There are some general signs that suggest you might have progressive rheumatoid arthritis, including:
- Flare-ups that last a long time or are intense
- You were diagnosed at a young age, which means the disease has more time to become active in your body
- Rheumatoid nodules -- bumps under your skin that most often appear on the elbows
- Active inflammation that shows up in tests of joint fluid or in blood tests
- Your doctor spotted a lot of damage on X-rays when you were diagnosed
- High levels of rheumatoid factor or citrulline antibody in blood tests