The signs and symptoms of
rheumatoid arthritis can differ from patient to patient, but if you suspect you might have this condition, what should you look for? Recognizing the warning signs of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be crucial to your overall health and extremely helpful to medical professionals in diagnosing the disease. RA can start out with minor symptoms that come and go, usually on both sides of the body, and become progressively worse as the months go on. Symptoms are always changing and may not manifest the same way in you, as in someone else you know.
Below we've detailed the early warning signs of rheumatoid arthritis that you may notice if you have the disease. If you are experiencing these signs, you may want to talk with your doctor and see what the next steps will be.
1. Numbness and tingling
When your tendons are inflamed, this could put pressure on your nerves. Your joints could experience a numbness, tingling, or burning feeling. Your joints may even cause a crackling or squeaking noise when you move; this is damaged cartilage rubbing against the joints.
2. Joint swelling
Mild swelling of the joints is typical to see in the early stages of RA. Your joints may seem bigger than normal and may be warm to the touch.
3. Joint stiffness
Different from degenerative arthritis like osteoarthritis, stiffness in the joints typical of RA lasts for several hours, instead of just in the morning. It can also reoccur after long periods of inactivity such as sitting or naps.
4. Fatigue
Feeling exhausted is something you might experience before any other warning signs come into play. Fatigue can come and go from day to day, or month to month, and starts before other symptoms. This fatigue may also make cause a general feeling of sickness, or even depression.
5. Several joints are affected
Normally, (but not always) RA affects joints on both sides of the body. Because of this phenomenon, RA is referred to as symmetrical form of arthritis. To start, the small joints of the hands, wrists, and feet are normally affected. It would be unusual to experience RA in one wrist and not the other. It can also move to the larger joints such as the knees, shoulders, and elbows.
These are just 5 of many early warning signs that could predict the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Not everyone with the disease will experience all of these symptoms and some people may experience ones that are not listed here. We hope by outlining these warning signs, you are now in the know about what your body will be experiencing if you develop RA. As with any disease or medical condition, we recommend you seek a medical professional's advice if you start seeing these warning signs.
If you are diagnosed with RA, a successful treatment plan will be your next in your plan of action. All natural joint supplements are a non medicinal and effective way to manage joint pain associated with conditions such as RA.
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