06/09/2025
Attention
Rheumatoid ArthritisReference
Running the Race with RA
Progression and Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Everybody's different when it comes to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Over the long run, your symptoms may not be the same as a friend or neighbor who also has the disease. How you'll feel depends such things as:
How advanced your RA was when you learned you had it
Your age when you were diagnosed
How "active" your disease is
How RA Symptoms Progress Over Time
Everyone is different, but there are a few common patterns in the way RA plays out over the years:
Long remissions. When you're in one of these periods, your pain and stiffness go away or get much better, but you aren't cured. In a few people with RA -- about 5% to 10% -- the disease starts suddenly, and then they have no symptoms for many years, even decades.
Symptoms that come and go. This happens to about 15% of people with rheumatoid arthritis. You may have periods of few or no problems that can last months between flare-ups.
Progressive rheumatoid arthritis. Most people in this situation need a long-term treatment plan and a coordinated medical team to manage the condition and slow or stop it from getting worse.
CONTINUE READING BELOW
Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis
There are four stages. Each has its own treatment options.
Stage 1:
In the early stages, your joint lining, or synovium, becomes inflamed. The bones aren’t damaged yet. But the tissue around them often swells, making your joint stiff and painful.
Stage 2:
In this moderate stage, inflammation damages your cartilage, the cushiony stuff that protects the ends of your bones.
The joint will be stiff, and you won’t be able to move it as far as you used to. The doctor will say you’ve lost range of motion.
Stage 3:
This is the severe stage. Inflammation is wearing away cartilage and causes erosion of bones near your joints. The joints may become unstable. You might start to notice deformities as the bones move around. You’ll have pain
