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Symptoms and Signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis

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These days people have hectic work schedules and they hardly pay attention to their health. As a result of this, their body suffers and they fall prey to a number of diseases. Our body’s immune system is responsible for protecting our health by attacking the foreign substances that enter our body like bacteria and viruses. But at times, the body’s immune system attacks its own healthy cells thinking that they are foreign. This medical condition is known as an autoimmune disease. Rheumatoid Arthritis is also an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its own joints and results in inflammation of the tissues that line the inside of joints. It causes swelling, pain and stiffness around the affected joints. If treatment is delayed, your cartilage can be damaged and elasticity of joints is affected. Further it results in joint deformity or restricted movement. If you see any signs and symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis, then you must immediately contact the medical specialists for early diagnosis and treatment of the problem.

Various symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis may include:

  • Pain and swelling in joints
  • Tender and warm joints
  • Stiff joints usually in morning
  • Tiredness
  • Fever
  • Unexplained weight loss

Some people may experience these symptoms in severity whereas for other people, these symptoms may just come and go. When Rheumatoid Arthritis is in its early stages, it tends to affect the smaller joints first such as joints that link your fingers with hands and toes with feet. Later on as the diseases progress, one may notice symptoms in other joints of the body like ankle, knees, wrist, shoulder and hips. Rheumatoid Arthritis has the tendency to affect those areas of the body also that don’t contain any joints and may include:

  • Heart
  • Kidneys
  • Skin
  • Eyes
  • Lungs
  • Blood vessels etc.

One should get the treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis as early as possible so that effective results could be achieved. Rheumatoid Arthritis can’t be cured completely but with the help of various treatment options, you can get relief from its symptoms. Your doctor will prescribe you medicines depending upon the severity of your condition. It may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and biologic agents. Physical therapy may also be recommended by your doctor so that your joints can become flexible and you can regain mobility. If medications fail to give you any result, then surgery is done where the damaged joints are either repaired or replaced. One must consult only a specialist in this field so that you can avail best services.

Dr Dhananjay Gupta

Dr Dhananjay Gupta
Director and Senior Consultant,
Orthopaedics and Joint Reconstruction and Replacement Surgeon
Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Vasant Kunj, Delhi.