I Want To Know: What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Continued From << What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis

Corticosteroids. This particular medication works in healing rheumatoid arthritis by slowing joint damage and reducing pain and inflammation. Many people report dramatic results when taking corticosteroids but its effectiveness are undermined by possible side effects like weight gain, thinning bones, and bruising. In most cases, corticosteroids are also prescribed by doctors for worse cases of rheumatoid arthritis.

Disease-Modifying AntiRheumatic Drugs (DMARDS). As mentioned earlier on, rheumatoid arthritis has a debilitating effect on joints and other affected areas but damage can be reduced by taking medications like DMARDs. It’s best that DMARDs are taken as early as possible to ensure that joints and bones are saved from permanent harm.

DMARDs focus on directly healing the disease itself instead of treating only its symptoms. These are generally taken together with corticosteroids or NSAIDs.

Immunosuppressants. One possible cause of rheumatoid arthritis is when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues. Assuming this is correct, immunosuppressants are used to destroy cells linked to arthritis and which may have caused the immune system to react that way. As you could be immune to the drug’s effects after repeated and continued use, doctors will only prescribe this when necessary.

Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist (IL-1 Ra). The first time this drug was used to treat rheumatoid arthritis was when patients no longer appeared to respond positively to DMARD therapy. This works in eliminating Interluekin-1, a cell protein that promotes joint inflammation and which may cause your condition to worsen.

Like other medications, however, IL-1 Ra is not without its share of side effects such as headaches, lower white blood cell counts, and increased frequency of having respiratory infections.

Sidebar: The next article in this series is on what causes rheumatoid arthritis.

Rituximab. B cells, like IL-1, may also be responsible for the inflammation of your joints and this medication specifically works in eliminating these cells to reduce inflammation and consequently joint damage. People who take Rituximab are vulnerable to side effects like heart and breathing problems and flu-like symptoms.

Joint Replacement Surgery. Lastly, there’s always surgery when rheumatoid has progressed far enough to render medications useless. Affected or impaired joints are either replaced or joined with plastic or metal prosthesis.

While having rheumatoid arthritis sounds bad, these treatments can possibly save your life and guarantee continued use of your limbs as long as you take immediate action.

What is rheumatoid arthritis? We hope that after you have read this two-section article, you would at least have a part of the answer.