DR. CORA LIM
MEDICAL INSIDER
OCT 8, 2023
Rheumatoid Arthritis
We are dealing with a new but related topic today. It is
about Rheumatoid Arthritis.
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis? Medical books define
Rheumatoid Arthritis as an autoimmune disease that
causes inflammation in the joints.
So when one has Rheumatoied Arthritis, it means that his
immune system would start to attack his body’s own
tissues instead of germs and viruses.
What does Rheumatoid Arthritis do to the afflicted person?
Rheumatoid Arthritis causes inflammation in the joint
lining. As a result the joints become red, painful and
swollen. The redness is caused by the increase of blood
flow and as a result, the inflamed joint may feel warmer
than usual.
What are the Common Symptoms of Rheumatoid
Arthritis?
It is said that the common symptoms of rheumatoid
arthritis (RA) tend to come and go. You may have flare-
ups when your symptoms become worse than normal.
The common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include the
following: Joint pain and swelling; Stiffness; Tiredness
(fatigue), depression, irritability; Anemia; Flu-like
symptoms, such as feeling generally ill, feeling hot and
sweating
There are also less common symptoms. These are:
Weight loss; Inflammation in the eyes; Rheumatoid
nodules (fleshy lumps below the elbows or on hands and
feet); Inflammation of other body parts, such as lungs,
blood vessels and the membrane around your heart.
Are the symptoms for Rheumatoid Arthritis the same for all
people? No! The symptoms may vary from one person to
another but the symptoms usually start quite slowly.
A few joints (often your fingers, wrists or the balls of your
feet), become uncomfortable and may swell, often
intermittently. Your hand, fingers and other joints may also
feel stiff when you wake up in the morning. The stiffness
may last for more than half an hour.
If you have painful, swollen joints and stiffness in the
morning that lasts for longer than half an hour, you should
see your doctor.
Research shows that the sooner you start treatment for
rheumatoid arthritis, the more effective it’s likely to be, so
early diagnosis is important. (To be continued)