What your joints need

What is it?

It is a form of arthritis that causes pain, swelling, stiffness and even possibly loss of movement in affected joints. It is mostly prevalent in the wrist and fingers and women are much more prone to it than men. It starts between ages 25 and 55 and may have its symptoms even disappear for a period of time. The severe form of rheumatoid arthritis can last a lifetime. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, which means the arthritis results from your own immune system attacking your own body’s tissues, which results in these various abnormalities.

How to Tell?

There are no quick and sudden “red flags” to tell that you have an onset of rheumatoid arthritis, although there are some common traits that you can watch out for. If you are experiencing lasting joint pain in any part of your body pay immediate attention to it. If that then progresses to either joint swelling or joint stiffness, especially if there is tenderness or pain when touching a joint you should immediately contact the doctor. Problems in using or moving a joint normally, or warmth and redness in a joint especially if they persist warrant a visit. If any one of these symptoms lasts longer than 2 weeks, see your regular doctor. Keep in mind that if you have a fever, feel physically ill, or suddenly have a swollen joint you might want to see your doctor sooner.

Treatment

The pain and inflammation of arthritis have commonly been treated using medications, local steroid injections, and joint replacement. All of these approaches have been met with varying levels of success.

Today’s researchers are working to develop treatments to forestall joint erosion even before it elevates to noticeable status. People whose joints are already damaged by arthritis can benefit from today’s research.

Most arthritis medications fall into three categories: those that relieve pain; those that reduce inflammation or the body process that causes swelling, warmth, and redness; and those that slow the disease process and limit further damage to the joints.

Pain relievers such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) and NSAIDs such as Motrin (ibuprofen) are used to reduce the pain caused by many rheumatic conditions. Some forms of NSAIDs have the added benefit of decreasing the inflammation associated with arthritis. But, nothing is without a price, as one of the more common side effects is stomach irritation, which can create a “catch-22″ situation that can force the reduction of the dosage or medication.

Biological products are a new class of drugs used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. They differ from conventional drugs in that they are derived from living cell culture systems and are not chemically manufactured as regular drugs. There are four licensed biologics. Of those three help reduce inflammation and structural damage of the joints by blocking a protein (TNF) involved in immune system responses. Elevated levels of TNF are often found in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

There are also devices designed to fight rheumatoid arthritis. These are preparations that mirror hyaluronic acid – a naturally occurring body substance that lubricates the knee joint. These are injected directly into the knee joint to help relieve pain, increase joint movement and stop further progression of the disease.

Electrical nerve stimulation is another set of devices used in rheumatoid arthritis treatment. These devices modify the brain’s perception of pain thereby restoring normal activities to the patient, albeit not really curing the cause of the problem. There is ongoing research to see if these devices, coupled with more potent drugs, which would otherwise be very painful to administer, to accelerate the treatment.

With proper treatment, the pain and swelling from rheumatoid arthritis will get better, and joint damage might slow down or stop. The patient will find it easier to move around, and will feel better.

Common Sense Tips

Exercise and good diet together significantly improve physical function and reduce arthritis related pain in people older than 60 who are overweight or obese, according to both the Arthritis Foundation and the American College of Rheumatology. Further research shows that physical activity decreases joint pain, improves function and a person’s mood and outlook, and delays disability.

Regular exercise also helps to reduce the pain and fatigue of many different kinds of arthritis and helps people work and do daily activities which directly relate to their sense of independence. Various motion, strengthening, and endurance exercises using muscles without moving joints, as well as aerobic based exercises are extremely beneficial in decreasing joint fatigue, strengthening muscles and bones, increasing flexibility and stamina, and improving the general sense of patient health.

There are many different types of arthritis, and it can be confusing for patients when discussing these types. Many patients suffer from a form of arthritis that is actually an auto-immune disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is classified as an auto-immune disease because of the way that the body is attacking its own healthy tissue. All auto-immune diseases have this in common, and in rheumatoid arthritis, the body is attacking the healthy joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is extremely painful and causes many patients to become disabled. The disease takes the joints and causes them to swell and then become deformed so a patient may not be able to use their hands or even walk due to this disease. It is essential for patients with rheumatoid arthritis to find rheumatoid arthritis pain relief so that they can continue with their day to day lives.

Seeking Medical Intervention

For many patients seeking rheumatoid arthritis pain relief, seeing a physician is the only way to truly obtain any relief. Rheumatoid arthritis pain relief can involve several treatment plans.

Rheumatoid arthritis pain relief may include a medication that can be taken to help with the inflammation that is caused by the joints swelling. These medications are classified as disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Some of these medications are known under their trade names as Plaquenil, Arava, Imuran and Minocin to name a few.

This form of rheumatoid arthritis pain relief is often combined with other medications to help with the pain. These may include steroid injections into the joints or steroids taken orally. Other medications that help with pain include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. These of course, contain no steroids but can still assist with the pain and inflammation caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

Some patients are given medications called “biologic agents” that not only help with the inflammation, but also help the immune system to stop attacking the body. These rheumatoid arthritis pain relief medications are known by names such as Enberel, Humira and Remicade to list a few.

A physician, usually a rheumatologist, will determine the best path for a patient to proceed. Often the medications need to be altered and there doesn’t seem to be a one size fits all program for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis pain relief can take some time, and it can be difficult for a patient that is in a lot pain to cope. Talk with your physician about how your medications are working and be proactive in your health care.