Rheumatoid Arthritis
This information is for people who
have rheumatoid arthritis, as well as for their family members, friends, and
others who want to find out more about this disease. This information describes
how rheumatoid arthritis develops, how it is diagnosed, and how it is treated,
including what people can do to help manage their disease. It also highlights
current research efforts supported by the National Institute of Arthritis and
Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) and other components of the Department
of Health and Human Services' National Institutes of Health (NIH). If you have further questions after reading this
information, you may wish to discuss them with your doctor.
Features of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that
causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in the joints. It has
several special features that make it different from other kinds of arthritis.
For example, rheumatoid arthritis generally occurs in a symmetrical pattern,
meaning that if one knee or hand is involved, the other one also is. The disease
often affects the wrist
joints and the finger joints closest to the hand. It can also affect other parts
of the body besides the joints. In addition, people with rheumatoid arthritis
may have fatigue, occasional
fevers, and a general sense of not feeling well.
Rheumatoid arthritis affects people differently. For some people, it lasts
only a few months or a year or two and goes away without causing any noticeable
damage. Other people have mild or moderate forms of the disease, with periods of
worsening symptoms, called flares, and periods in which they feel better, called
remissions. Still others have a severe form of the disease that is active most
of the time, lasts for many years or a lifetime, and leads to serious joint
damage and disability.
Features of Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Tender, warm, swollen joints
- Symmetrical pattern of affected joints
- Joint inflammation often affecting the wrist and
finger joints closest to the hand
- Joint inflammation sometimes affecting other joints,
including the neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, ankles, and feet
- Fatigue, occasional fevers, a general sense of not
feeling well
- Pain and stiffness lasting for more than 30 minutes in
the morning or after a long rest
- Symptoms that last for many years
- Variability of symptoms among people with the disease
Although rheumatoid arthritis can have serious effects on
a person's life and well-being, current treatment strategies--including
pain-relieving drugs and medications that slow joint damage, a balance between rest and exercise, and
patient education and support programs--allow most people with the disease to
lead active and productive lives. In recent years, research has led to a new
understanding of rheumatoid arthritis and has increased the likelihood that, in
time, researchers will find even better ways to treat the disease.
Next: How rheumatoid arthritis develops and progresses »
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