Arthritis is a condition where the joints of the body are inflamed. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a condition where the autoimmune system instead of fighting the outside invaders of the body targets its own body cells and tissues. In RA the tissues around the joints are inflamed causing pain, swelling redness and stiffness.
The failure of the autoimmune system not only affects the joints but different organs of the body. RA can go undetected for a long period without any symptoms. It is typically a progressive illness that has a potential to cause destruction and disability of the joints. RA can affect people of any age and the reasons for the cause of RA is not known.
The main rheumatoid arthritis symptom, the tissue gets inflamed and indicates the disease is active. The disease becomes inactive if the inflammation is reduced and this condition is called remission. Remission can persist for days, weeks, months or years. The rheumatoid arthritis symptom disappears during remission. If RA becomes active inflammation reappears and this condition is called relapse. The term flare is used when the disease is active and its symptoms are seen.
Some important rheumatoid arthritis symptom that the patient feels is tiredness, loss of energy, joint and muscle aches, low-grade fever, lack of appetite, stiffness. The condition of joint and muscle stiffness is felt in the morning and after periods of inactivity could be extreme rheumatoid arthritis symptom. This is because the tissue lining the joint becomes inflamed resulting in the production of excessive liquid and with inflammation the tissue also thickens.
In this case the inflammation occurs on both sides of the body. Joints of the wrists and the hands are most commonly involved. Even small movements become painful. Joints of the feet also get affected during flares. Sometimes only one joint gets inflamed where the inflamed joint mimics the inflammation of other arthritis like gout.
Chronic arthritis can sometimes damage even cartilage and bone. RA can affect the joints responsible for vocal chords resulting in hoarseness. RA not only affects the joints but in severe conditions affects the glands of the eye resulting in dryness of the eye. When it affects the lining of the lung it causes chest pain accompanied by shortness of breath. It can reduce the number of red blood cells causing anemia.
Since the white blood cells increase the chances of infection are more. Sometimes nodules in the form of lumps are found under the skin causing pressure in that particular area. Very rarely the blood vessel gets affected and the supply to the tissues is impaired leading to the death of the tissue.
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