An exceedingly rare complication of prolonged, untreated RA is an inflammation of the arteries in the brain. People who experience this problem can present with symptoms similar to a stroke, such as weakness or numbness of their arms or legs. This condition can be treated with medications such as corticosteroids. Fatigue, malaise, and depression are [...]

RA can affect the lungs and the lining of the lungs, a complication referred to as rheumatoid lung disease. Rheumatoid lung disease occurs in approximately 25% of all patients with RA. Although RA occurs more commonly in women, men with RA seem to get rheumatoid lung disease more frequently. Other risk factors for this problem [...]

Fatigue is a common feature of RA and occurs in most patients. As individuals with RA know all too well, fatigue is different from drowsiness. Fatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy, whereas drowsiness is a lack of alertness and a feeling that you need to sleep. In other words, fatigue [...]

My doctor has suggested that I see a vocational counselor. Why would I need to have a vocational counselor for my rheumatoid arthritis? RA is a serious, progressive, and sometimes debilitating disease. By the time most people with RA have been correctly diagnosed, they have already experienced some joint damage and decreased physical ability. In [...]

People with RA may suffer significant physical, personal, familial, social, and vocational consequences from this disease. The limitations caused by RA, for example, may make performing even routine tasks more difficult. The occupational therapist’s goal is to help you maintain your independence and overcome any limitations that RA has imposed on you by facilitating task [...]

My doctor suggested that I see a physical therapist. What is a physical therapist, and why do I need one? Physical therapy is the treatment of injuries or disorders using physical methods, such as exercise, massage, or the application of heat. Ultrasound and iontophoresis (discussed later in this question) are other modalities employed by physical [...]

Most people with RA are treated by either a medical internist or a rheumatologist. Which one a patient chooses as his or her treating physician depends on many factors: The physician’s training and experience in caring for patients with RA His or her board certification The proximity of the physician’s office to your home Whether [...]

It may be helpful to understand what it means to be an internist and a rheumatologist before you choose a physician to help you with your RA. An internist is a person who has completed four years of college, four years of medical school, and at least three years of a medical residency. During that [...]

Most people with RA are treated by either an internist or a rheumatologist. Who you choose to be your treating physician depends on many factors: Most people with RA are treated by either an internist or a rheumatologist. The doctor’s training and experience His or her board certification The proximity of the physician’s office to [...]

In the early part of the twentieth century, many people believed that RA was caused by dental infections. Infections of the teeth and gums were thought to spread to the joints, causing inflammation and other symptoms of RA. For example, researchers made correlations between increases in the rate of diagnosis of RA and increases in [...]

The results of several large studies conducted in the past two decades support the association between cigarette smoking and the development of RA. In one study, researchers in Finland studied 512 patients with RA. They found that men who smoked in the past but had stopped smoking were 2? times more likely to develop RA [...]

Rheumatoid arthritis is affected by genes, but this disease is not controlled by a single gene. As a result, RA generally does not run in families. Instead, scientists believe that RA develops as a result of a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Each person is born with a unique genetic code and has [...]

It is impossible to predict the course of RA for a particular person, so it is equally difficult to tell if someone with RA will become disabled. However, the pattern of disease can influence the risk of disability. For 10% of patients, RA symptoms disappear completely on their own. If disease remission occurs, it usually [...]

Untreated RA can cause severe damage to the hips, knees, and feet. However, with current treatments, RA shouldn’t progress to the point that you cannot walk. You and your doctor can work together to limit any joint damage and maintain your mobility. Inability to walk owing to severe RA may involve factors other than RA. [...]

Rheumatoid arthritis may begin at any age, but the most common age range during which onset begins is the twenties to fifties. Morning stiffness is a hallmark symptom of RA. People with RA often report having a half hour or more of stiffness in the morning. The same symptoms frequently occur after short periods of [...]

Despite years of research and study, the precise cause of RA is not known. Physicians have determined that the pain, stiffness, and inflammation associated with this disease result from a disorder in the body’s immune system. For unexplained reasons, the body’s immune system—in the form of white blood cells and antibodies—attacks the joints and other [...]

Yes, RA is a serious disease. While some people suffer only mild discomfort and minimal disability, medical studies have demonstrated that one third of patients are unable to work five years after they are diagnosed. At ten years, more than half of all people with RA are unable to work. Daily joint pain is an [...]

More than 200 types of arthritis have been identified. One way that physicians distinguish one type of arthritis from another is by its characteristic location, physical findings, laboratory tests, and x-rays. Early on in the disease, making a diagnosis of RA can be difficult for your physician because your symptoms may change over time. The [...]

The ancient Greeks were aware that joint and muscle aches were sometimes associated with colds. The word rheuma in Greek means “flow” or “discharge,” where this “flow” refers to the watery discharge from the eyes and nose during a cold. The word arthritis is also derived from the Greek—specifically, from arthron (or arthr-), meaning “joint,” [...]