046: Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis – Erin’s Story

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition where your immune cells attack your joints. It can cause debilitating pain and lead to the loss of being able to use certain joints, most often the hands. RA affects 1.5 million people in the US with women two to three times as likely to develop it as men. Autoimmune diseases, in general, are estimated to affect 10 million people in the US today, but due to a lack of research, we don’t know why they occur. Join us in this episode of Your Health Unlocked to hear Erin’s story of finally getting diagnosed with RA, and how she has lived with this silent disability. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:  

• The reality of misdiagnosis and the pivotal role of self-advocacy in healthcare.  
• Strategies for managing chronic pain, stress, and energy levels. 
• The social challenges of living with an invisible illness and how to navigate them 
• The importance of setting boundaries for self-care, especially for those inclined to people-please. 
• The urgent need for more research on autoimmune diseases affecting women. 

More about Erin:

Erin is the Director of Operations, responsible for managing the office’s daily functions and ensuring that everything runs smoothly. She joined the NWHN after spending the last 10 years working in residential property management and commercial real estate, where she managed research teams and coordinated large projects. Erin attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where she focused on History and Art History.