Unusual symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) not to be ignored

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) generally causes fatigue and pain, stiffness and swelling in your joints. About 40% of people also have one or more symptoms in areas outside the joint. These symptoms are generally due to the abnormal immune response and increased inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis, or as reactions of PR treatments.

Rheumatoid nodules are firm and generally painful lumps that develop under your skin. They can present themselves on pressure points, such as the back of your elbow or your heel. They occur in around 30% of people with Pr.

Raynaud syndrome Affects approximately 10% of people with Pr. With Raynaud syndrome, blood vessels in your hands or feet tighten in response to cold or stress, causing pain or numbness and very pale skin in some of your fingers or toes.

Less often, the PR can also cause additional skin problems, including:

• A rash that looks like eczema or psoriasis
• Redish palms
• Very dry skin
• Wounds or ulcers

Another important skin problem is vasculitisor inflammation of your blood vessels, which occurs in around 2% of people with PR. It usually affects the blood vessels of the skin, causing a painful rash and sometimes fever and nerve pain.

Pleural effusionA condition where there is liquid around the bag containing your lungs, occurs in about 5% of people with rheumatoid arthritis. This can cause symptoms such as:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Cough

Interstitial pulmonary diseaseIn that the lungs form abnormal scar fabric, can cause similar symptoms in around 21% of people with PR. It is one of the most potentially serious non -craft symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Pulmonary nodulesor rheumatoid nodules, are non -cancer growth in your lungs which can be visible on a pulmonary radiography. They do not often cause symptoms, but your doctor may recommend a pulmonary biopsy to ensure that it is a rheumatoid nodule and not lung cancer.

People with rheumatoid arthritis have an increased risk of atherosclerosisA hardening of the arteries which does not often cause symptoms but increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

PR can also increase the risk of pericarditisor inflammation of the bag around the heart. Light pericarditis may cause no symptoms. But if it is more serious, it could cause symptoms like:

• Simpted chest pain
• Fever
• Shortness of breath
• Low blood pressure

Less often, the PR can cause other heart problems such as damage your heart valves Or abnormal heart rhythms.

About 18% of people with rheumatoid arthritis have one or more eye symptoms. The most common problem is very dryoften accompanied by a dry mouth. Other symptoms may include:

• Redness
• Eye pain
• Blurred vision
• Light sensitivity
• Vision changes

A damaged joint can sometimes start to press a nerve. The exact symptoms it causes depend on the nerve compression. For example, you could get something similar to carpal tunnel syndrome, with pain, numbness and tingling in your hands.

A rare condition that occurs in 1% or fewer people with PR is called felty syndrome. It decreases certain immune cells in your blood which help fight infections. This puts you at risk of infections that you could normally fight easily.

Felty syndrome also causes the widening of your spleen and increases the risk of bruising and bleeding.

Rheumatoid arthritis can also increase your risk of osteoporosis, a weakened and brittle bone condition that increases the risk of fractures (broken bone).

Some people with rheumatoid arthritis may have an increased risk of hearing loss over time. This may be due to inflammation of bones in the ear or to the use of certain drugs, such as pain relievers.

The management of your symptoms depends on the type of symptom, its severity and your overall health. For example, you may need to adjust your ordinary RA drugs, or you may need additional therapies, such as drops for dry eyes.

A doctor called a rheumatologist, which specializes in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, can help you determine the best ways to manage or adapt to all unusual symptoms.

If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, the possibility of non -artisanal symptoms is a good reason to obtain regular checks. During these exams, your supplier may detect unusual symptoms thanks to your medical history and examination, blood tests and medical imaging.

Call the doctor who manages your PR if you feel new symptoms or anything out of the ordinary. For example, let them know:

• Cough that does not disappear
• Light chest pain
• Sweet shortness of breath
• Unusual skin rash
• Sensitivity to light or vision changes
• Changes in your hearing

For any severe symptoms, such as intense eye pain or sudden chest pain with shortness of breath, look for emergency medical treatment.

Rheumatoid arthritis mainly causes symptoms linked to your joints, such as pain, stiffness and swelling. Sometimes the disease can affect other parts of your body, causing symptoms linked to your heart, lungs, eyes, skin, etc. It is important to work with a doctor to detect and treat the symptoms of PR.