When you mention arthritis, most people think of osteoarthritis, where aging and wear-and-tear on the joints take their toll.
But there is another type of arthritis that causes serious damage after your immune system starts attacking your joints. In fact, it largely affects Black Americans, according to the National Library of Medicine.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of autoimmune inflammatory arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. Here’s what you need to know about rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, including what to watch for, the different types, and how it’s treated.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that mostly affects joints. Commonly affected joints are the hands, knees, or ankles. Usually, both sides of the body are affected.
Over time, this condition progresses and leaves patients with irreversible joint tissue damage, chronic pain, loss of function, and deformities. Other areas of the body that may be involved are the eyes, heart, circulatory system, and/or the lungs.
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There are two main types of rheumatoid arthritis, seropositive and seronegative, explains the Arthritis Foundation. When it occurs in patients under 16, it is called Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.
Seropositive means your blood has two types of antibodies — anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCPs) and rheumatoid factor (RF) — which cause the symptoms of RA. Most people with RA have one or both of these antibodies. It is possible for these to show up in your blood tests anywhere from five to 10 years before symptoms appear.
Seronegative simply means that the anti-CCPs and RF do not show up in your blood. Doctors will look for other ways to determine if you have RA.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is the result of an immune response in which the body attacks its own healthy cells. While researchers don’t know why this occurs, studies show that it could be a combination of factors, including genes, environment (smoking), and sex hormones, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Risk factors include family history, age, sex (women are more likely to have RA), previous joint injury and obesity, according to the Mayo Clinic.
A recent study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine determined that gut bacteria may be partly to blame as well.
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Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can range from mildly inconvenient to completely life-altering — and they don’t always look the way people expect.
The joint stiffness found in active rheumatoid arthritis is usually worse in the morning and may last two hours or more, according to the American College of Rheumatology. Movement usually helps loosen the joints.
Other rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include:
These nodules grow beneath the skin in areas such as the elbows and hands.
According to the NIAMS, further medical problems that rheumatoid arthritis might cause are anemia, neck pain, and dry eyes and mouth. Some potentially serious rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are inflammation of the blood vessels, lung tissue, airways, and the lining of the lungs.
It can also cause inflammation in the sac around the heart (pericardium). Lung disease with scarring and inflammation of the lungs can be severe in some people.
Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can be tricky because they come and go. Flares — periods when symptoms get significantly worse — are triggered by stress, infection, overexertion, or sometimes nothing obvious at all.
Between flares, some people feel close to normal. This back-and-forth cycle can make it easy to underestimate how serious the condition actually is.
Early rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are also easy to dismiss. Fatigue and mild joint stiffness aren’t always automatically known as signs of autoimmune disease. But catching the disease early is exactly how you can make the biggest difference for your health.
If you notice persistent joint pain or swelling lasting more than six weeks is worth bringing to your doctor.
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines effective treatments for RA, including medications and self-management strategies.
Rheumatoid arthritis medications include:
Besides medications, people manage their RA with strategies to reduce pain and disability. These include:
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What is the difference between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis? According to the Mayo Clinic, osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, occurs when the cartilage that caps the bones in your joints wears away. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks the joints.
Another difference is the speed with which it advances. Rheumatoid arthritis is known to progress quickly at the beginning. It can be very disabling and deform joints into a bent position. Early intervention is critical.
On the other hand, osteoarthritis progresses slowly as you age. Repetitive activities that put a strain on the joints can lead to osteoarthritis. Old injuries can also be a factor. Osteoarthritis is sometimes hereditary, and overweight people are more likely to experience this type, due to the strain on their joints.
“It’s important for a physician to figure out which arthritic condition you have because we have treatments to help put RA into remission,” rheumatologist Dr. David Fox, a professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, said in a recent article.
While rheumatoid arthritis can be a life-altering diagnosis, with early treatment, careful management, and a dedication to a few simple healthy living strategies, people with RA can increase their chances of living the full life they desire.
Early signs of rheumatoid arthritis often include joint stiffness — especially in the morning — swelling, and tenderness in the hands, wrists, or knees. Other common early signs are fatigue and a general feeling of being unwell. If these symptoms persist for more than six weeks, see a doctor.
Yes. The disease typically involves flares — periods when rheumatoid arthritis symptoms intensify — followed by remission, when symptoms ease up or disappear. Flares can be unpredictable, sometimes triggered by stress, illness, or overactivity. That back-and-forth is part of what makes RA so difficult to manage without medical support.
When you experience regular joint pain from overuse or injury, it usually affects one area and then improves with rest. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms tend to affect multiple joints symmetrically — meaning both hands or both knees at the same time — and are often accompanied by other symptoms like fatigue, fever, and loss of appetite.
Yes, that is what makes RA more than a joint disease. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can affect the eyes, lungs, heart, and blood vessels. Inflammation in the sac around the heart and lung disease are the more serious complications. Regular monitoring by a rheumatologist will help catch these issues early.
There is no cure yet, but remission is possible — and more achievable now than ever. If you are diagnosed early and engage in treatment, it’ll give you the best odds of slowing joint damage and keeping rheumatoid arthritis symptoms manageable.
Rheumatoid arthritis is serious, but with the right combination of medication, lifestyle adjustments, and consistent medical care, many people with RA live full, active lives.
The people who do best with RA are the ones who clock the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms early, stay consistent with treatment, and do not try to manage it alone.
If you have joints that are stiff, swollen, or just not right, trust your instincts and get checked. The sooner you know, the more options you have.
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