did i bring on RA by blunt force trauma to my wrists 3 years ago ?
I work as a mechanic and i was using a wheel bearing slide hammer type tool with a weight on the end of it . It required forcibly pulling on the weight many many times to free the offending bearing. I blame this for triggering the RA. My brother had very severe RA for 35 years and passed away last year at age 58. I am 52 and worried that i will suffer for the rest of my natural life.Am i wrong for berating myself in such fashion or would it have occured anyhow? What's your opinion?
Hi ger!
The exact causes of rheumatoid arthritis are still unknown. What we do know is that it is an autoimmune disorder -- which means that the body's immune system turns on the body itself, attacking the joints. It can run in families.
But injury and blunt force trauma has not been known to cause RA or even trigger it if it's latent.
Have you been officially diagnosed with RA yet? Perhaps the joint pain you are feeling is due to injury, repetitive stress on the joint or osteoarthritis (which, unlike RA, can be caused by injury).
The best thing for you to do now is to get in contact with your doctor. You may need a referral to a rheumatologist who can both confirm an RA diagnosis (if that is your condition) and help you design a treatment plan to help relieve pain, protect your joitns from permamnent damage and otherwise help you live a long, productive life.
Come back here if you have any more questions. Good luck!
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