ra effects your lifespan?

is it true that rheumatoid arthritis can shorten your life span if left untreated?  my mom might have ra and refuses to see a doctor because she feels that it's not worth her time.  please help me give her some professional advice, thanks!

[Dr Vinod]

Dear lynrdskyn1972,

You have to counsel her for medical treatment. You can start telling her that "lets diagnose the case atleast".
Go for an X-ray and Rheumatoid factor test.
So you will have time in counseling her further and she will interact with the doctor and the hospital environment and would able to get counselled that she would be better off with treatment.
Her quality of life at this age will vastly improve and this is where you have to prove the point to her.

As such any disease if left untreated will take the toll on human body. Some diseases are self limiting and some are progressive and RA falls in progressive disease category.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks the joints producing an inflammatory synovitis that often progresses to destruction of the articular cartilage and ankylosis of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can also produce diffuse inflammation in the lungs, pericardium, pleura, and sclera, and also nodular lesions, most common in subcutaneous tissue under the skin. Although the cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, autoimmunity plays a pivotal role in its chronicity and progression.

Take care and  we hope you  that will come back to us with news of your mother going for a diagnosis near an expert. Best of luck!