Rheumatoid arthritis is a very common type of arthritis which is usually caused due to an autoimmune disease. It can lead to swelling, inflammation, and pain in the joints of the ankles, feet, elbows, and wrists. It can also affect the internal parts of the body such as the respiratory or the cardiovascular systems. It is very useful to know all the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis to treat the condition in its early stages.

There are two common types of the condition – adult rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (caused in children aged 17 years and below). Here are some early warning signs to look for in both types of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

• Weight loss
  One of the very early signs of rheumatoid arthritis is an abnormal loss of weight. If you have been eating normally and are not on any medication for weight loss, a drastic decrease in your weight can be an early sign of this disease.
• Tiredness
  Many people who were diagnosed with RA stated constant tiredness and fatigue to be one of the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis. Unexplained tiredness can be the body’s way of reacting to the inflammation and the changes occurring in the joints.
• Tenderness in the joints
  Try pressing the midpoint of your joints. Does it feel excessively tender? Does it pain even when you do not exert a lot of pressure? Tender joints can be an early sign of this condition, along with pain, and the inflammation will soon follow.
• Stiffness in movements
  Stiffness, when you wake up in the morning, can be a sign of RA. Does it pain to stretch your hands or your feet after resting for a while? If you notice regular stiffness, without doing anything to exacerbate it, talk to your doctor about it and identify if it is an isolated problem or an early sign of RA.
• Unexplained fever
  As the condition progresses, patients notice an increase in body temperature that is not caused by an infection or the flu. Increased temperature is the body’s way of handling the inflammation and pain.
• Tingling of nerves
  Another early sign of rheumatoid arthritis is the tingling of nerve endings, especially in the feet and the fingers. When your tendons are swollen, they can cause the nerve ends to send sharp sparks that feel like a burning or a tingling sensation.
• Mild swelling in the joints
  This is a warning sign that definitely points towards aggressive RA in the coming years. Mild swelling in the joints can last for a couple of weeks and then disappear. If this happens periodically for no specific reason, then it should be considered an early warning sign of RA.

It is important to keep track of all these early signs and if you find your body reacting in a different way than usual, discuss the same with your doctor. RA, when treated early on, can be easier to deal with and you can live a healthy and relatively independent life without complications.