By the year 2030, it is estimated that there will be 67 million adults in America with a diagnosis of a form of arthritis. Millions of these cases will be rheumatoid arthritis, more commonly known as RA. Even more frightening is the fact that millions of cases will go undiagnosed. 

Arthritis is a disease common with aging, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 1.5 million adults were diagnosed with RA in 2007 alone. 

Rheumatoid arthritis is a type of autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. RA affects every person differently, but there are several common signs and symptoms to watch for when you suspect you suffer from RA. 

10. Fatigue or Malaise 

Because RA mimics an infection, your body is expending extra resources attacking the infector (in this case, it’s mistaken your joints for the infecting agent). This effort will drain your energy and cause you to feel fatigued. 

You may also experience: 

• a low-grade fever;
• night sweats; or
• sudden weight loss from the unusually expended energy. 

9. Red or Black Spots 

Watch for little red or black spots on or around your fingernails and fingertips. This may be a sign of tissue death in those areas from inflamed small blood vessels. 

These spots are an uncommon indicator of RA. However, when they are present, they indicate a more advanced stage of the disease. A rheumatologist should be consulted immediately upon notice of this symptom. Failure to treat promptly could lead to tissue death, which causes the loss of fingers and toes. 

8. Shortness of Breath or Chest Pain 

RA attacks more than joint tissues; it also can attack the blood vessels and heart muscles. In fact, people with RA are at an increased risk of heart attack and heart failure due to their RA-weakened cardiovascular system. 

Shortness of breath or chest pains should not be ignored, even if there is no prior history of heart or lung problems. RA weakens the immune system, and it may make a person more prone to lung infections, interstitial lung diseases and fluid development around the lungs. 

7. Joint Pain 

RA most commonly attacks the joints, causing painful swelling. When the tissues on and around the joints become inflamed, the pressure can lead to debilitating pain. The pain generally increases with movement or pressure and often persists even during rest. 

Joint pain is most frequently experienced in the fingers and wrists, but is also common in the: 

• feet;
• ankles;
• knees; and
• shoulders. 

6. Stomach Irritation 

Many RA patients take nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help treat their RA symptoms. Use of this class of drugs, which includes ibuprofen and naproxen, can increase the risk of stomach problems. Formation of stomach ulcers may occur with excessive NSAID use, which can lead to stomach bleeding or formations of holes in the stomach wall. 

Tell your doctor if you experience: 

• unusual stomach pain;
• black or bloody stools; or
• persistent nausea. 

 

5. Red, Inflamed Eyes  

If you have a more serious form of RA, you may notice your eyes appear red or inflamed. This is from the damage to your ocular blood vessels that could lead to serious vision problems. 

Many RA patients find that they experience dryness around the outer area of the eye, and eye drops provide temporary relief. However, if the problem persists, or if you experience sudden severe ocular pain, it could be a sign of deeper eye damage that needs to be treated immediately. 

4. Numbness or Tingling 

RA most commonly affects the joints of the wrist, but the numbness and tingling associated with signs of the disease may occur anywhere in the body. These conditions occur when the RA-inflamed tissues push up against nerves, causing a disruption or even serious or permanent nerve damage. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common symptom of a more serious case of RA damage in your wrists. 

Report to your doctor for further evaluation if you experience: 

• clumsiness;
• weakness;
• pins and needles; or
• burning sensations. 

3. Bone Fractures 

Rheumatoid arthritis often causes bone loss because of its inflammatory nature. The pressure placed on bones by the surrounding inflamed tissues often can cause bones to fracture or break. Women with osteoporosis are especially susceptible to fractured bones when they also have RA. 

The risk of bone fracture persists even in patients who have been diagnosed with RA and are being treated with prednisone. This frequently used drug for RA has been linked to an increased risk of fracture, and newly diagnosed RA patients should consider a bone density test to monitor their risk. 

2. Inability to Move Hands or Feet 

Joint stiffness is a common sign of early-onset or minor RA and usually begins slowly in the joints of the hands. However, stiffness can occur in any joint in the body and may come on rapidly, spreading to other joints in a matter of days. The stiffness can occur without any physical strain or activity and at any time of day. 

When severe RA strikes, some patients experience the sudden loss of movement in a hand or a foot. This is because of severe nerve damage done when the inflamed tissues press against nerves in the affected area. While this is one of the rarer symptoms, it is also one of the most alarming. 

“It’s like having a heart attack for the nerves,” says Dr. Joan Bathon, the chief of rheumatology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. She cautions that this symptom must be treated immediately to avoid the risk of permanent paralysis. 

1. Fever and Other Signs of Infection 

RA triggers the immune system into attacking the joints, much like the body is trained to attack viruses and bacteria to prevent infection. Therefore, people with RA often will experience fever and other signs of infection. A fever is the body’s way of responding to foreign substances in the body, and in the case of RA, the immune system incorrectly is flagging healthy joint tissue as an irritant. 

A low-grade fever may be a symptom of RA, although other symptoms should be identified first before jumping to the conclusion of RA. Many of the symptoms of RA are generic and do not directly associate with the disease. 

If you identify with several of these symptoms at once, it’s a sign that you should speak with your doctor or consult a rheumatologist for further testing and evaluation. When diagnosed at an early stage, there are many treatments and therapies available to help ease the pain and slow the progression of the damage. 

As always, if you experience any drastic changes in your health or notice anything alarming about your body, contact your doctor for further advice.