| For some people there seems to be a rheumatoid | | | | conditions. However, when this key symptom is |
| arthritis symptom for every day of the year and they | | | | present, you know you've got RA. This is important |
| symptoms change with the seasons. Stiff, achy joints, | | | | knowledge, as it's essential to get early treatment. The |
| low-grade fevers, nodules under the skin and more are | | | | earlier treatment starts, the more likely you are to |
| typical daily fare for the over 2 million people in the | | | | avoid permanent joint damage. |
| United States who suffer with this debilitating disease. | | | | So what is this symptom? It's warm swelling of one or |
| At its fundamental level, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an | | | | more joints. This symptom is almost always the first, or |
| autoimmune disorder that slowly destroys the joints | | | | one of the first, symptoms to show up in an RA |
| form within. In practice, it's much more complicated | | | | patient. Your joint or joints will swell up and become |
| than that. Because the immune system is involved, RA | | | | warm to the touch. Often, the joints get so warm they |
| can sometimes affect the internal organs, the skin, and | | | | turn red! Once you have this rheumatoid arthritis |
| even the eyesight! That's why the symptoms vary so | | | | symptom, you know for sure it's time for a trip to the |
| widely from person to person. | | | | doctor for an official diagnosis. While there is a small |
| However, the most important rheumatoid arthritis | | | | chance the swelling could be caused by something |
| symptom is the one that tells you clearly that you have | | | | other than RA, it's highly unlikely. Get treatment now, |
| the disease. Without this one symptom, all of the | | | | and give yourself the best chance of a normal, fully |
| others could easily be classified as all kinds of other | | | | functional future. |