When your hands are affected by rheumatoid arthritis, you may experience swelling around the affected joint, which leads to pain or tenderness. The joint may feel warm to the touch. Swelling tends to be symmetrical, which means it occurs in the same joints on both right and left hands.
Stiffness, swelling, and pain are symptoms common to all forms of arthritis in the hand. In rheumatoid arthritis, some joints may be more swollen than others. There is often a sausage-shaped (fusiform) swelling of the finger.
Joint redness
Inflammation in the joints may give them a red appearance. Discoloration of the skin around the joints in the hands and feet is a sign of RA. Redness occurs because the inflammation causes the blood vessels in the surrounding skin to widen.
In stage II of rheumatoid arthritis, the continued inflammation has led to a thinning of the cartilage. Normally, cartilage helps provide some cushion for the bones and makes joint motion more fluid. Without all that cushion, joint pain and stiffness may worsen. This also sets the stage for joint damage.
In early stage RA, the joint capsule becomes inflamed, and the synovial tissues swell. This process causes joint pain, visible swelling, and stiffness.
Signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may include: Tender, warm, swollen joints. Joint stiffness that is usually worse in the mornings and after inactivity. Fatigue, fever and loss of appetite.
The joints most likely to show signs of RA are: The metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints, or large knuckles, where the fingers and thumb meet the hand.
A person with RA may feel intense pain in their joints during flares. This can feel like sustained pressure, a burning sensation, or a sharp pain. However, people with RA may also experience periods of remission when they feel few to no symptoms. In addition to causing joint pain, RA can affect the whole body.
No blood test can definitively prove or rule out a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, but several tests can show indications of the condition. Some of the main blood tests used include: erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) – which can help assess levels of inflammation in the body.
What's the age of onset for rheumatoid arthritis? RA usually starts to develop between the ages of 30 and 60. But anyone can develop rheumatoid arthritis. In children and young adults — usually between the ages of 16 and 40 — it's called young-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA).
RA tends to involve small joints of bilateral upper and lower extremities. In the hands, the most commonly involved joints are the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints and the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, especially the 2nd and 3rd MCP and PIP joints.
RA is symmetrical, where a patient feels symptoms in the same spot on both sides of the body, often in the joints in the feet and hands. Osteoarthritis, in contrast, begins in an isolated joint, often in the knee, fingers, hands, spine and hips. While both sides may hurt, one side is more painful.
Lupus and Scleroderma
The autoimmune diseases systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma are two separate conditions but often present with joint involvement that mimics rheumatoid arthritis.
Clinical History. The typical case of rheumatoid arthritis begins insidiously, with the slow development of signs and symptoms over weeks to months. Often the patient first notices stiffness in one or more joints, usually accompanied by pain on movement and by tenderness in the joint.
These symptoms are clues to RA: Joint pain, tenderness, swelling or stiffness that lasts for six weeks or longer. Morning stiffness that lasts for 30 minutes or longer. More than one joint is affected.
Synovitis is the early findings of RA and is strong predictor of bone erosion. Soft tissue swelling and mild juxtaarticular osteoporosis may be the initial radiographic features of hand joints in early - RA (31).
Research suggests an estimated 90 percent of people will RA experience pain, stiffness, or swelling in joints in their hand, and often results in problems performing daily activities. Read more here about common rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
Your healthcare provider can make the diagnosis of arthritis of the hand by examining your hand and with X-rays. X-rays show loss of bone cartilage and formation of bone spurs. A blood test for rheumatoid factor and other markers can help determine if the cause is rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, which means it's caused by the immune system attacking healthy body tissue. However, it's not yet known what triggers this. Your immune system normally makes antibodies that attack bacteria and viruses, helping to fight infection.
The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis often develop gradually over several weeks, but some cases can progress quickly over a number of days. The symptoms vary from person to person. They can come and go, and may change over time.
Injuries: Even when properly treated, an injured joint is more likely to develop OA over time. Fractures and dislocations are among the most common injuries that lead to arthritis. Joint issues: Joint infections, overuse, loose ligaments, and poorly aligned joints can also lead to hand or wrist arthritis.
Methotrexate is usually the first medicine given for rheumatoid arthritis, often with another DMARD and a short course of steroids (corticosteroids) to relieve any pain. These may be combined with biological treatments.