Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body and causes inflammation. It’s the most common type of inflammatory arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is different from osteoarthritis, which is the “wear-and-tear” type of arthritis that many people get as they get older. People can get rheumatoid arthritis at any age, but it most commonly appears between 30 to 50 years of age. Women are affected more often than men.
RA causes swelling in the lining of your joints, which can lead to joint pain, joint damage and decreased flexibility and deformity, most often in the small joints of the hands, wrists, fingers, ankles and feet.
As the disease progresses, it can spread to larger joints, such as the knees, elbows, shoulders, hips, spine and jaw. The inflammation from RA can also affect other parts of the body, such as the eyes, heart, skin, blood vessels and lungs.
RA is a chronic condition, which means it can’t be cured. However, early diagnosis and proper treatment can help to control symptoms and make long-term complications less likely.
We know that when you have RA, your body’s immune system mistakes healthy cells for cells it’s designed to fight, such as viruses and bacteria, and attacks them with inflammatory substances.
With RA, the immune system targets a lining around joints called the synovium, which then becomes thickened and releases chemicals that damage the cartilage and bone. Over time, the muscles, ligaments and tendons around joints can weaken as well.
It’s not clear why your body’s immune system reacts this way. It’s possible that a combination of genetics, environmental factors, stress or viral or bacterial infections can trigger RA. Your immune system could be reacting for years before you notice any symptoms.
Several factors increase your risk of developing RA:
RA symptoms can appear quickly or develop over years. They often come and go, with flares (active periods) and remissions (periods of little or no symptoms).
Symptoms include:
If joint symptoms last more than six weeks or seem to affect both sides of your body, talk to your doctor.
If you have symptoms of RA, your doctor may recommend that you see a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating arthritis. Tell your doctor about all your symptoms even if they don’t seem related, since RA can affect different parts of your body.
Getting the right diagnosis is crucial because other inflammatory joint diseases can have similar symptoms to RA, especially in its early stages. Your doctor may observe your symptoms over time before diagnosing RA.
Diagnosis often includes:
If you have symptoms of RA, seek care promptly. Getting diagnosed and starting treatment within six months of diagnosis can help reduce long-term damage.
There is no permanent cure for RA, but treatment can reduce pain, slow disease progression and improve quality of life. Your health care provider will work with you to create a personalized plan.
If other treatments don’t work, surgery may help reduce pain or improve function. Options include:
Talk to your doctor about whether surgery is right for you.
RA can have harmful long-term effects on your health and well-being. People with rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to develop heart disease, and this risk increases for people who are obese. People who are obese often don’t get as much benefit from their treatments as people who are not.
If you have RA, you’re also more likely to develop:
RA and carpal tunnel syndrome are separate conditions, but they can be connected. Swelling in the wrists from RA may put pressure on nerves and lead to carpal tunnel symptoms.
RA can affect your life in other ways as well. For example, it can be hard to stay employed if you have RA, especially as the disease gets worse. It’s especially challenging for people with physically demanding jobs to work if they have RA.
While there's no cure, there are ways to improve your quality of life:
Sign in to Patient Account
