What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis mainly involves the joints, but may show signs and symptoms of other organs in the later stages of the disease. Symptoms of the disease progress in the form of exacerbations and silent periods. Periods of exacerbations can sometimes last for months.

Common signs and symptoms include:

• Joint complaints (mostly in small joints such as hands and feet):
• In the early stages, tenderness in the joints,
• Redness or swelling in the joints,
• Joint pain on both sides, increasing at night and in the morning,
• Stiffness in the joints,
• Complaints in more than one joint,
• More joint pain, especially in the morning, and less pain later in the day,
• Morning stiffness lasting 30 minutes or longer
• Ulnar deviation: Deformation seen in the form of turning the fingers of the hand towards the little finger of the hand,
• Swan’s play deformity: It is a deformity seen in the form of excessive extension (extension outward) in the extreme joint of the hand, and excessive flexion (introversion) in the joints further inside,
• Buttonhole deformity: It is a deformity that occurs as the middle joint of the finger cannot be straightened,
• Amyloid deposition and pseudo-hypertrophy in the muscles,
• Eye complaints
• Dryness,
• Pain,
• Infections,
• Redness,
• Light sensitivity,
• Visual disturbances,
• Mouth complaints
• Dry mouth,
• Gum infections,
• Gum sores,
• Fever,
• Don’t get tired quickly,
• Small round swellings under the skin, especially in bony areas (rheumatoid nodules),
• Respiratory problems,
• Lung infections,
• Rheumatoid vasculitis (finger ulcers, nail bed disorders, etc.)
• Anemia,
• Heart ailments,
• Weight gain,
• Blood pressure problems,
• Psychological problems, depression.,
• Felty Syndrome (enlarged spleen, neutropenia, leg ulcers etc).