Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease. It first appears as an inflammation in the membrane that lubricates your joints. As this inflammation progresses, the membrane thickens and becomes painful and swollen. Over time, this inflammation spreads to other parts of the affected joint. This causes more stiffness and pain. This inflammation can spread throughout the body. And for this reason, rheumatoid arthritis a very serious condition.

Inflammation is your body’s normal response to infections and injuries. Normally, the inflammation goes away after the infection is wiped out. However, with rheumatoid arthritis, this persists and can invade your entire body. While the disease can strike at any age it usually occurs between the ages 20 and 50. And it afflicts about three times as many women as men.

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