Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief - What Treatment Options Are Available?

There are several ways to go about rheumatoid arthritis pain relief. Rheumatoid arthritis or RA is a chronic inflammatory auto immune condition; in which the immune system attacks the joints causing pain of varying degrees, loss of mobility and destruction of joints. The resultant inflammation is the cause of joint destruction which can lead to disability. It often affects the small joints of the hands and fingers but also can affect the knees and feet.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs more often in women than men. It is diagnosed through blood tests to single out the rheumatoid factor but it is also diagnosed through observation of certain physical symptoms like morning stiffness, soft tissue swelling, symmetric arthritis and radiological test of joints to detect erosion.

Rheumatoid arthritis is incurable so treatment options are limited to managing the discomforts caused by it and stopping its progression. These two approaches are usually separated by physicians, for example painkillers or analgesics can manage the discomforts but have no effect on the long term management of the condition, so other drug is prescribed for that. Although cortisone therapy, a steroid, has given positive results in many patients its negative effects have not been favorable towards its continued use.

Prescription drugs are also used to manage RA, popularly know as disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or DMARDs. DMARDs work by preventing bone and joint damage from inflammation and to reverse the disease in a durable fashion. A drawback to the use of DMARDs is the toxicity of some of them, which can damage the liver and skin reactions. Some DMARDs include; hydroxychloroquine, leflunomide, mioncycline and sulfasalzine.

Other ways to deal with RA is through analgesics or painkillers like acetaminophen and anti-inflammatory drugs like NSAIDs or (Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs). Aspirin and naproxen are NSAIDs.

Exercise is important for keeping joints mobile and can provide pain relief in a limited way. Swimming is particularly recommended because it does not put further strain on the joints but provides enough movement to exercise the joints.

Others have argued that diet changes can help. Fish and fish oil are proposed for its anti-inflammatory effects. Ginger has also been touted for the same reasons as fish.

Acupuncture has been recommended as a drug free alternative treatment but there is no firm consensus in health departments as to its efficacy so far. But its popularity must point to some possible positive effect.

In acupuncture several tiny needles are inserted into the area to be treated to stimulate them. It is based on traditional Chinese medicine, which proposes that an essential life force runs in our bodies along defined channels and diseases like RA occur when these channels are blocked. Acupuncture is supposed to stimulate and open these channels and heal the patient.

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