| Definition |
An inflammatory disease that causes aching and throbbing pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in the linings of the joints (places in the body where two bones connect). It often affects the wrists, fingers, knees, feet, and ankles. Usually, if one knee or hand is involved, the other one is too. The surrounding tissues and organs may also be affected. People with rheumatoid arthritis may develop anemia, neck pain, dry eyes and mouth, fever, feel tired and weak, lose appetite and weight, and generally not feel well. Rheumatoid arthritis may last a few months, a year or two, or a lifetime. Symptoms may come and go, or be severe, leading to serious joint damage, deformity, and disability. It is an autoimmune disease, in which the body attacks its own tissue as if it were a foreign substance. |