Can a 23 year old have rheumatoid arthritis?

Can a 23 year old have rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more likely to appear in middle age, but young adults can get RA, too. As many as 8 in 100,000 people aged 18 to 34 get RA.

How do I know if RA is affecting my lungs?

The lung problems most often linked to rheumatoid arthritis include: Scarring within the lungs. Scarring related to long-term inflammation (interstitial lung disease) may cause shortness of breath, a chronic dry cough, fatigue, weakness and loss of appetite. Lung nodules.

What does rheumatoid arthritis affect first?

Early rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect your smaller joints first — particularly the joints that attach your fingers to your hands and your toes to your feet. As the disease progresses, symptoms often spread to the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, hips and shoulders.

Does RA start suddenly?

In a few people with RA — about 5\% to 10\% — the disease starts suddenly, and then they have no symptoms for many years, even decades. Symptoms that come and go. This happens to about 15\% of people with rheumatoid arthritis. You may have periods of few or no problems that can last months between flare-ups.

Can rheumatoid arthritis cause throat pain?

Much more rarely, RA can attack joints in the larynx, or voice box, and cause hoarseness, pain during swallowing or talking, a feeling of having something stuck in your throat, lowering of the voice or shortness of breath. Several decades ago, RA-related larynx problems were more common.

What does rheumatoid pain feel like?

A person with RA may feel intense pain in their joints during flares. This may 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 pain in the joints, RA can affect the whole body.

Where does RA usually start?

The most commonly affected areas during the onset of RA are the small joints in your hands and feet. This is where you may first feel stiffness and an ache. It’s also possible for RA inflammation to affect your knees and hips.

What triggers RA?

Flares can be triggered by physical stress (such as infections, injuries, surgery, medication changes, or overexertion with exercise) or emotional stress (such as work pressure or family conflict). But sometimes they can seem to occur randomly, which may be particularly frustrating or alarming.

What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in young adults?

RA may be more severe if you get it as a young adult. You may be more likely to have inflammation in the small joints of your hands and feet, and have bony erosions, than people who get RA later in life. You’re also more likely to have rheumatoid nodules.

What are the pulmonary manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

There are several pulmonary manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis, including pleurisy with or without effusion, intrapulmonary nodules, and diffuse interstitial fibrosis. On pulmonary function testing, there commonly is a restrictive ventilatory defect with reduced lung volumes and a decreased diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide.

Can young adults get rheumatoid arthritis (RA)?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more likely to appear in middle age, but young adults can get RA, too. As many as 8 in 100,000 people aged 18 to 34 get RA.

Is weight loss an early sign of rheumatoid arthritis?

Unexplained weight loss may be an early sign of RA. Weight loss in RA may be due to weakness and fatigue. 2 The challenge of early recognition of RA is that it may be difficult to distinguish from other types of arthritis involving inflammation.