When folks ask me what rheumatoid arthritis (RA) really looks like inside the joints, especially on an X-ray, I usually start by saying—”It’s not always obvious, but when you know what you’re looking for, it practically jumps out at you.” What RA looks like on Xray isn’t just about bones—it’s about a deeper story of…
Let’s be real—joint pain is a frustrating beast. I’ve had countless patients walk into my exam room convinced they have rheumatoid arthritis (RA) just because their knees or fingers ache after a long day. And I get it—when your joints hurt, it’s easy to assume the worst. But here’s the thing: not all joint pain…
If you’ve ever cared for someone with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or lived with it yourself, you know how exhausting it can be. But what often gets overlooked in the day-to-day struggle is the deep, relentless fatigue that accompanies RA. This isn’t your average tiredness — it’s a chronic, bone-weary kind of fatigue that affects nearly…
As a Rheumatology nurse practitioner, I get this question more often than you’d think: does RA affect blood vessels? Short answer? Yes, and in more ways than people realize. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) isn’t just about achy joints—it’s a full-body inflammatory condition, and that inflammation can take a toll on your blood vessels, too. I’ve seen…
Let’s talk about something I see a lot in my clinic as a rheumatology nurse practitioner—rheumatoid arthritis and its effect on joint lubrication. Trust me, it’s a topic that doesn’t get enough attention, yet it plays such a key role in how RA progresses and how people feel day to day. Joint lubrication might sound…
If you’ve ever tried to juggle a full workday while battling joint stiffness, brain fog, and relentless exhaustion, you already know this: rheumatoid arthritis and strategies for managing work fatigue are topics we seriously don’t talk about enough. As a Rheumatology nurse practitioner, I’ve seen far too many patients struggle in silence—pushing through meetings with…
If you’ve ever struggled with rheumatoid arthritis and the connection to dry eyes, trust me—you’re not imagining things. I see this combination more often than you’d think in my rheumatology practice. Patients come in expecting to talk about joint pain, and the next thing you know, we’re knee-deep in a conversation about gritty eyes, blurred…
Can rheumatoid arthritis lead to heart disease? It’s a question I hear a lot in my practice, and honestly, it’s a super important one. When patients first come to see me, they’re usually focused on their joint pain, swelling, and fatigue — understandably so. But very few realize that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more than…
Rheumatoid arthritis and the impact on foot health is something I talk about with my patients almost every day. And let me tell you, foot pain isn’t just a footnote (pun intended) when it comes to RA—it’s often center stage. If you’ve ever dealt with swollen toes, burning arches, or that awful morning stiffness that…