Diagnosis
Rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult to diagnose in its early stages because the early signs and symptoms mimic those of many other diseases. There is no one blood test or physical finding to confirm the diagnosis.During the physical exam, your doctor will check your joints for swelling, redness, and warmth. He or she may also check your reflexes and muscle strength.
Treating RA will not cure the disease, but certain treatments can significantly reduce the pain and prevent permanent damage to the body. Depending on the severity of your symptoms, the goals of treatment will be to gain “tight control” of RA, meaning the disease’s activity is kept steadily at a low level. Keeping RA in “tight control” can prevent long-term joint damage.
These goals primarily focus on:
- Reducing inflammation
- Preventing further or permanent damage
- Improving the quality of life
- Reducing daily and long-term side effects
There are many ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis, and a doctor or rheumatologist can help determine which methods are best for each patient’s individual needs.
Medications for RA Treatment
Doctors prescribe medications to reduce inflammation and to soothe joint torment brought about by RA. The medications of Pain Management in NYC used to treat RA regularly accompany serious side effects, so doctors ordinarily begin by recommending lower dosages. The treatment regimen is most beneficial to RA patients who are in the early stages of the ailment in light of the fact that amid this time the manifestations are still generally inconspicuous.Those with cutting edge stages of RA need increasingly aggressive treatment to reduce inflammation, the time among intensifications and different effects related to the condition. This may frequently require more grounded medications to be prescribed. Unfortunately, these medications regularly accompany progressively dangerous side effects.