The Real Rheumatoid Disease Archives | Page 2 of 19 | Rheumatoid Arthritis Warrior

5 RA Facts Everyone Needs to Know

January 23, 2017October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 18 Comments Communicating about RA, Physician-patient discordance / disagreement, Unrelenting RA - Persistent disease

Driven to uncover RA facts My search for facts about Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) led me to build this website. So many questions. So much misinformation, blame, and confusion out there. It all contributed to my passion for uncovering RA facts and making them clear. I didn’t feel ready when I started writing this blog in 2009. There...Continue reading 18 Comments » Read more

5 Reasons Disease Awareness Matters

February 19, 2016October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 17 Comments Invisible Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness

Disease awareness matters because people just don’t know Disease awareness for “invisible illnesses” like rheumatoid disease (RD) can be pretty dismal. I’m the first to admit I had no idea what RD was when I was diagnosed. And, I’ve actually been stunned a few times by how little people with other invisible illnesses know about RD. Once...Continue reading 17 Comments » Read more

15 Early Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

February 4, 2016October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 38 Comments Preclinical RA, Rheumatoid Arthritis diagnosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms

The significance of early symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis In 2009, I asked people with rheumatoid disease (PRD) to list the first symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis they had experienced. Over 800 people have commented, simply listing their first symptoms. There are also dozens of Onset Stories on RA Warrior. Our experiences with early symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis...Continue reading 38 Comments » Read more

Rheumatoid Disease Thriller: Mystery of the Injured Thumb

October 31, 2015October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 24 Comments Professional patient, Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms

“Mysterious” experiences like these can be common with rheumatoid disease and I hope you’ll share some of yours in the comments. Now, on to my rheumatoid arthritis thumb... Several months ago I reached out with my right hand to grasp the handle of a rolling suitcase, and my thumb did not grip. I was met with...Continue reading 24 Comments » Read more

What Does Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Look Like?

October 24, 2014October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 32 Comments Rheumatoid Arthritis pictures, Rheumatoid Arthritis test

Common myths about RA linger in college classes In an immunology teaching lab class this semester, my daughter Katie Beth (KB) learned how to perform a rheumatoid factor test (latex agglutination). Prior to that lecture, KB read through the professor’s slides in the syllabus. She noticed the material included several common errors about Rheumatoid Disease (RD)....Continue reading 32 Comments » Read more

Can Bones Hurt? Bone Pain and Rheumatoid Disease

October 17, 2014October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 22 Comments Rheumatoid arthritis pain, Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms

The main misconception about bones then, is that they are made up of dead tissue. This is not true, they have cells, nerves, blood vessels and pain receptors.1 Ever hear that bones can’t hurt? Did you ever have the flu or a fever and your bones just ached? It can be enough to make you forget all...Continue reading 22 Comments » Read more

Should We Just Call It Pink Puffy Paw?

October 15, 2014October 5, 2019 Kelly O'Neill 28 Comments Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms, Talking to doctors

(Have you discontinued Cimzia? See note below blog.) One of the biggest problems with getting care for rheumatoid disease is that symptoms do not look exactly the same every day. Of course along with that is the fact that many symptoms aren’t clearly visible anyway, hence the term “invisible illness.” Anyway, it seems like it would...Continue reading 28 Comments » Read more