Rheumatoid Arthritis: Understanding Symptoms, Causes, and Complications

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that primarily affects the joints but can also impact other parts of the body. Early symptoms of RA often include fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite. Typically, RA first targets smaller joints, like those in the fingers and toes, before progressing to larger joints such as the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, hips, and shoulders.

Unlike osteoarthritis, RA is not just a disease of the joints. Being an autoimmune disorder, it can also cause inflammation in organs. This systemic nature of RA leads to various complications. For example, osteoporosis is a common complication due to the disease itself and the medications used for its treatment. This condition weakens bones, increasing the risk of fractures. Another complication is carpal tunnel syndrome, where nerve compression leads to pain and numbness in the hand.

Women are up to three times more likely to develop RA than men, and the disease can cause non-joint-specific symptoms like fever, weight loss, and fatigue. If left untreated, RA can lead to more severe health issues, including heart and lung damage.

Peripheral neuropathy is another complication of RA, where nerve damage occurs due to swelling and irritation from the disease. The exact cause of RA remains unknown, but it involves the immune system attacking healthy cells and tissues, causing inflammation around the joints and potentially damaging the skeletal system and other organs.

In RA, joints become painful, swollen, and warm to the touch, often affecting both sides of the body symmetrically, such as both hands or both knees.

For more information on rheumatoid arthritis, visit the Mayo Clinic, Healthline, Mayo Clinic News Network, WebMD, CDC, Everyday Health, WebMD RA Guide, Johns Hopkins Medicine, and WebMD.