Can someone answer this question for me please. Does the amount of deformity relate to the amount of pain being experienced. - What I am trying to find out, is can someone have little deformity in their hands for instance but a lot of pain or a lot of deformity & very little pain.
I am curious after seeing a librarian with very deformed fingers & seemingly having no trouble handling lots of heavy books - my hands are slightly deformed but there is no way I can use them repetitively or even lift a stack of library books without either flaring or having a lot of pain in my hands & wrists. Do others experience
this.Cassie, I have a lot of pain in my hands and cannot do repetitive tasks. My hands look pretty normal. Other people have tremendous swelling in their hands plus the pain. Some people have OA rather than RA and may not experience the same kind of pain. Also, from what I understand that once some of those joints freeze and the damage is complete, the pain may actually lessen.I have tremendous pain, and I have gotton some deformity in my elbow and both ankles. But I am only one person
From what i understand, you will have problems but with the proper medication, you can limit and hold off on the types of problems you may have.
I have a deformed finger due to late diagnosis, but the others are doing very well while on medication.
It is possible to not have to replace things like knees etc. if you find the right medication, but some people aren't lucky enough to eliminate all inflammation like me for instance.
So, in time, I will have far more damage, but at this time we have slowed it to where damage will come far slower.
Hi Cassie,I have a lot of pain, but no RA factor, and almost no deformity.
There are some mild erosions in my fingers, and my toes look a little lopsided, and my first knuckles look a little weird but I don't have the swan's neck deformmity or any of what our minds picture when someone says "I have RA"
This is such a strange and individual disease.
Cassie,
The answer to your question is, no. As stated in some of the earlier replies, it depends on if the RA is caught early and the correct treatment is given. Also, depending on the activity and flares the Rheumatologist or physician may give a burst of meds and then continue an ongoing treatment and will hopefully see the patient on a frequent or regular basis to keep the disease from progressing to deformity. Hope this helps.
Smhiles
I had lots of had pain in the beginning, and medium swelling, but no deformity.
25+ years later I only have minor deformity and pain in fingers. A bit more pain and almost no deformity in wrists.
The joints that hurt the most have OA deformity not RA!
Hi...i was diagnosed with RA in March 06 and it came on quite quickly. I do have 2 mishapen fingers already and one mishapen knuckle on my forefinger of right hand. These are where i get most of my pain and swelling in my hands.
I also have AS which causes me pain all over!
My mother is 79 next year and she developed RA and AS about age 39 like me, and he fingers elbows and wrists are very mishapen. She cannot at all straighten her arms they are permanently bent.
At least i know whats in store for me having seen my mother go thro the same over the last 40 yrs debbie-67
Hi...my mother cannot walk far now and needs a wheel chair..she has over the years become a martyr and thinks she is hard..lol..she will not take a pain killer of any form at all...and she always used to work thro her pain and never stopped. I am completely the opposite...if i am in pain i tend not to use the painful area at all or too much, my GP says resting it will stop it becoming too damaged early on, i must protect my joints etc. So when i go to my mothers house i get no sympathy i just get told to get on with it Good for you debbie. You're doing the right thing. I know a lot of people who refuse to take medicine even though it could help them (my husband is one of them).
RA meds have come a long way and you should (MUST!) expect to do better than your mother. When you mother was diagnosed there were no biologics and I think that will be the key for you.
My grandmother had RA and I often looked at her deteriorating condition and thought that was what was in store for me. She was bedridden, depressed and had a miserable life in the end.
The key is to having a positive attitude. I know it's hard-it took me years to get over my depression of the disease. But now I feel in control and hopeful. Keep active! And know there will be both good and bad times ahead.
Don't get me wrong-the less medicine the better. But in the case of RA it is essential to stop joint damage as quickly as possible.
I was one of those people who would work through pain. I am heavily into physical fitness and would lift weights even though I was in pain. I think that is how I damaged my wrists because I didn't listen to my body. Since RA patients are typically always in some kind of pain it can be difficult to determine when it's ok to push it.Boy that's the tough question isn't it? We need to use our joints and excercise so they feel better and don't freeze, but since it hurts sooo much, you don't know if you are damaging them in the process. It's one of those damned if you do and damned if you don't kind of things. They say exercise actually lubricates the joints, but it sure doesn't feel good to do it!
Water exercises are supposed to be the answer, but in my case it is almost an hour drive to get to PT with water. With it taking 3 hours out of my day to drive there, have my PT and then drive home, I just can't do it. I could do something on my own at the local YMCA, but the water isn't as warm, and you feel like such a fool doing little exercises while others are swimming laps around you.
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