7 Common Myths and Facts About Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in your joints. While those are the most common and obvious symptoms, did you know the impact of RA on your body is much broader?

“RA is a systemic disease that not only affects the joints, but can also affect several other organs, such as the lungs, the eyes, the nerves, the heart, and the skin,” says Nilasha Ghosh, MD, a rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

To help you better understand the disease and how serious it is, our experts dispel some of the most common myths and misconceptions you may have heard about RA.

1. Myth: RA Is the Same as Osteoarthritis (OA)

While both cause joint pain, they’re not the same. “Rheumatoid arthritis is a disorder of the immune system affecting the joints, whereas most cases of osteoarthritis are the result of degenerative disease at the joint,” says Dr. Ghosh.

2. Myth: RA Only Affects Older People

3. Myth: RA Is Just Minor Joint Pain in the Hands or Knees

Daniel points out that RA also increases your risk of the following:

• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Interstitial lung disease
• Osteoporosis
• Blindness
• Vasculitis
• Infections
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

4. Myth: If You Have RA, You Should Avoid Exercise to Protect Your Joints

Daniel recommends 15 to 30 minutes of exercise a day at least five days a week. “It will lessen pain and stiffness in your joints and will help keep them lubricated,” she says. She recommends asking your rheumatologist to refer you to a physical therapist who can design a safe and effective exercise routine that meets your specific needs.

If any exercise does cause significant joint pain, says Ghosh, don’t ignore it. “Discuss it with your rheumatologist or a sports medicine doctor to assess if the joint has excess inflammation and what can be done to mitigate that,” she says.

5. Myth: Joint Damage From RA Is Inevitable

“Joint damage can be prevented if caught early enough and if treatment regimens can be adhered to,” says Ghosh. That’s because the medications your doctor prescribes will keep RA’s joint-damaging inflammation under control. Daniel stresses the importance of regular follow-up appointments. Your rheumatologist will assess whether your current treatment is adequately managing your RA and preventing its complications. If it’s not, don’t worry. A change in dosage or a switch to another of the many available treatment options should get your disease in check. Your rheumatologist will determine your follow-up schedule, but Daniel says to expect appointments at least every three months.

6. Myth: You Don’t Need Medication Until Your RA Becomes Severe

If you have been diagnosed with RA and have begun to develop symptoms like joint pain, “early treatment is definitely recommended to help prevent joint damage and subsequent worsening of joint damage as time goes on,” says Ghosh. “It may also help prevent systemic complications that can accompany RA, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer risk.” In fact, with treatment, your RA may never become severe, she says.

7. Myth: Medication Is Not Necessary if You No Longer Have RA Symptoms

Right now, RA has no cure. The best that your doctor can do, says Daniel, is get your disease into remission, in which you have little or no active inflammation. “Remission means your medication is successfully doing its job right to suppress the disease,” says Daniel.

Once in remission, your symptoms should ease up significantly. But you likely won’t remain in remission if you stop following your treatment plan. “The majority of patients with rheumatoid arthritis will have a flare or relapse of disease if their medications are stopped, even if they were in clinical remission beforehand,” says Ghosh.

Most of Daniel’s RA patients ask her if they can at least reduce the amount of medication they take when they feel better. Her answer is no. Here’s what she tells them: Many of the medications used for RA require steady, consistent levels in your body to keep your immune system from attacking your joints. “If you take it randomly, the drug levels in your body drop rapidly between doses,” says Daniel. “That puts you at a higher risk for flares.”