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Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief and Long Term Treatment

May 26th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

Pain probably has become a daily companion when you have a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and there seems to be little which you can do to relief the rheumatoid arthritis pain. And the notation that rheumatoid arthritis has no cure does not make it better. Still there are certain steps you can take to reduce the amount of pain caused by RA.

Treatment for the condition hinges on two factors: immediate pain relief to make the sufferer more comfortable right now and long-term treatment that will reduce the amount of future joint damage.

Immediate treatment involves rheumatoid arthritis pain relief. One type of medication which can be used for rheumatoid arthritis pain relief is the family of NSAID drugs. These medications help with not only pain relief, but inflammation as well. Since inflammation is a main symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, this can be a huge benefit.

Although many NSAIDs are available by prescription only, there are several over-the-counter varieties to try. Aspirin and ibuprofen are commonly used for rheumatoid arthritis pain relief, although you should be very careful when taking a prescription NSAID drug; taking more than one NSAID at a time can cause heartburn and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Other pain relievers referred to as Cox-2 inhibitors were popular in North America for a while, but have recently been linked to some very negative side effects, including heart problems. Whether or not to use this type of drug for rheumatoid arthritis pain relief is a decision that you and your doctor will have to make together.

A drug that can help to relieve the severe inflammation that can occur in the joints is corticosteroid. This type of drug is not a pain reliever; it helps of a person suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Stay active and reduce the long term effects

It may sound counterintuitive, but one of the best methods of rheumatoid arthritis pain relief is regular exercise. Staying active and moving around keeps your joints healthy and your muscles strong.

Of course, rheumatoid arthritis pain relief is not the only part of the treatment for this disorder. Also very important is to increase your long-term health and try to reduce the effects of rheumatoid arthritis this is also a component in the treatment of RA patients. There are some medications that can help called DMARDs, which help to stop the body’s immune system from attacking the joints. These can only be obtained through a prescription and may potentially cause harmful side effects.

There are also rheumatoid arthritis pain relief and long-term solutions in the alternative health corner, and you should certainly give those a try. You can discuss and developer a treatment that will work for you. If you want to use alternative treatment you need a rheumatologist that can advise you about this to.