Rheumatoid arthritis can be painful and difficult to deal with as a condition itself but add into the mix side effects of the treatment medication as well as the other health complications RA contributes to and you may be looking at some serious life-changing issues.
RA is treatable but dealing the pain and the associated symptoms of the condition can make it hard to maintain a functional lifestyle. Additionally, the other medical conditions related to RA can certainly start increasing your medical bills and prescription costs.
Because many who suffer from chronic RA pain and symptoms may not be able to work, income will become very important to cover the costs associated with care. Many job duties will not be able to be performed in an efficient and safe manner by some dealing with RA
Social security disability may be an option for those who are unable to work due to rheumatoid arthritis. In some cases, suffers can hardly get out of bed or walk without assistance. While treatment is available to help keep symptoms under control, many who suffer RA still battle chronic fatigue leaving them unemployable.
Statistics show that one in three RA sufferers will leave work. While this figure does sound high, it is important to note that compared to statistics of two decades ago the percentage of workers that leave now is nearly half of what it was back then thanks to medical advancement. There are many more effective drug treatments on the market today that allow people to function near what is normal for them. But no matter how beneficial medical science as become for RA sufferers, the fact remains that rheumatoid arthritis is still a very difficult condition to deal with while managing family life and a job.