3. Lung Health
Poor lung health is one of the most common symptoms people with rheumatoid arthritis feel. However, the risk of getting sick lungs is not the same for everyone. People who smoke, for instance, are more likely to develop this, rather than those who don’t consume cigarettes at all.
The most frequently seen lung diseases are:
- Fibrosis: this means damage to the lung tissue. Your lungs are not able to properly do their job due to the stiff tissue, so you might experience shortness of breath;
- Interstitial lung disease (ILD): this happens when there is an inflammation in your lungs and too much tissue buildup can make breathing very problematic;
- Rheumatoid nodules: these are small lumps that can form in your body, whether it’s your lungs or other organs. If one of these lung nodules fissures, it might cause a defective lung.
