I have to disappoint you. RA is unfortunatelty an anatomy course as it can affect any joints. Years ago I had pain in my jaw even, can u believe?

Well it was a thought! lol time to dive in and learn what I can!

Thank you!

Hi Even-clouds-cry,

Yes RA "can" affect any joint but I believe the medical community states on "average" they don't affect the joints at the very tip of your fingers. I read for a while that it doesn't affect the lower lumbar of the back because we supposedly don't have any synovian fluid around those discs but there are ligaments that attach to those discs that DO carry the fluid around them (somehow).

I've had my jaw affected as well although that was early on in the disease, hasn't really ever come back in that area. Generally they say it doesn't affect the "larger joints" hips, back ect. but it can.

Where you will mostly feel it is in the larger hand knuckles, wrists, elbows, shoulders, toes & ankles.

Agree. And I'm glad to see someone else had the jaw. I was affected almost EVERYWHERE when first diagnosed (not kidding) but am now doing well. Agree with all the responses. My rheum does a joint check of each hand when she sees me and she checks both finger joints. Although I've not had inflammation in the closest joint it is possible. It is extremely important to like your rheum. After a couple appts you should know if you clique with your doc. But I highly recommend trying a new one if you aren't feeling it. fortunately I love mine. She's a drive, but worth it.

Is it affecting JUST your finger??

It started as a horrible pain in my right wrist. The next day it moved into my first two fingers, all of the joints. Over the next few days both hands had the same pains in my first two fingers(pointer & middle) mainly affecting the main joint where the fingers connect to the hand and the small joint close to the tip.

Thanks for clarifying.... I never heard that it DOESN'T effect the joint nearest the tip, but also don't remember having pain there...but LOTS of pain and swelling in MP joints at the base of each finger.

When I was first diagnosed with RA, that was how my disease stared too! My right wrist and the same two fingers and only on one side, so my RA didn't present like typical RA, but my labs showed that I was positive for RA. I've experienced pain in all my joints except my back and neck over the last 11 years, even my jaw in the last year or so. I worked as an RN in a big hospital and discussed RA with other RA patients and with the many rheumatologists I worked with, I feel lucky to have had so many opportunities to speak with both the patients and doctors treating them. My theory of RA for me personally is...

"The only thing consistent with my RA is it's inconsistency"!

To this day my right wrist, pointer and middle fingers are the places my RA likes to "attack" often. I think we each have our own journeys, no two seem to be alike, but you are not alone, stay strong and positive!!

When I was first diagnosed I went in and had 26 swolen joints. Everything hurt. After medication started and everything I went back 4 weeks after and had 1 swollen joint (my index finger) but no pain. Im seronegative RA. Biggest thing is to stay positive about it. Continue to gain every bit of knowledge you can on this disease.

The classification criteria includes a scoring system for joint involvement (small and/or large), serology (RF and anti-CCP), acute phase reactants (ESR and CRP), and duration of therapy. When figuring out how many points your joint involvement is “worth” it depends on number involved of certain joints, with small joints being “worth” more. If your rheum does joint counts, he/she probably doesn’t count the excluded joints. But if you read this excerpt from the ACR criteria, there is plenty of wiggle room for other joints (including TMJ). I think some of the hesitancy to “believe” in the involvement of some large joints, especially the spine, is from the common overlapping symptoms of other conditions of autoimmune arthritis and the need to rely on these patterns of joint involvement to help diagnose these very confusing and complex disorders.

Definition of small joints. Small joints include the metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal (PIP), second through fifth MTP, and thumb IP joints, and the wrists. They do not include the first CMC, first MTP, or DIP joints, which are often affected by osteoarthritis.

Definition of large joints. The term “large joints” refers to the shoulders, elbows, hips, knees, and ankles.

Determination of the joint pattern category. Patients are categorized according to the number and location of involved joints by placing them into the category with the highest possible score. For example, a patient with involvement of 2 large joints and 2 small joints is placed in the category “1–3 small joints,” as this category has the higher score. Patients should be scored for their joint involvement assuming that all of the peripheral joints indicated above have been assessed. For the highest category of joint involvement, in which 10 joints must be involved (including at least 1 small joint), additional joints that can be considered for inclusion in this count include the temporomandibular joint, sternoclavicular joint, acromioclavicular joint, and others that may be reasonably expected to be involved in RA.

Wow, Thank You for that information. After 11 years with RA and a great rheumy, I never knew about this point system and appreciate this information. I'm so happy I found this site!!