Before diving deep into the topic, let’s understand some necessary information about Rheumatoid arthritis & What it is?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a persistent inflammatory disorder that can adversely affect more than just your joints. In some people, the condition can destroy a broad category of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart & blood vessels. An autoimmune disorder, RA, occurs when your immune system wrongly attacks your own body’s tissues.
Spotting signs of RA early could lead to an early diagnosis & appropriate treatment.
Rapid & consistent management of arthritis can prevent joint damage and, ultimately, disability. This article examines the early signs & symptoms of RA & when to see a doctor.
What actually is rheumatoid arthritis?
RA occurs from a problem with the immune system. When a person’s immune system is strong, it helps to combat infection. In people with RA, the immune system mistakenly attacks the cells in the lining of their joints, resulting in inflammation of the joints, making them swollen, stiff, & painful.
People who have RA will also have a phase where they experience no symptoms & other times when the symptoms flare-up.
Currently, there is no cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis, but proper treatment & moderate exercise may help reduce flares. If RA is left untreated, the cartilage, joints & bones in affected areas can become more damaged.
10 Early Signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis
The main symptoms of RA are joint pain & stiffness. Before the occurrence of these symptoms, a person may feel some early warning signs.
Some of these early signs correlate to how an individual feels overall, while others are pretty specific to the joints.
The symptoms that are related to a person’s joints are more likely to symbolize RA, primarily if more than one joint or both sides of the body are influenced.
Recognizing these warning signs can help people seek proper treatment at the earliest possible opportunity. The first warning signs of RA include:
• Fatigue
• Slight fever
Before feeling any other symptoms, a person with RA might feel extremely tired & lack his/her energy. They may also feel depressed.
Feelings of fatigue may affect:
- everyday activities
- relationships
- sex drive
- productivity at work
The feeling of being fatigued is due to the body’s reaction to the inflammation in the joints.
• Slight fever
Inflammation linked with RA makes people feel unwell & feverish. They might have a slightly raised body temperature, which is an early sign that many times accompany fatigue. It may lead to some noticeable effects on the joints.
• Weight loss
A 3rd early warning symptom of RA is unexplained weight loss, which is probably an indirect result of inflammation.
When someone feels feverish & fatigue, they apparently lose their appetite, which can cause them to lose weight.
• Stiffness
Another early sign of RA is joint stiffness. Stiffness may happen in one or two small joints, usually in the fingers. It can grow slowly but may last for many days.
In addition to the stiffness that attacks specific joints, a casual feeling of stiffness in the body can be felt as another early sign of RA.
This kind of stiffness affects a person after they have been still for a long time. This symptom is also the cause of an individual’s morning stiffness, a common complaint of patients with RA.
• Joint tenderness
Joint tenderness that affects the hands & feet is also a typical early sign of RA. In the hands, the joint in the middle & at the base of the fingers may feel tender when pressed or at the time of movement.
In the feet, the joints at the bottom of the toes may be tender. This soreness causes people to walk on their heels or toes as they walk.
• Joint pain
Joint pain in the fingers, wrists, & feet is a sign of RA. Inflammation makes the lining of the joint thicker & also causes the production of extra joint fluid.
Both of these determinants put pressure on the capsule that circles the joint & irritates the endings of the nerve that it contains, producing pain.
• Joint swelling
Joints that look swollen in the hands & feet is a typical sign of RA. Joint swelling leads to be a bit more noticeable as RA progresses, but subtle swelling may be an initial sign.
• Joint redness
Inflammation in the joints produces a red appearance. Discoloration of the skin encompassing the joints in the hands & feet is also an initial sign of RA.
Redness appears because the inflammation makes the blood vessels in the surrounding skin to widen up. Wider vessels enable more blood to run into this area, making the skin look red.
• Joint warmth
Joint warmth is caused by inflammation & may be present before redness or swelling occurs. This can be an early sign of RA.
• Numbness & tingling
Numbness & tingling affecting the hands & feet may be an early sign of RA. These signs are caused by inflammation in the joints that causes nerve compression, resulting in the loss of sensation.
• Numbness & tingling
Numbness & tingling affecting the hands & feet may be an early sign of RA. These signs are caused by inflammation in the joints that causes nerve compression, resulting in the loss of sensation.
Note:- There are some factors that researchers have discovered to lessen the risk of RA. These include:
• Moderate alcohol consumption: A 2012 study revealed that average alcohol consumption was associated with a reduced risk of RA.
• Breast-feeding: According to this 2014 study, females who breast-feed also have a reduced risk of developing RA.
WHERE TO CONSULT A RHEUMATOLOGIST IN BAHRAIN?
A person experiencing the early signs & symptoms of RA should go to see a doctor as early as possible. Rheumatologist at AMC BAHRAIN helpS to diagnose the condition & recommend appropriate treatment. Early diagnosis & treatment of rheumatoid arthritis reduce the likelihood of experiencing complications from the condition.
