| Since arthritis is a general medical terminology | | | | lethargy. The stiffness may last about an hour or |
| covering more than hundred different diseases of the | | | | may take several hours to go.o Bumps or nodules |
| joint, the word 'rheumatism' was probably used in the | | | | appearing over the pressure points in the body like |
| past when referring it to a non-specific joint disease. | | | | the knuckles, elbows, spine and lower leg bones. |
| Be that as it may, one thing is for sure, and that is | | | | They may range in size from a pea to a mothball and |
| that, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease | | | | develop in around one-third of people having |
| where the body's own immune system attacks itself. | | | | rheumatoid arthritis.o Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms |
| Though medical knowledge till now is rather limited | | | | usually affect both sides of the body at the same |
| about the abnormal immune system response, it has | | | | time. Sometimes, three sets of joints are affected at |
| at least been established that cells of the immune | | | | a time.o Low fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and |
| system travel freely all over the body through the | | | | malaise are the most common symptoms of |
| bloodstream resulting a non-localized disease condition. | | | | rheumatoid arthritis. |
| The manifestation thus starts with one joint first, | | | | How to differentiate between the symptoms of |
| then spreading to other joints. Instances of sudden | | | | Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis |
| inflammation and pain in different joints simultaneously | | | | Rheumatoid Arthritis |
| are not uncommon though. | | | | Since rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the |
| What Are The Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms | | | | whole-body immune reaction to a problem that is |
| As another significant characteristic of autoimmune | | | | localized, it can affect any joint/joints irrespective of |
| disease, rheumatoid arthritis tend to be associated | | | | the fact that they are weight-bearing or not. Also, it |
| with systemic symptoms, i.e. symptoms appearing | | | | usually affects the smaller joints like the hands, balls |
| throughout the body or the system. These include | | | | of the feet, wrists or elbows. But there are quite a |
| mild fever, loss of appetite, fatigue and malaise. | | | | few exceptions to this.o Rheumatoid arthritis usually |
| Medically speaking, these are manifestations of cell | | | | affects the same type of joints on both sides of the |
| discontent when they are (wrongly?) activated. | | | | body as is it is caused by the chemicals that are |
| Some of the usual symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis | | | | flowing through the bloodstream.o People suffering |
| are given below.o Swollen, painful, tender and stiff | | | | from rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may feel |
| joints are usually associated with rheumatoid arthritis. | | | | stiffness all through the day on account of the |
| They are more or less symmetrically affected, i.e. the | | | | swelling of the joints.o Rheumatoid arthritis patients |
| same joints on both sides and all over the body like | | | | may feel fatigue, and loss of appetite. There might |
| the hands, elbows, knees, hands and the wrists.o | | | | be other problems all over the body as well. |
| Joint stiffness in the morning or after long periods of | | | | |