WHAT ARE THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS?
The onset of RA may be sudden, with inflammation in many joints, or slower, with one joint being affected after another. There is pain and tenderness in the inflamed joints. Usually the inflammation starts in the smaller joints of the hands, wrists, elbows and ankles, but it can occur in any joint. Pain and stiffness lasting more than a few minutes on arising in the morning or after prolonged activity is common. Deformities in the joints can develop and some common ones include: • Hands shifting away towards the baby finger (ulnar deviation) • Fingers may become fixed in a characteristic “swan neck” or “boutonniere” deformity • Enlargement of the lower joint in your fingers (proximal interphalangeal joint) • Nodules located on the bony surfaces of joints, most common at the elbow Because RA is a condition that affects the entire body, other signs and symptoms can include mild fever and anemia. In more advanced cases, the connective tissues of the lungs, heart and blood vessels can be a
