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RA is a disease that is often accompanied by a high Rheumatoid factor (RF), however a person can have RA with no RF at all. When this happens it is described as "seronegative rheumatoid arthritis".

RA is an autoimmune disease where the body's own immune system attacks tissue It can cause joint damage, chronic pain, loss of function and disability of joints.

This type of Arthritis is a long term chronic illness that can stay with people for many years or life.

Symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease of undetermined etiology involving primarily the synovial membranes and articular structures of multiple joints. The disease is often progressive and results in pain, stiffness, and swelling of joints. In late stages deformity and ankylosis develop.

The symptomsInvolving joints,d nerves and muscles of RA are as follows.

Joint pain

Joint swelling

Joint stiffness

Morning joint stiffness

Joint stiffness after inactivity

Joint tenderness

Warm joints

Ankle arthritis

Symmetrical joint pattern - both sides of the body afflicted.

Weight loss

Fatigue

Decreased appetite

Occasional fever

Bouts of mild fever

Episodic flares with remissions

Variable symptoms - different people experience different effects

Skin bumps (rheumatoid nodules) - about 25% of cases get these

Anemia

Neck pain

Dry eyes

Dry mouth

Tiredness

Afternoon fatigue

Joint involvement is typically polyarticular and symmetrical, (happens in more then one joint at a a time and often affects the same joints on opposite sides of the body.) usually sparing the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints. Joint involvement and inflammation is evinced by the following:

Edema

Effusion

Warmth

Tenderness to palpation

Destruction of joint in advanced stages

other symptoms may manifest themselves in the skin and other organs of the body.

Subcutaneous rheumatoid nodules,

Swan-neck deformities,

Boutonniere deformities,

Ulnar deviation of fingers at MCP joints in advanced stages.

RA a is a systemic disease, that means its inflammation can affect other organs and areas of the body. RA can cause Inflammation of the glands, eyes and mouth the result being dryness of these areas, This is known as Sjogren's syndrome. Rheumatoid inflammation can also lead to pain in the chest with deep breathing. this is the result of inflammation of the lung lining, pleuritis.it can also lead to shortness of breath, or coughing. Lung tissue becoming inflamed can lead to them being scarred and coughing. rheumatoid nodules can sometimes develop in the lungs. Inflammation of the tissue (pericardium) surrounding the heart, called pericarditis, can cause a chest pain that typically changes in intensity when lying down or leaning forward. RA can also lead to anemia. Decreased white cells can be associated with an enlarged spleen (referred to as Felty's syndrome) and can increase the risk of infections. Rheumatoid nodules can occur under the skin around the elbows and fingers where there is frequent pressure. Even though these nodules usually do not cause symptoms, occasionally they can become infected. Nerves can become pinched in the wrists to cause carpal tunnel syndrome. A rare, serious complication, usually with long-standing rheumatoid disease, is blood vessel inflammation (vasculitis). Vasculitis can impair blood supply to tissues and lead to tissue death (necrosis). This is most often initially visible as tiny black areas around the nail beds or as leg ulcers.

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