For millions of people suffering from one of the more than 100 forms of arthritis, pain and limitation of physical activity are part of everyday reality.
The onset of rheumatoid arthritis is generally insidious, consisting of symptoms and gradually evolving towards joint symptoms. In some cases, symptoms may occur simultaneously.
Systemic symptoms:
- Fatigue, generalized stiffness and pain
- Progressive transformation of pain into a permanent embarrassment
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- General weakness
- Mild fever and sweating during periods of crisis
- Sleep disturbance
- Dry eyes and mouth (Sjogren’s syndrome-Gougerot)
- Depression caused by pain, disease chronicity and quality of life
Symptoms include joint pain and morning joint stiffness that persist for at least an hour. This stiffness can occur at other times of the day, especially after a prolonged period of inactivity. Affected joints may become painful, erythema (redness), heat, swelling and limitation of movement.
One of the characteristic symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is the appearance of pain in the joints affected, when the patient made a move. Joint pain are generally nocturnal, emphasized the awakening and affects joints symmetrically (on both sides)
All joints may be affected by rheumatoid arthritis, although the most common joints affected hand (proximal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal). HOT inflammatory occurring increasingly frequently, reaching other joints (knees, elbows, shoulders, etc..) And limiting movement.
Axial skeleton is rarely involved, except the cervical vertebrae. Synovial thickening can be seen.
Deformities characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis are “swan neck” and buttonhole deformity.
Subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules are not usually an early sign, but eventually grow to 30% of patients, generally located in regions around the joints, the expansion areas and areas under pressure (eg, surface extension of the forearm).
Most often, rheumatoid nodules are not painful, but can infect or break after a trauma. Rheumatoid nodules occur in patients with circulating rheumatoid factor.
