Helpful Tips for Everyday Life: RA Tells a Complex Story

For Arthritis Awareness Month, we dedicated each week to raising awareness of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) journey. We explored topics such as:

• RA symptoms and diagnosis
• The goal of treatment and treatment options
• Personal stories of managing RA with lack of support

As this awareness month comes to an end, this final article in our weekly series will focus on tips and tricks for managing RA.

How RA symptoms impact daily life

People living with RA know firsthand how debilitating symptoms can be and how they impact everyday tasks.

Swollen and stiff joints in the hands make it hard to open packages or medication bottles. Fatigue gets in the way of running errands like grocery shopping or picking up dry cleaning. Brain fog makes it hard to remember appointments or details from important conversations.

These symptoms can often get in the way of life. So, how do we cope? Below, we have selected 5 articles from people living with RA who share tips for tackling RA-related challenges. Click on the titles below to read personal stories. But first, take our quick poll. What has helped you in navigating life with RA?

Everyday tips for managing RA

Coping with Itchy Skin and RA
Nan Hart

"Among the many symptoms of Sjogren’s, including dry eyes, dry mouth, and dry sinuses, the one I want to address is dry skin, also known as xerosis, or clinically dry skin. Although I have been successful in treating the other symptoms, dry skin has been my nemesis and, of late, has begun to disrupt my sleep thanks to the presence of itching."

My Tool Kit: Over-the-Counter Support for Managing My RA
Amanda Osowski

"I wanted to identify anything non-prescription-based or over-the-counter that I could keep on hand and use in tandem with my medications to support my health and provide relief when I entered any type of flare-up. In general, it seems that there are products and tools available across a few different categories, and I wanted to share with you my experiences with some of these items."

How to Tackle an Activity Hangover When You Have RA
David Advent

"Activity hangovers are unique to having a chronic illness like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). They might not occur exactly as I have described. Sometimes, they can pop up the next day even after just doing your normal routine – or after doing something more strenuous."

How to Make a Cozy Bed That Does Not Aggravate Arthritis Pain
TK Sellman

"For some people with arthritis-related pain, a warm bed allows them to wake up with less stiffness in the morning. For others, a cooler bed provides relief and comfort. Choose whatever allows you to sleep comfortably without pain, overheating, underheating, or pressure."

What 20 Years of RA Have Taught Me
Tamara Haag

"A reader reached out and shared that she is 22 years old, the age I was when I was diagnosed, and she is struggling with her recent diagnosis and symptoms. Stating she needed some hope, she asked me what I would have told myself back then in 2000. These are the words I offered to her, by way of my 22-year-old self."