How can I make my life easier with rheumatoid arthritis?

10 Things that Make Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis Easier
  1. iStock. When you have rheumatoid arthritis, interacting with objects in your home, garden and office can be frustrating and painful. ...
  2. Jar openers. ...
  3. Ease of Use. ...
  4. Reachers. ...
  5. Voice recognition software. ...
  6. E-book readers and audiobooks. ...
  7. Pens. ...
  8. Occupational therapy.

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What are the coping mechanisms for arthritis?

Be Active and Adjust the Diet

One of the best (and hardest) ways to manage arthritis pain is to manage one's body weight and adopt healthy lifestyle habits. Activities like walking and aerobics can keep the joints limber and prevent arthritis pain from becoming worse.

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How do you live a normal life with rheumatoid arthritis?

6 Self-Care Tips for RA
  1. If You Smoke, Quit. Smoking can make symptoms of RA worse and remission less likely. ...
  2. Drop Extra Pounds. Losing weight can be difficult. ...
  3. Get and Keep Moving. It's hard to think of an aspect of RA that physical activity doesn't help. ...
  4. Get Good Sleep. ...
  5. Take Care of Your Teeth. ...
  6. Manage Stress.

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Can you live comfortably with rheumatoid arthritis?

Fortunately, RA is a treatable and manageable condition. It might pose some limitations, but it does not have to take over every aspect of your life.

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What makes rheumatoid arthritis feel better?

Slow, gentle, flowing exercises like Pilates, tai chi, and yoga help boost your balance and flexibility. They may even ease your pain. Research by the Arthritis Foundation shows that yoga poses, breathing, and relaxation lower joint tenderness and swelling for some people with RA.

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How to Better Manage Your Rheumatoid Arthritis | Access Health

44 related questions found

What not to do with rheumatoid arthritis?

What triggers your RA? Tip it forward and let other with RA know how you avoid those triggers.
  • Leading a Sedentary Lifestyle. ...
  • Eating a Pro-Inflammatory Diet. ...
  • Overdoing Activities. ...
  • Smoking. ...
  • Stressing Out. ...
  • Focusing on Negativity and Pessimism. ...
  • Becoming Dehydrated. ...
  • Forgetting to Protect Your Joints.

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Why do I feel so ill with rheumatoid arthritis?

People with rheumatoid arthritis typically have several permanently inflamed joints. The inflammation inside the body can lead to general physical weakness, drowsiness and exhaustion. This feeling of extreme tiredness is also called "fatigue." Some people find this to be the worst symptom of the disease.

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What's the worst that can happen with rheumatoid arthritis?

It can cause pain, disability, and premature death. Premature heart disease. People with RA are also at a higher risk for developing other chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. To prevent people with RA from developing heart disease, treatment of RA also focuses on reducing heart disease risk factors.

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Should you rest with rheumatoid arthritis?

Rest will make inflamed joints feel more comfortable, but without movement your joints will stiffen and your muscles will become weaker. Find the best activities and the right balance for you. It's usually best to increase the amount of exercise you do gradually.

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Should you keep active with rheumatoid arthritis?

Studies indicate that exercise will not worsen rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. But if rheumatoid arthritis has severely damaged your hips or knees, you may want to choose low-impact exercises, such as swimming, water aerobics, walking or bicycling.

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What is the best thing to do if you have rheumatoid arthritis?

Lifestyle and home remedies
  1. Exercise regularly. Gentle exercise can help strengthen the muscles around your joints, and it can help reduce fatigue you might feel. ...
  2. Apply heat or cold. Heat can help ease your pain and relax tense, painful muscles. ...
  3. Relax. Find ways to cope with pain by reducing stress in your life.

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Can I live to 80 with RA?

Statistics will always be general, and there are certainly patients with RA that have lived into their 80s and 90s (and some even beyond that), so you can never be certain that your lifespan as an individual will be affected, but as with members of the general population, it makes sense to be aware of the risk factors ...

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Can you live a pain free life with rheumatoid arthritis?

Yet living with RA doesn't have to mean living with pain forever. “The goal of rheumatoid arthritis treatment is to live a full, asymptomatic life,” says Elizabeth Schulman, MD, a rheumatologist at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

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How does arthritis affect you emotionally?

About 1 in 5 US adults with arthritis has symptoms of anxiety or depression. These symptoms are more common in adults with arthritis who are women, younger, identify as LGBT+, have chronic pain or other co-occurring chronic conditions, or are disabled, unemployed, or otherwise unable to work.

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What emotions are associated with arthritis?

Emotions that come along with the pain, fatigue and other physical symptoms of arthritis can be surprising and even overwhelming. It's natural and understandable for people with arthritis to experience an ebb and flow of resilience and anxiety.

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How does rheumatoid arthritis affect your social life?

Rheumatoid arthritis can at times put a strain on social relationships. Pain and loss of independence can make people feel frustrated, angry, and depressed, which can in turn affect other members of the family.

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What time of day is rheumatoid arthritis worse?

Pain. The joint pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis is usually a throbbing and aching pain. It is often worse in the mornings and after a period of inactivity.

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What not to say to someone with rheumatoid arthritis?

17 Things You Should Never Say to Someone Living with Arthritis
  • “But you don't look sick.” ...
  • “It's only arthritis.” “It can't be that bad.” “You'll be fine.” ...
  • “At least it's not cancer.” ...
  • “Imagine what it will be like when you are older.” ...
  • “I know someone with that condition and they can….” ...
  • “Have you tried XYZ…”

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How can I be active with rheumatoid arthritis?

Best exercises for RA pain
  1. Stretching. According to the Arthritis Foundation, stretching can help improve flexibility, reduce stiffness, and increase range of motion. ...
  2. Walking. ...
  3. Flowing movements, such as tai chi and yoga. ...
  4. Pilates. ...
  5. Water exercises. ...
  6. Cycling. ...
  7. Strength training. ...
  8. Hand exercises.

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How do you know if your rheumatoid arthritis is severe?

As RA progresses, it causes joint damage that leads to irreversible deformities and/or contractures. “If you notice that you cannot move your joints as much or as easily as before, even if you don't have swelling or pain, your RA may be getting worse,” says Dr. Ghosh.

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What are red flags for rheumatoid arthritis?

Early signs include swelling and pain in the hands and wrists. The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) typically affect the hands, wrists, and feet. Spotting signs of RA early could lead to an early diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Early and consistent management of arthritis can prevent further joint damage.

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Is rheumatoid arthritis worse than other arthritis?

OA usually affects fewer joints, and its symptoms are generally limited to the joints. The progression of RA is more difficult to predict, and it can cause more widespread symptoms. The outlook for people with RA has greatly improved due to advances in research and therapies.

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What does RA fatigue feel like?

“It is a systemic type of exhaustion, meaning it affects your whole system instead of just a certain body part.” People who have RA often describe their fatigue as a deep tiredness or slowing down, akin to the feeling someone might have while recovering from the flu.

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Does rheumatoid arthritis affect your bowels?

It's not common, but some people with rheumatoid arthritis also develop other autoimmune conditions. These include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which refers to conditions that involve long-term gut inflammation. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the most common types people get.

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Do people with rheumatoid arthritis get sick more easily?

For one thing, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that disrupts normal immune function, so if you have this form of arthritis you're more vulnerable to contagious illnesses such as influenza, says Eric Ruderman, MD, the associate chief of clinical affairs for the division of rheumatology at Northwestern ...

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