Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can make tasks like getting dressed, typing, or gripping certain objects hard to manage. When joint pain, stiffness, and swelling get in the way of your ability to do your job, it can be tough to keep up. For some people, the symptoms become so challenging to manage that continuing to work…
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) commonly causes fatigue and pain, stiffness, and swelling in your joints. Roughly 40% of people also experience one or more symptoms in areas outside the joint. These symptoms are usually due to the abnormal immune response and increased inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis, or as reactions from RA treatments. Rheumatoid nodules are firm,…
Symptom Rheumatoid Arthritis Lupus Joint pain, stiffness, and swelling Yes Yes Joint damage and deformity Yes No Fatigue Yes Yes Brain fog Yes Yes Painful or dry eyes Sometimes Yes Rashes Rarely Yes, including a butterfly-shaped facial rash Mouth sores No Yes Lung symptoms Chest pain and shortness of breath (sometimes) Chest pain and shortness…
About one in five people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, also experience joint pain. Enteropathic arthritis (EnA) is a chronic (long-term) type of inflammatory arthritis that can develop in people with IBD, affecting the joints in the arms and legs or spine and lower back. Arthritis symptoms like pain…
With psoriatic arthritis (PsA), there’s a lot you can do to take care of your body and feel more in control of your symptoms. Simple self-care routines can help prevent and manage flare-ups, help you stay active and engaged in the ways that matter most, and support your joint health. Exercise can be challenging when…
Every person experiences psoriatic arthritis (PsA) differently, but if you have this chronic inflammatory condition, your feet will likely be affected, too. As many as 50-70% of people with PsA will have foot abnormalities, and 65% will experience swelling in their toes (dactylitis). When you have psoriatic arthritis (PsA), your feet may be the first…
Symptoms of Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis Swelling and pain Yes Yes Joint stiffness Worse in the mornings Worse in the mornings Affected side of the body Asymmetrical (often affects joints on one side of your body) Symmetrical (often affects joints on both sides of your body) Fatigue Yes Yes Sausage digits (swollen fingers and…
Arthritis in your fingers often starts with subtle changes. At first, you might wake up with sore or stiff fingers, notice discomfort after using your fingers a lot, or experience changes in grip strength. These early symptoms can be easy to ignore or overlook, but seeking prompt and early treatment can help you manage discomfort…
Symptoms like inflammation, joint pain, and stiffness are an inevitable part of aging. But for about 1% of the population, these symptoms are signs of something different: rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease where the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of healthy joints. It affects people of all ages, but most…
