For the longest time, I used to think my persistent back pain was just from poor posture or stress. But when the fatigue, sleep problems, and that deep aching pain refused to go away—even on good days—I knew it wasn’t just in my head. That’s when fibromyalgia entered the picture. If you’re dealing with something…
If you’ve ever been in a doctor’s office or clinic, especially in a rheumatology setting, you’ve probably heard a lot about rheumatoid arthritis (RA). As a Rheumatology nurse practitioner, I’ve had my fair share of patients with a variety of questions about this chronic autoimmune condition. One question that often comes up is, “Can rheumatoid…
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a well-known autoimmune condition, primarily affecting the joints. As a rheumatology nurse practitioner, I’ve seen firsthand how it can cause significant pain, stiffness, and other debilitating symptoms. However, there’s a question I often get from patients: “Can rheumatoid arthritis cause sciatica-like pain?” It’s a great question because while RA is mainly…
Can rheumatoid arthritis cause numbness in feet? That’s actually one of the more common (and confusing) questions I get asked in my clinic. You’d think joint pain and swelling would be the main issue with RA—and they are—but when a patient starts describing tingling toes or a “pins and needles” sensation in their feet, it…