What is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)? Symptoms, signs, and treatment.

Also called: RA
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms develop gradually and may include joint pain, stiffness, and swelling.

What causes rheumatoid arthritis?

RA is an autoimmune disease, which means the arthritis results from your immune system attacking your body’s own tissues. No one knows what triggers rheumatoid arthritis. Genes, environment, and hormones can increase the risk of developing the RA.

• Age. RA can begin at any age, but the likelihood increases with age. The onset of RA is highest among adults in their sixties.
• Sex. New cases of RA are typically two-to-three times higher in women than men.
• Genetics/inherited traits. People born with specific genes are more likely to develop RA. These genes, called HLA (human leukocyte antigen) class II genotypes, can also make your arthritis worse. The risk of RA may be highest when people with these genes are exposed to environmental factors like smoking or when a person is obese.
• Smoking. Multiple studies show that cigarette smoking increases a person’s risk of developing RA and can make the disease worse.
• History of live births. Women who have never given birth may be at greater risk of developing RA.
• Early Life Exposures. Some early life exposures may increase risk of developing RA in adulthood.  For example, one study found that children whose mothers smoked had double the risk of developing RA as adults. Children of lower income parents are at increased risk of developing RA as adults.
• Obesity. Being obese can increase the risk of developing RA. Studies examining the role of obesity also found that the more overweight a person was, the higher his or her risk of developing RA became.

Women who have breastfed their infants have a decreased risk of developing RA.

Risk Factors

Anyone can get rheumatoid arthritis. However, more women than men get rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the signs and symptoms of RA?

You might have the disease for only a short time, or symptoms might come and go. The severe form can last a lifetime. RA can affect body parts besides joints, such as your eyes, mouth and lungs.

Signs and symptoms of RA include:

• Pain or aching in more than one joint.
• Stiffness in more than one joint.
• Tenderness and swelling in more than one joint.
• The same symptoms on both sides of the body (such as in both hands or both knees).
• Weight loss.
• Fever.
• Fatigue, or tiredness.
• Weakness.

How is rheumatoid arthritis diagnosed?

It’s important to get the correct diagnosis because each form of arthritis needs to be treated differently. To diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, doctors use medical history, physical exams, X-rays, and lab tests. There’s no single test for the disease. Sometimes RA is not easy to diagnose.

How Rheumatoid Arthritis is treated?

Early treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is key. Treatments include medicine, lifestyle changes, and surgery. These can slow or stop joint damage and reduce pain and swelling.