Rheumatoid arthritis is among the most frequent variations of arthritis, and it typically affects people between the ages of 25 and 55, the majority of them women. It’s an autoimmune and systemic disease that gives rise to a lot of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and signs. The most predominant of all of these symptoms is that the unremitting pain and distress that victims experience on a regular basis, and which most often restrict their ability to move about freely and negatively affect their wellbeing.
Symptoms
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms usually manifest themselves in the smaller joints of the toes and palms, even though they may appear in joints in different locations also, like the hips and knees. In autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system misfires and turns on healthy cells and cells — in this case, the synovium or the lining of the joints. Pain and inflammation are the most notable results of the”friendly fire” from the immune system.
Nearly all patients awake to painful and stiff joints in the morning, which may last for an hour or longer. A long period of inactivity or rest may also trigger this stiffness and pain. The disorder usually affects more than only 1 joint and looks bilaterally or symmetrically. That is, someone can experience symptoms in the hands of her left and right hands along with the feet of her left and right feet. It becomes harder to move the affected joint in its whole range of movement, and even the smallest amount of strain on it can cause a whole lot of pain.
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Also, the skin covering the joint can become inflamed and red, and occasionally the patient may feel a tingling sensation or numbness in her skin. A low-grade fever is common among victims of the disease. Small nodules or’tophi’ appear under the skin of approximately 25 percent of individuals with the disease. These lumps and bumps are about the size of a pea and are usually painless.
They are the outcomes of inflammation and scar tissue, and may appear in areas like the arms, ankles, and elbows. Despite the fact that the tophi aren’t painful, they shouldn’t be ignored because they could indicate other, more severe conditions compared to rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease, meaning it affects not only the joints but many different areas of the body also. Inflammation can occur in the lungs, giving rise to a condition called pleurisy.
Inflammation
Inflammation of glands in the mouth and in the eyes may lead to mouth dryness and eye irritation, also referred to as Sjogren’s syndrome. Inflammation can calso happen (though very rarely) in the blood vessels as well as the pericardium, or the membrane enclosing the center. Another complication of rheumatoid arthritis is anemia, in which the bone marrow is not able to produce the adequate quantity of red blood cells needed to keep it healthy.
The disease doesn’t just affect the body, lots of the symptoms manifest themselves in emotional ways also. As an example, patients complain of a feeling of listlessness or a general feeling of not being well. This problem is also known by the term malaise. Getting tired easily, a sense of exhaustion, loss of appetite, and weight loss — all of these are rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and contribute greatly to the patient’s perception of a decrease in her wellbeing. It’s important to not forget that no two persons will have precisely the same symptoms.
Conclusion
Just as each individual’s bodily make-up and metabolisms are different, so too will rheumatoid arthritis symptoms will become manifest in each and every individual. Some women and men experience sudden flare-ups of this disease, together with the symptoms evaporating after a few days or weeks while others will experience constant pain and swelling for many years. Besides the constant pain, long-term rheumatoid arthritis that’s left untreated will cause gross deformities and permanent joint damage. Knowing about the many rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can help each individual know what to be aware of, especially if she’s already predisposed to the illness. It will save yourself the trouble and cost that could result from misdiagnosis and guesswork. Someone who presents with one or more of these symptoms should seek immediate medical care so the development of the disease can be slowed down or even stopped in the earliest possible moment.