Treatments for rheumatoid arthritis can help relieve your pain, reduce swelling, slow down or help prevent joint damage, increase your ability to function, and improve your sense of well-being. Exercise, medication, and, in some cases, surgery are common treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.
Most people who have rheumatoid arthritis take medications. Some drugs only provide relief for pain. Others reduce inflammation. Still others, called disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or DMARDs, can often slow the course of the disease. Early treatment with DMARDs and drug combinations instead of single drugs may help stop the disease from progressing and reduce or prevent joint damage.
People with rheumatoid arthritis can benefit from exercise, but they need to maintain a good balance between rest and exercise. They should get rest when the disease is active and get more exercise when it is not.
In some cases, a doctor will recommend surgery to restore function or relieve pain in a damaged joint. Surgery may also improve a person's ability to perform daily activities. Joint replacement and tendon reconstruction are two types of surgery available to patients with severe joint damage.
Early treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or DMARDs, and drug combinations instead of single drugs may help stop the disease from progressing and reduce or prevent joint damage. For example, combinations of DMARDs such as methotrexate, sulfasalazine, leflumonide, and cyclosporine are one common approach to accomplishing these goals. However, it is important to remember that the treatment approach varies for each individual patient and depends upon the severity of the disease.
