Rheumatoid Arthritis

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common, autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and pain in multiple joints of the body.

An autoimmune disease happens when the body’s immune system, which normally functions to protect against infections, attacks healthy tissues by mistake. In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the lining of joints leading to inflammation, swelling, pain, and stiffness. Inflammation is like a fire. It can spread throughout the body and damage areas it touches.

If the fire is not put out, it can lead to damage of the joints and loss of function. The “fire” of inflammation can also affect other organs, such as the nerves, eyes, skin, lungs or heart.

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is still unknown. There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis but there are many effective ways to “put out the fire,” including medications and other therapies that help the symptoms and results of inflammation.