{"id":1025,"date":"2023-08-24T10:55:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-24T10:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.coloradosleepapnea.com\/blog\/?p=1025"},"modified":"2023-10-09T22:56:01","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T22:56:01","slug":"sleep-apnea-and-rheumatoid-arthritis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coloradosleepapnea.com\/blog\/sleep-apnea-and-rheumatoid-arthritis\/","title":{"rendered":"How are Sleep Apnea & Rheumatoid Arthritis Related?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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You may see arthritis as trivial at first. \u201cAfter all,\u201d you might think, \u201cWhat\u2019s the big deal about a few achy joints?\u201d However, the condition can have unexpected effects. For example, there\u2019s a connection between sleep apnea and rheumatoid arthritis. Namely, those with the former ailment<\/a> tend to develop the latter one. As for the reason behind this link, let your Denver dentist explain things. To that end, here\u2019s a summary of how sleep apnea and rheumatoid arthritis relate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Sleep Apnea & Rheumatoid Arthritis are Linked<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most people assume rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has nothing to do with sleep apnea. Truthfully, though, patients with the first issue are at high risk of the second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest scientific research backs this fact. In 2016, a study published by BMJ Open Body found that the sleep apnea rate was 75% greater among people with RA. Earlier, a 2009 study published by The Journal of Rheumatology reached a similar conclusion. Namely, its authors linked RA to a higher rate of heart disease \u2013 a known risk factor for sleep apnea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given the above, RA can greatly reduce your quality of life. Besides causing aching or tender joints, it might lead you to develop sleep apnea symptoms. These signs span daytime sleepiness, fatigue, headaches, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Explains This Link?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Technically, scientists are still unsure why people with RA are at higher risk of sleep apnea. That said, they have developed several possible explanations.  These include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n