Quiz: Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Have you or a loved one been recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)? Newly diagnosed patients may feel restricted, incapable, or hopeless. However, that does not have to be the case! Challenge yourself with this quiz to explore how you can live a full life with RA.

1. Only elderly people are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

a. True

b. False

2. Which of the following statements about exercise and arthritis is true?

a. Exercise has to be intense to do any good — no pain, no gain.

b. Many people with arthritis are too old to exercise.

c. Patients have to exercise every day to get any benefit.

d. Just about anyone with arthritis can benefit from light, easy workouts.

3. Exercising during a flare-up will only make symptoms worse.

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a. True

b. False

4. The best diet to help with symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis is:

a. Sticking to plant-based foods: Vegan/vegetarian

b. Low-carb diet: keto

c. Balanced diet: fruits, veggies, whole grains, and healthy fats

d. Intermittent Fasting: eating whatever you want, but set a determined eating window

5. Managing day-to-day symptoms can be challenging. The best way to deal with getting daily tasks done is:

a. Hire someone or ask a friend to complete tasks around the house and run errands for you.

b. Push through flare-ups and symptoms to get the tasks done. Mind over matter.

c. Take it day-by-day, find shortcuts, and use assistive devices when needed. 

d. Completely rearrange your entire life to fully accommodate your condition, even if it means giving up household chores or tasks that you enjoy.

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6. Wanderlusters, beware! Traveling with RA is nearly impossible.

a. True

b. False

7. Which of the following could be a sign that you may be over-exerting yourself?

a. Pain that lingers more than an hour after exercise.

b. Swelling in a joint 

c. Tiredness

d. All of the above.

Answers:

1. False – RA can happen at any age, however, it mostly affects those in middle age.
2. D. Just about anyone with arthritis can benefit from light, easy workouts.
3. False. Doing light exercises – stretching, yoga, pilates – can actually help alleviate symptoms
4. C. Balanced diet: fruits, veggies, whole grains, and healthy fats. A balanced diet full of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and healthy fats are overall good for personal health. However, omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon are especially helpful to prevent inflammation. As a result, this can reduce joint pain and stiffness. RA patients are also recommended to avoid cholesterol, sugars, and alcohol.
5. C. Take it day-by-day, find shortcuts, and use assistive devices when needed. One day you might feel fully capable of completing typical tasks around the house – gardening, cooking, folding laundry. However, other days your symptoms might make it nearly impossible to complete tasks. The best way to approach this is to take it day-by-day. However, you don’t have to do it alone! Enlist the help of friends and family to adjust to doing tasks differently. Use assistive devices to help with hands-on tasks like cooking, cleaning, dressing, and bathing. The best part of assistive devices is they enable you to complete tasks without straining yourself and causing more pain. Do what you can and give yourself grace. 
6. False, of course! Traveling is not impossible, but it may look different. Plan ahead and do some research on what you can do to make your travel experience easier. Request a wheelchair if needed to navigate the airport or train station. If you’re driving a long way, make sure to stop periodically to walk around and stretch to avoid stiffness. Use a suitcase with wheels that you can push instead of pull – this movement does not require as much dexterity. 
7. D. All of the above. Other possible signs of overexertion include weakness, heavy sweating, coughing, chest discomfort, or dizziness. If you feel like you’ve gone too far, take a break. When you get your breath back, talk to your doctor or physical therapist about scaling back your exercise routine.