If gone untreated, rheumatoid arthritis can threaten a person’s health and independence. A large percentage discount RA as some disease that only very old people get. In fact it is sometimes referred to as “Grandma’s rheumatism.” Because RA is still so misunderstood it is important for those who are diagnosed to enter into rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials as soon as possible. There is a cure, or at least a treatment that helps. We just need to work together to find it.
Here are a couple Myths about RA that need to be debunked.
1. ) “Most people with rheumatoid arthritis can’t work.”
A diagnosis doesn’t equal a lifetime of disability, but may change the work tasks and habits. There was a time when this may have been true, but with current treatments it is untrue. Because this disease has flare-ups, sometimes people will need allowances at work for these times, but a large percentage of people can continue with work due to treatments. A large study of people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for more than 10 years, showed that their employment rates were no different than those of similar-age people without RA.
2.) “Because treatments for rheumatoid arthritis can be toxic, it’s best to wait until the disease progresses before beginning treatment.”
This has got to be the most dangerous of all the myths. There is a plethora of information out there that show early detection of RA prevents joint damage and disability. Treatment should start as soon as possible after diagnosis because delaying treatment could create painful outcomes down the road. Although it is true there are side effects, but hardly are they worse than untreated rheumatoid arthritis. A simple blood test and visits to the doctor can detect if anything serious is occurring with the treatment medications.
Rheumatoid arthritis treatments are one of the research studies we’ve been working on here in DeLand, Florida. Some of our investigational treatments have shown promising results, but we need to do additional research studies to test investigational methods that may help us understand your condition.