Recognizing The Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Suffering from rheumatoid arthritis is perhaps among the most devastating health conditions a person can face. There are seven types of primary arthritis conditions and rheumatoid arthritis falls under the autoimmune classification. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, in which the joints are affected because of trauma, infection or age. In rheumatoid arthritis, the body turns against itself in response to various triggers. The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are diverse and progress gradually, with just slight aches and pains at the beginning.
The simplest way to explain rheumatoid arthritis is as a ?systemic autoimmune disorder?. The bone joints get inflamed, degeneration begins, and the end result is severe pain and discomfort that only worsens with time. The first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis appear in the fingers and toes, which get swollen. Though this is generally a joint problem there are instances of people, nearly 15% of them, who suffer from extra-articular rheumatoid arthritis.
Typically, the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are not consistent and irrupt intermittently. These are commonly referred to as ?flare-ups.? The symptoms can rise at any time, whether day or night. But, the pain and inflammation are at their worst during the morning hours, soon after waking up. The swelling and pain eases throughout the day, reducing drastically by night. The reason is, when you wake up your joints are naturally stiff and during the day your movements relax them.
As rheumatoid arthritis advances, it spreads to the rest of the body?s joints like the jaw, shoulders, hips, knees and elbows. It is often found that it affects joint pairs simultaneously, like both elbows and both knees. The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis also include redness and warmth around the joints along with swelling and severe pain.
Other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are linked to general health, which often occur because of the pain and discomfort caused by the condition. Many patients suffer from depression and anxiety, as well as appetite loss, anemia, skin nodules and general ill-health. The skin nodules are painless and look like tiny lumps on the joints. These are seeing in around 25% of the patients. Anemia, caused by reduced red blood cells to maintain oxygen levels, causes fatigue and laziness. This is apparent in 80% of the rheumatoid arthritis sufferers.
In some cases, fever and weight loss is common, because of all the other symptoms combining to create general ill-health. Sleep deprivation, constant pain and weakness are also seeing in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Consistent physical ailments are common in rheumatoid arthritis patients, because of how it limits physical capabilities. Other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include swelling of the heart and lung linings, tear glands, blood vessels and salivary glands.
Besides the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, it’s important to know the risk factors involved in causing the condition. Risk factors for rheumatoid arthritis are generally gender, age, genetics and smoking. Women have a higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis than men, and anyone between ages of 40 and 60 are also at risk. Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is rare, although it does occur. Rheumatoid arthritis is not hereditary per se, although doctors believe the dormant gene can be triggered by external factors. Smoking, as with many medical conditions, can trigger and aggravate rheumatoid arthritis.
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