Polyarthritis isn’t a specific type of arthritis. It’s a diagnosis that means five or more of your joints have arthritis at the same time. Lots of conditions can cause it, including autoimmune diseases and infections. Visit your provider if you have symptoms like pain, stiffness or swelling in many joints.
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Polyarthritis is the medical term for having arthritis in five or more of your joints at the same time. Arthritis is inflammation in your joints, which causes swelling and pain. Poly- means “many.”
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
There are many types of arthritis with different types of causes. But polyarthritis isn’t a type of arthritis. It’s a diagnosis that means the type of arthritis you have is affecting you in many places at once. This might mean that your arthritis is more severe than average.
Some other terms for polyarthritis include:
By definition, polyarthritis symptoms occur in five or more joints throughout your body. That’s any place where two bones connect. The most common symptoms include:
If you have symptoms in the same joints on both sides of your body — both of your knees, for example — your healthcare provider might call it “symmetrical polyarthritis.” If your symptoms occur on one side, or in random joints that don’t match from side to side, they might call it “asymmetrical polyarthritis.”
Polyarthritis means you have arthritis in five or more joints at the same time. It’s not a specific disease on its own. Many different types of conditions can cause it.
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Rheumatoid arthritis is an example of a specific type of arthritis that can lead to polyarticular arthritis. But polyarthritis doesn’t always start with joint disease. It can also be a symptom or side effect of other conditions, like infections and autoimmune diseases.
The most common causes include:
Many chronic types of arthritis can spread to multiple joints over time. Most of these are inflammatory diseases. It’s less common for degenerative arthritis to affect multiple joints. But it can happen in people who’ve put a lot of stress on their joints over their lifetimes.
Common types of arthritis that lead to polyarthropathy include:
An autoimmune disease is the result of your immune system attacking parts of your body. These attacks can trigger chronic inflammation in certain types of body tissues, including your joints. Some autoimmune diseases that may cause polyarthritis include:
Some viral infections or bacterial infections can trigger polyarthritis (viral arthritis or reactive arthritis). Your body’s response to the virus or bacteria may be too strong or may catch your joints in the crossfire. Some infections that can trigger polyarthropathy include:
You’re more likely to develop polyarthritis if you’re at a higher risk for developing arthritis in the first place. Arthritis can affect anyone, but some people are more likely to develop it, including those who:
Your healthcare provider will diagnose polyarthritis with a physical exam and tests. They’ll ask you about your symptoms and gently examine your painful joints. They’ll take note of which ones polyarthritis affects, since this can give them important clues to determining the type of condition you have.
You might need some imaging tests, such as:
Other tests might include:
Your provider will also check you for other conditions that might cause symptoms resembling polyarthropathy. This is called a differential diagnosis. Sometimes, conditions affecting other tissues near your joints can seem to irritate or cause referred pain in your joints.
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Some of these conditions include:
To treat polyarthritis properly, your provider will need to determine the root cause. In many cases, you can treat it with over-the-counter pain relievers while waiting for these results. Your provider can advise you on which medications to try.
Once you have your final diagnosis, your provider will treat your polyarthropathy by treating your underlying condition. This treatment might include:
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Visit your provider as soon as you notice symptoms in your joints. Polyarticular arthritis is a symptom of many different conditions, some of which can do serious damage in a short amount of time. If you’ve seen your provider but developed new symptoms, let them know right away.
Go to the emergency room if you’re experiencing severe pain or if you suddenly can’t move a joint or a part of your body.
If you have symptoms of polyarticular arthritis, you might want to ask:
Some people only have polyarthropathy for a short time, while recovering from an infection. But if your symptoms last a long time or keep coming back (recurring), you have what’s known as chronic polyarthritis.
Most of the causes of chronic arthritis are lifelong conditions. The symptoms can improve with treatment, but you’ll need to continue to manage the condition for the rest of your life. If the arthritis continues to damage your joints, you might need surgery to treat it.
You can lower your chances of developing arthritis by:
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Polyarthritis means you have arthritis in five or more joints at the same time. It’s not a specific disease on its own. It’s a diagnosis that means you’re experiencing arthritis in many joints at once.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a specific type of arthritis. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system attacks the tissue lining the joints on both sides of your body. It can affect any number of joints, and it’s possible for rheumatoid arthritis to affect enough of your joints to be classified as polyarthritis.
Seronegative arthritis is a form of rheumatoid arthritis. It’s possible for it to affect five or more of your joints and become polyarthritis. Talk to your provider or rheumatologist if you have questions or if you’ve been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and notice new or changing symptoms.
It can be painful, debilitating and frustrating to have arthritis in many joints at the same time. Sometimes, it’s temporary, but other times, it means a chronic disease has entered a new stage. Your provider will work with you to find treatments that relieve your symptoms and get you back to your regular activities. Talk to your provider as soon as you notice any changes, especially if your symptoms get worse quickly.
Cleveland Clinic’s primary care providers offer lifelong medical care. From sinus infections and high blood pressure to preventive screening, we’re here for you.
Last reviewed on 07/24/2025.
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