‘Do I Have Rheumatoid Arthritis?’ Take the Quiz

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes your body’s immune system to attack its own tissues. It causes inflammation in joints and other areas, which can lead to pain, stiffness, and decreased flexibility and mobility.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common type of autoimmune-related arthritis. It’s estimated that about 1.3 million adults in the United States (0.6-1% of the adult population) have RA.

There’s no cure for RA, but medications and lifestyle changes can help you manage the condition. Receiving a diagnosis and proper treatment early can help prevent joint damage, manage pain, and avoid further complications.

A quiz can’t diagnose you with rheumatoid arthritis, but it can help you decide if you should make an appointment with a healthcare provider. Not sure if you should talk to a provider about your symptoms or risk factors? Take this quiz.

This quiz is for anyone who suspects they have RA symptoms. Although RA can happen at any age, it usually develops in people aged 30-50.

If you haven’t seen a healthcare provider about your symptoms before, you can use this quiz to help you decide whether or not you should begin the conversation.

For those who have talked to a healthcare provider and have additional questions or felt dismissed, the quiz can help you decide if you want to seek out a rheumatologist (a doctor who specializes in arthritis and can best diagnose and treat RA).

This quiz was developed in partnership with Anita C. Chandrasekaran, MD, a rheumatologist at Hartford Healthcare Medical Group in Connecticut and a member of Health.com’s Medical Expert Board.

The questions in this quiz are based on the most common signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The quiz also asks about known risk factors linked to developing RA.

RA symptoms affect multiple joints and can come and go. When you experience RA symptoms, it’s called a flare. The condition affects people differently. For some people, stress or environmental factors can trigger flares. Others may not know what causes their symptoms to worsen.

Early signs of RA may include:

• Stiff joints upon waking that improve after a few hours or over the course of the day
• Pain in the small joints of your hands and feet
• Joint pain and/or swelling that lasts for longer than six weeks

Later on, common symptoms include:

• Joint pain, whether you’re resting or moving
• Tenderness, swelling, or a warm feeling in one or more joints
• Trouble doing daily activities (opening containers, buttoning clothes, straightening arms, or bending knees) because of joint pain or swelling
• Tiredness or low energy
• Low fever
• Loss of appetite

Complications

Other symptoms and conditions that RA can cause or contribute to include:

• Anemia
• Neck pain
• Lumps below the skin called rheumatoid nodules (usually on the hands and elbows)
• Dry eyes
• Dry mouth
• Inflammation in blood vessels, lungs, or heart
• Lung disease 

Researchers still don’t know exactly what causes RA. Some theories suggest the following factors can play a role:

• Genetics: Certain genes can affect how your immune system works and make it more likely for you to develop RA.
• Environmental factors: Things you’re exposed to in daily life, like cigarette smoke, might act as a trigger for RA in people whose genes already increase their RA risk. Other outside factors, like exposure to bacteria and viruses, may contribute to the development of RA.
• Sex: People assigned female at birth are two to three times more likely than those assigned male at birth to develop RA. Researchers believe hormones may play a role.

Risk Factors for Rheumatoid Arthritis

While researchers don’t know the cause of RA, some factors can increase your risk of developing it. These risk factors include:

• Sex: People assigned female at birth are more likely to develop RA.
• Age: While you can develop RA at any age, most people start having symptoms between the ages of 30 and 50. The age group considered most at risk is 50-59.
• Exposure to cigarette smoke: Some research shows that being exposed to cigarette smoke as a child because of the smoking habits of those around you may increase the risk of RA.

To receive an RA diagnosis, a rheumatologist typically needs to examine you. They may do the following:

• Physical exam
• Blood tests
• X-rays
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound
• Health and family history review

Indicators you should see a healthcare provider about RA include the following: 

• You have joint pain that interferes with daily life and your ability to perform regular physical activities, like opening containers or bending.
• You feel pain or swelling in joints, like your hands and feet, for longer than six weeks.
• You experience other concerning symptoms, like trouble breathing.