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Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis
This booklet 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. The booklet 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 booklet,
you may wish to discuss them with your doctor.
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. (See"Features of Rheumatoid 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. (See"Other Parts of
the Body.") 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.
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