Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful condition which is caused by inflammation and stiffness of the joints. Although it is most common in the hands, rheumatoid arthritis can affect any part of the body.

It is a myth that only older people are affected by rheumatoid arthritis since people usually develop symptoms between the ages of 20 and 50. This is not an all-inclusive statistic, however. People outside of these age ranges and even children can develop symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Additionally, women experience rheumatoid arthritis an average of two to three times more often than men.

Diagnosing Rheumatoid Arthritis

There is not currently a specific test which is used in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, since it is a cluster of symptoms and not a disease itself. Your doctor will evaluate you for the presence of rheumatoid arthritis by inspecting your joints, questioning you about your symptoms and factoring in your past medical history. He or she may also order one or several tests to rule out other conditions before making a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

There are several common indicators of rheumatoid arthritis experienced by people of all ages. The first thing people tend to notice is pain and stiffness of the joints, especially in the hands and feet. This may make it difficult to write, tie your shoes or walk for long distances, as well as perform other activities of daily living.

The person with rheumatoid arthritis may eventually notice stiffness or aching of the joints and muscles upon waking up in the morning or after other long periods of rest. The overall feeling of aching and stiffness can lead to loss of feeling in the affected joints in addition to a loss of strength in the muscles that are attached to them. Over a long period of time, rheumatoid arthritis can lead to permanent deformity of your joints.

In addition to the pain of rheumatoid arthritis, its suffers can also experience fever and fatigue which can be especially severe during a flare-up. This leads to an overall sense of just not feeling well, which is referred to as malaise in medical terms.

Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis. The best defense a person can take is to seek out early treatment when first noticing its symptoms and then to treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis very aggressively.