Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

The reality of the condition clearly shows that this autoimmune disease is a result of the body destroying its own healthy tissues, leading to progressive and sometimes debilitating symptoms. This fact can be very difficult and heartbreaking for a diagnosed patient to accept, especially when a definitive cause for the suffering is not known.

Usual Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

* Noticeable and painful swelling of the bodily joints, including the hands, feet, elbows, wrists, knees and others. Not as noticeable, but just as painful, exists the possibility of inflammation in the spinal joints, hip joints, shoulders and other locations.

* Stiffness in the joints, including the often progressive reduction in effective range of motion.

* Appearance of rheumatoid nodules in the skin, especially on or near the affected joints.

* Possible deformities of affected joints which can be debilitating, frightening and unaesthetic.

Atypical Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

* A variety of associated skin conditions, including types of ulcers and general skin degeneration.

* Formation of rheumatoid nodules in the lungs or internal organs, visible by diagnostic imaging techniques. These nodules can be innocent or may be problematic.

* Marked low bone density or osteoporosis are common near joints which have been hard hit by the disease.

* Neurological concerns stemming from structural changes in bodily anatomy due to bone spurs and joint deformities. These can include pinched nerves in the spine, carpal tunnel syndrome and various manifestations of sciatica.

* Possible kidney problems

* Increased chance for atherosclerosis and stroke. Heart issues may become present over the long term.

* Anemia is very common among patients with RA.

* General health symptoms can include malaise, chronic fatigue and predisposition for other possibly psychosomatic pain syndromes. Many RA patients have a history of previous psychological induced pain syndromes, such as fibromyalgia.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms Advice

Worse yet, RA is often misdiagnosed as some other condition, and these similar conditions are just as often misdiagnosed as RA. These disorders include gout, pseudo gout, lupus, Lyme disease, extreme osteoarthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Always be sure to do everything possible to achieve an acute and correct diagnosis, so that time and energy are not wasted seeking treatment for the wrong causative condition.