Teo Korean Medicine Clinic Bundang Rheumatoid arthritis

01

Prodromal symptoms

Before joint symptoms proper appear, fatigue, loss of appetite, and general weakness show up, and then synovitis develops.

02

Morning stiffness

This is the symptom where joints stiffen when you wake in the morning or after holding the same posture for a long time, then gradually loosen.

03

Joint Symptoms

It begins in the finger, palm, and wrist joints and gradually spreads to more joints.

04

Extra-articular symptoms

Beyond the joints, symptoms such as subcutaneous nodules, reduced stamina, whole-body weakness, anemia, vasculitis, pulmonary fibrosis, and amyloidosis can appear together.

What is morning stiffness?

This refers to joints that feel stiff when you wake up in the morning or after holding the same position for a long time and then gradually loosen. It is a typical symptom of rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the prodromal symptoms?

Before full joint symptoms appear, fatigue, loss of appetite, and general weakness may come first, followed by synovitis.

How is it different from ordinary arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the joints of the body itself. Prodromal symptoms such as fatigue and loss of appetite, along with morning stiffness in which the joints stiffen in the morning, appear, and the pain typically starts in the fingers and wrists and spreads to several joints.

Is there a reason it starts in the fingers?

Rheumatoid arthritis commonly begins with pain in the finger, palm, and wrist joints and gradually spreads to all joints.

Are there symptoms besides the joints?

Besides the joints, symptoms such as subcutaneous nodules, reduced stamina, general weakness, anemia, vasculitis, pulmonary fibrosis, and amyloidosis may also appear. It is important to check the condition through early diagnosis and regular tests.

I am receiving treatment at a rheumatology clinic. Can I receive Korean medicine treatment at the same time?

If you let us know the treatment you are currently receiving and the medications you take, we will discuss with you whether Korean medicine treatment can be combined. Please continue the standard treatment from your rheumatology clinic as it is.

Can rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative arthritis be distinguished by morning stiffness?

In rheumatoid arthritis, morning stiffness tends to involve joints that stiffen in the morning and loosen slowly, spreading to several joints, while in degenerative arthritis the stiffness is known to often center on specific joints and ease relatively quickly. An accurate distinction requires confirmation through blood tests and similar.

If both sides hurt symmetrically, is it rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is known to often cause similar pain in the same joints on both sides. An accurate diagnosis needs to be confirmed through a consultation and tests.

Is degenerative arthritis limited to older people?

It often develops as cartilage wears down with age, but it can also appear at a younger age when joints are used heavily or poor posture is repeated. We do not judge by age alone; we look at the painful area, the pattern, and test results together.

Which postures should I avoid to reduce strain on my knee joints?

It is advisable not to hold squatting, lying face down, or kneeling on the floor for long. If you must repeat them, rest in between, and if swelling and pain continue, get a consultation to check the cause.

They can be told apart as rheumatoid arthritis, degenerative arthritis, and morning stiffness

The morning stiffness of rheumatoid arthritis is a symptom in which the joints are stiff when you get up in the morning or try to move after staying in the same position for a long time and then gradually loosen, and it tends to begin in small joints such as the fingers or wrists and spread to several joints. What is commonly called degenerative arthritis is known to bring pain centered on particular joints, with stiffness that often loosens in a comparatively short time. Which of the two applies needs to be confirmed through blood tests and the like.

We also check whether it appears symmetrically on both sides

Rheumatoid arthritis is known often to cause similar pain in the same joints on both sides, such as the fingers and wrists. If pain appears in a joint on one side only or is limited to a particular joint, the possibility of another cause should also be looked at. This, too, is confirmed accurately through examination and testing.

When a blood test is needed first

If morning stiffness comes with early symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, or general weakness, or if several finger and wrist joints swell and hurt together, a blood test in a rheumatology department is needed first to check for an autoimmune condition. If symptoms beyond the joints, such as subcutaneous nodules, anemia, or general weakness, are present as well, early diagnosis and regular testing matter all the more.