It’s something I’ve seen again and again in my clinic—women, often in their 30s to 50s, coming in with symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), only to reveal they’ve recently gone through a major hormonal shift. Whether it’s postpartum changes, perimenopause, or even thyroid imbalances, there’s a *clear pattern* I can’t ignore. The RA and hormone…
Can rheumatoid arthritis cause facial swelling? It’s a question I hear more often than you’d think. As a rheumatology nurse practitioner, I’ve had patients come in worried about puffiness in their cheeks or swelling around their eyes, wondering if it’s related to their RA or something else entirely. And I get it — when something…
If you’ve ever watched a patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) try to unscrew a stubborn jar lid or button a shirt on a flare day, you’ll know what I mean when I say: living with RA isn’t just about managing pain—it’s about navigating a hundred little challenges that most people take for granted. Over the…
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years working as a Rheumatology Nurse Practitioner, it’s that understanding rheumatoid arthritis and how to avoid common triggers can be life-changing for patients. And I don’t say that lightly. RA isn’t just about aching joints or stiffness in the morning—it’s about fatigue that sneaks up on you…
When I first started diving deeper into autoimmune conditions as a Rheumatology Nurse Practitioner, I kept bumping into one oddly persistent theme: the gut. Yep, that complex ecosystem living inside all of us, quietly doing its thing—digesting food, balancing bacteria, regulating immunity—seemed to have a major role in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. So I started…
Living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) means being mindful of things that can trigger flare-ups and worsen symptoms. Here’s a rundown of the most common RA triggers you should know about and how to avoid them! When you’re dealing with rheumatoid arthritis, you quickly realize it’s not just about managing the pain—it’s about avoiding the things…