“Burnout has opened space to look at who I am outside of advocacy. It has made room for me to discover what I want this next part of my life to look like. I’m learning to see this as an opportunity and not a failure.”
By Jae Walker
Still Wearing a Mask
“Masking is absolutely a matter of life or death for me. But I am not ashamed, and I will not be afraid to take care of myself…It is a part of me.”
By Kelsey Kloss
A Guide to Setting Boundaries if You’re a People-Pleaser
Saying no isn’t always easy, but with practice, it can become a habit.
“From cooking meals to cleaning to running errands and managing finances, every responsibility falls squarely on my shoulders — shoulders already aching from arthritis.”
By How I Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain: Real-Life Tips for Relief
Managing RA pain goes beyond joint care. Explore these patient-approved tips for identifying triggers and finding relief.
Managing Burnout While Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis
"The effort it takes to push through the pain and fatigue often leaves me running on empty. It’s no wonder I can feel burnt out when I am constantly stuck in survival mode."
“From cooking meals to cleaning to running errands and managing finances, every responsibility falls squarely on my shoulders — shoulders already aching from arthritis.”
How I Manage Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain: Real-Life Tips for Relief
Managing RA pain goes beyond joint care. Explore these patient-approved tips for identifying triggers and finding relief.
By How to Contact Your Medical Team
Need to reach your medical team between appointments? Here’s how to make communication smoother, from phone calls to patient portals, so you can stay on top of your care.
Patient advocate Shelley Fritz shares her experience with PRP therapy and why it was the best choice for her hand osteoarthritis.
By Kelsey Kloss
I Experienced Immune-Related Adverse Events — While Having Cancer and an Autoimmune Disease
"Trying to balance turning on your immune system to fight your cancer — but not making your life more difficult as a result — is a hard thing to do. The doctors don't have all the absolute right answers and neither does anybody else. However, if you’re able to say what you’re feeling and what you think you need, that’s really important."
By Donna’s IgG4-Related Disease Diagnosis Journey: A Roller Coaster of Emotions
She remained asymptomatic for IgG4-RD until the silent disease brewing inside her led to the unexpected loss of a kidney.
A new update recommended by the FDA would target the most transmissible variant so far, subvariant XBB.1.5.
By Kelsey Kloss
Travel Pains and COVID-19 — How to Decide if You’re Ready to Travel This Summer
If you’re tired of being cooped up but are nervous about jet setting, here are a few key things to consider.
By Kelsey Kloss
Why the COVID-19 Virus Keeps Mutating — and What It Means for You
A new COVID-19 variant isn’t immediately a cause for concern, but here’s how to know when it’s time to be extra vigilant.
Sign up for the Creakyjoints Newsletter
Struggling to get an appointment with a doctor? Discover why this is happening and what you can do to get in sooner.
By Recession-Proofing Your Health Care
Living with chronic illness is costly, so when the economy looks bleak it's natural to feel anxious about health care expenses. Here's help.
By Kelsey Kloss
Everything You Need to Know If You’re Prescribed Paxlovid as an Immunocompromised Patient
See answers to all of your questions about this antiviral pill — from how it works to side effects and more.
The latest health headlines to help you stay informed, take control of your care, and advocate for better health.
Patient-Friendly News You Can Use: July
The latest health headlines to help you stay informed, take control of your care, and advocate for better health.
Mindfulness: It’s Not (Just) Meditation!
How putting mindfulness exercises into practice may help you decrease stress and depression and improve your overall well-being with chronic illness.
Here’s a look at how the IRA impacts health care costs, which is particularly important for people living with chronic illness.
By CreakyStaff
CreakyChats: Assured Resilience: Navigating Insurance & Chronic Illness
Here’s what our patient community shared about how insurance-related challenges affect well-being, how to navigate hurdles like prior authorization, and ways to discuss insurance with your health care providers.
Health Disparities and Hope: Navigating Indigenous Health Care Across Generations
Patient advocate Ashley Krivohlavek, a quarter Cherokee, reflects on the health care challenges her grandparents faced on a reservation and contrasts it with her own experiences.
