Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, systemic disorder of joints which is characterized by to inflammation of joints. It mainly affects the joints of various body parts such as wrists, ankles, knees, spine, elbows, hips, shoulders and feet. Being a systemic disease, it can affect other systems and organs such as musculoskeletal structures, skin, heart, lungs, digestive tract, kidneys, blood vessels, blood, eyes and nervous system. Main possible causes of rheumatoid arthritis are hormones, genetics (heredity) and bacterial or viral infections. Inflammation, pain, stiffness and swelling of the joints are the prominent rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
Inflammation is one of the most significant rheumatoid arthritis symptoms which can lead to tenderness, redness and warmth. Patient with rheumatoid arthritis experiences stiffness most frequently in the morning and it improves in the day with activity. The prolonged morning stiffness is an important key factor for diagnosing this disorder. The area around the damaged joint is puffy and swollen. There may be development of hard bumps which appear near or on the joints especially near the elbows. These nodules are formed due to inflammation of small blood vessels. In some cases, these nodules indicate the presence of rheumatoid vasculitis in which the blood vessels of kidneys, lungs and other organs are affected.
In rheumatoid arthritis, pain in the joints may be due to swelling or inflammation of the joints as well as inflammation of surrounding tissues. Excess physical activities or strain on the joints also can give rise to pain. The intensity of pain varies person to person. Due to pain and stiffness, there may be restriction in the mobility of the joint.
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can affect the health of bones and spine. As the disease progresses, the inflammatory activity can lead to erosion and destruction of joint surface. It can affect range of motion and may give rise to deformity of bone. There may be limitation in the movement of bones. Rheumatoid arthritis can give rise to osteoporosis around inflamed joints. If spine is affected, there may be pain in neck and back.
Other general rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are malaise (blah feeling), fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, myalgias (muscle aches) and weakness or loss of energy. In some cases, general symptoms appear prior to joint symptoms. In addition to this, rheumatoid arthritis can give rise to some complications such as peripheral neuropathy, anemia, scleritis, infections, skin problems, gastrointestinal problems, lung disease, heart disease, periodontal disease, lymphoma and other cancers.
