It all started with Stacy Courtnay’s stilettos. Twenty years ago, when she began feeling severe foot discomfort, she attributed it to her habit of wearing shoes with tall, thin heels.
“I purchased brand new footwear and was wearing flats. “Nothing was improving,” she recalls. It felt just like ice picks or someone hitting my feet.
A podiatrist first brought up the possibility of rheumatoid arthritis, but she dismissed it, feeling she was too young for such a diagnosis. Within a few months, the 23-year-old newlywed relied on her husband to carry her and assist her with simple tasks such as combing her hair and sipping from a cup.
Courtnay was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis shortly after her 24th birthday, almost four months after she initially displayed symptoms.
“Your initial thought, as everyone says, is ‘you’re too young,’ you know? Everyone responds, “I thought this only happened to the elderly.” Similarly, my initial thinking was, How could this be happening? “How could my body turn against me?” Courtnay, now 44, says. “Like, I am very fit. I’ve been exercising. I do everything correctly. And how could my body be so cruel?
According to the Arthritis Foundation, there are more than 100 types of arthritis and related disorders, with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis being two of the most prevalent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 58.5 million Americans suffer from arthritis.
RA is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system, which normally defends the body from viruses and bacteria, attacks the body’s healthy tissues. It can affect individuals of practically every age. Joints are frequently affected symmetrically by RA; for example, a patient may suffer pain in both feet or both hands.
The Arthritis Foundation estimates that 1,300,000 Americans have RA. It is twice as prevalent in women as in men.
“Rheumatoid arthritis is predominantly an inflammatory disorder, so what I hear from my patients with rheumatoid arthritis is that their joints feel tight and swollen when they wake up in the morning. Dr. Ashira Blazer, assistant professor and academic rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, notes that they experience pain and soreness. This stiffness improves with movement or putting the hands under hot water, and it lasts for over 30 minutes, sometimes up to two hours or more.
Osteoarthritis, or OA, is the type of arthritis most people are familiar with. It is caused by degenerative joint wear and strain. The cartilage or meniscus deteriorates over time, causing joint injury and pain.
“OA occurs more frequently in older adults, but for a variety of reasons, we’re observing it in younger and younger individuals. Osteoarthritis is one of these disorders associated with general metabolic difficulties. Dr. Blazer explains that the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome increases the incidence of osteoarthritis. “Just as these illnesses are affecting younger and younger individuals, so too is OA affecting younger and younger individuals.”
The CDC says that arthritis is the biggest cause of job incapacity in the United States, with yearly expenses for medical care and lost earnings of $303.5 billion.
Jen, 45, who requested that CBS News not use her last name out of respect for her privacy, says that her RA diagnosis has prevented her from pursuing her dream of operating her own production company. She continues to work full-time as a video editor, but because to RA, she was unable to put in the additional hours required to grow the side business.
“Working seventy hours a week is incompatible with rheumatoid arthritis. I remain employed. I still provide for my family. “However, I had to scale back on new job and career-related endeavors,” she stated. “[RA] unquestionably influenced how much further I can push myself outside of my employment for my career.”
Courtney quit her employment just prior to the birth of her first kid. The pain and exhaustion caused by RA needed regular naps, and she frequently missed work or left early. She feels lucky that she and her husband were able to afford her quitting her work.
“It was a blessing to be allowed to remain at home. People in this much pain are occasionally compelled to go to work despite their suffering. And I don’t know how I could have physically gone to work if I was forced to do that for financial reasons.”
Both women are frustrated by the unpredictable nature of RA. Many individuals can be pain-free one day and in excruciating agony the next. When Courtnay’s son was little, she often felt so much pain that she could do nothing but lie on the floor and cry.
“When my son was younger, and he’s at the age where I should be playing and running football with him, I was like, ‘No way.’ Either I am experiencing agony or I am in bed. There are numerous events that I have missed. Like, if my husband and I had a birthday celebration for friends or something and we were scheduled to go out to dinner, there are many occasions when I say, “Okay, you go, I’m staying here,” she explains.
Jen agrees with these sentiments.
“On certain days, my feet suffer so badly that I cannot wear decent shoes. And on other days, I could run without issue,” she says. “There are days when I am in perfect health. On other occasions, I am unable to open my water bottle and must ask my 11-year-old for assistance since it hurts so badly.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are also susceptible to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other autoimmune illnesses such as Sjogren’s syndrome, a condition that causes dry eyes and mouth.
Dr. Blazer emphasizes that if a person suspects that their discomfort is due to rheumatoid arthritis, they should consult their doctor immediately.
“You are more likely to protect your joints from injury if you detect the condition early and begin appropriate treatment immediately. It is less likely that you may develop long-term comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease. Therefore, early detection is essential, and if you’re concerned, you should definitely consult a doctor.”