5. Unilateral symptoms
This is when the symptoms that affect a person are limited to one side of their body, more specifically when one arm is affected and the other one isn’t. The pain felt unilateral might appear on the face of it to be the favorable option, as if there was a choice when compared with bilateral symptoms. It’s all relative though, and unilateral sufferers have nothing to compare their pain to.
At least when the pain is bilateral, it can be calming to note the symmetry of easing pain. The symmetry can act as a measuring stick for when a flare-up is improving. When the symptoms are unilateral, the pain can also feel more focused. When the pain is on an extremity like a finger, it can sometimes feel easier to ignore, perhaps because it can be held further away from the body than a knee or a shoulder can. The advantage of unilateral symptoms is that at least it’s only one wrist that’s swollen, inflamed and stiffening up. Sometimes you just have to look on the bright side of life.