Science fact or fiction: Separating rheumatoid arthritis myths from facts

From medicalnewstoday.com

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes inflammation and pain in a person’s joints, including their hands and feet

A person with RA or a family member, friend, or caregiver of someone with RA can test their knowledge about the condition by choosing whether the statements below are true or false.

RA is an autoimmune condition

Fact

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), RA qualifies as an autoimmune condition. This means that a person’s immune system attacks otherwise healthy areas of their body.

In the case of RA, the immune system attacks the joints, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness.

RA is rare, affecting fewer than 500,000 people

Fiction

RA is a common condition that affects close to 1.5 million people in the United States. Worldwide, approximately 1 out of 100 people receive an RA diagnosis, according to the GlobalRA Network. 

The GlobalRA Network add that RA is the most common autoimmune type of arthritis. It is also one of over 100 different types of arthritis that affects all sexes, races, and ages.

RA only affects the joints

Fiction

Although RA does affect the joints of the hands and feet, the condition can also affect other parts of the body.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, RA can also lead to:

• inflamed blood vessels that can damage other areas of the body, such as the skin, nerves, and other organs
• rheumatoid nodules, which are small lumps that form under the skin
• dryness, redness, swelling, or pain in the eyes, as well as sensitivity to light
• scarring on the lungs that can lead to shortness of breath or lung conditions
• inflammation and dryness in the gums that can lead to infections
• inflammation that damages the heart and surrounding tissue
• low red blood cell count

Females and people who smoke are more likely to develop RA than most others

Fact

According to an article in American Family Physician, females and people who smoke are more likely than others to develop RA in their lifetime. In addition, people with a family history of RA and older adults are more likely than others to develop RA.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, females are three times more likely than males to develop RA. They are also more likely to develop it earlier. RA commonly starts between the ages of 30 and 60 years in females. Males are more commonly receive a diagnosis after the age of 45 years.

Treating RA often focuses on achieving remission by reducing inflammation

Fact

According to the Arthritis Foundation, reducing inflammation to help put the condition into remission is one of several goals of treatment. Some other common treatment goals include:

• improving overall well-being
• reducing the impact of long-term complications
• easing the symptoms 
• improving the functioning of joints 
• stopping organ and joint damage

A person should talk with a doctor about reasonable treatment goals for their individual condition. The doctor can help the person tailor their treatment to improve their overall quality of life.

Once symptoms improve, a person can stop taking their medications

Fiction

RA is an autoimmune condition that goes through periods of flares, when symptoms get worse, and remission, when symptoms improve. Doctors prescribe medications to treat any current symptoms a person has and to prevent symptoms from returning. 

According to the Global Healthy Living Foundation, doctors most commonly prescribe disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) to treat RA. These medications work by slowing down the progression of the condition.

Some common DMARDs include:

• methotrexate (Rheumatrex)
• sulfasalazine (Azulfidine)
• leflunomide (Arava)
• hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)

People with RA should do both cardiovascular and resistance exercises

Fact

Although symptoms such as joint pain can make exercise more painful, people with RA should try to incorporate both cardiovascular and resistance training into their weekly routines, if possible.

According to a 2011 review of studies, researchers found that exercise helped people with RA avoid losing muscle, improve functioning, and reduce cardiovascular risks. They also found that exercise did not make the symptoms worse or cause the condition to progress any faster.

All a doctor needs to diagnose RA is a simple blood test

Fiction

A doctor will order blood work to look for markers of inflammation and antibodies associated with RA, but they need more evidence to properly diagnose RA.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, a rheumatologist will need to:

• review the person’s medical history
• use X-rays or other imaging devices to check for joint damage
• perform a physical examination to look for bumps, check for tenderness, and check for stiffness

The author of the American Family Physician article adds that although doctors often use X-rays to check the joints, they can still diagnose RA even if there is no obvious joint damage. The same is true for rheumatoid nodules. Both of these symptoms are often not present in the early stages of the condition.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/science-fact-or-fiction-separating-ra-myths-from-facts#1