Tracking Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

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To help your rheumatologist properly evaluate and treat your condition, be sure to track your rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms daily. One way your rheumatologist monitors your condition is by counting the number of swollen and tender joints.

› Download this chart to track and monitor swollen and tender joints. (pdf 155k)
(Requires Adobe^® Acrobat^® Reader^®. Click here to download.)

Some patients choose to record their symptoms in a notebook.

For each day of the week, try to take note of the following:

• Location of symptoms: Where do you experience stiffness or pain (e.g., on your feet, hands, knees, or hips)? Do you have symptoms anywhere else? Does your pain or stiffness move from one area to another?
• Frequency of symptoms: How often do you have symptoms (e.g., daily or weekly)? Do you have symptoms constantly or every now and then? What time of day do you feel pain or stiffness (e.g., when you wake up or at night)? How long do these symptoms last?
• Severity of symptoms: How bad are your symptoms? You can use a scale, such as 0 = not severe, 1 = mildly severe, 2 = moderately severe, and 3 = severe. Also be sure to indicate when your symptoms are at their worst (e.g., after exercising or when you get up in the morning).
• Relief or aggravation of symptoms: What makes you feel better or worse? What relieves your symptoms (e.g., exercise, rest, or medicine)? What makes them feel worse (e.g., inactivity)? Has any treatment worked for you? If so, which one? Do your symptoms interfere with any of your activities (e.g., bathing, dressing, exercising, or playing with your children)?

Paying close attention to symptoms can help your rheumatologist monitor and treat the progression of your rheumatoid arthritis. For further help characterizing your current experience with RA, use our online RA Self-Assessment Tool.