The primary autoimmune disease that causes arthritis is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), where the immune system attacks the joint lining, causing inflammation, pain, swelling, and potential joint damage, often symmetrically in hands, wrists, and feet. Other autoimmune conditions like Psoriatic Arthritis (linked to psoriasis) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (Lupus) can also cause arthritis by triggering joint inflammation and pain.
Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune condition that causes inflamed joints. It often, but not always, shows up in people who have psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition. Psoriatic arthritis affects large joints like knees and shoulders, as well as fingers, toes, the back or the pelvis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks healthy tissue in several joints of the body, including the knee. It causes inflammation of the synovial membrane, the capsule surrounding the knee joint. Inflammatory cells release substances that break down knee cartilage over time.
Inflammatory arthritis happens when inflammation damages cartilage in your joints. It can make your affected joints swollen and feel warm. Autoimmune diseases, a buildup of protein crystals and infections can all cause it. Your provider will suggest treatments to manage symptoms like pain and stiffness.
Some common autoimmune diseases, including Type 1 diabetes mellitus, are relatively easy to diagnose, while others, such as vasculitis, Addison's disease, lupus, and other rheumatic diseases, are more difficult.
Diagnosing an autoimmune disease is often a differential diagnosis. This means your provider will test you for several different conditions that can cause the symptoms you're experiencing until they find the cause. Your provider might order blood tests to look for specific signs (markers) of autoimmune diseases.
Lupus can also cause inflammation in the joints, which doctors call “inflammatory arthritis.” It can make your joints hurt and feel stiff, tender, warm, and swollen. Lupus arthritis most often affects joints that are farther from the middle of your body, like your fingers, wrists, elbows, knees, ankles, and toes.
Arthritis flare-ups are triggered by physical stress (overexertion, injury, repetitive motion), emotional factors (stress, poor sleep), illness (infections), medication issues (skipping doses, changes), diet (processed foods, purines in gout), weather changes (cold, pressure), weight gain, and smoking, leading to increased pain, swelling, and stiffness as the body's inflammation worsens.
Use this list as a guide but see your primary care doctor or a rheumatologist for a definitive diagnosis.
In this test, the second through fourth metacarpophalangeal joints (see image, lower left) or the metatarsophalangeal joints (see image, lower right) are squeezed together to test for tenderness. A positive result raises the question of an inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis.
Fibromyalgia, also called fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), is a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.
Though both conditions are persistent and painful, RA is considered more problematic and painful. Without the right treatment, it can damage our joints quicker than OA, making it more it more dangerous and disabling in the long run.
Psoriatic arthritis also may cause:
Causes of rheumatoid arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. This means your immune system (which usually fights infection) attacks the cells that line your joints by mistake, making the joints swollen, stiff and painful. Over time, this can damage the joints, cartilage and nearby bone.
The main symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are joint pain, swelling and stiffness. It may also cause more general symptoms, and inflammation in other parts of the body. The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis often develop gradually over several weeks, but some cases can progress quickly over a number of days.
Joint scans
Scans that may be done to diagnose and monitor rheumatoid arthritis include: X-rays. MRI scans (where strong magnetic fields and radio waves are used to produce detailed images of your joints)
Other diseases that cause joint pain and inflammation can sometimes be misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These include conditions such as osteoarthritis, lupus, and Lyme disease. A diagnosis may involve testing not just for RA but to rule out other conditions, as well.
Three key signs of Sjögren's syndrome are dry eyes, dry mouth, and profound fatigue, stemming from this autoimmune condition attacking moisture-producing glands, though other symptoms like joint pain, swollen glands, and systemic issues can also occur.
It might be — or it might be a condition that simply has symptoms that can be confused with arthritis symptoms, such as lupus or fibromyalgia. Or maybe it's a condition that can occur with arthritis, like eye inflammation, skin conditions or heart and lung diseases.
Your immune system can cause arthritis (including rheumatoid arthritis) when it damages your joints by mistake. Certain viral infections (including COVID-19) can trigger viral arthritis. Sometimes, arthritis happens with no cause or trigger. Providers call this idiopathic arthritis.
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The main difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is the cause behind the joint symptoms. Osteoarthritis is caused by mechanical wear and tear on joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body's own immune system attacks the body's joints. It may begin any time in life.
Lupus and Sjogren's syndrome are both autoimmune diseases. Up to 5.5 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with lupus or Sjogren's syndrome. However, Sjogren's syndrome occurs up to three times more than lupus, but one-third of lupus patients also have Sjogren's syndrome.
Lupus can also cause other problems in the abdomen, including peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal lining) and ascites (a build-up of fluids in the abdomen). Symptoms of peritonitis and ascites include: Abdominal pain and swelling. Nausea and vomiting.
Imaging tests such as X-rays can be very helpful in determining the correct diagnosis of lupus vs. rheumatoid arthritis. This is because lupus, unlike RA, rarely causes joint erosions.