Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder that typically affects the small joints in your hands and feet. Unlike the wear-and-tear damage of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of your joints, causing a painful swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity.
An autoimmune disorder, rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system mistakenly attacks your own body's tissues. In addition to causing joint problems, rheumatoid arthritis sometimes can affect other organs of the body — such as the skin, eyes, lungs and blood vessels.
Although rheumatoid arthritis can occur at any age, it usually begins after age 40. The disorder is much more common in women.
Treatment focuses on controlling symptoms and preventing joint damage.
Signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may include:
• Tender, warm, swollen joints
• Morning stiffness that may last for hours
• Firm bumps of tissue under the skin on your arms (rheumatoid nodules)
• Fatigue, fever and weight loss
Early rheumatoid arthritis tends to affect your smaller joints first — particularly the joints that attach your fingers to your hands and your toes to your feet.
As the disease progresses, symptoms often spread to the wrists, knees, ankles, elbows, hips and shoulders. In most cases, symptoms occur in the same joints on both sides of your body.
Rheumatoid arthritis signs and symptoms may vary in severity and may even come and go. Periods of increased disease activity, called flares, alternate with periods of relative remission — when the swelling and pain fade or disappear. Over time, rheumatoid arthritis can cause joints to deform and shift out of place.

These signs are NOT conclusive that you have an autoimmune disorder. Please consult your physician for further check ups.

10 Signs You May Have an Autoimmune Disease

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, especially a combination of several of them, you may have an autoimmune disease.

1. Joint pain, muscle pain or weakness or a tremor

2. Weight loss, insomnia, heat intolerance or rapid heartbeat

3. Recurrent rashes or hives, sun-sensitivity, a butterfly-shaped rash across your nose and cheeks.

4. Difficulty concentrating or focusing

5. Feeling tired or fatigued, weight gain or cold intolerance

6. Hair loss or white patches on your skin or inside your mouth

7. Abdominal pain, blood or mucus in your stool, diarrhea or mouth ulcers

8. Dry eyes, mouth or skin

9. Numbness or tingling in the hands or feet

10. Multiple miscarriages or blood clot

An autoimmune disease develops when your immune system, which defends your body against disease, decides your healthy cells are foreign. As a result, your immune system attacks healthy body cells. Depending on the type, an autoimmune disease can affect one or many different types of body tissue. It can also cause abnormal organ growth and changes in organ function.There are as many as 80 types of autoimmune diseases. Many of them have similar symptoms, which makes them very difficult to diagnose. It is also possible to have more than one at the same time. They usually fluctuate between periods of remission (little/no symptoms) and flare-ups (worsening symptoms). There are no cures for autoimmune diseases, so treatment focuses on relieving the symptoms.

Good day everyone.

Alot of people in Nigeria don't know much about autoimmune disorder. Some of us maybe suffering from it without knowing. I want to use this forum to create more awareness as it is affecting more Nigerians by the day, and for those suffering from it a way of moral and emotional support. i hope this helps alot of people out there. May God increase us in health.