While early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be mimicked by other diseases, there are characteristic signs and symptoms. The 7 early RA symptoms to look out for are:
JOINT TENDERNESS – JOINT PAIN CAN BE CAUSED BY INJURY OR DISEASE OF THE JOINT OR ADJACENT TISSUES. A JOINT IS THE AREA AT WHICH TWO BONE ENDS MEET TO PROVIDE MOTION TO A BODY PART.
JOINT SWELLING – SWOLLEN JOINTS ARE VERY COMMON IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. SOMETIMES THE JOINT SWELLING IS MINIMAL AND CAN BE DIFFICULT TO APPRECIATE. OTHER TIMES THE JOINT SWELLING IS VERY APPARENT. GENERALLY, PEOPLE WHO ARE AFFECTED BY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS CAN EASILY TELL WHEN THEIR JOINTS ARE SWOLLEN.
JOINT REDNESS – REDNESS OCCURS OVER JOINTS WHEN THEY ARE INFLAMED. THE REDNESS IN THE SKIN OVER AN INFLAMED JOINT FROM RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE CAPILLARIES OF THAT SKIN ARE WIDENED BY THE ADJACENT INFLAMMATION.
JOINT WARMTH – WARMTH OF THE JOINTS AFFECTED BY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS IS A SIGN OF ACTIVE INFLAMMATION. DOCTORS LOOK FOR JOINT WARMTH AS THEY MONITOR THE ACTIVITY OF THE DISEASE.
JOINT STIFFNESS – STIFFNESS IS A TYPICAL RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS SYMPTOM. JOINTS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY ACTIVE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS ARE INFLAMED AND CHARACTERISTICALLY STIFFER IN THE MORNING THAN LATER IN THE DAY.
JOINT DEFORMITY – JOINT DEFORMITY CAN OCCUR FROM CHRONIC RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS. DEFORMITY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS OCCURS BECAUSE THE UNCHECKED INFLAMMATION LEADS TO BOTH EROSION OF CARTILAGE AND BONE AS WELL AS LIGAMENT LOOSENING.
LOSS OF JOINT FUNCTION – BECAUSE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS LEADS TO PAIN, SWELLING, AND TENDERNESS OF THE INVOLVED JOINTS, THERE IS LOSS OF JOINT FUNCTION. THE SWELLING AND SENSITIVITY IMPEDES THE FULL MOTION AND STABILITY OF THE JOINT.
What are your options for treatment?
The goals of RA treatment are to:
- Stop inflammation (put disease in remission)
- Relieve symptoms
- Prevent joint and organ damage
- Improve physical function and overall well-being
- Reduce long-term complications
Are there a viable alternative treatment solution that can work in conjunction with traditional medical treatments?
Doctors traditionally treat arthritis with anti-inflammatory medications, painkillers and other forms of medications. However, some medications can cause unwanted side effects, resulting in a host of other medical problems.
PHOTOTHERAPY / COLD LASER THERAPY / LOW LEVEL LASER THERAPY:
This medical treatment uses low-level lasers and/or other light sources like LEDs with specific wavelengths. The technology utilizes super luminous and laser diodes to irradiate diseased or traumatized tissue with photons. These particles of energy are selectively absorbed by cellular target molecules called photoacceptors, resulting in the initiation of a cascade of complex physiological reactions. This leads to the restoration of normal cell structure and function.
- Cold laser therapy or phototherapy is considered safe and non-invasive, painless and drug-free. There have been no reported adverse results or side effects of BioFlex Laser Therapy throughout the company’s nearly 30 year history.
- Numerous clinical studies have demonstrated the benefits of using LLLT (Low Level Laser Therapy) / Cold Laser Therapy / Phototherapy, as it reduces pain and inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and improves microcirculation in the irradiated area.
