Rheumatoid nodules are small bumps under the skin, located in pressure point areas such as the elbow or back of the heel. These bumps may be as small as a grain of rice or as large as a golf ball but are not painful and tend to come and go.

People with rheumatoid arthritis commonly develop rheumatoid nodules, as do children with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis who are rheumatoid-factor (RF) positive. While rheumatoid nodules often develop later in the disease, their presence can be helpful in confirming a diagnosis.