Rheumatoid arthritis or RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that is characterized by the swelling or inflammation of the joints or severe pain in the joints. Patients can also experience stiffness in their joints and difficulty in movement. There are various factors that lead to an increase in the pain, but the exact cause behind the disease is still unknown. With early detection, one can go through different treatment procedures to reduce the symptoms as there is no cure for this disease.
Treatment to control the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
As rheumatoid arthritis cannot be cured entirely, there are various treatment methods that will help one in controlling or reducing the symptoms.
Medication: There are various forms of medication available to treat RA. They are:
- NSAIDs: Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs or NSAIDs helps in reducing joint pain or inflammation, but they do not help in slowing down the progress of this disease. It is advisable to follow the prescribed doses of such drugs as they are available in both higher doses for long-term results as well as lower doses throughout the day. One should also be aware that these drugs can lead to side effects like stomach irritation, heart attack, and stroke.
- DMARDs: Disease-Modifying Anti Rheumatic drugs or DMARDs helps in slowing down the disease and prevent them from causing further damage to the joints. They are extremely effective in treating severe RA, but these can also lead to side effects like infections.
- Biologics: In cases when DMARDs are unable to stop joint inflammation, these genetically engineered proteins are used to slow down the progress of RA. Their main function is to block certain parts of the immune system that play an important role in RA. However, since these proteins block parts of the immune system, they may lead to severe infections.
- Steroids: Steroids are used to relieve pain and reduce the inflammation of joints in the case of severe RA.
Surgery: If severe joint pain and swelling harms the joints, sometimes doctors suggest joint replacement as a form of treatment. The hips, knees, or shoulder joints are usually replaced to improve the patient’s mobility. However, as artificial joints tend to wear down after a certain time, patients generally wait until they reach a certain age to go through such replacement surgeries.
Natural treatment: Various forms of natural treatments are also considered to treat rheumatoid arthritis:
- Heat and cold: Heat compresses helps in muscle relaxing and stimulating blood flow, while ice packs are quite effective in reducing the swelling of joints.
- Acupuncture: Acupuncture is an effective way to improve the flexibility of joints.
- Mind or body therapy: These kinds of therapies include breathing exercises, meditation, and the relaxation of the muscles of the entire body, along with stress management to help in coping with pain.
- Nutritional supplements: Continuous consumption of omega-3 fatty acids or fish oil can reduce joint inflammation after a certain period of time.
Regular exercises, maintaining a healthy diet, and medication along with staying positive can help one in treating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
