Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease that typically causes pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in the joints. This type of arthritis is different from others because it generally occurs in a symmetrical pattern, meaning that if one hand is affected, the other one usually will be as well.
Roughly 2.1 million people -- between 0.5 percent and 1 percent of the U.S. adult population, -- have rheumatoid arthritis. The condition often affects people differently; some only have it temporarily and then it goes away without causing noticeable damage, while others have a severe form that lasts a lifetime and can lead to serious joint damage and disability.
(Click Rheumatoid Arthritis to read more about how this condition compares to other types of arthritis, treatment options, and more. You can also click any of the links in the box to the right for specific information.)
