Does rheumatoid arthritis make you tired?

Does rheumatoid arthritis make you tired?

People with rheumatoid arthritis typically have several permanently inflamed joints. The inflammation inside the body can lead to general physical weakness, drowsiness and exhaustion. This feeling of extreme tiredness is also called “fatigue.” Some people find this to be the worst symptom of the disease.

Does rheumatoid arthritis hurt all the time?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) most commonly affects the joints in a person’s hands, wrists, and knees. It can cause intense pain, swelling, and stiffness. However, RA can affect the whole body. Without effective treatment, it can be progressive, meaning that it may get worse over time.

How can I tell if I have osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis?

The main difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is the cause behind the joint symptoms. Osteoarthritis is caused by mechanical wear and tear on joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s own immune system attacks the body’s joints. It may begin any time in life.

Is lupus or rheumatoid arthritis worse?

There are many differences between lupus and RA. For instance, lupus might affect your joints, but it’s more likely to affect your internal organs and your skin than RA. Lupus can also cause life-threatening complications. These may include kidney failure, clotting problems, or seizures, which are not symptoms of RA.

What are early RA symptoms?

Early joint symptoms. The key features of RA that your doctor will look for include pain and swelling in joints affected by the disease.

Hands. In many patients,the joints of the hands are the first to be affected by RA.

Wrist. Among joints in the arm,the wrist is the most commonly affected in RA.

Elbow.

Foot.

How long can a person live with rheumatoid arthritis?

An exact life expectancy is almost impossible to predict due to the varying nature of the disease. In general, patients can expect that the rheumatoid arthritis life expectancy could be shortened by roughly 10 years to as many as 15 years.

What you should know about rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis starts in a person’s joints, but it can be felt all over. Symptoms typically include joint pain, tenderness, swelling, or stiffness (especially in the morning), according to the Arthritis Foundation. People can also experience fatigue, loss of appetite, and a low-grade fever, the organization says.

What are signs that you have arthritis?

Overview. The main symptoms of arthritis are joint pain and stiffness, which typically worsen with age. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis causes cartilage — the hard, slippery tissue that covers the ends of bones where they form a joint — to break down.