Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common types of inflammatory arthritis. It’s a chronic, long-term disease that progresses over time. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis isn’t known, although experts believe it’s an autoimmune disease that occurs when your immune system begins to attack the joints.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include joint pain, swelling and stiffness. At first, rheumatoid arthritis usually only attacks a few joints, but over time it affects more. Many people experience worse RA pain in the morning or after they’ve been sitting or lying down for awhile. It can also cause fatigue. There is no one blood test or physical finding to confirm a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Your physician may do blood testing, a physical exam and imaging to diagnose you. If you’re diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, your physician will likely refer you to a rheumatologist. Unlike some other types of arthritis, the chronic swelling from rheumatoid arthritis can cause permanent damage to the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is also linked to heart disease.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments
Rheumatoid arthritis treatments include disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics (medications produced from living organisms or components of living organisms). Other medication options include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) and analgesics (painkillers). If you aren’t responding to first-line rheumatoid arthritis therapies, then your rheumatologist may be looking at offering you a second-line therapy. Second-line therapies are a major advance to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and may be pills, injections under the skin or intravenous infusions. In addition to medications for rheumatoid arthritis, canes, crutches and walkers can help people stay mobile. You may also need to make lifestyle changes to manage your condition and reduce your risk of heart disease. Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol. If you smoke, quit – even light smoking is linked to an elevated risk of RA.
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you won’t just be working with a rheumatologist. Your rheumatoid arthritis treatment team may also include:
• A pharmacist to help with medication counselling
• A physiotherapist to help mobilize stiff and painful joints
• A social worker for vocational rehabilitation
• A psychologist, counsellor or psychiatrist for the mental aspects of dealing with rheumatoid arthritis
It’s important to treat RA as early as possible to slow the onset of the disease and maintain a good quality of life. Early treatment also makes the disease more likely to go into remission.
Talk to your rheumatologist if you'd like more information on rheumatoid arthritis.
Visit HealthChoicesFirst.com for more videos and resources on arthritis.
Print this Action Plan and check off items that you want to discuss with your healthcare provider
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Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include joint pain, swelling and stiffness. At first, rheumatoid arthritis usually only attacks a few joints, but over time it affects more.
-
Unlike some other types of arthritis, the chronic swelling from rheumatoid arthritis can cause permanent damage to the joints.
-
Rheumatoid arthritis treatments include disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics (medications produced from living organisms or components of living organisms). Other medication options include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) and analgesics (painkillers).
-
If you aren’t responding to first-line rheumatoid arthritis therapies, then your rheumatologist may be looking at offering you a second-line therapy. Second-line therapies are a major advance to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and may be pills, injections under the skin or intravenous infusions.
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In addition to medications for rheumatoid arthritis, canes, crutches and walkers can help people stay mobile. You may also need to make lifestyle changes to manage your condition and reduce your risk of heart disease.
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Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Information - Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common types of inflammatory arthritis. It’s a chronic, long-term disease that progresses over time. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis isn’t known, although experts believe it’s an autoimmune disease that occurs when your immune system begins to attack the joints.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include joint pain, swelling and stiffness. At first, rheumatoid arthritis usually only attacks a few joints, but over time it affects more. Many people experience worse RA pain in the morning or after they’ve been sitting or lying down for awhile. It can also cause fatigue. There is no one blood test or physical finding to confirm a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Your physician may do blood testing, a physical exam and imaging to diagnose you. If you’re diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, your physician will likely refer you to a rheumatologist. Unlike some other types of arthritis, the chronic swelling from rheumatoid arthritis can cause permanent damage to the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis is also linked to heart disease.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments
Rheumatoid arthritis treatments include disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics (medications produced from living organisms or components of living organisms). Other medication options include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) and analgesics (painkillers). If you aren’t responding to first-line rheumatoid arthritis therapies, then your rheumatologist may be looking at offering you a second-line therapy. Second-line therapies are a major advance to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and may be pills, injections under the skin or intravenous infusions. In addition to medications for rheumatoid arthritis, canes, crutches and walkers can help people stay mobile. You may also need to make lifestyle changes to manage your condition and reduce your risk of heart disease. Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol. If you smoke, quit – even light smoking is linked to an elevated risk of RA.
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you won’t just be working with a rheumatologist. Your rheumatoid arthritis treatment team may also include:
• A pharmacist to help with medication counselling
• A physiotherapist to help mobilize stiff and painful joints
• A social worker for vocational rehabilitation
• A psychologist, counsellor or psychiatrist for the mental aspects of dealing with rheumatoid arthritis
It’s important to treat RA as early as possible to slow the onset of the disease and maintain a good quality of life. Early treatment also makes the disease more likely to go into remission.
Talk to your rheumatologist if you'd like more information on rheumatoid arthritis.
Visit HealthChoicesFirst.com for more videos and resources on arthritis.
Print this Action Plan and check off items that you want to discuss with your healthcare provider
-
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include joint pain, swelling and stiffness. At first, rheumatoid arthritis usually only attacks a few joints, but over time it affects more.
-
Unlike some other types of arthritis, the chronic swelling from rheumatoid arthritis can cause permanent damage to the joints.
-
Rheumatoid arthritis treatments include disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics (medications produced from living organisms or components of living organisms). Other medication options include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) and analgesics (painkillers).
-
If you aren’t responding to first-line rheumatoid arthritis therapies, then your rheumatologist may be looking at offering you a second-line therapy. Second-line therapies are a major advance to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and may be pills, injections under the skin or intravenous infusions.
-
In addition to medications for rheumatoid arthritis, canes, crutches and walkers can help people stay mobile. You may also need to make lifestyle changes to manage your condition and reduce your risk of heart disease.