Rheumatoid Arthritis

Widely available disease-modifying drugs that are recommended early in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis are not being prescribed nearly as much as they could be.

People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who don’t sleep well face significant risks of greater functional disability due to pain and fatigue symptoms associated with poor sleep quality, a new study shows.

An oral rheumatoid arthritis drug called tofacitinib improved symptoms better than placebo and worked quickly in patients who had not responded to other medicines.

Specific drugs used to treat inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriasis may also help protect patients with these conditions from developing type 2 diabetes, a study shows.

The rheumatoid arthritis drugs Remicade, Enbrel, Humira, Cimzia, and Simponi slightly increase skin cancer risk but not the risk of other cancers, patient follow-up studies suggest.

Women under 50 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are more than twice as likely to break a bone as those without the condition, a large study shows.

More than 40% of the 1.3 million U.S. adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) get no exercise, according to a study published in the journal Arthritis Care & Research.

Rheumatoid arthritis patients from lower socioeconomic groups are more likely to develop symptoms of depression than people who have higher incomes and better access to health care services, a new study indicates.

One in 12 women and one in 20 men in the U.S. will develop some sort of autoimmune disease in their lifetime, according to new estimates.

People with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who smoke are less likely to respond to treatment with two of the most commonly used medications -- an older disease modifying antirheumatic drug called methotrexate and biologic drugs known as TNF blockers, according to a new study.

Add severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to the list of diseases linked to cigarette smoking.

Add severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to the list of diseases linked to cigarette smoking.

Heart attack risk significantly increases one year after rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis, new research suggests.

An experimental pill may help to reduce pain and swelling and improve physical function in people with rheumatoid arthritis, according to findings from a late-stage study of more than 600 patients.

Many women with rheumatoid arthritis have a flare after giving birth, making newborn care even more challenging. WebMD offers tips on caring for your baby when you have RA.

If you have RA, these exercises will help you get your pre-pregnancy body back faster – and take some of the excess weight and pressure off of your aching joints.

For a woman with RA, the best way to avoid having too much weight to lose post-pregnancy is to keep weight under control during pregnancy. Here are tips eating right when you are pregnant with RA.

How will having RA affect your pregnancy -- and how will being pregnant affect your RA? WebMD talks to experts to find out.

Parenting With RA: Tips for explaining to your children how pain, stiffness, and fatigue affect mom. Plus, parenting and family coping strategies.

RA can help parents teach their kids some surprising and important life lessons that go beyond with coping with chronic illness in the family.

Easy rheumatoid arthritis exercises to try at home or with family to help you move more easily and with less pain.

Learn how to reduce stress to battle RA pain, fatigue, and flares.

Menopause signals the end of fertility -- not the end of sex for women. Here’s how to deal with sex and intimacy issues through menopause, RA, and aging.

Depression and RA are more common in women, and menopause can present an added challenge. Here are some practical tips for women dealing with depression, menopause, and RA.

Our rheumatology expert explains how chronic disease can affect family relations and how one reader can get the help she needs.