Rheumatoid Arthritis and Symptoms
Rheumatoid arthritis is found to affect woman mostly, the symptoms start to show up between the ages of 30 and 50. Sometimes children and men can be affected, but women are affected in 70% of the cases. When men are affected the attacks are found to be more severe and do not respond to treatment.
Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis are often mistaken for other diseases, and it can be sometime for the proper diagnosis to be made. No simple test or blood test provides a diagnosis. What happens is a diagnosis is made with an overall assessment over time completed by the doctor. This type of doctor is referred to as a rheumatologist.
Symptoms can be flu-like and there may be a low grade fever. There can be muscle aches, loss of appetite, and in many cases, sweating of the hands and feet. These symptoms are dismissed in most cases thinking they are just symptoms of a flu virus. As it progresses, and in some cases almost overnight, the joints one or more will be swollen, red, painful and hot to the touch. Usually, Rheumatoid arthritis is strange the way it attacks the joints symmetrically. When your left hand is affected, your right hand will be affected also.
When a person gets up in the morning there will be stiffness in some of the joints that lasts for a few hours. Sitting for long periods of time make the stiffness much worse. Sometimes depression, fatigue and even weight loss are associated with this type of arthritis.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the body’s own tissues through the immune system. This attack of the body’s tissues causes inflammation in the joints. The inflammation is what causes the arthritis pain. You want to be alert to the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. When you suspect that you are experiencing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms be sure to alert your doctor as soon as possible.
What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis?
It is unknown what causes rheumatoid arthritis. It is suspect that bacteria and viruses are the cause by quite a few doctors and scientists; none have ever been able to prove that these are the causes. You can be sure the symptoms are debilitating and can be devastating no matter what the cause.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis Remission?
It is found that rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are not continuous. They will come and go over a period of a persons’ lifetime. Some of the sufferers will go many years with no rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. The claim is at these times it is said that the disease is in remission. When the symptoms return it is said to be a flare up.
Rheumatoid Arthritis “Flare”
A rheumatoid arthritis flare up, the affected person will experience lack of energy in the form of fatigue with joint stiffness and pain. When a flare occurs, even minor tasks can be incredibly painful. Things like opening jars and turning doorknobs are difficult to do. More serious conditions like gout or tissue damage can be the result of the inflammation.