Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
Demand You Pay Attention!

Eventually everyone diagnosed with this type of arthritis, if left untreated, will experience the same end result . . . enlarged and/or deformed joints.

This type of arthritis is an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system attacks the synovial membrane of the joints. The membrane becomes inflamed, and the area of the joint capsule swells.

The membrane cells begin to replicate erratically and will evade nearby bone and cartilage. Over time the whole joint becomes weak as the pressure builds and tissue is eroded and scarred. This does not make a very pretty picture, but, in a nutshell, that's how rheumatoid joint disease destroys joints.

The symptoms of all this activity in the joints can take many forms, beginning with stiffness or swelling and eventually leading to joint deformation or a variety of other serious medical problems in other parts of the body.

When you have the arthritis identified as rheumatoid, or RA, one of the earliest rheumatoid arthritis symptoms is joint stiffness accompanied by some swelling. It may not seem too bad at first, but these symptoms are telling you there's something going on in your body you need to pay attention to. Pain is the body's signal system warning you there is a problem.

Often, people ignore the early rheumatoid arthritis symptoms believing their joint stiffness is the normal consequence of aging. But those minor symptoms will get worse if the disease is not treated. Following is a list of some of the other common symptoms of this type of arthritis.

• Red and tender joints
• Swelling of the joints for more than six weeks
• Pain and stiffness that persists well into the day, after morning joint stiffness should have subsided
• Reduced range of joint motion
• Fatigue or malaise accompanied by joint swelling or pain
• Low grade fever
• Anemia
• Symmetrical pattern of joint pain or inflammation

When the doctor tests for rheumatoid, blood is drawn to investigate whether the rheumatoid factor is present. If the abnormal substance, which shows up in 80 percent of RA patients, is present, this becomes a symptom also.

The goal of treating rheumatoid arthritis is to manage symptoms, minimize damage, and prevent disability. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential. But even with an aggressive treatment plan, there is no arthritis cure, and there is no guarantee that the disease will not progress from mild to severe.

What can you do to try and prevent severe rheumatoid arthritis?
Start first by learning all you can about the disease. When symptoms first occur, consult a doctor or rheumatologist. Decide on a treatment plan with your doctor. Follow that treatment plan. Be open and honest with your doctor about any changes in your condition or any concerns that may develop.

If rheumatoid is left to progress on its own, the symptoms can worsen. The pain can become more intense as the synovium thickens. Inflamed cells produce a particular type of enzyme that eats bone and cartilage. This can cause even more pain and then bone to deform.

In its advance stages the joint deformation becomes quite obvious and the joints lose shape as tendons slip out of place. Fingers or toes can curl, the hip get out of alignment, or the shoulders slump. These are not all the symptoms, but they give you a good idea of the most severe symptoms and joint damage possibilities.

In fact, in the advanced stages of RA can even attack other areas of the body or body organs. The symptoms then include one or more of the following.

• Pleurisy or inflammation of lung membranes
• Abnormal membrane around the heart
• Interruption of the blood supply through blood vessels
• Eye problems as the tissue covering the white part of the eye is damaged

There are many ways to treat RA and prevent it from destroying joints or advancing into tissue outside the joints. The first step is to recognize the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and the fact that your body's warning you that it's time to take charge.









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