When people hear “rheumatoid arthritis,” they often picture joint pain, swelling, and maybe some stiffness in the mornings. But let me tell you, after years of working closely with patients as a Rheumatology nurse practitioner, I’ve seen firsthand that the hidden symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are where things get tricky. These symptoms can fly under…
As a Rheumatology Nurse Practitioner, I’ve sat across from countless patients who’ve asked me the same thing in different ways: “What are early warning signs of rheumatoid arthritis?” It’s a question I wish more people asked sooner, because with RA, timing really matters. Rheumatoid arthritis is sneaky—it doesn’t always come on with fireworks. Sometimes it…
Rheumatoid arthritis and genetic predispositions—are they connected? That’s a question I get asked all the time, and honestly, it’s not as straightforward as people think. I’ve seen patients who have a long family history of RA but never develop it themselves. And then there are those who have no known relatives with RA yet end…