text: what is the average life span for someone who has rheumtoid arthritis?   as far as i know, ra is thought to shorten the lifespan of a person by 10 - 15 years.  this is probably due more to the medications you have to take and decreased quality of life and inability to exercise and rest properly that has shortened the lifespan, not the disease itself.    however, with some of the newer biologic meds, like enbrel, i think this may become less of an issue in the future because damage to the joints can be slowed and prevented, leading to a better quality of life, thereby increasing the quantity. (just my guess... i'm not a doctor, but it seems logical.)  you can check out http://www.arthritis.org for info on ra, and there is a very helpful discussion board there as well.