Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a progressive and disabling autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the joints. This results in inflammation that causes the tissue that line the inside of joints to thicken. As a result of this thickening swelling and pain in and around the joints occur. This inflammation if left unchecked can damage and even lead to the loss of cartilage an elastic tissue that covers the ends of bones in a joint. It can also damage the bones. RA usually affects the hands and feet first but it can attack any joint. It usually