Major Signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Though early symptoms and signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis can be easily mimicked by several other diseases, there are certain signs and symptoms that are typical characteristics of RA or Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Some of the most common symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis are:

Fatigue

It is a condition that can be defined as lack of physical, as well as, mental motivation and energy. Fatigue is not the same as drowsiness, as the latter indicates that a person is feeling sleepy. When a person suffers from RA, he or she feels tired and exhausted all the time. Even regular sleep, does not get rid of this exhaustion.

Joint pain

Pain in the joint can be an outcome of an injury that affected the tendons, bursae and ligaments that surround your joints. Certain injuries may also affect the bones, cartilage and ligaments within the joint. Another symptom of joint inflammation such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is infection and pain. In extremely rare cases, it can lead to cancer in the joint.

Joint swelling

Swelling in joints is typically an outcome of an injury or inflammation in the joint or around it. However, when joints swell due to Rheumatoid Arthritis, the swelling is accompanied by other signs such as an increase in body temperature around the joint, inability to move the joint, redness, pain and stiffness.

Joint stiffness

It is a condition in which a person finds it difficult to move his or her joints. In some cases, a person is able to move his or her joints, but mobility is restricted. Stiffness in joints may be accompanied by swelling and pain.

Pain in feet

Very often, people who are suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis experience swelling right under their feet. It gives them the feeling of walking on golf balls. This occurs mostly in the morning when the patient gets out of his or her bed.

Joints are usually stiffer for over an hour in the morning

When a person is ailing from Rheumatoid Arthritis, he or she may have great difficulty in forming a fist completely. The person may find unusual and tender swelling in the wrists. If the elbows of the patient are also affected, he or she may find it difficult to stretch heir arms completely. One important thing to note here is that if someone is suffering from RA, he or she will usually not have any pain or swelling in the hip region at an early stage. Pain in the hip joint is more prevalent when a person is ailing from osteoarthritis. In such cases, patients may feel the pain in the front portion of their hips.

If you have any of the symptoms mentioned above, you may have to undergo some specific blood tests to ascertain whether you are suffering from RA or not. These tests are usually recommended by your physician to be sure of the ailment before initiating treatment. It is important to know that RA is quite different from osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an ailment that can have a permanent damaging impact on your joints. It also has an effect on other organs of your body and can even lower your life expectancy.

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