Health Conditions

Among non-drug treatments, many factors can have a positive impact on rheumatoid arthritis. Education can help patients understand their disease, and become more involved in their treatment. Patients are advised to eat a normal, well-balanced diet and to avoid food fads. It is helpful to lose weight so that there is less pressure on the joints. In addition, exercise and physical therapy, under supervision of a doctor and physical therapist, are used to help strengthen the joints. In the case of an active flare-up, patients are advised to stay in bed, and in general to get sufficient sleep and avoid becoming overtired.

Drug therapy for rheumatoid arthritis includes use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS, injected or oral steroids, and more powerful drugs known as disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, or DMARDs, biologic response modifiers, and interleukin-1 receptor antagonists.

Surgery should be considered when, despite optimal medical treatment, the joint damage has advanced to the point where the patient is experiencing great pain, and cannot use the involved limb. Among successful surgeries performed on rheumatoid arthritis patients are replacement arthroplasties in the hip and knee. Arthroplasty, or replacing the arthritic joint surface with an artificial joint, has also been used with success on elbow joints.

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Note: The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not intended to diagnose a health condition, but it can be used as a guide to help you decide if you should seek professional treatment or to help you learn more about your condition once it has been diagnosed.