The Early Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating disease that can cause damage to the joints and compromise the immune system. It helps to diagnosis rheumatoid arthritis in its early stages by recognizing the early signs of the condition so treatment may begin.

Exhaustion
Rheumatoid arthritis can cause fatigue and a loss of energy, even in the early stages. With a decrease in red cells from the disease, anemia can occur, making the exhaustion even more severe. Rheumatoid arthritis can also reduce the number of white cells, making you more susceptible to frequent illness and infection. Another contributor to the fatigue of rheumatoid arthritis is weight loss.

Pain and Stiffness
The pain of rheumatoid arthritis is in the muscles and joints. In the beginning it is more defined in smaller joints like in the hands and feet. These are also areas of stiffness for those with rheumatoid arthritis. The stiffness is most noticeable to patients in the morning and after other periods when they have been sitting or lying still. The pain and stiffness, caused by the swelling in the lining of the joint tissues (synovium), will become worse if treatment is not started.

Nodules
Rheumatoid nodules are an early sign of rheumatoid arthritis. These firm lumps are under the skin. They often occur around the fingers, arms and elbows. They are caused by frequent pressure on the joints, which are dealing with the diseases inflammation. The nodules are usually not painful, but it is possible that they can become infected.

Other Symptoms
Unexplained fever can be an early sign of rheumatoid arthritis. Dry eyes and mouth can occur from the inflammation in the glands of those organs. Inflammation in the lining of the lungs can produce chest pain, shortness of breath and coughing as symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful condition of the nerves in the wrists, can be a sign of rheumatoid arthritis.

Consideration
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are not always there and can vary in severity when they are. As the body tissues become inflamed, the disease goes into flares when symptoms are more noticeable. On the other hand, there are times when the inflammation lessens and the disease can actually go into remission, and it produces few symptoms. A patient may remain in good health for weeks or even years before the problems begin again.