In rheumatoid arthritis, an individual’s joints get attacked by their own immune system. The symptoms of this condition are known to most commonly affect the wrists, hands, and feet. Spotting the early signs of this disease as soon as possible can lead to a definitive diagnosis, followed by appropriate treatment plans to minimize its symptoms. Some of the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis are as follows: Fatigue: This is usually the symptom that appears the earliest and is the easiest to get dismissed. As rheumatoid arthritis causes inflammation in the joints, the body reacts to it, leading to fatigue. This may be noticed in interpersonal relationships and communication, everyday physical activities, and the emotional and mental state. It may cause a reduction in sex drive and can also reduce one’s productivity at work. Stiffness: Stiffness occurs in the early stages in either one or two joints but mostly affects the fingers. Its onset is slow, however, once the stiffness occurs, it lasts for several days. In addition to affecting certain joints, the condition may also cause a general stiffness in the body, which is commonly identified as morning stiffness in most patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Fever: The inflammation associated with this condition can also slightly raise the body temperature and lead to the patient feeling unwell.

The term ‘depression’ is very commonly used around the world. We generally call ourselves ‘depressed’ if we have had a rough day. However, psychologists would totally differ from that point of view. According to the American Psychiatric Association, depression is a common and serious medical illness that affects how you think, feel, and also how you act. It causes a feeling of sadness and also makes one feel like a loser. People with depression have pretty much low or non-existent interest in activities that they once took an interest in doing. Depression which starts from the mind (mostly) could manifest as a physical illness eventually. Here are some early warning signs of depression that you should watch out for. You could also use this to observe your family and friends and help those who need a helping hand. Neverending feeling of sadness People with depression are always sad or have a depressed mood. It almost feels like a dark cloud is moving around them. Loss of interest This is an inevitable change that most of them go through. You would suddenly find them giving up the activities or passion that they enjoy the most. There would also be no valid reason for giving up the pleasure derived while doing the activity.

Affecting both men and women, a urinary tract infection can affect either the lower urinary tract or the upper urinary tract. Contamination of microbes in the urethra and bladder happens when there is a lower tract infection and this is a more common condition. The kidneys and ureters are affected when there is an upper tract urinary infection. Upper tract infections are generally rare but can be severe. Because they affect different parts of the urinary tract, the symptoms of both lower tract and upper tract infections are also different. The early warning signs of lower urinary tract infections are: An increase in the frequency or urge to urinate with very little urine being passed. This urge can persist even after the bladder is emptied. A discomfort, pain, or burning sensation can occur during urination. This is called dysuria. Urine can be cloudy or turbid, and not transparent, like how it is ordinarily. Sometimes it could be a dark brownish color instead of being the normal pale yellow. In some cases, there could be blood in the urine. It is then called hematuria. Extremely peculiar, distinct, or foul-smelling urine that smells like fish surfaces when it is contaminated with certain bacteria.

The name of the condition immune thrombocytopenic purpura makes it sound extremely scary and worrisome, but breaking it down helps individuals understand the condition better. The word thrombocytopenic means a reduced number of platelets in the blood. Purpura stands for a purple discoloration on the skin, usually caused by a bruise or an injury. In this disorder, the blood doesn’t clot normally, leading to the formation of bruises and bleeding. 4 to 8 children under the age of 15 years are affected by this condition in the U.S. every single year. Given below is more information on immune thrombocytopenic purpura, along with the early warning signs of the condition. What is the cause of ITP? The cause of this condition is unknown in most situations. However, it has been found that the condition is not contagious and cannot spread from one person to another. ITP is also not genetic. One plausible cause is a disease or illness that affected and weakened the immune system. Usually, 3 weeks before the condition occurs, there might be some kind of viral fever that affected the individual. When trying to make antibodies against a virus, the body could accidentally create an antibody against the platelets in the body.

Peptic ulcers are open wounds that are formed either in the upper portion of the small intestine (also known as the duodenum) or in the stomach. These ulcers are also known as duodenal ulcers or gastric ulcers respectively. A variety of symptoms can be caused by this condition, including discomfort, pain, and gas, amongst others. However, different people experience symptoms at different intensities. Peptic ulcers can also cause obstruction or blockage in the digestive system, lead to bleeding, or cause a perforation. Hence, taking note of these symptoms as soon as they start to show up is important. Some frequent and rare early warning signs of peptic ulcers are as follows: Pain: The most common symptom of peptic ulcer is pain. It can usually be located in the upper part of the abdomen, anywhere between the navel and the breastbone. It may, however, create a sensation like the pain is also in the back. One is likely to feel a gnawing, dull, or burning sensation and in rare cases, they may also experience intense, stabbing pain. The pain is usually greater in the night than in the morning time. However, this aspect of peptic ulcers could vary. This symptom can also last for anywhere between a few minutes and a few hours.