Rheumatoid Arthritis 101

When you hear the term “arthritis,” you might think of aches, pains and cartilage loss in joints like the knees, ankles and hands. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a type of arthritis, but it’s caused by the immune system attacking joints, rather than the cartilage in joints wearing down over time. About 1.5 million people in the US are living with RA, and 7 out of 10 of them are women. RA can happen at any age, but most commonly begins between your 30s and 50s.Here's more on the symptoms, causes, treatments and other important information to know about RA. What is rheumatoid arthritis? Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune condition in which the immune system attacks your joints — specifically the joint lining called the synovium. When the synovium becomes inflamed, it leads to symptoms of pain, swelling and stiffness. While RA most often affects the joints, it can also damage other areas of the body like the skin, eyes, blood vessels, heart and lungs. What are the symptoms of RA? RA can start out in the small joints of the hands and feet, but as the condition progresses, symptoms can affect larger joints like the wrists, elbows, hips, knees and ankles. You might notice:Jo...