Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Not 'Just Arthritis'

I had a conversation with one of my friends recently about RA. We were discussing chronic illnesses and the intricacies of their problems. This friend knows I have RA, but they asked a rather curious question: Is RA just arthritis?

A common misconception about RA

Essentially, he was asking what makes RA different from the type of arthritis that you usually hear about: osteoarthritis.

I know my friend meant well when saying this, but it caused me to have some rather uncomfortable feelings, likely because of my own feelings about having RA and my own feelings of defensiveness. But I wanted to explore this conversation today because, in moderating for our site, I have noticed that this is a very common theme that people with RA have when talking about their illness. My intent in having this conversation is not to diminish anyone's pain, to be clear.

RA can impact many different body systems

First of all, RA is not 'just' arthritis; it's an autoimmune disease that affects the joints in many different ways other than just "regular" osteoarthritis. I hesitate to use the word "regular," because I know any sort of pain is not actually "regular." But osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint condition that is not autoimmune, which means that RA affects more than just the joints. It can affect the heart, the lungs, the eyes, and basically every other system in your body.

Our treatment pathways are different

Further, RA treatments can be very different from other forms of arthritis. Many of us with RA are on disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) like Plaquenil, which I have been on since 2018. These drugs, as well as biologics and biosimilars, are not the standard course of treatment for other forms of arthritis.

For instance, I have been on Humira/Hyrimoz for over 6 years now. This would not be the standard course of treatment for other forms of arthritis, except other autoimmune conditions like psoriatic arthritis.

Clearly, different treatments exist for different conditions, and that marks just one way in which different forms of arthritis differ from each other.

Different types of arthritis, different care

I've been using "other forms of arthritis" in this article, and to be clear, there are other forms of arthritis besides osteoarthritis. There's psoriatic arthritis, gout, and so many more. In fact, according to the Cleveland Clinic, there are over 100 types of arthritis. What this means is that each form of arthritis is different and often requires different treatment plans, different specialists, and different care.¹

Our experience is not "regular"

Now, why did I feel so defensive when my friend asked if RA was just like "regular" arthritis? I think the biggest thing was that I felt a need to advocate for my body and the pain that I feel on a daily basis. My experience is not "regular"; no one's is, and I felt some sort of pull to make that known. Maybe I felt a need to push back against this narrative that there is any form of "regular" arthritis; that pain is not something that should be construed as "regular." Again, I know my friend meant well.

I wonder what everyone else thinks about this conversation. Have you had to have a similar conversation, or have you had similar feelings with friends, family members, coworkers?