Rheumatoid arthritis history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Manpreet Kaur, MD [2]
Overview
Common Symptoms
- Joint pain
- Joint swelling
- Morning joint stiffness
- Difficulty performing activities of daily living
- Fever
- Malaise
- Weight loss
- Weakness
Joint pain and swelling, especially of the small joints of the hands, wrist, and forefoot are common, along with morning stiffness and decreased grip strength, although all peripheral joints and, to a lesser degree, the more proximal joints of the extremities can be affected. The axial skeleton is usually spared, other than the cervical spine, where severe disease may cause serious neurologic compromise, generally in patients with longstanding disease. Patients with poorly controlled disease typically experience progressive joint damage, which may result in significant joint deformities and functional impairment