Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arhtritis

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are distinctive from the other forms of arthritis. Distinguishing rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include swelling of many joints simultaneously as well as affecting other systems. 

Usually, joint inflammation occurs without any pattern and then becomes symmetrical affecting the same joints in the left and right sides of the body. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms of pain also follow a distinctive pattern.  Pain and stiffness usually occurs after rest and improves or disappears with use. Rheumatoid arthritis pain are usually worse in the morning.

Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arhtritis

Multisystem rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include anemia, enlargement of the liver, pericarditis (inflammation of the sac around the heart), alveolitis (inflammation of the lung alveoli), and subcutaneous nodules.  These are some examples of the other areas potentially affected by rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

The most notable and visible of the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms is the deformation of the joints.  The fingers are usually twisted towards the pinky finger.  This is known as ulnar deviation.  Other classical deformity of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include boutonniere deformation or swan neck deformation of the fingers.  This can coincide with ulnar deviation. 

Rheumatoid nodules are usually found over bony prominences such as the elbow, the heels, or on the knuckles of the hand.  The nodular rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are associated with severe, progressive disease.  Occasionally they can be found in the internal organs, though this is rare.

The previous page only describes the main rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.  This is a multisystem disease that can affect the kidneys, lungs, heart, eyes, gastrointestinal tract, etc as well.  If the physician looks hard enough, it is likely that they can find rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in every area of the body.