Arthritis is a general term that means inflammation in a joint. Joint inflammation is characterized by redness, warmth, swelling and pain within the joint.

Something to keep in mind: RA drugs, particularly the synthetic and biologic DMARDs, do not come without side effects.

Although there have been cases of remission without rheumatoid arthritis treatment, these are not common. So youre right to be concerned. Most people with rheumatoid arthritis experience some progression of their disease during their lives.

In cancer treatment, chemotherapy refers to particular drugs used to kill or slow the reproduction of rapidly multiplying cells.

Corticosteroids are different from anabolic steroids, which some athletes use to build bigger muscles. Examples of corticosteroid medications include cortisone, prednisone and methylprednisolone.

Studies have shown that people with rheumatoid arthritis who see a rheumatologist regularly (several times a year) do better than people who visit erratically or not at all. The first step is finding one!

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you may want to ask your doctor these 10 questions.