What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition that causes discomfort, swelling and stiffness in the lining of your joints. It most often affects joints in your fingers, hands, wrists, knees, ankles, feet and toes. Unlike other types of arthritis, RA typically affects joints on both sides of the body.
An autoimmune condition happens when the immune system, which normally protects the body, becomes confused and starts attacking healthy tissues. In rheumatoid arthritis, this happens when the immune system causes inflammation in the joints.
You can manage RA effectively if it is diagnosed early. However, if left untreated, the condition causes serious side effects, such as joint deformities and disability.
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms
Signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may include:
- Pain, aching or stiffness in more than one joint
- Tender, warm, swollen joints
- Stiffness, especially in the mornings or after periods of inactivity
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
Early RA often affects smaller joints, like those in the fingers and toes. As the condition progresses, it may spread to larger joints, including the wrists, knees and shoulders. Symptoms usually affect both sides of the body equally.
About 40% of people with RA may also experience symptoms beyond the joints, affecting areas such as the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, kidneys, salivary glands, nerve tissue and blood vessels.
The symptoms of RA can vary in how severe they are and may come and go. There are times when symptoms get worse, known as flares, followed by periods of improvement, called remission, when discomfort and swelling may lessen or go away. If left untreated, RA can cause joints to change shape or shift over time.
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if you experience joint pain or other symptoms that last three or more days. You should also see a doctor if you develop joint pain multiple times a month.
RA can cause permanent joint damage. An early diagnosis allows you to receive treatment for the condition before long-term damage occurs, and can offer relief from symptoms.
Possible complications
Seeking help for symptoms of RA allows your doctor to diagnose and treat it early. Although the condition cannot be cured, treatments can prevent it from getting worse and causing other conditions, such as:
- Anemia: RA can lower your red blood cell count, a condition known as anemia.
- Cardiovascular disease: People with rheumatoid arthritis have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, which includes conditions like heart attack and stroke, though the exact reason for this increased risk is unclear.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: Carpal tunnel syndrome, common in people with rheumatoid arthritis, occurs due to compression of the median nerve and causes symptoms like aching, numbness and tingling in the hand.
- Widespread inflammation: Rheumatoid arthritis can cause widespread inflammation in the body, affecting the lungs (leading to chest pain and shortness of breath), heart (causing pericarditis and chest pain), eyes (causing pain or dryness), and blood vessels (leading to vasculitis, which can restrict blood flow and be life-threatening).
- Osteoporosis: Rheumatoid arthritis and some of its treatments can affect bone mass, making you more prone to osteoporosis.
- Permanent joint damage: If rheumatoid arthritis isn't treated early or controlled, joint inflammation can cause permanent damage, including harm to bones, cartilage, tendons (which may rupture) and joint deformities.
- Rheumatoid nodules: Rheumatoid arthritis may cause small bumps to form under the skin.
