What Are the Initial Signs and Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that typically affects the joints in your hands and feet. However, RA can affect more than just your joints. In about 40% of cases, people with rheumatoid arthritis also experience symptoms in other body parts, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, and blood cells.

The early signs of rheumatoid arthritis often manifest as a warm feeling or swollen hands, which can quickly turn into persistent pain. As the disease progresses, symptoms frequently spread to the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, hips, and shoulders, usually affecting the same joints on both sides of the body. Non-joint areas that may be affected include:

Skin: The formation of rheumatoid nodules – small lumps under the skin over bony areas.
Eyes: Issues such as dryness, pain, inflammation, redness, sensitivity to light, and difficulty in seeing properly.
Mouth: Dryness, gum inflammation, irritation, or infection.
Lungs: Inflammation and scarring leading to shortness of breath and lung disease.
Heart: Inflammation which can affect heart function.

Internally, rheumatoid arthritis can cause a low red blood cell count and inflammation of the lungs and heart.

It’s important to differentiate between the two most common types of arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. While osteoarthritis symptoms result from wear-and-tear damage to joint cartilage, rhe

umatoid arthritis symptoms result from an autoimmune response where the body’s immune system attacks its own tissue, including joints.

When to see a doctor? It’s crucial to seek medical advice early if you experience persistent discomfort and swelling in your joints. Early diagnosis and treatment can help manage the symptoms and prevent further joint damage.

Here’s a chart that visually compares the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, highlighting the differences in joint pain, swelling, and affected areas for both conditions:

For more detailed information on rheumatoid arthritis, visit the following sources:

Mayo Clinic: Rheumatoid Arthritis – Symptoms and Causes
RheumatoidArthritis.org: Initial RA Signs
Arthritis – Symptoms and Causes – Mayo Clinic
Healthline: Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis
CDC: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Arthritis Foundation: Rheumatoid Arthritis
RheumatoidArthritis.org: RA Symptoms