The condition can also cause fatigue, a fever, or even a loss of appetite.
RA is a progressive disease mainly affecting joints.
Often, RA is symmetricalaffecting both sides of the body at once.
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
Symmetry is key to diagnosing RA.
Sometimes, RA does not cause symptoms on both sides, especially early on in the disease.
However, the condition will become symmetrical as RA progresses.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Additional joint symptoms of RA include pain, swelling, stiffness, and tenderness.
RA symptoms can affect any of your joints, especially as RA progresses.
This includes symptoms in thehands,feet, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles.
As RA progresses, it will affect tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
Your healthcare provider can order X-rays or other imaging to look for joint or bone damage from RA.
Pain coming from the joints is arthritis, whereas muscle pain originates in the muscle itself.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
They develop under the skin in bony areas like the fingers, ankles, and elbows.
Sometimes, nodules can form on the lungs.
Nodules commonly occur in areas of pressure.
This is a very common area of involvement.
If the nodule is removed, it can commonly recur after some years.
When RV affects the large blood vessels, a painful rash can occur, usually on the legs.
Rashes from RV may appear as red and painful patches or red, itchy dots.
The fingertips are the most commonly affected skin area in RA, but any skin area can be affected.
If RV is severe, skin ulcers (open sores or wounds) can form and become infected.
Some RA drugslike methotrexate 404can make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
One of the most common medications used to treat RAmethotrexateis responsible forhair loss.
Eyes
Your ocular system consists of your eyes and its central visual system.
RA can cause numerous eye problems, including dry and inflammation-related conditions likekeratoconjunctivitis sicca,scleritis, anduveitis.
Everyone with RA should have their eyes regularly checked to identify eye problems early.
RA is caused when the immune systemattacks healthy jointsbecause it thinks they are foreign invaders.
RA also increases your risk of all types of infections and rises with the severity of RA.
RA can increase your risk of developing two major diseases of the circulatory system: heart disease and vasculitis.
Vasculitis can also affect the veins.
The two types of anemia associated with RA areanemia of chronic inflammationandiron deficiency anemia.
Inflammation can also affect the production oferythropoietin, the hormone that regulates the production of red blood cells.
For instance, blood clots can occur due to higher-than-normal blood platelet levels from inflammation.
However, treating inflammation with corticosteroids can lead to abnormally low blood platelet levels.
Studies show that kidney involvement in rheumatoid arthritis happens between 20% and 50% of the time.
Some RA medications may also damage the liver.
If you experience neurological problems related to RA, it is important to let your rheumatologist know.
They can do an assessment, offer treatments, and refer you to appropriate specialists.
Stomach and GI Tract
People with RA experience gastrointestinal (GI) problems.
In fact, research shows they struggle more with GI issues than the general population.
RA can affect either the upper or lower section of the GI tract.
Contact your healthcare provider if you have RA and start to experience breathing problems.
They can treat lung conditions by getting RA under control or by treating lung problems directly.
A condition calledSjogrensdiseasecan affect some of the mucous membranes.
When it issecondaryto a primary cause like RA, it is called associated Sjogrens disease.
A study reported in 2020 found the prevalence of associated Sjogrens in people with RA is about 30%.
Chronic dry mouth can lead to tooth decay, oral infections, and gingivitis.
Sjogrens can cause swollen glands in the neck andfaceand dry nasal passages.
Women with the condition may experience vaginal dryness.
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