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Condition
Rheumatoid arthritis (hand)
An autoimmune condition in which the body attacks the lining of joints. In the hand it most often affects the knuckles and middle finger joints, with morning stiffness, swelling, and symmetric symptoms in both hands.
Common triggers
- Disease flares — not caused by activity but worsened by overuse
- Stress, infection, or missed medication doses
- Cold weather and inactivity
When to seek care
- More than 30 minutes of morning stiffness
- New joint swelling, warmth, or deformity
- Symptoms in the same joints on both hands
Watch a curated demo
Patient education · Rheumatoid arthritis (hand)
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Related care
Splints often used
Sources
- Rheumatoid Arthritis of the Hand — AAOS OrthoInfo(accessed 2026-04-22)