Rheumatoid Arthritis

Summary

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a form of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of function in your joints. It can affect any joint but is common in the wrist and fingers.

More women than men get rheumatoid arthritis. It often starts in middle age and is most common in older people. You might have the disease for only a short time, or symptoms might come and go. The severe form can last a lifetime.

Rheumatoid arthritis is different from osteoarthritis, the common arthritis that often comes with older age. RA can affect body parts besides joints, such as your eyes, mouth and lungs. RA is an autoimmune disease, which means the arthritis results from your immune system attacking your body’s own tissues.

No one knows what causes rheumatoid arthritis. Genes, environment, and hormones might contribute. Treatments include medicine, lifestyle changes, and surgery. These can slow or stop joint damage and reduce pain and swelling.

NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Living With

• 6 Tips to Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

• Advantage, Wozniacki: Tennis Star on Taking Charge of Life with RA
• Know the Difference: Rheumatoid Arthritis or Osteoarthritis?
• Matt Iseman: Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: Reaching New Heights with Joint Disease
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: Understanding a Difficult Joint Disease

Diagnosis and Tests

• ANA (Antinuclear Antibody) Test National Library of Medicine
• C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test National Library of Medicine
• CCP Antibody Test National Library of Medicine
• Complement Blood Test National Library of Medicine
• Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) National Library of Medicine
• Rheumatoid Factor (RF) Test National Library of Medicine
• Synovial Fluid Analysis National Library of Medicine

Encyclopedia

• Antimitochondrial antibody Medical Encyclopedia
• C-reactive protein Medical Encyclopedia
• Complement Medical Encyclopedia
• Complement component 3 (C3) Medical Encyclopedia
• Complement component 4 Medical Encyclopedia
• Cryoglobulins Medical Encyclopedia
• Necrotizing vasculitis Medical Encyclopedia
• Protein electrophoresis – serum Medical Encyclopedia
• Quantitative nephelometry test Medical Encyclopedia
• Rheumatoid pneumoconiosis Medical Encyclopedia
• Scleritis Medical Encyclopedia
• Serum globulin electrophoresis Medical Encyclopedia
• Thyroid peroxidase antibody Medical Encyclopedia
• Uveitis Medical Encyclopedia

Statistics and Research

• Arthritis by the Numbers: Book of Trusted Facts and Figures Arthritis Foundation
• Inflammation National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
• Parent Smoking Linked to Rheumatoid Arthritis National Institutes of Health

Find an Expert

• Arthritis Foundation: Local Office Directory Arthritis Foundation
• Find a Rheumatologist American College of Rheumatology
• National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases

Reference Desk

• Arthritis Glossary Boston University

Specifics

• Arthritis of the Shoulder American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Arthritis of the Wrist American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Inflammatory Arthritis of the Hip American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
• Rheumatoid Arthritis American Society for Surgery of the Hand
• Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Foot and Ankle American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Arthritis, Rheumatoid National Institutes of Health

Patient Handouts

• Collagen vascular disease Medical Encyclopedia
• Felty syndrome Medical Encyclopedia
• Rheumatoid arthritis Medical Encyclopedia
• Rheumatoid factor (RF) Medical Encyclopedia
• Rheumatoid lung disease Medical Encyclopedia

Related Issues

• Immune System and Its Link to Rheumatic Diseases American College of Rheumatology
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: Can It Affect the Eyes? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: Can It Affect the Lungs? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research

Treatments and Therapies

• Joint Injections (Joint Aspirations) American College of Rheumatology
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: In Depth National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Women

• Pregnancy and Rheumatic Disease American College of Rheumatology

Journal Articles

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Start Here

• Rheumatoid Arthritis National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
• Rheumatoid Arthritis American Academy of Family Physicians
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Videos and Tutorials

• Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series Johns Hopkins Medicine

Genetics

• Rheumatoid arthritis: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine