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Rheumatoid Arthritis

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

graphic of a hand with an arthritic jointRheumatoid 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.

Click on the cards below to learn about rheumatoid arthritis and how to manage it to live well.

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Online Learning Guides

 

Learning modules to help you cope and thrive when living with rheumatoid arthritis.

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Arthritis Talks Webinars

 

Arthritis Talks webinars on the latest guidance direct from arthritis experts to help you get more out of life with inflammatory arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis in 2016: Are we making progress?

Dr. Michael Starr explains rheumatoid arthritis, treatment options and the importance of early intervention (October 29, 2016).

Dr. Michael Starr explains rheumatoid arthritis, treatment options and the importance of early intervention (October 29, 2016).

Inflammatory Arthritis: What you need to know

In this Arthritis Talks webinar, rheumatologist Dr. David Robinson zeroes in on what you really need to know about inflammatory...

In this Arthritis Talks webinar, rheumatologist Dr. David Robinson zeroes in on what you really need to know about inflammatory arthritis and how best to manage it.

Inflammatory Arthritis: Types and Treatments

Dr. D. Robinson, Rheumatologist on osteoarthritis & inflammatory arthritis: rheumatoid, gout, psoriatic + more; dealing with pain...

Dr. D. Robinson, Rheumatologist on osteoarthritis & inflammatory arthritis: rheumatoid, gout, psoriatic + more; dealing with pain & best drugs & treatments.

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This information was last updated September 2023, with expert advice from:

Bindee Kuriya, MD, SM, FRCPC
Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine
Division of Rheumatology University of Toronto

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