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Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis

  • Pain Aspects of Arthritis (DA Walsh and S Kelly, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease of synovial joints, and pain is the predominant problem for people with RA. Pain in RA is distressing in its own right and adversely affects disability and psychosocial outcomes. RA pain may be due to joint inflammation and also augmented by central sensitization and structural joint damage. Noninflammatory pain mechanisms may confound the assessment of disease activity in RA, and treatment should aim to both suppress inflammatory disease and relieve pain symptoms. Effective treatment stratification requires a full assessment of pain mechanisms by clinical history and examination, as well as objective assessment of synovitis and joint damage. Biologic therapies and joint replacement surgery have major impacts on RA pain, but may only be available to those with most severe or advanced disease. Holistic approaches to pain management are indicated, including pharmacologic analgesia where randomized controlled trials (RCTs) offer evidence of efficacy.

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Acknowledgments

Data for the Figure were prepared by Dr Sam Norton, Dept. Public Health & Primary Care, University of Cambridge, UK, and Professor Adam Young/Marie Hunt, University of West Hertfordshire, UK.

Disclosure

DAW has received grant funding from Pfizer Ltd. for work on pain in rheumatoid arthritis, and has provided consultancy to Pfizer Ltd. He receives grant funding from Arthritis Research UK, and is a Trustee of the Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Network, UK Registered Charity No. 1102642; D.F. McWilliams is supported by a grant from Pfizer Ltd, UK (WS953552).

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  1. Arthritis Research UK Pain Centre, Academic Rheumatology, University of Nottingham, City Hospital, Nottingham, NG5 1PB, UK

    David A. Walsh & Daniel F. McWilliams

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  1. David A. Walsh
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  2. Daniel F. McWilliams
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Correspondence to David A. Walsh.

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Walsh, D.A., McWilliams, D.F. Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Curr Pain Headache Rep 16, 509–517 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-012-0303-x

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