in the lining of the joints and pain in the affected areas.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that affects more than two million people, generally between the ages of 20 and 25. In addition, the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis occur in all races and ethnic groups, regardless of age or sex, although it appears that the disease affects two to three times as many women as men.

If you suspect that you may be getting rheumatoid arthritis, consulting with your doctor is the first main step that you need to take. He or she will need to run some blood tests to better diagnose if in fact you have rheumatoid arthritis, you also need to know early symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis to help manage it in its early stage as well as seeking proper medication for the disease.

Here are some early symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis, although some of these will occur in people in the early stages, they are not essentially only related with the early stages:

• Swelling of joints
• Pains and aches in the wrist(s), knee(s), elbow(s), finger(s), ankle(s), neck and feet.
• Red irritated skin
• Limited range of motion
• Stiffness, especially in the morning that last for hours
• Numbness or tingling in jointed areas
• Weight loss resulting from loss of appetite
• Muscle aches
• Fatigue, which can be severe during a flare-up
• Loss of strength in muscles attached to the affected joints
• Low-grade fever
• General sense of not feeling well (malaise)

The trait symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is morning stiffness that lasts for at least an hour. Other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are as follows:

Swelling and Pain

Inflammation and pain in the joints must occur for at least six weeks before diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is considered. The inflamed joints are usually swollen and often feel watery when touched. Depending on which hand the person uses more often, the pain occurs proportionally (symmetrical pattern) but may be more severe on one side of the body.

Specific Joints Affected

Pain in three or more joints at the same time, although rheumatoid arthritis almost always develops in wrists and knuckles, the knees and the joints of the ball of the foot are often affected as well. Many joints may be involved even causing the spine to become misaligned. Joints at the base of the fingers are often painful.

Appearance of Nodules

Inflammation of small blood vessels can cause nodules or lumps under the skin. Although they can show up anywhere, they are often located near the elbow and are about the size of a pea or slightly larger. These nodules do not often become sore or infected, but sometimes they do especially when they are located in areas where stress occurs, such as the ankles. Nodules can crop up throughout the course of the disease. Seldom, nodules can reflect the presence of rheumatoid vasculitis, which is a condition that can affect blood vessels in the lings, kidneys, and other organs.

Buildup of Fluid

Fluid may amass particularly in the ankles. In some cases, the joint sac behind the knee builds up fluid and forms what is known as a Baker cyst. The cyst feels like a tumor and sometimes extends down the back of the calf causing pain.

Flu-Like Symptoms

Fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss, and fever may come with early rheumatoid arthritis. These symptoms can be similar to those of a cold or flu, except that these symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can last for years.

Symptoms in Children

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis also know as still’s disease is usually headed by high fever and shaking chills along with pain and swelling in many joints, a pink skin rash may also be present.

These symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis should not be taken lightly; early detection of the disease can prevent damage or deformity of the joints. If you suspect of having rheumatoid arthritis, consult your doctor immediately.

Since the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis differ from patient to patient, there is no single method of making accurate diagnosis. Moreover, the symptoms tend to develop overtime, making it even more difficult to identify the disease early on.

To determine the existence of the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis, health care professionals apply various methods from blood testing to X-rays. Aside from identifying the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis, these methods are also used to rule out other conditions that may display more or less the same symptoms.

The other factors that health care practitioners often take into account when diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis include:

• Medical history
• Physical examinations
• Laboratory tests
• X-rays

After a patient is diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, the next step is to learn as much as you can about the disease in order to understand it. First up, you need to understand that early detection of the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis soften the key to helping you live longer despite the disease.

Remember that there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis and that as the person ages, the symptoms may grow worse. However, if you identify these common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis early on and undergo aggressive treatment, you increase your chance of living a long and healthy normal life.

Dealing with the Pain

One of the most common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis is joint pain. Usually this is accompanied by some degree of depression, anxiety, and feelings of helplessness. Most patients who suffer joint pain also suffer morning stiffness in and around the joints.

Sometimes the pain becomes too much to bear that patients refuse to move as motion will only serve to aggravate the pain.

However, recent studies show that exercise can in fact alleviate some of the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis. Constant motion balanced with a good diet and plenty of rest will ease the pain that comes with this debilitating disease and help you live a better life.

Be advised that you should consult with your doctor first before trying any strenuous exercise routines, as there are some types of exercises that arthritic patients should not do.

Pericarditis

Heart complications of rheumatoid arthritis affect the outer lining of the heart, causing the inflammation of heart muscle called myocarditis and a condition referred to as pericarditis, both of which can lead to congestive heart failure characterized by shortness of breath and fluid inflammation in the lung.

Inflammation of the lining of the lung called pleuritis, can also lead to fluid accumulation, and leads to shortness of breath. Eye complications include inflammation of various parts of the eyes.

These early symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis can be any number of things other than arthritis, chiefly the reason why you should see your doctor if you suspect having the disease.

Since rheumatoid arthritis is associated with joint inflammation, taking anti-inflammatory nutrients on regular basis may help ease the pains and aches of early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

A promising anti-inflammatory nutrient that has been getting a lot of media coverage because of its assuring advantages for people with rheumatoid arthritis is the fish oil supplement.

Combating these early symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis is not learnt overnight, however knowing the possible early signs of the disease can save you from the severe symptoms later.