If you were to guess which gender rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect, which one would you guess? If you guessed women you are absolutely correct. It's believed that rheumatoid arthritis is around 2-3 times more likely to appear in women then men. It's also believed that this form of arthritis also begins to appear around the ages of 40 to 60. This form of arthritis causes a woman's joints to become inflamed, plus rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can become more severe over time as well. This form of arthritis also causes damage to our tendons, cartilage, ligaments and even the bones in our joints. However once this disease begins to progress it can also damage our lungs and blood vessels or even other areas of our bodies.

There are many different types of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms that you may feel. These different signs and symptoms can be: joint pain, joint swelling, joints that become tender to the touch, hands that may actually turn red and puffy, firm bumps may begin to appear under the skin of your arms, these are called rheumatoid nodules, morning stiffness that can last anywhere up to 30 minutes or maybe even more, fatigue, fever and weight loss just to name a few.

Doctor's at this time are unsure of what exactly causes rheumatoid arthritis but it is believed to run in families. In the early forms of this disease it will begin to actually affect your smaller joints. These joints can include your hands, wrists, feet and ankles. As this form of arthritis begins to advance and become more severe it will begin to affect your knees, elbows, shoulders, hips, jaw and even your neck. These signs and symptoms can range in their severity and can also come and go.

If you suffer from any form of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms you will want to consult your doctor. He or she can then discuss with you the best options that are available. There are different types of treatments that you can use; however there is no known cure for this disease. There are however different types of medication's that can help you with the pain and discomfort from rheumatoid arthritis or even help with the swelling of your joints. Even by simply doing small stretches in the morning can help your day go by with little discomfort. Take a look at some at home remedies that you can do to help you get through your day.