By Kelsey Kloss
From over-the-counter treatments to surgery, here’s what you need to know about fixes for your bunion pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis is known to increase the risk of heart disease, but taking biologic medications that help lower inflammation and disease activity can help you stay healthy.
By Charis Hill
'Between my chronic illnesses, COVID-19, and fires burning all around me in Sacramento, I feel trapped.'
Commonly used for arthritis and other inflammatory conditions, these medications may have promise in fighting inflammation related to COVID-19.
By Kelsey Kloss
Research shows that the sunshine vitamin is not only associated with a lower risk of testing positive for coronavirus, but also with reduced illness severity for those who do test positive.
By Kelsey Kloss
New research shows the true extent of just how much more these two drugs, commonly used for rheumatologic conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, have been prescribed in 2020, especially by primary care doctors who usually don’t prescribe them.
By Kelsey Kloss
A draft of recommendations for vaccine allocation divides patients who are at higher risk for complications into two different groups.
Emerging data suggests that certain inflammatory proteins could serve as a red flag for COVID-19 patients who are more likely to have worse outcomes.
By Kelsey Kloss
New research shows this cluster of conditions, which includes obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high triglycerides, and low HDL cholesterol, is associated with greater need for intensive care, ventilation, and worse outcomes for COVID-19 patients.
By Kelsey Kloss
This could affect research that observes the association between diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus with coronavirus infection and complications.
Data on a large cohort of patients in a New York City hospital indicates that those who received anticoagulant therapy had better outcomes than those who did not.
By CreakyStaff
'This has probably been the hardest thing I’ve ever dealt with in my entire life, but I’m trying to raise awareness.'
The role your grip strength plays in your health goes far beyond your ability to open a pickle jar.
By CreakyStaff
‘I love teaching, and I love my students, but this is not worth risking my life for.’
By Susan Jara
Communication is the key to getting your RA pain under good control. Here’s what you need to discuss with your doctor if you’re experiencing an increase in RA pain.
By Susan Jara
Pain isn’t as easy to manage when providers can’t see and touch your joints in person, but you can effectively discuss and treat RA pain during virtual visits. Here’s how.
By Susan Jara
Medication changes are par for the course when managing a chronic condition like rheumatoid arthritis. Here’s what to expect if you’re thinking about a change in your RA treatment plan.
By Susan Jara
Pain is the most common symptom of RA, but having RA doesn’t mean you should live with pain forever. Learn more about what causes RA pain and how to manage it.
By Kelsey Kloss
More research is needed, but this form of traditional Chinese medicine could provide a convenient treatment option for your pain and fatigue.
By Kelsey Kloss
A new report shows that Black, Hispanic, and other communities of color are more likely to be affected by COVID-19 in hotspot counties.
By Kelsey Kloss
New research sheds light on the importance of providing mental health help and support to high-risk groups during coronavirus.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider, and precautions you can take if you need to mail packages during the coronavirus pandemic.
That’s what preliminary data over a number of relevant studies suggests, but authors caution that more research is needed before we can make any definitive conclusions.
‘If my RA has taught me anything, it’s that me must move forward and learn to adapt. Even though it’s painful, I know this is the right choice for me and for Jacob.’
Many people do not suspect arthritis as a cause of their back pain, even though arthritis in the back is very common.
‘I remind myself—I am not stuck at home. I am *safe* at home.’
Skin findings may be a clinical clue to an ‘underlying thrombotic state,’ new research shows.
By Kelsey Kloss
As cinemas across the country open their doors again, here are the factors to consider and the precautions to take before you think about buying your ticket and popcorn.
According to study authors, ‘psychological treatments that combine a focus on increasing valued activity with improving inflammatory arthritis patients’ mindfulness could be useful for reducing fatigue-related disability.’
By CreakyStaff
This piece of art from Jennifer Walker, a patient advocate and artist living with multiple chronic illnesses, depicts how she feels trapped as the pandemic continues with no end in sight.
‘An important implication of our findings is that there may be substantial underreporting of infected patients using the current symptom-based surveillance and screening,’ according to study authors.
‘I’ve got no idea how to use pain scales to record different kinds of pain … from different sources … and at different times and intensities.’
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider, and precautions you can take if your kids have playdates with friends.
By Tina Donvito
CBT is rooted in the idea that the way you perceive situations influences the way you feel, and that you have the ability to change your thought patterns to feel better.
A review of 180 studies showed that methotrexate, NSAIDs, and other antirheumatic drugs don’t increase risk of contracting respiratory viruses.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider, and precautions you can take when your kids head to school in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
‘Identification, evaluation, and management of enthesitis is critical to ameliorate the overall burden of disease,’ according to researchers.
By Kelsey Kloss
New data show that COVID-19 can cause symptoms that last longer than those associated with the flu, especially for people with underlying health conditions.
People also reported feeling more vulnerable and anxious as the pandemic continues, according to a recent study.
Fabric, fit, and layers are important when it comes to making sure your cloth face mask is as protective as possible.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider and precautions you can take if you do decide to drive other people’s children or have other families drive your children.
This advice from Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, can help you fight back against feelings of fatigue, exhaustion, and burnout.
According to the findings, the treatment reduced the chances that a COVID-19 patient would die in the hospital by 65 percent.
It’s uncommon, but not impossible, for the coronavirus to be transmitted through the eyes. Here are the changes to be on the lookout for.
Sores on the inside of the mouth could be another coronavirus clue, but more research is needed.
This advice from Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, can help you stop criticizing yourself for what you are not doing and, instead, recognize what you are up against and how well you are managing all of it.
A large study out of South Korea suggests that older kids and teens spread coronavirus more than younger ones, but the reasons remain unclear.
By Kelsey Kloss
If icing is part of your arthritis treatment, these inexpensive hacks will give you more options for easing achiness and decreasing inflammation.
By Dibs Baer
Friends til the bitter end? Nah.
One the worst parts of living with an unpredictable disease like rheumatoid arthritis is you never know when new or weird symptoms may pop up.
Carpal tunnel syndrome and urinary tract infections were among the problems that were more likely to occur in the years and months before a rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis.
By Kelsey Kloss
Sticky grime can make for achy joints, but these savvy tips will help make post-dinner cleaning easier.
This advice from Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, can help you prepare for changes you would like to see in your life and begin to move toward that transformation.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider, and precautions you can take if you decide to take a bus, train, or other form of public transit.
Although steroids are known to have serious side effects when used for an extended period, limited attention has been paid to the risks of using these medications for only a few days or weeks.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider before you get on a plane, and precautions you can take if air travel is necessary.
People who took proton pump inhibitors were significantly more likely to be among those who contracted coronavirus, and risk increased along with the medication dose.
‘Coinfections’ could be trickier to identify and treat, especially during cold and flu season.
When it comes to wearing a mask the right (read: most protective) way, we’ve got you covered.
Frequent digestive distress, such as with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea, may make you more likely to develop RA in the future.
By Jae Walker
Here’s the abbreviated version: My life is just as fucking valuable as that of any able-bodied person.
By Dibs Baer
While most of what we’re all doing — comfort shopping during a crisis — is normal, it’s important to keep an eye on it.
Cosentyx is the second interleukin-17 drug approved for non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis, which is adding to treatment options for patients with this type of inflammatory arthritis.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider, and precautions you can take if you decide to head to a nail salon for a fresh coat of polish.
And people with coronavirus who had a stroke were much more likely to die than those who did not have a stroke.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider, and precautions you can take if you decide to hit the gym to break a sweat.
Recently there is mounting evidence that we should pay attention to the risk of spreading coronavirus from aerosolized particles.
By Dibs Baer
‘For better or worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has forced me to pay much closer attention to my body again.’
I lived a number of years where I didn't truly know much about courage — until I had three lifechanging experiences that defined courage for me, all before my 30th birthday.
Formerly prescription-only, the NSAID Voltaren gel will now be sold over the counter. Here’s what it means if you have arthritis and use this cream for pain relief.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider, and the precautions to take if you decide to dine out.
This advice from Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, can help you practice being in the present in order to cultivate emotional and psychological well-being.
By Kelsey Kloss
Here are the factors to consider, and precautions you can take if you decide to make an appointment.
A small animal study published earlier this year suggests that timing of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication can affect their effectiveness.
Although we’ve mostly maintained strict social distancing and sanitizing practices, we haven’t had to deal with having the virus spreading in epic proportions around us.
Case reports of individual patients suggest COVID-19 is associated with new-onset diabetes, but more research is needed.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently updated its information on high-risk groups to provide more specifics, based on the latest available information.
By Dibs Baer
I could do safe again. I did it religiously for the first two months of quarantine. Time to get serious again.
This advice from Laurie Ferguson, PhD, clinical psychologist and Director of Education Development at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, can help calm your anxious brain.
By Kelsey Kloss
Put mismatched socks to good use with these smart hacks to ease pain and make chores with arthritis easier.
By Dibs Baer
I was a three-sport athlete in high school and now I could barely get up off the floor. Something had to give.
A new study found that many patients who tapered their meds wound up flaring.
By Kelsey Kloss
Gardening is often recommended as healthy physical activity for those with arthritis, but it’s important to avoid joint strain and injury.
Overall, the guidance is somewhat similar to what the ACR previously outlined for adult rheumatology patients, but there are a few important distinctions.
By Susan Jara
What does the science say about these so-called ‘immune-boosting’ supplements? While some are being studied for their role in COVID-19, the findings are preliminary at best.
A new study ties low folic acid levels to a higher risk of dying from heart disease among people with RA.
By Kelsey Kloss
The summer footwear you choose can have a major impact on your arthritis and pain levels.
By Kelsey Kloss
These regulations have helped slow the spread of coronavirus, which has important implications for managing the pandemic going forward.
Could pain symptoms be improved in researchers assess patients’ pain perception as part of their treatment plan?
This commonly prescribed steroid might be lifesaving for critically ill coronavirus patients.
By Dibs Baer
‘I’m no Perfect Pollyanna. But I just don’t want the experience of living with a chronic illness — I’ve had RA for more than a decade — to be negative 24/7.’
In a new study, hardly anyone who had nr-axSpA at baseline developed spinal damage within two years.
By Kelsey Kloss
If you live with chronic pain, it’s important to arrange your temporary workspace in a way that protects your joints and muscles.
By Kelsey Kloss
Swimming and water exercise are great forms of physical activity for arthritis, chronic pain, and other conditions. Learn about the potential risks of using pools during the coronavirus pandemic and the precautions doctors recommend.
Taltz, approved last year for ankylosing spondylitis, inhibits an immune system protein called IL-17 that can lead to inflammation.
No one knows exactly why one person with RA might develops ILD yet another doesn't, but this new study is shedding some light on what RA patients with interstitial lung disease have in common.
By CreakyStaff
CreakyJoints members who are tired of saying ‘I’m fine’ — when they’re not — open up about what they’ve started saying instead.
By CreakyStaff
CreakyJoints members crack open the truth that lies behind this canned response.
Having more rheumatology patients see nurse practitioners as part of their medical team could help increase access to care and decrease wait times.
While merely having RA can raise the risk of blood clots, studies have also suggested that RA patients with active disease are far more apt to experience blood clots compared to those whose disease is in remission.
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