Rheumatoid arthritis

Is a condition which causes pain, swelling and inflammation in the joints. Initially, the joints of the hands and feet are affected, but any joint may later become affected. Rheumatoid arthritis can make your joints feel stiff and can leave you feeling generally unwell and tired.

Symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis tends to develop gradually and normally starts with pain and swelling and joint stiffness which tends to be worse in the morning but shows signs of improvement when you are up and about. The joints may become warm and appear slightly red. Anaemia is also known to be quite common in those with rheumatoid arthritis.

Diagnosis

There is no actual test that will diagnose rheumatoid arthritis but a physical examination from your GP and tests to rule out other medical conditions may be done.

Treatment

Depending on the severity of the rheumatoid arthritis the treatment could be either to reduce the pain or to slow down the progression of the disease.

Painkillers will reduce the pain but not the inflammation, NSAIDs and corticosteroids can reduce pain and help to reduce inflammation, whilst DMARDs can help to slow down the progression of the disease