Knowing Rheumatoid Arthritis Early Symptoms Can Be Beneficial
Rheumatoid arthritis is often called RA and it’s an autoimmune disease that is usually associated with the elderly. Being aware of rheumatoid arthritis early symptoms will help you come to terms with the condition, as well as enable you to make changes in your lifestyle to battle the condition.
When a person has this disease, the white blood cells that normally fight off infections, bacteria and virus can’t seem to tell the difference between something invasive and the healthy cells in the body. As a result, the immune system releases chemicals into the body that can damage the healthy tissues, resulting in swelling, warmth, pain and inflammation.
Over time, this can cause the cartilage to thin and the bones can begin to wear away. Since RA can do so much damage to the joints, it’s a good idea to know what some of the rheumatoid arthritis early symptoms are. This way, you can take measures to protect your body as much as possible. This is a disease that can begin slowly providing warning signs by disrupting your daily activities but it can develop quickly in some people as well.
Some of the common symptoms of RA include the following:
• Morning stiffness
• Stiffness after sitting for long periods of time
• Poor grip
• Fever and other flu-like symptoms
• Tender and warm joints
• Rheumatoid nodules
• Fatigue
• Pain in joints
• Swelling in joints
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it’s suggested you see your health care provider to discuss the problems you’re having. It’s important to realize that RA will affect everyone differently. Some people will have very little pain that comes and goes and others will have extreme pain and it can be constant. Normally, it will flare-up when you least expect it.
Juvenile arthritis is also a common problem that thousands of children deal with each year. Some of the symptoms associated with this condition include high fevers that come and go. The child may experience swelling with a warm sensation in the joints, especially when first waking up in the mornings or from a nap. Stiffness in joints is a sign of JRA and sometimes a pink colored rash will appear in different areas of the body. The Juvenile Arthritis Foundation provides support and information to families dealing with this condition.
There are a variety of treatments available for rheumatoid arthritis. Some of the things you can do for yourself include getting plenty of rest and having a good exercise routine. The exercise will help to prevent your joints from becoming stiff and weak and keep you at a healthy weight. When a person becomes overweight it puts excess stress on their joints and muscles making the RA worse. Getting enough rest will help to rejuvenate your body and it’s vital that you maintain a healthy well-balanced diet.
There is a variety of medicines that can be used to help with the pain. Over-the-counter medicines include anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and pain-killers like Tylenol can be used. Doctors can prescribe disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs that are designed to slow down the progression and in some cases, corticosteroid injections may be used. There are even alternative treatments and herbal remedies for rheumatoid arthritis, such as aromatherapy and acupuncture.
Being aware of the rheumatoid arthritis early symptoms can be beneficial because it can help you to take steps to improve your health and reduce your symptoms before they cause a lot of damage to your joints and muscles.
