Symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis

Symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis begins in general by inflammation of at least 4 joints.
Pain

Specific pain of inflammatory type: night alarm clock, morning stiffness extending more than 30 minutes
Joint stiffness
Swelling of the joint

Clinical diagnosis

the clinical diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is made on these criteria:
Morning stiffness greater than 30 minutes
Evolution of the symptoms longer than 6 weeks
Arthritis of at least 3 joints affecting wrists or the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal the proximal of the hands
Pain to the pressure of the metacarpophalangeal
Symmetric impairment

Insidious developments

The evolution of rheumatoid arthritis is gradual, insidious and chronic
Small joints

The small joints of the wrists, ankles, hands and feet are particularly affected.
Other joints affected

All joints can be reached during the course of the disease, those of the knees, elbows, shoulders, hips and temporo-mandibular joints. The dorso-lumbar spine is not affected. The cervical spine can be reached
Bilateral and symmetrical

The affected joints are usually bilateral and symmetrical.
Inflammation of the tendons

Presence of a inflammation of muscle tendons
Rheumatoid nodules

Appear also from nodules on the skin, known as rheumatoid nodules
These nodules sit on the face of extension of the fingers or Achilles tendon
These nodules are specific to rheumatoid arthritis, are not always present and appear late.