Stress

[Elswick]

Can I ask a question do you think RA is hereditary or stress caused I hear different things on this

[Jarme]

Elswick,

I feel RA is hereditary! There’s a few people in my family that have it. I think stress can make the symptoms worse!

[Mall in reply to Jarme]

I am RA sero positive and have no family history of RA. I think it is more complex, perhaps a faulty gene combined with other factors, viral, environmental, life style, stress.

[helixhelix]

Nobody really knows. The current theory is that there is a very weak genetic link, but even if you have the genetics (ie family history) to get it there still needs to be a trigger for it to turn into active RA. Triggers can be stress, or other factors like smoking as there is a very strong link that people who smoke are much more likely to get RA.

I have absolutely no family history as far as we can tell, but I still got RA. And my two sisters have other auto-immune diseases so it is something that just popped up in our generation.

But equally, lots of people with a family history never get RA.

[Elswick]

Thanks for that I do get stressed at times trying not to none of my family have ever been diagnosed with RA that’s why I asked the question thanks

[Hidden]

Hi, I do feel that stress/stressful incident can trigger RA. For example, I have PTSD due to a roof collapse, and there is statistical evidence that people with PTSD are more likely to get RA. Childbirth seems to be another. I have no RA in my family, but there is research being done about genetic possibilities, cheers Deb

[Caza in reply to Hidden]

I have PTSD as well & got RD afterwards 😞

[Caza]

Interesting question, over the space of four years I had three traumatic life changing events happen after that RD hit. No-one in my direct family have RD. Stress certainly makes my RD worse & unfortunately it’s been a very stressful year which I have no control over.

I don’t smoke I don’t over drink I’ve never been over weight I loved exercise & I have a healthy diet. So for me stress me thinks!

[Gnarli]

I reckon if I knew I'd have a Nobel prize for medicine. There seem to be genetic factors, stress, a previous infection triggering it etc. My view is that it is what it is and it's a proper pain in the pinny. Sorry I can't be more helpful

J

[Matilda_1922]

Im the only one in my family that has diagnosed RA but it looks like there is an autoimmune problem within the family as several have an underactive thyroid.

[Rembrandt2nd]

Hereditary, however, in many cases it is brought out by a tragedy or emotional stress. I had slight symptoms, beginning about age 25. In 2013, age 55, our gas stove exploded on me. I had 2nd degree burns to my face, neck, arms and hands. My burns healed relatively quickly but I had PTSD for about 14 months. After that, I was diagnosed with R.A. About a year later, I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, then Colegeans Disease, “Frozen Shoulder, Myelopathy and Cervical Myelopathy. Doc says it was brought out by the explosion.

[Hidden in reply to Rembrandt2nd]

That sounds dreadful, so sorry. I have had frozen shoulder/adhesive capsulitis(?) twice about 20 years before RD set in last year (along with couple of other joint things) but had no idea it was classed as autoimmune? Rheumatologist did ask if I'd had that and also glandular fever (yes, years ago) so I'm taking it there must be a link.

My rheumatologist thinks caught it quickly (highly positive on anti-ccp and RF) as treated not long after hands and wrists started playing up but like you I think it's been bubbling under for ages; they were just things I put down to age/overdoing things etc. But then he also says things like it's only hands and feet, doesn't affect hips (!) and breathlessness is nothing to do with it, which worries me and isn't consistent with NRAS advice or other nurses sometimes. Go figure eh?

[Maggsie]

We do have history of auto immune disorders in the family, my R A kicked in after a very bad bout of gastroenteritis, my neice has auto immune hepatitis which kicked in after childbirth. It seems to be in the female side and only kicks in when there is a trigger. Stress does make it worse. I used to have a great job and my employer was completely supportive with special equipment, working from home, reduced hours etc. but eventually the stress of the job got so bad that I had to admit defeat and give it up because I was having so many flares.

[Ruth12345]

Vague auto immune in my daughter and neice. No RD except me in family. I would agree regarding stress cintributing to it as had some major stress prior to diagnosis, however I thought I was dealing with it and this happened.

[Mall]

At the time I started with full blown RA, a very fast onset, I was living in a small town of less than 4000 people. I was referred to the local Physio therapist 6 months later, she remarked that 6 people had been referred to her who had all started with the same full blown symptoms around the same time as me. Was it a virus, something in the water, a chemical spray on farmland or forest that affected folk with a particular genetic make up. I always felt as if something had poisoned my whole body. I had been a heavy smoker and always worked in a stressful job which could also have been factors in increasing my susceptibility, I have no family history of RA.

I believe that there was an environmental trigger either viral or other that had affected myself and other folk in this small rural town.

There is still lots of room for research into the causes.

[patricia1193]

Hi Elswick.Have read so many opinions and not sure what to think.People with a disease in the same group as RA appear more vulnerable.Things like MS and ulcerative colitis.I have never smoked drank eat red meat and no family history and still developed severe RA .Stress a big problem for us all and sometimes the only way to remove stress is to remove the cause.Not easily done though.I was in a wheelchair for a year as RA difficult to control and was so stressed thought I might have a heart attack.What stressed me more than anything was people telling me to be positive when I was on agony .Idiots!

[dbestdeb]

I believe genetics makes it possible and something environmental triggers it. In my case it was the stress of my only daughter’s huge wedding followed by a minor injury. My mother, a maternal aunt, and a cousin on my father’s side all had or have RA.

[BoneyC]

I don't believe stress causes RA, and none of my Dr's think it's hereditary, but some people might be predisposed to getting it, especially if there are other auto immune diseases in the family. I was dx age 6, so couldn't have been stress, smoking or alcohol!

[Pulfs]

There is RA in my family . My paternal grandad had it so did my mum and 2 of her sisters. I developed RA aged 44 brought on by the stress of my mum dying.

I do think it's hereditary but think stress may trigger it x

[Bookworm55 in reply to Pulfs]

That’s what I think too. I have a niece and a first cousin with RA and my sister has an auto immune liver condition. I was diagnosed 2 1/2 years ago just as I retired aged 60 when virtually all my joints flared up over a week or two. I do think something triggers it - in my case I can’t help feeling it was due in part to my first ever flu jab - but stress is so tricky to quantify as affects people so differently.

[Elswick in reply to Bookworm55]

That’s strange because I had my first ever flu jab to last year don’t think I will have another !!!

[Bookworm55 in reply to Elswick]

Well I must admit I wasn't keen but went ahead anyway the next year (2016) as RA consultant adamant that no link and more risky NOT to have it. No flare - and none in 2017 either.

[Hidden]

No RD in family history that I know of though lots on here do have. I don't think anyone knows for sure, best I've seen is mix of environmental, genetic and possibly even bacterial. I wish someone would find cause: I worry about my lovely children ending up with it. Stress definitely not helpful, had a bit in my life prior to diagnosis

Recently my brother has had a lot of painful wrist, hand and ankle joint swelling (looks like mine) but thinks it's gout and won't get it checked, worrying but would be weird having two in family if not genetic surely, even though I know causation doesn't necessarily mean correlation. It's a mystery??