Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints. This condition can also affect the tissues surrounding the joints (muscles, tendons, ligaments) as well as other organs of the body (skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs and muscles).RA is a chronic condition and it tends to last for many years though there are periods in between when the patient is without any symptom. RA is a progressive condition and over a period of time, it causes joint destruction and functional disability.

Scientists largely believe that the tendency to develop rheumatoid arthritis may be genetically inherited. It is also suspected that certain infections or factors in the environment might trigger the immune system to attack the body's own tissues (Autoimmune response), resulting in inflammation. In any case, the autoimmune response causes chronic inflammation of the joints, that later progresses to joint destruction. Stress can act a predisposing factor as well as a trigger to induce acute episodes of the condition.

symptoms during the active stage of RA are Joint swelling, redness and tenderness, Joint stiffness, Limited range of motion of joints, Deformities of hands and feet (at later stages), Muscular pains, Fever, Loss of appetite, Usually multiple joints are affected at one time (polyarthritis), Symmetrical affection of joints is common, Small joints of hands and feet; elbows, ankles are commonly involved, Skin redness or inflammation , Round, painless nodules under the skin .

In homoeopathy medicine like Apis , bryonia, Causticum, Rhod, Formica rufa are used for the treatment. The proper analysis of the case with the qualified homoeopathic physician will give the better results.