Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that commonly affects the joints and other nearby tissues of the body. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are several and quite different from each other. While the main effects of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are felt in the joints and the bones, there are also some rheumatoid arthritis symptoms which may manifest in other parts of the body. Rheumatoid arthritis treatment options are available but there are no cures for this degenerative condition.

The root cause of rheumatoid arthritis is still not known as of this day but there has been some links to genetics which show that the disease is common to some families more than others. The presence of whatever factor incurs rheumatoid arthritis causes the individual's auto immune system to malfunction. This malfunction results to the white blood cells attacking the joints and tissues around it. The immune system mistakenly attacks these joints and tissues because it has been sent a signal that these are unwanted viruses, bacteria ad infections which need to be rejected and dispelled from the body.

Joint And Tissue Symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in the joints and bones are stiffness in a particular joint, swelling, redness, tenderness, pain and warmth in the affected area. These rheumatoid arthritis symptoms almost always go together. Stiffness often occurs when a person has been inactive for some time like sleeping or reading something without much movement. This rheumatoid arthritis symptom may result to some degree of pain when the joint is moved after inactivity. Swelling and tenderness often go together with other rheumatoid arthritis symptoms such as redness and warmth. Pain is a common rheumatoid arthritis symptom but the degree of it depends on the degree of the arthritic flare up.

Other Symptoms

When a person has rheumatoid arthritis, he or she may experience other rheumatoid arthritis symptoms other than those on the joints and tissues close to it. Flu like symptoms are common to those who experience a rheumatoid arthritis flare up. Examples of these rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are a high fever, lethargy or malaise, a feeling of fatigue and some muscular aches and pains. Fever may or may not last long while fatigue and the general feeling of being sick may prevail for as long as the rheumatoid arthritis flare up is manifesting.

The body's internal organs may also show rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Some of the more severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis show damage to the lung tissues and also to those around the heart.