Arthritis: Rheumatoid Arthritis Basics

How Is rheumatoid arthritis Treated?

There are many different ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Treatments include medications, rest and exercise, and surgery to correct damage to the joint.

The type of treatment will depend on several factors including the person's age, overall health, medical history and severity of the arthritis.

Medications

There are many medications available to decrease joint pain, swelling and inflammation. Some of these medications prevent or minimize the progression of the disease.

Medications that offer relief of arthritis symptoms (joint pain, stiffness and swelling) include:

• Anti-inflammatory painkiller drugs, such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen
• Topical (applied directly to the skin) pain relievers
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Narcotic pain relievers

There are also many strong medications called disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. These medicines usually work by interfering with or suppressing the immune system attack on the joints. They include:

• Plaquenil (originally used to treat malaria)
• Immune suppression drugs such as methotrexate, Imuran, Cytoxan, and cyclosporin
• Biologic treatments, such as Enbrel, Humira, Remicade, Orencia, and Rituxan
• Other drugs, uch as Azulfidine and Arava

Why Is Rest and Exercise Important?

A balance of rest and exercise is important in treating rheumatoid arthritis. During flare-ups (worsening of joint inflammation), it is best to rest the joints that are inflamed. This may be accomplished by the temporary use of a cane or joint splints.

When joint inflammation is decreased, guided exercise programs are necessary to maintain flexibility of the joints and to strengthen the muscles that surround the joints. Range-of-motion exercisesshould be done regularly to maintain joint mobility.

When Is Surgery Necessary?

When joint damage from the arthritis has become severe or pain is not controlled with medications, surgery may be an option to help restore function to a damaged joint.

Can rheumatoid arthritis Be Cured?

Although there is not yet a cure for rheumatoid arthritis, early, aggressive treatment has been shown to help prevent disability.