What is rheumatoid arthritis?
Signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
Managing rheumatoid arthritis
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Rheumatoid arthritis is a common condition that over time destroys joints, mainly in the hands, wrists and feet. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you'll know only too well that the condition can make your joints extremely painful, stiff and swollen. As the disease progresses your joints may become deformed and this might impair your movement in the areas affected.
Rheumatoid arthritis is often confused with other forms of arthritis, in particular osteoarthritis. Many people think that rheumatoid arthritis only affects older people and is a result of wear and tear of the joints. But unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is a condition of the immune system and can occur at any age.Not only can the pain of rheumatoid arthritis be a misery, but you may well also be worried that the condition will leave you with disabilities. But getting treatment can help to relieve your symptoms and slow the damage in your joints. This can help you stay mobile and active, so you can lead your life to the full. What's more, we know that being informed about your condition and taking good care of yourself can help you stay fit and active.See how much you know about rheumatoid arthritis by taking our true or false quiz.
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are no more than aches and pain.
False - Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious medical condition that can cause pain and lead to disability. But there are treatments that can help keep the symptoms under control and enable you to get on with your life.
Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by wear and tear of the joints.
False - Rheumatoid arthritis is what is called an ‘auto immune disease.’ This means that the immune system – which usually fights infections and diseases in your body – attacks the tissues that line your joints. Eventually the joints are damaged causing the symptoms of pain, stiffness and inflammation.
Only old people get rheumatoid arthritis.
False - Rheumatoid arthritis is most common in people over 40. But it can occur at any age.
Nothing can be done about rheumatoid arthritis symptoms; they are just part of getting old.
False - There are many treatments your doctor can prescribe for the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. These will reduce the pain and stiffness in your joints and help you stay active. There are also treatments that can affect the course of the disease by targeting the processes in the body that damage the joints. These can slow down or halt the development of the condition.
The only way to treat rheumatoid arthritis is with surgery.
False - Only a few people with rheumatoid arthritis will need surgery, for example, to replace a damaged knee or hip joint.
People with rheumatoid arthritis become disabled and need a wheelchair.
False - You may think that rheumatoid arthritis always leads to disability, but this is not the case. Because the condition affects everyone differently it’s not possible to say what will happen to you. Many people with rheumatoid arthritis lead full and active lives. Although they get symptoms of pain and stiffness that are uncomfortable, these do not cause permanent disability. There are some people for whom rheumatoid arthritis is more serious and affects what they can do. However, keeping your appointments with your doctor and looking after your health in general can help you stay active.
There are over 200 types of arthritis. Although all forms of arthritis share some of the same symptoms, they have different causes and treatments. A condition called osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, while rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common. It's easy to get muddled up between these two types of arthritis but actually they're very different diseases - although it is possible to get both of them at the same time.
Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis does not involve the immune system and tends to affect older people. It happens when the processes in the body for repairing bone and cartilage - the pads of tissue that protect the ends of your joints - are disrupted. The cartilage becomes thin and brittle and no longer protects the ends of your bones. At the same time bone grows at the end of joints where it's not supposed to. If you have osteoarthritis your joints will feel painful and swollen and this similarity with rheumatoid arthritis is why the two conditions tend to get confused.
To find out more about osteoarthritis see the information we have prepared on this condition.
Elsewhere on this website, you can also find out about two other types of arthritis - psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis - and their treatments.
Rheumatoid arthritis is what's known as an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system - which usually fights infection and disease - turns on your own body. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the part of the body that's attacked is the lining of your joints.This causes inflammation (swelling), and once inflamed, the bone releases chemicals that damage the cartilage (the tissue that protects the ends of your bone), tendons, and ligaments near the joint. Over time, this can damage the joint itself, and nearby bone.
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