Articles

One of the most difficult parts of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic illness is the unpredictability. It is, in my humble opinion, the greatest obstacle to a so-called "normal life"...

Now more than ever, my time is both limited and valuable. Sometimes, though, my time — because I have RA — clashes with normal conceptions of time in our society...

For as long as I can remember, I've found that non-medicinal methods of managing my RA have been just as important as the medication I take (currently Remicade). I've used...

I am the proud kitty mom to my emotional support animal (ESA), Hamlin. Living with a chronic medical condition like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has impacted my overall mental health. The...

UPDATE: The Arthritis Awareness Month 2024 Giveaway is now closed. Thank you for your interest! May is Arthritis Awareness Month, and here at RheumatoidArthritis.net, we're honoring our wonderful community during...

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex condition with many different signs and symptoms. Sometimes, the experience of a new or unexpected RA symptom can be scary, confusing, or upsetting. Some...

There is a little bit of difficulty when tackling a topic such as managing bad days when you are a parent. Because in all reality, at the end of the...

Not too long ago, I was hit with a triple threat: horrible insomnia, increased pain, and the need for hand surgery. As luck would have it, I had been planning...

There have been so many times in my life dealing with chronic illnesses that I have wondered what it would be like to take a moment to step out of...

Leveling up. It’s for video games, sure, but for those of us who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, we do it every single day. "What could you possibly mean by that?"...

Never in my life have I experienced the amount of snow that has fallen in Wisconsin this winter, and apparently, this is a warm winter for Wisconsin. Coming from Florida...

I am hardly ever a person who gets a fever. To be honest, I can count on one hand the number of fevers I experienced during this past year. And...

When you explore Dr. Google for general information about rheumatoid arthritis, you will often see references to the term "flare." Many general information websites discuss flares as if patients with...

This May, I will be celebrating my 20th anniversary of being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. I was in my twenties when the diagnosis came into my life at the force...

Since June 2023, I’ve been scared into really taking care of my teeth. Last year, I had a tooth removed due to severe infection and deterioration. It had nothing to...

"Wisdom comes through suffering. Trouble, with its memories of pain, drips in our hearts as we try to sleep." -Aeschylus, Agamemnon My sleep hygiene is appalling. It's erratic and unhealthy and...

Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be an overwhelming journey filled with physical and emotional challenges. The daily battle against joint pain, fatigue, and uncertainty can leave some people feeling...

As you may have realized already, this was a leap year! Time to jump for joy! (Spoiler alert: If you don’t like leaping puns and word play, better click off...

Some environment and lifestyle factors can make rheumatoid arthritis (RA) symptoms and progression worse. One of the most well known is smoking. The relationship between RA and alcohol, however, is...

One of the things that comes along with chronic illness that almost never gets talked about is the inordinate amount of time it takes. I’m not talking about flare-ups or...