Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Flairs without inflammation

nickiraeleen
nickiraeleen

So i live in sunny San Diego and the day before yesterday i got flair. The largest, longest one i have ever had that almost forced my boyfriend to take me to the ER. The next day of course it rained, but even now today i am still out of work because of the pain. Weird part is... i have almost no swelling. it feels like i am trying to walk on sprained ankles and poor coffee with a broken hand, but there is pretty much no swelling. 



I though a main part of RA was visible swelling? Is anything about this disease that’s universal, or are we all just trying to figure this out on our own….

oceans11
oceans11
Hey nickiraeleen,

I'm right up the street from you in sunny OC! So in my experience yes pain can be there without swelling. I don't experience visible swelling at all. I just had my scheduled follow up RA appointment yesterday & upon physical examination my Rheumy says he also, "Sees or feels any visible swelling, redness or inflammation". So yes the pain can still exist without it I guess.
nonightshades2
nonightshades2
Oh yes, pain most certainly can happen with little to no swelling or redness. Absolutely it can. Twice last week I was awakened from sleep when the middle toe on my right foot decided that the joint wasn't quite well enough deformed. It hurt from the joint to the end of the toe.

If you're taking an anti-inflamm like Mobic (meloxicam) that'll help to stop swelling.