The Dangers of Untreated Rheumatoid Arthritis

Old age is a curse. Whichever way you look at it. Once you start growing old, all bets are off. Your vitals start dipping, health problems creep up, and suddenly you’re staring at a four or five-month stint in the hospital before you die. There’s no way around this. Old age is a time for you to suffer.

Rheumatoid Arthritis. Does the name ring a bell? Because if it does, then you should be worried. Why? In India, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is estimated to affect around 0.75-1% of the population. This means that approximately 180 million people in India are affected by arthritis, with RA being one of the types.

RA is a bad, autoimmune disease that results in unspeakable pain, stiffness and swelling in the joint lining (synovium). It usually impacts the joints in the hands, fingers, toes, wrists, ankles and knees. It usually attacks the same joints on either side of our body.

There’s inflammation that messes up cartilage, whose responsibility is to act like a “shock absorber” in your joints. As time goes by, deformities set in. The result? Your bone starts eroding, your joints fuse together, and suddenly you’re screaming in pain, because well, that’s how it is.

Let RA run unchecked, and it will attack the joints, constantly. In time, this causes irreversible cartilage, bone and surrounding tissue damage. Joints lose their shape and alignment, and deformities come about, like twisted fingers and toes.

Suddenly, this isn’t something you see in someone else, and it leaves you shocked. Suddenly, this is on you.

Once the damage sets in though, you can’t undo it, even if treatment begins later. Permanent joint deformities can really mess with a person’s ability to perform everyday activities such as writing, buttoning a shirt or even walking.

The longer RA remains unchecked, the greater the risk of severe and widespread damage. Only early diagnosis and prompt medical intervention can slow down or stop this horrible process.

Loss of Mobility and Independence

When was the last time you couldn’t do something? Didn’t it really annoy you? Didn’t you go like “but moving around and doing this is my birthright, how dare you tell me otherwise?”. Mobility - that magic word we all take for granted, till it starts disappearing.

In untreated RA, thanks to inflammation and joint damage, a person’s range of motion gets impacted. Cooking, climbing stairs, dressing, walking etc - all become impossible. Joints stiffen and people get weak, slowly relying on walking aids, external assistance or wheelchairs.

This loss of independence hurts, especially if you were young and nubile yesterday. Social isolation takes hold. Muscle weakening and overall physical deconditioning come next, which is why people get stuck in a cycle of dependence. Early treatment is your only hope to preserve joint function and strength.

Increased Cardiovascular Risk

RA isn’t just a joint disease - it’s a whole body condition that causes inflammation. Left untreated, it is likely to cause cardiac issues because chronic inflammation destroys blood vessels over time, boosting the risk of atherosclerosis, which can result in heart attacks and strokes.

Also, RA brings about increased risks of hypertension, metabolic syndrome and high cholesterol, all of which are major cardiovascular risk factors. Heart disease causes death. Period. The danger often goes undetected because everyone’s like, “hey, joint pain and swelling”. Medicines can help you with the inflammation and heart issues. Just saying.

Lungs - Why Spare Them?

RA causing lung problems? Hold my water. Chronic inflammation can mess with lung tissues, causing ailments such as interstitial lung disease (ILD). The symptoms might be subtle with mild coughing and shortness of breath, but they get worse over time.

As time goes by, lung damage could be permanent, massively impacting breathing and oxygen levels. In some cases, RA-related lung diseases can kill. Late diagnosis doesn’t help. Protecting lung health is one of the major reasons why RA needs to be taken seriously. Because if you don’t, that might be the last thing you do.

I Can’t See

RA impacting the eyes? Get out of here! It’s true, however. Inflammatory conditions like dry eye syndrome, scleritis and uveitis are quite widespread among people with untreated RA.

First comes dryness, pain, redness and light sensitivity. Ignored, these symptoms get way worse. Ask anyone with scleritis and they’ll tell you how painful it is, almost a medical emergency.

Early intervention can stop minor issues from blowing up. Permanent eye damage then becomes something of a myth. Don’t sit on it. Get treated today, if you have symptoms, or watch your health disappear.

Let the Infections Begin

Active and uncontrolled RA can bring about inflammation, which messes up the immune system over time, making people more susceptible to infections like pneumonia, UTI and skin problems. Left untreated, RA can result in fatigue and nutritional deficiencies, further ruining immune defences. Ask anyone with RA, and they’ll tell you that infections are a little more difficult to treat than in the general population.

In fact, certain infections can become life-threatening if not taken care of earlier. Suppose RA advances to the point that you need immunosuppressive treatments later on. Good luck with your health.

Osteoporosis - Where Are You?

If left untreated, RA can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis, a condition that makes bones weak and brittle. Chronic inflammation impacts the regular bone remodelling process, which results in bone loss over time. Thanks to joint pain and reduced mobility, people avoid physical activities like the plague. Because of this, bones become more fragile and prone to breakage, especially in the spine, hips and wrists.

A small fall can result in a bad injury, hospitalisation or serious long-term disability. Treating RA early can bring down systemic inflammation and preserve bone density. Because we all want to live, ya! Pain-free, if possible!

Mental Health Issues

With the physical implications happening so wantonly, could the mental health implications be far behind? Chronic pain, fatigue and the loss of mobility can massively impact a person’s mental health, resulting in depression and anxiety.

Because of the flare-ups and the gradual loss of independence, you start feeling helpless and isolated. There’s a drop in self-esteem, and you start thinking, “Am I a burden on the ones I love?”. People with RA are significantly more likely to suffer from depression compared to people who don’t have the condition. Mental health struggles, physical symptoms - they’re all related. Thus, it forms a vicious cycle where pain and emotional distress feed into each other.

It’s all about the pain and discomfort when you’re living with untreated RA. Forget occasional aches - the pain from RA is constant, impacting multiple joints at once. Morning stiffness might stay for hours, making getting out of bed difficult. So bad, you can’t even start your day.

As the disease gets worse, simple stuff like holding a cup, walking or typing can become an insurmountable challenge.

The pain is beyond physical - your energy gets drained, your concentration gets impacted, and your overall quality of life suffers. People can’t deal with chronic pain, making minor tasks overwhelming.

Because of this, mental resilience wears down, frustration sets in, and a state of helplessness becomes the norm. Pain becomes your constant, getting worse by the minute.

Then there are the daily tasks. How can you do them when you’re hobbling with pain most of the time? Work suffers. Jobs that involve typing, lifting, moving or standing can become impossible because of joint stiffness, swelling and fatigue.

Sick leaves get used up, working hours get truncated and people even lose their jobs. Professional life once ruined, it’s time to hamper domestic life - household responsibilities like cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning and childcare can become exhausting and frankly speaking, impossible.

Financial issues crop up because your income takes a hit and medical expenses rise. Because productivity suffers, self-esteem drops, independence goes for a toss and feelings of worthlessness and depression creep in. You see, life just becomes unbearable.

Because of this, personal relationships can suffer. Who has the patience to deal with constant pain, fatigue and emotional distress? Participation in family activities, social gatherings and friendships is adversely impacted.

Loved ones might not always understand, resulting in isolation and frustration. Thanks to this, household dynamics or caregiving responsibilities change, and friendships fade. There’s irritability, depression or withdrawal, which can ultimately impact communication and intimacy.

Commencing treatment early in RA is vital for slowing down the progression of the disease. Medications like disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) work by bringing down inflammation and combating joint damage.

If you don’t allow inflammation to run amok since the beginning, it reduces the risk of permanent joint and organ damage. Early treatment is great for mobility, joint function and strength, while bringing down the risk of complications like cardiovascular disease and lung issues.

Proper management of RA can make a huge difference to a person’s life. Proper treatment can banish pain, fatigue, and stiffness, so you can go back to doing the daily things that you really enjoyed so much. It helps you maintain work, social lives, and hobbies without the constant worry that your joints might disintegrate.

Emotional well-being goes up when physical symptoms are under control, thus bringing down the risk of anxiety and depression.

Signs, signs, it’s all about the signs, bro. Recognising that something’s wrong is imperative, before you can take steps to remedy it. In case of RA, it’s only prompt medical attention that can prevent serious, lifelong complications. Early interventions can slow the progression of RA, thus safeguarding your joints and vital organs, and ensuring your life is unperturbed.

Don’t ignore stiffness, persistent fatigue and swelling - they can give rise to permanent damage that becomes difficult to manage later. Don’t tell us we didn’t tell you - watch the signs, speak to a doctor and get help. Acting early can bring back your mobility and independence - isn’t that all what we want?

Q. What are the early signs of rheumatoid arthritis?

A. Joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and the list are endless. There’s also fatigue and low-grade fever.

Q. Can rheumatoid arthritis be cured?

A. Nope, there’s no cure. All you can do is manage it effectively so it doesn’t impact your life so drastically.

Q. What happens if rheumatoid arthritis is left untreated?

A. If left untreated, you’re looking at permanent joint damage, deformities, and loss of mobility.

Q. How can early treatment prevent joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis?

A. Early treatment with medications like DDMARDS(disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) can reduce inflammation and slow the progression of joint damage.

Q. Can rheumatoid arthritis affect other parts of the body besides the joints?

A. Yes, rheumatoid arthritis can impact organs beyond the joints, including the heart, lungs, eyes, and blood vessels.