How to recognize the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

How to recognize the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can be painful and debilitating. If you experience symptoms similar to those listed below, it is important to seek medical attention immediately for an accurate diagnosis. This is critical because rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that progresses very quickly and can cause joint deformity and even organ damage in some individuals.

What are the early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis? In most cases, it may start with a feeling of stiffness, especially in the morning, which may subside as the day progresses. The stiff feeling usually begins in the small joints of the hands and feet and can also include the wrist and shoulders.

Both sides of the body are usually affected symmetrically, i.e. both the left and right hands and feet. The moment this type of stiffness is noticed is the time to get a diagnosis. It may not be a cause for concern, but if it turns out to be rheumatoid arthritis, an early diagnosis is one of the best things that can happen. If your doctor seems dismissive, see another one or get a referral from a rheumatologist. It is very important to start treating rheumatoid arthritis as soon as possible.

After the initial feelings of stiffness, the joints may become painful and inflamed. You may feel very tired for no apparent reason or have mild fever and flu-like symptoms. You may even lose your appetite. At this stage, many people will shrug it off because of the flu and the pain that usually accompanies the flu. This makes this disease so devastating that the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can be similar to the symptoms of other diseases.

Over time, the pain and inflammation will worsen. The affected joints may feel “hot” and the surrounding skin may appear red. Eventually, symptoms spread to other parts of the body such as the hips, knees, and possibly the jaw. Muscle and joint weakness and swelling in the lymph glands may occur. You may even notice small bumps under the skin near the affected joints. These are known as rheumatoid nodules.

If the disease is left untreated, deterioration of the cartilage surrounding the joints will eventually occur and the joints will become deformed, further limiting movement. Nowadays, various surgical procedures can be performed that allow those affected to live a better quality lifestyle.

Unfortunately, it's not just the joints that are affected. Rheumatoid arthritis can also spread throughout the body to connective tissues and blood vessels and cause inflammation in certain organs such as the heart and lungs, increasing the risk of respiratory and infectious diseases. This is another reason why an accurate diagnosis is so important.

To make the diagnosis more frustrating, the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can be confused with those of osteoarthritis, which is a more mechanical form of arthritis. However, osteoarthritis typically does not affect both sides of the body symmetrically and there is no accompanying inflammation or fever. However, in mild cases it is sometimes difficult to tell the difference when joint pain is the only symptom.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can also come and go. Frustratingly, they can disappear when you're at the doctor's office and then reappear when you get home! More commonly, there are flare-ups that can last indefinitely, followed by a period of remission. Sometimes the disease disappears, never returns, and in some cases it is present all the time.

The main thing is to always monitor your body for any unusual or new symptoms. If you notice stiffness combined with flu-like symptoms or persistent fatigue, get these checked immediately as they may well be symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and the progression of this disease is very rapid.

Inspired by Wendy Owen