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Rheumatoid Arthritis Overview

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic type of arthritis. Early symptoms of RA include fatigue, joint pain, and stiffness. As it progresses, rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may feel like the flu, with achiness, muscle aches, and loss of appetite. The causes of rheumatoid arthritis are unknown, although there may be a genetic component. Early and effective rheumatoid arthritis treatment can improve the prognosis and may help prevent joint and bone destruction associated with RA.

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Ask the Expert: I Have RA and My Husband Won't Help
Our rheumatology expert explains how chronic disease can affect family relations and how one reader can get the help she needs.

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Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic (long-term) disease. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can come and go, and each person with RA is affected differently. Some people have long periods of remission. Their rheumatoid arthritis is inactive, and they have few or no symptoms during this time. Other people might have near-constant rheumatoid arthritis symptoms for months at a stretch.

Although rheumatoid arthritis can involve different parts the body, joints are always affected. When the disease acts up, joints become inflamed. Inflammation is the body's natural response to infection or other threats, but in rheumatoid arthritis inflammation occurs inappropriately and for unknown reasons.

Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

What's Next When RA Treatment Fails?

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