Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurs in different joints of the body. Parts like the neck, shoulder, or the base of the head are usually affected by this. The early signs of rheumatoid arthritis are:

Headaches
As the brain and spine are situated in the neck and shoulder region, the signs of rheumatoid arthritis can first be noticed there. People with early-onset of RA experience headaches, such as cluster headache or migraines. These headaches occur on one side of the head, making certain movements difficult. The pain of these types of cervicogenic headaches originate in the neck, namely the first and second vertebrae. The effects of which are felt in the temple or forehead.

Swelling
One of the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis is swelling in the neck region. The neck joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis get full of fluids, causing them to swell. This causes pain in the joint due to the erosion in the bone of the shoulder joints.

Warmth
The joints in the shoulders and neck look slightly red and feel warm.

Spinal cord compression
This phenomenon occurs if the mesh of the spinal cord and nerve roots gets pressured by the vertebrae. This reduces the amount of oxygen traveling to the brain due to the blockage of the vertebral arteries in the lower head region. This compression causes symptoms such as blackouts, issues in balance and movement, dizziness, and lack of excretory control.

Tenderness
Another early sign of rheumatoid arthritis that can be noticed is that some parts feel tender to touch.

Pain
Inflammation in the joints causes pain. The nerves in the spinal region get disturbed by this swelling and shoot out pain. People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis feel discomfort and pain in their shoulder joints. The symptoms also appear after a continued period of non-movement of the head.

Fever
Fever is another early sign when they have rheumatoid arthritis.

Brain fog
Brain fog or mental fatigue is one of the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis. The signs include cognitive problems such as poor concentration, memory loss, and a decrease in one’s ability to think.

Loss of sleep
People feel a change in their sleep cycle while suffering from the RA. Sudden bursts of pain appear in the neck if the person shifts in their sleep, thereby waking them up. Many sleepless nights are spent during this period.

Weight loss
Another symptom that appears in the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis is people losing their weight. This happens because of the metabolism rate that increases due to the production of cytokine. People also feel a loss in their appetite.

To put it simply, there are various early signs of rheumatoid arthritis that appear at the base of the head. However, some of them are similar to osteoarthritis, a type of arthritis that occurs in joints after continuous periods of exertion.