Arthritis, inflammation in the joints that leads to pain and swelling, affects over 350 million people worldwide. About 4% of those cases (14 million total) are something more severe: rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is an autoimmune condition affecting the joints and the organs. Without proper care, RA can be a debilitating disease that makes daily… Continue reading Medication and Treatment Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Category: Rheumatoid Arthritis
Arthritis in Hands and Joints: Symptoms, Autoimmune Causes, and Management Tips
Arthritis in Your Hands and Joints Arthritis is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide, causing pain and discomfort in various parts of the body. One of the most common and debilitating areas affected by arthritis is the hands and joints. Understanding the symptoms and nature of arthritis, especially its autoimmune forms, is crucial… Continue reading Arthritis in Hands and Joints: Symptoms, Autoimmune Causes, and Management Tips
The Four Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Are you familiar with the four stages of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)? An autoimmune disorder that primarily affects the joints, RA is characterized by chronic inflammation. This inflammation leads to pain, swelling, and joint damage. Millions of people worldwide live with RA. About 70% are women, and 55% are older than the age of 55. This… Continue reading The Four Stages of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Chronic Pain Flare-Ups Explained: What Are They? How Do You Recover?
If you live with chronic pain, you already know that there are some times when the pain is significantly worse than others. These sudden episodes of increased pain are known as flare-ups. The cause of flare-ups can be as diverse as the cause of the chronic pain itself and can vary depending on what type… Continue reading Chronic Pain Flare-Ups Explained: What Are They? How Do You Recover?
What causes chronic pain? Is chronic pain a disability?
Medically Reviewed and Written By: Kathleen O’Shea Northrup, MD What Causes Chronic Pain? When people think of pain, they frequently imagine injuries like fractures or burns or pain from illnesses like strep throat or appendicitis. This type of pain is known as acute pain, meaning it comes on fairly quickly and is expected to resolve… Continue reading What causes chronic pain? Is chronic pain a disability?
5 Simple Ways to Differentiate Rheumatoid Arthritis From Fibromyalgia
After waking up in the morning, you notice feeling exhausted despite getting a good night of rest. You also notice your joints are feeling more swollen and stiffer. Even your muscles feel a little achier than usual. These symptoms may be related, or they could be completely separate. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and fibromyalgia (FM) both… Continue reading 5 Simple Ways to Differentiate Rheumatoid Arthritis From Fibromyalgia
8 Easy Ways to Improve Your Diet to Help Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis
Stiffness, pain, and swelling are just a few common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and are often some of the most difficult to manage. The progression of these three symptoms is usually a sign that the disease is getting worse. Visibly swollen or tender joints, symmetrical pain, and increased stiffness are all signs of progression to later… Continue reading 8 Easy Ways to Improve Your Diet to Help Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis
6 Treatment Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you’ve been living with rheumatoid arthritis, you know that the symptoms can be unpredictable. You may feel good one day and have a flare-up the next. It’s not possible to eliminate RA symptoms, but several treatment options are available that can help you manage them. The first line of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis… Continue reading 6 Treatment Options for Rheumatoid Arthritis
5 Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis, affecting 1.3 million adults in the United States. It’s an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body instead of protecting them. A healthy immune system protects against germs and sends fighter cells to attack them. But with autoimmune diseases, the immune system treats normal cells like foreign cells and releases autoantibodies that attack healthy cells. Autoantibodies are… Continue reading 5 Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis
What Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Really Feel Like?
Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more than joint pain. It’s a chronic pain, accompanied by many other symptoms, that often gets worse over time. Symptoms can come at inconvenient times without any warning which makes them difficult to manage. But what people think RA feels like and what it actually feels like are often two different things. How does rheumatoid arthritis really feel? Rheumatoid arthritis isn’t “just” arthritis. When you have RA, it affects your body or one part of… Continue reading What Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Really Feel Like?