Symptoms and Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto-immune disease that affects joints primarily (cartilage and the synovial membrane). There is no known cause and cure of RA. Medical Science states that body’s own immune system gets misdirectional and identifies its own joints tissues as foreign and starts attacking on them. Though there is no cure but there are several treatments available to manage the disease.

The disease is more prevalent in females with the ratio being 3:1 between females and males. Most commonly the start age is above 40, but can occur at any age and among children also as Juvenile RA. Even after years of research, it is only said there is a genetic predisposition and an environmental trigger for the disease.

 Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Mostly RA is misdiagnosed as Osteoarthritis and often ignored as muscle stiffness or reduced flexibility due to aging. Early detection is important as the disease progression may cause deformity and disability. Following are the symptoms of RA.

• Mostly at the start, the disease affects hands (wrists and joints of fingers) and feet and then spread to other joints. The symptoms are stiffness and inflammation.
• Also mostly there is mostly a bi-lateral pattern for the disease i.e. both hands, both feet.
• Muscle stiffness which is highest in the morning and improves later in the day
• Inflammation i.e. redness, tenderness and a warm feeling.
• Pain due to inflammation
• Fatigue and loss of energy
• lack of appetite with low-grade fever
• Muscle and joint aches and swelling
• There are times when the disease is in remission. When there is a relapse, the joints become red, swollen, painful and stiff.
• As rheumatoid Arthritis a systematic disease, inflammation can hamper other part, organ and joints of body too. Inflammation in the issue of eye gland or mouth results into dryness.
• Other sensitive organs such as heart, lungs etc. can also get affected by RA

Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis may be difficult as the results may still be negative after months of joints ache.

• Usually symptoms of morning stiffness, at least three joints having similar symptoms or both sided body joints having the symptoms, subcutaneous nodules are the primary examination of RA
• In the lab tests X rays may show changes in joints
• Blood tests are done to examine the Rheumatoid factor and other abnormalities. Rheumatoid factor is revealed in about 80% of the cases for a clear diagnosis.
• Higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) shows inflammation

Even after diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis, its prognosis should be tested through examinations. It could be a benign form or may be aggressive one needing better management of the disease.

A recent study done by Swedish researchers, state that there is an increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) in 60% of the cases after the onset of Rheumatoid Arthritis.