This document discusses the physiological effects of rheumatoid arthritis. It notes that mornings are difficult for sufferers as fatigue causes heavy feelings in the head and bones, and stiff hands that make rushing or leaving the house quickly difficult. It also mentions that rheumatoid arthritis affects the entire body, especially musculoskeletal structures. Specific effects discussed include nodules under the skin, fluid around the heart, anemia, carpal tunnel syndrome, inflamed tear glands, amyloidosis, and inflammation in the lungs.

1. http://www.davidbain.org/pai
n
"Mornings are difficult. Getting up can take an
hour because of my fatigue. My head and bones
feel very heavy.
"I can't bend my hands in the morning either so I
can't rush, or get out of the house quickly.“
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20796697

2. Physiological
Effects Of
Rheumatoid
Arthritis
http://glorianinoska.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/rheu
matoid-arthritis.html

3. • Rheumatoid
arthritis effects
your whole body
and in particular
your
musculoskeletal
Structures.
http://www.unifiedlifestyle.com/blog/201
3/02/25/arthritic-joint-pain-solutions/

4. • Patients develop nodules
under the skin called
purpura
• Fluid surrounding the
heart is a pericardial
effusion
http://www.funscrape.com/Image/32984/Purpura.html
http://www.cardiachealth.org/ca-
blog/pericarditis-and-pericardial-effusion
https://web.stanford.edu/group/ccm_echocardio
/wikiupload/thumb/a/ae/Pericardial_effusion_locat
ion_PSS.jpg/420px-
Pericardial_effusion_location_PSS.jpg

5. • Anaemia and low blood count is
common in RA
• Carpal Tunnel system is seen when
nerves are trapped due to deformed
joints
• Inflamed tear glands causes scleritis
http://www.pharmaceutical-networking.com/merck-mk-2578-for-
treatment-of-anaemia-in-patients-with-kidney-disease/
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00005
http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/eyeforum/atlas/pages/scleritis
.html

6. • Long term or severe rheumatoid arthritis can
cause amyloidosis
• Patients can get inflammation on the
lungs known as pleuritis.
http://research.vet.upenn.edu/GeneralPathology/Exam1/Amyloidosis
Mineralization/AmyloidosisMineralization6/tabid/4143/Default.aspx

7. References
http://www.medscape.com/resource/rheumarthritis
Aletaha D, Neogi T, Silman AJ, Funovits J, Felson DT, Bingham CO 3rd, et al. 2010 Rheumatoid arthritis
classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism
collaborative initiative. Arthritis Rheum. Sep 2010;62(9):2569-81. [Medline].
Cheung PP, Dougados M, Gossec L. Reliability of ultrasonography to detect synovitis in rheumatoid
arthritis: a systematic literature review of 35 studies (1,415 patients). Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). Mar
2010;62(3):323-34. [Medline].
Myasoedova E, Crowson CS, Nicola PJ, et al. The influence of rheumatoid arthritis disease
characteristics on heart failure. J Rheumatol. Aug 2011;38(8):1601-6. [Medline].
http://www.arthritisresearchuk.org/arthritis-information/conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis.aspx