Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints.  It’s a autoimmune system attacking the healthy body. The condition usually affects the hands, feet and wrists. There may be times where symptoms become worse, known as flare-ups . A flare can be difficult to predict, but with treatment it’s possible to decrease the number of flares and minimise or prevent long-term damage to the joints.