What Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Feel Like?

Rheumatoid arthritis primarily affects the joints, and causes inflammation. A person with this condition will experience flare ups and periods of remission. These flare ups can be triggered by high levels of physical activity, stress, weather, and many other causes. During flare ups symptoms can include but are not limited to swelling in the joints, pain throughout the body, feverish shivering, and exhaustion. Having an arthritis flare up can also lead to many flu like symptoms causing severe illness.

All of these symptoms can help you recognize arthritis, but you still might be wondering, what does arthritis feels like? This is a much different thing for many people. The physical pain during flare ups often causes many mental challenges for individuals. These challenges range from severe bouts of depression, and anxiety, to feelings of apathy, irritability and frustration. Flare ups can last hours to weeks.

When arthritis is in remission a person will often feel as thought they are back to normal. Feelings of health and wellness return and people can pursue their typical activities. Even though a person may be back to normal physically, many flare ups can lead some people to feel continuing sense of anxiety towards future flare ups. This anxiety can be paralyzing and can often prevent individuals from truly enjoying their remission periods.

So what does arthritis feel like? While it is hard to accurately describe the varying experiences people have with arthritis, it is important to make a sincere effort to understand how people in your life are experiencing it, and how this affects their ability to function in everyday life.

If you are dealing with arthritis or are close to someone struggling with arthritis it is important to learn the triggers and environmental factors that can bring on flare ups. Learning signs, and working closely with a physician to develop an effective treatment plan can help maximize recession periods.