Itching around inflamed joints is something many people with RA experience, even though it's not considered a classic RA symptom. The inflammation itself is likely the culprit — when joints swell, it can trigger itchiness in the surrounding skin. There are a few reasons this can happen:
- Joint inflammation — swelling Show Full Answer
Itching around inflamed joints is something many people with RA experience, even though it's not considered a classic RA symptom. The inflammation itself is likely the culprit — when joints swell, it can trigger itchiness in the surrounding skin. There are a few reasons this can happen:
- Joint inflammation — swelling around a joint can directly cause itching in the nearby skin
- RA medications — DMARDs like methotrexate, biologics, and JAK inhibitors like Rinvoq can all cause itching as a side effect
- Chronic hives (urticaria) — RA-related inflammation has been linked to hives, which are very itchy
- Rheumatoid vasculitis — a complication of long-term RA where blood vessel inflammation can cause itchy skin
One myRAteam member shared, "I get itchiness around the joints when swelling is occurring," which is a very common experience. Try to resist scratching as much as possible — it can actually worsen inflammation and create an itch-scratch cycle that leads to skin damage over time. It's worth mentioning this to your doctor, especially if it's persistent or getting worse.
June 14
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