If you’ve ever watched someone struggle to open a jar or rise from a chair with a grimace, you may have seen the quiet grip of rheumatoid arthritis and its effect on joint flexibility in action. As a rheumatology nurse practitioner, I’ve seen this disease not just as a list of symptoms on a chart,…
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…
When I first started working as a rheumatology nurse practitioner, I never imagined that I’d be recommending acupuncture to my rheumatoid arthritis patients. But after years of seeing how medication alone sometimes just isn’t enough, I’ve become a believer in integrating complementary therapies. Rheumatoid arthritis and the benefits of acupuncture have become one of my…
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…
If you’ve been navigating life with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you probably know firsthand how unpredictable it can be—one day, your joints feel almost normal, and the next, stiffness and pain can knock you off your feet. Over the years, working as a rheumatology nurse practitioner, I’ve seen how crucial a personalized approach to managing RA…
If you’ve ever felt like your body was fighting you from the inside out, you’re not alone. I’ve seen it time and again in my years as a Rheumatology nurse practitioner — patients coming in, exhausted, achy, and unsure of why they feel like they’re running on empty. One of the most common culprits? Rheumatoid…
When someone asks me, “Tarra, can rheumatoid arthritis cause chronic migraines?” my first instinct is to say, it’s complicated—and that’s exactly what makes this question so interesting and worth unpacking. As a rheumatology nurse practitioner, I’ve seen firsthand how rheumatoid arthritis (RA) doesn’t just attack joints; it can affect the entire body in surprising ways,…
Living with rheumatoid arthritis and meal prep tips for joint pain might not be the most exciting dinner table topic, but let me tell you—it’s one that can absolutely transform your day-to-day life. As a rheumatology nurse practitioner who’s spent countless hours in clinic rooms chatting with patients about managing their pain, I’ve come to…
Managing rheumatoid arthritis and the benefits of journaling pain isn’t something you typically hear about in the same breath—but trust me, they should be. As a Rheumatology nurse practitioner, I’ve seen firsthand how chronic joint pain and emotional tolls are tightly linked. Over the years, I’ve encouraged many of my patients to keep a pain…