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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of over 100 different types of arthritis. While most types of arthritis become more likely to occur as we age, RA can attack at any age. In fact, this particularly painful and potentially disabling type of arthritis most commonly strikes between the ages of 25 and 50, although it can strike children and teens as well.
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive disease, meaning that without adequate treatment, joint damage and disability will worsen as time passes. Sometimes, people with RA experience a period of relief or remission from RA symptoms, but the symptoms return and can be more intense than the previous symptoms.
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RA causes swelling in the lining of the joints, which leads to redness, pain, swelling, and a feeling of heat or warmth in the area. Morning stiffness of the joints can last at least an hour. You may also feel fatigued or ill, have dry eyes or dry mouth, or have bumps under the skin called rheumatoid nodules.
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Your doctor will determine if you have RA by performing a physical examination as well as looking at the results of blood tests and X-rays. A diagnosis of RA may be made if 4 or more of the factors below are present (the first 4 factors must be present for at least 6 weeks): morning stiffness in and around joints lasting at least 1 hour before you are able to move around normally soft tissue swelling of 3 or more joint areas as determined by a doctor swelling in the joints of the fingers and wrists joint swelling of arthritis that occurs symmetrically (i.
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