Massage Therapy Journal Summer 2026

Summer 2026 • 37

frequency can vary widely from person to person. Some RA patients also experience fever and malaise during an exacerbation. Overexertion, poor sleep, stress or an infection such as the flu can cause an exacerbation of RA symptoms.

sudden reduced blood flow to the heart. RA inflammation can also affect the lining of the heart, causing pericarditis (inflammation of the pericardium) and myocarditis (inflammation of cardiac muscle tissue), as well as blood vessel inflammation. 16 • Lung diseases. RA affects the lungs and can cause RA-related interstitial lung disease, a group of progressive lung diseases resulting in scarring of lung tissue. It’s estimated that 1 in 10 people with RA will develop interstitial lung disease, accounting for 10 to 20 percent of all RA deaths. Research has also found a link between pre-existing asthma and RA: people with asthma have almost twice the odds of developing RA than people without asthma. 17 • Cancer risk. The chronic inflammation of RA can increase risk for developing cancers that develop in the lymphatic system, such as lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma. 17 Comorbidities and COVID-19 People with RA seem to be disproportionally affected by other health conditions as well, called coexisting or comorbid conditions. Comorbidity is the presence of two or more medical conditions in a person. Some common comorbidities are: 18 • Diabetic neuropathy . People with inflammatory forms of arthritis are about 1.5 times more likely to have diabetes than those without arthritis. About 60–70 percent of people with diabetes are affected by peripheral neuropathy, characterized by numbness, tingling, burning and cramping that start in the legs and feet and move on to the hands and arms, which may be worse at night. 19 • Cataract, glaucoma . RA’s chronic inflammation, along with a genetic variation common among people with RA and long term use of topical or oral corticosteroid medications, can result in cataract formation—clouding of the lens in the eye characterized by cloudy, blurry vision, poor night vision and poor color perception. Chronic eye inflammation can also raise eye pressure, causing glaucoma, which can be

What Are the Possible Complications of RA

Some complications are caused by RA itself while others are caused by the medications used to treat it. Some common complications are listed below. 8 This is not an exhaustive list. • Osteoporosis. RA and the immune system suppressing drugs used to treat it can make bones thinner. • Sjogren’s syndrome. An often-coexisting autoimmune condition that severely dries the eyes and mouth. • Infections. RA and the immune system suppressing drugs used to treat it can increase the risk for many types of infections: bacterial, viral or fungal. • Abnormal tissue composition. The proportion of fat (adipose) tissue to muscle and connective tissues is higher than normal, sometimes giving tissue a “mushy” feel when palpated. • Carpal tunnel syndrome. Wrist pain and stiffness can occur, especially when rheumatoid nodules develop on the back of the hand or the dorsal hand. • Rheumatoid nodules. Subcutaneous lumps that may develop near affected joints and cause pain on the dorsal hands, elbows, vocal cords or on organs affected by RA. • Heart disease. RA is associated with a range of cardiovascular issues, including heart attack, stroke, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease and atrial fibrillation. People with RA are more likely to have coronary artery disease, which is characterized by the buildup of fat, cholesterol and plaque on blood vessel walls, and they develop it at a faster rate than the general population. People with RA experience more severe acute coronary syndrome—heart attack, unstable angina, and other symptoms associated with

People with RA seem to be

disproportionally affected by other health conditions as well, called coexisting

or comorbid conditions.

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