Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes inflammatory joint pain, swelling and prolonged stiffness. It often affects joints symmetrically and may cause problems outside the joints.
Symmetric joint swelling
BIMARIDUR HEALTH ENCYCLOPEDIA
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease that mainly affects joints but can also affect organs outside the joints.
Affected areaJoint lining and surrounding tissues; lungs, heart, blood vessels, eyes, nerves and skin may also be affected.
ContagiousnessNot contagious.
01 • QUICK UNDERSTANDING
What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?
02 • BODY & MECHANISM
What happens in the body?
What happens inside the body
The immune system attacks joint tissues, producing inflammation that can damage cartilage, bone and supporting structures.
03 • TYPES & CLASSIFICATION
Types and classification
RA can be seropositive or seronegative based on autoantibodies and may vary in severity and organ involvement.
04 • SYMPTOMS
Symptoms and warning signs
Morning stiffness over 30 minutes
Joint pain and warmth
Fatigue
Low-grade fever
06 • CAUSES
What can cause this disease?
Exact cause is unknown. Genetic and environmental factors such as smoking contribute to risk.
07 • RISK FACTORS
Who may have a higher risk?
1
Family history
2
Smoking
3
Female sex
4
Obesity
5
Certain environmental exposures
08 • DIAGNOSIS
How is Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosed?
History, physical examination, RF and anti-CCP testing, inflammatory markers and imaging such as X-ray or ultrasound.
Clinical evaluation
Joint examination
Functional and gait assessment
Skin, eye and lung assessment when indicated
Laboratory tests
Rheumatoid factor
Anti-CCP antibodies
CRP and ESR
CBC
Imaging and scans
X-rays
Musculoskeletal ultrasound
MRI in selected cases
Special or confirmatory tests
Joint-fluid analysis when infection or gout is suspected
Pulmonary assessment when indicated
09 • DIFFERENTIAL CONTEXT
Conditions that may look similar
Osteoarthritis
Gout
Psoriatic arthritis
Viral arthritis
Lupus
10 • EXTENT / STAGE
Stages or severity
RA is often described by disease activity and structural damage rather than a single universal stage system.
Important:
Staging or grading systems differ between diseases. The information here is educational and should be interpreted by a qualified healthcare professional in the context of the individual case.
11 • TREATMENT
How is Rheumatoid Arthritis treated?
DMARDs, biologic or targeted medicines, anti-inflammatory treatment, rehabilitation and selected surgery.
Medicines that may be used
Methotrexate or other DMARDs
Biologic DMARDs
JAK inhibitors in selected patients
NSAIDs or corticosteroids for symptom control when prescribed
Medicine safety:
Medicines listed here are for educational information only. Do not start, stop, or change a medicine without professional medical advice.
12 • COMPLICATIONS
Possible complications
Joint destruction, disability, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, lung disease and infection risk can occur.
URGENT SAFETY INFORMATION
When should urgent medical help be considered?
Sudden severe swollen joint with fever
Chest pain or severe shortness of breath
Sudden neurological symptoms
If symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening, seek emergency medical care immediately.
13 • OUTLOOK
Prognosis and recovery outlook
Early diagnosis and disease control can preserve function and reduce irreversible joint damage.
How to interpret these statistics
Survival statistics describe outcomes in groups of people and cannot predict exactly what will happen to one individual. Prognosis depends on factors such as cancer stage, tumor biology, treatment response, overall health, and follow-up.
14 • EPIDEMIOLOGY
How common is it?
RA affects adults worldwide and is more common in women; risk is influenced by genetics and smoking.
15 • PREVENTION
Risk reduction and prevention
No guaranteed prevention exists, but smoking cessation and early treatment of inflammatory symptoms are important.
16 • PREPARE FOR YOUR VISIT
Questions you may ask your doctor
1
Could my joint symptoms be inflammatory arthritis?
2
Which DMARD is appropriate for me?
3
What monitoring tests do I need?
Important medical information
BimariDur provides educational health information to help people understand diseases, symptoms, tests, and treatment concepts. It does not replace examination, diagnosis, or treatment by a qualified healthcare professional.
Do not delay professional medical care because of information read on BimariDur.