Joint pain and stiffness are easy to dismiss. They’re even easier to ignore if the pain comes and goes or seems like a part of growing older. But if your symptoms are caused by rheumatoid arthritis (RA), that pain has a specific and treatable cause. And that means you can get some relief.
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that affects your whole body, not just your joints. It is a chronic autoimmune disease. That means your immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. The attack targets the lining of your joints, causing inflammation that leads to pain, swelling and stiffness. Over time, it can also cause joint damage.
If left untreated, RA causes ongoing inflammation that can damage your joints and their surrounding tissues. The condition most commonly affects your wrists, hands and feet. In some cases, the inflammation can extend beyond your joints and affect your heart, lungs, blood, nerves, eyes and skin.
The risk of developing RA increases with age. However, it can develop at any point in adulthood. Women are two-to-three times more likely to develop RA than men are, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Early Symptoms and Warning Signs of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis often starts subtly. The most common early signs include:
- Joint pain, tenderness, swelling, or warmth in your hands, wrists or feet
- Morning stiffness lasting longer than 30 minutes
- Symptoms that affect the same joints on both sides of your body
- Unusual fatigue, occasional low-grade fever, or loss of appetite
Rheumatoid arthritis can also cycle through periods when symptoms suddenly worsen (flares) and when symptoms ease or disappear (remission). This off-and-on pattern can make RA difficult to recognize early.
How Does RA Differ from Osteoarthritis?
Because both conditions cause joint pain and stiffness, RA and osteoarthritis (OA) are often confused. However, they are very different diseases.
Osteoarthritis is a degenerative condition caused by wear and tear on your cartilage over time. It typically affects one side of your body and worsens with movement.
Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by problems with your immune system. It tends to affect joints symmetrically and includes symptoms such as fatigue and fever. Morning stiffness lasting more than an hour is a sign of RA.
How is Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosed?
There is no single test that confirms RA. Blood work does not always reveal you have the condition, making evaluation by a rheumatologist vital to your treatment’s success.
Testing includes:
- Comprehensive medical exam, including physical exam and full medical history
- Blood tests
- Imaging, including X-ray or MRI
Treatment Options and Disease Management
There is no cure for RA, but effective treatment can significantly reduce your symptoms, slow joint damage and help you lead an active life.
Common treatment options include:
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) — the most common RA treatment, slows disease progression and protects joints from damage
- Biologics — a newer class of DMARDs that target specific immune pathways may be used when standard DMARDs aren’t enough
- NSAIDs and corticosteroids — for short-term pain and inflammation relief, particularly during flares
- Physical and occupational therapy — improves function and protects joints in daily activities
- Lifestyle changes — low-impact exercise, healthy weight, not smoking and stress management all support better disease control
Timing is Everything
Timing is critical with RA. Early treatment prevents your symptoms from worsening and protects your joints from long-term damage. When RA is caught early, the chances of achieving remission improve greatly. Left untreated, RA can cause irreversible joint damage, disability and increased cardiovascular risk.
When is it Time to Contact a Specialist?
Don’t wait until your symptoms are severe and you’re in constant pain to get help. Relief is available.
See a rheumatologist if you’re experiencing:
- Joint swelling or tenderness in multiple joints
- Morning stiffness that takes more than 30 minutes to improve
- Symptoms on both sides of your body
- Fatigue or fever with joint pain
- Joint pain that hasn’t improved with over-the-counter treatments.
Care Close to Home
At Witham Rheumatology, our team manages rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic conditions through coordinated, patient-focused care. With advanced diagnostic tools and the latest treatment options, we work closely with each patient to manage symptoms, improve quality of life and support long-term health. Whether you’re experiencing joint pain for the first time or looking for more effective management of an existing condition, we’re here to help.
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