Treatment of Rheumatoid arthritis

Arthritis is unpredictable and the treatment difficult. But today there are several medical remedies which can both ease the pain and slow down the spread of the disease and the damage it causes.

Treatment for patients who suffer from Rheumatoid arthritis has improved dramatically over the last 25 years. RA usually requires lifelong treatment. There is no cure for RA. The treatment includes various medications, physical therapy, education, and possibly surgery aimed at relieving the signs and symptoms of the disease.

Medications: There are many medicines available that control the symptoms of RA well. The goal of treatment is to achieve remissions (times when the disease subsides so that the sufferer can carry on with a near-normal life). The most important factor in managing RA adequately is its prompt and proper diagnosis. In the initial stages of the disease, simple OTC analgesics (painkillers - such as aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen) can quite adequately help reduce swelling and pain. Increasingly, disease modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARDs) are being used in initial stages of treatment. DMARDs include methotrexate, azathioprine, gold and sulphasalazine. No-one quite knows how and why these drugs work in RA. In severe cases, joint-replacement surgery is once again an option.

Diet, exercise and rehabilitation services. Finding a balance between rest and exercise is crucial to managing this disease. In order to strike the right balance, it is essential that you learn to listen to your body. When your symptoms flare - when your joints are sore, warm and swollen - take it easy and make time to rest. At these times, continue to perform range-of-motion exercises to keep your joints mobile, but be careful not to tire yourself or aggravate your joints. Avoid unnecessary walking, housework or other activities. When your joints feel better and when other symptoms, including fatigue and morning stiffness, are less noticeable, increase your activity level. Moderate weight-bearing exercises, such as walking and lifting weights, can strengthen weakened muscles without risking additional joint damage. If exercise produces more pain or joint swelling, you should cut back a bit.

There is no known effective diet to improve the symptoms of RA. Similarly, there are no proven dietary supplements, herbs or other alternative therapies that are clearly effective over a long period of time.

Having RA often necessitates that you pay special attention to the way you move and function. An occupational therapist or physical therapist can offer suggestions and guidance as you manage ordinary tasks around your home and work. In addition, he or she can provide special devices that can help you conserve energy and protect your joints as you go about your daily activities. A splint, brace, sling or bandage worn during times of particular tenderness can take the pressure off joints and protect them from injury. A podiatrist may provide shoe inserts (orthotics) or even surgery to improve pain and function in arthritic feet.