Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs))
Medicines called steroids (see "Steroid medicines")Medicines called "disease modifying antirheumatic drugs " also known as "DMARDs " (see "Disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)")
People who have severe pain that does not get better with the medicines listed above sometimes get narcotic pain medicines, but that is not usually necessary. (See "Narcotic pain medicines".)
Is there anything I can do on my own to feel better? " Yes. It is very important that you stay active. You may want to avoid being active because you are in pain. But that can make things worse. It will make your muscles weak and your joints stiffer than they already are. A physical therapist can help you figure out which exercises will do the most good. An occupational therapist can help you figure out how to keep doing the everyday tasks you need to do " even with arthritis.
Another thing you can do to on your own is to eat a healthy diet. People with rheumatoid arthritis are at risk for heart disease, so avoid fatty foods. Instead, eats lots of fruits and vegetables.
What if I want to get pregnant? " If you want to get pregnant, talk to your doctor or nurse about it before you start trying. Some of the medicines used to treat rheumatoid arthritis are not safe for a baby, so you may need to switch medicines before you get pregnant. Plus, there are things you should do to help prevent problems during the pregnancy. The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis often get a lot better during pregnancy. But they can get worse again after the baby is born.
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete.
This topic retrieved from UpToDate on: Nov 04, 2014.
Topic 15445 Version 7.0
Release: 22.8 - C22.208
© 2014 UpToDate, Inc. All rights reserved.
picture 1
Rheumatoid arthritis in the hands
These photos show the hands of a 40-year-old woman who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as a child.
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Rheumatoid arthritis in the hands
These photos show the hands of a 40-year-old woman who was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis as a child.
Graphic 70434 Version 6.0
View Original
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