Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that typically affects the small joints in your hands and feet. Unlike the wear-and-tear damage of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis affects the lining of your joints, causing painful swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity.
The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can vary from person to person but generally include joint stiffness that is usually worse in the mornings and after periods of inactivity, as well as fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite. Early stages of rheumatoid arthritis tend to affect smaller joints first, particularly the joints that attach your fingers to your hands and your toes to your feet. As the disease progresses, symptoms often spread to larger joints, such as the wrists, knees, ankles, and elbows.
In addition to joint problems, rheumatoid arthritis can cause several more general symptoms. These include loss of appetite, dry eyes and mouth (a related symptom called Sjogren’s syndrome), and the formation of rheumatoid nodules – firm lumps under the skin near joints.
The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, but it is considered an autoimmune disorder. This means that your immune system mistakenly attacks your body’s own tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis mainly attacks the joints, typically involving many at once, and commonly affects joints in the hands, wrists, and knees.
According to a study by the Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network, the signs and symptoms of RA typically begin when someone reaches the age of 30, though it can develop at any age. Factors like cigarette smoking can significantly increase the risk of developing RA.
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms vary in intensity and may come and go. Flare-ups of the disease can cause severe symptoms, and occasionally, patients experience a rapid onset of symptoms over 24 to 48 hours. Another pattern is a palindromic presentation, where symptoms come and go.
RA can start at any age, but it usually develops between the ages of 30 and 60. In younger individuals, particularly between the ages of 16 and 40, it’s known as young-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA). Conversely, when symptoms develop after the age of 60, it’s referred to as later-onset rheumatoid arthritis (LORA).
For more detailed information on rheumatoid arthritis, visit the Mayo Clinic, Healthline, CDC, Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Network, Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center, and the Cleveland Clinic.
