Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms - Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms - The first symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, which refer the patients most frequently is the pain in small and large joints. The onset is gradual or insidious, with progression of symptoms and addition of new articulations, the course is chronic. The pain is the result of inflammation of the joints, which often can be seen with the naked eye in people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

The most commonly damaged joints are wrists, knuckles, the joints of the fingers, where should be noted that it does not usually affect distal interphalangeal joints (joint closest to the end of the fingers), shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, ankles and toes of the feet, followed by the hip and temporomandibular joints. Neck pain may also be caused by rheumatoid arthritis, and must therefore be valued by your doctor.

In addition to the pain and inflammation, stiffness occurs joint in the morning, i.e., there is difficulty in the beginning of movements for more than 45 minutes. Permanent and not treated inflammation may end up damaging the bones, as well as the ligaments and tendons that surround them. The consequence will be the deformity of the joints gradually, losing the patient the ability to perform normal activities of daily life.

Deformity of the fingers often referred to as "Swan neck" and "buttonhole" occurs late in the course of rheumatoid arthritis, and is characteristic of chronic disease; He is not normally observed in the initial presentation, where the signs of "SYNOVITIS" and damage articular are subtle.

Also produced other extra symptoms - joint partners, which are alterations of the disease to other levels, these are:

• Slimming.
• Fatigue or tiredness.
• Unexplained fever.
• Xerostomia, i.e., dry mouth.
• Xerophthalmia or dry eyes, sense of grit and red eyes.
• Lumps on the skin called subcutaneous nodules, which are characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis, although they are not unique to it, since sometimes they appear in other diseases.
• Muscle weakness.
• Intense and persistent neck pain.
• Tingling in hands or feet.
• Hoarseness maintained without noticing catarrh.

Affected Organs

In addition to affect the joints, rheumatoid arthritis also affects other organs, these are:

Lymph nodes

That frequently they are enlarged, although they are rarely palpable.

Lung disease

The Pleurisy or inflammation of the layer (the pleura) lining the lung is frequent, but it tends to be mild, as well as other lung and cardiac manifestations. Pleural effusions can also occur.

Pulmonary Rheumatoid nodules are an asymptomatic find in rheumatoid arthritis. Radiologically are coin-shaped lesions that may be difficult to differentiate from a malignancy.

Cardiovascular system

There is more and more evidence that people with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease, independently of traditional risk factors. It seems that the inflammation that occurs in rheumatoid arthritis plays an important role in the development of atherosclerosis.

Skin

It is frequent that palmar Erythema, which is a reddening of the palms of the hands. (Changes in skin color) Raynaud's phenomenon, with Association of infarcts, skin ulcers and superinfections may also be present.

In approximately 30% of patients are present the Rheumatoid nodules, which are mainly found in the forearm extensor surface and areas of skin pressure. Nodules have different sizes and different consistency, and are usually asymptomatic, although they may break due to injuries and become infected. Nodules are not specific to rheumatoid arthritis, but are useful for diagnosis and prognosis, given that they are correlated with the activity of the disease and its progression.

Ocular involvement

In less than 1% of the patients eye affects you. Rheumatoid vasculitis (involvement of small vessels of the eye) may result in a severe form of painful scleritis are affected where the deep layers of the eye, and episcleritis, which is benign and disappears.

Neurological

Rheumatoid arthritis often respect the central nervous system in a direct way, although vasculitis (involvement of small vessels) can cause peripheral neuropathy.

Subluxation of the joint between the first and second cervical vertebrae, also called atlantoaxial joint, is present in a third of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but tends to be asymptomatic.

Cervical myelopathy (spinal cord involvement), due to the cervical instability, can be deadly. Symptoms include numbness or tingling, weakness, paralysis, sensory loss, urinary incontinence and syncope.

Kidney

Renal involvement is the most frequent type of organic failure in rheumatoid arthritis, although frequently the skin, liver and gastrointestinal tract are also affected.

Felty's syndrome

Consists of the Association of rheumatoid arthritis, splenomegaly (increase in size of the spleen) and neutropenia (low neutrophil). They are also frequent (increase in the size of the liver) hepatomegaly and Lymphadenopathy, and presentation at relatives is more frequent than expected.

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