Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMedicationsNondrug TreatmentsSurgeryTreatment EffectivenessManaging FlaresTreatment AdvancementsNext in Rheumatoid Arthritis GuideRheumatoid Arthritis: From Beginning Symptoms to Treatment
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View All
Table of Contents
Medications
Nondrug Treatments
Surgery
Treatment Effectiveness
Managing Flares
Treatment Advancements
Next in Rheumatoid Arthritis Guide
Rheumatoidarthritis (RA) treatment includes numerous options, from medications and physical therapy to alternative therapies and lifestyle changes supporting your joints. Seeking early RA treatment is crucial because medications can reduce inflammation, prevent permanent joint damage, and help put the disease in remission.
RA is aninflammatory arthritisthat usually affects multiple joints, often beginning with pain and stiffness in the small joints of your fingers and feet. The disease can also spread from your joints to cause inflammatory conditions throughout your body, making it all the more imperative to get RA treatment at the first sign of symptoms.
ADAM GAULT/SPL Getty
RA Treatment With Medications
Medications are the first line of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis because today’s advanced options reduceinflammation, stopping it from progressing to damage the bones and cause deformities.
Medication optionsare numerous for treating RA. They include over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers, corticosteroids, non-biologic DMARDs, biologic DMARDs, and JAK inhibitors. Your healthcare provider can recommend the best options for managing RA.
OTC Pain Relief
Most healthcare providers recommend nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for reducing RA pain and inflammation. These are sold over the counter (without a prescription) under different brand names, including Advil, Motrin (ibuprofen), and Aleve (naproxen). Tylenol (acetaminophen) can help with mild joint pain but does not reduce inflammation, which is essential for RA.
You can also useOTC topical pain relieversto manage RA pain. These are applied over painful joints and have fewer side effects than oral pain relievers. A few topical RA treatment options include salicylates, NSAIDs, lidocaine, menthol/camphor, capsaicin, and newercannabidiol (CBD)options.
Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for safe and effective use. Inform your healthcare provider if you experience side effects, including skin irritation.
Prescription Pain Relief
Your healthcare provider can prescribe more potent versions of oral OTC pain relievers. They can also prescribe others unavailable over the counter, such asCelebrex (celecoxib) and meloxicam, and prescription-strength topical pain relievers, including Pennsaid (2% diclofenac) andlidocaine patches. A less-potent version of diclofenac, sold under brand names such asVoltaren, is available without a prescription.
Corticosteroids
Corticosteroidslike betamethasone, cortisone, methylprednisolone, and prednisone help reduce inflammation and pain. They are available as oral medicines and injections.
These medicines are typically not recommended for long-term use. Prolonged use can cause side effects, including stomach ulcers, high blood sugar, high blood pressure, mood changes, eye problems, and osteoporosis.
However, your healthcare provider may prescribe low-dose corticosteroids with other RA medications for an extended time if needed to improve your symptoms.
Non-Biologic DMARDs
DMARDsdecrease inflammation and slow down the progression of RA. As a result, you experience fewer symptoms and less damage over time.
Some of the most common non-biologic DMARDs used to treat RA include:
Biologic DMARDs
Biologics, another type of DMARD, target specific molecules that promote inflammation. These drugs work quicker than non-biologic ones and might have fewer side effects.
Biologics are given as injections andinfusion treatments. Biologic DMARD classes include tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and B-cell, T-cell, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) inhibitors.
Some of the most common biologic DMARDs used to treat RA include:
JAK Inhibitors
Your healthcare provider may prescribe aJAK inhibitorwhen non-biologic and biologic DMARDs aren’t helping to manage RA symptoms. These medicines suppress the immune response, preventing inflammation, and stopping joint and tissue damage.
Currently, three JAK inhibitors are available to treat RA. These include:
Managing RA While PregnantIt is possible to continue treating RA during pregnancy. About 50% of pregnant people with RA will experience remission during pregnancy.Only 20% will experience worsening disease activity during pregnancy and will need medication adjustments. RA stays the same in the remaining 30% of pregnant women.Some RA medications should not be taken before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and if breastfeeding.These include:AcetaminophenCorticosteroidsNSAIDsJAK inhibitorsLeflunomideMethotrexateMedications that might be safer for you to take before, during, and after pregnancy include:Some biologics, including some TNF inhibitorsHydroxychloroquineSulfasalazineYour healthcare provider will monitor your RA progression during pregnancy. As symptoms and function improve, your provider will adjust medicines or recommend nondrug options for managing disease symptoms.
Managing RA While Pregnant
It is possible to continue treating RA during pregnancy. About 50% of pregnant people with RA will experience remission during pregnancy.Only 20% will experience worsening disease activity during pregnancy and will need medication adjustments. RA stays the same in the remaining 30% of pregnant women.Some RA medications should not be taken before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and if breastfeeding.These include:AcetaminophenCorticosteroidsNSAIDsJAK inhibitorsLeflunomideMethotrexateMedications that might be safer for you to take before, during, and after pregnancy include:Some biologics, including some TNF inhibitorsHydroxychloroquineSulfasalazineYour healthcare provider will monitor your RA progression during pregnancy. As symptoms and function improve, your provider will adjust medicines or recommend nondrug options for managing disease symptoms.
It is possible to continue treating RA during pregnancy. About 50% of pregnant people with RA will experience remission during pregnancy.Only 20% will experience worsening disease activity during pregnancy and will need medication adjustments. RA stays the same in the remaining 30% of pregnant women.
Some RA medications should not be taken before pregnancy, during pregnancy, and if breastfeeding.
These include:
Medications that might be safer for you to take before, during, and after pregnancy include:
Your healthcare provider will monitor your RA progression during pregnancy. As symptoms and function improve, your provider will adjust medicines or recommend nondrug options for managing disease symptoms.
Nondrug RA Treatment Options
Treating RA with medications is crucial, but to achieve optimal health, drugs are combined with a wide range of therapies to support your joints.
Physical Therapy
According to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), physical therapy is vital to managing RA.Research from the ACR shows people with RA who engage in physical therapy see improvement in pain levels and physical function.
Physical therapy combines exercise, hands-on care, and patient education.A physical therapist can examine you and develop a treatment plan that improves movement, restores function, prevents disability, and manages pain.
Joint Protection
For people with RA, occupational therapy services can include managing daily activities,joint protection, activity pacing,fatigue management, work simplification, splints, orthotics (custom-made shoe inserts), use of assistive devices, stress management, and more.
Assistive devicescan help take the stress off inflamed joints and protect them from injury. For example, orthotics and braces can ease the pain of RA in your feet. If RA spreads to your knees or hips, using a cane or walker reduces stress on the joint and improves mobility.
Many assistive devices are available to help you function when joint movement is limited. You might consider pens, toothbrushes, and cooking utensils that are easier to hold for people or a tool for reaching items on high shelves.
Exercise
Exercise is an integral part of your RA treatment plan and is most effective when done every day. However, you should limit exercise and choose gentle options like water (aquatic) exercises when your RA symptoms flare up. Physical activity includes aerobic, aquatic, and resistance exercise:
Rest
RA is a disease that goes through periods offlare-upsin which symptoms become worse and periods ofremissionin which symptoms improve. Getting plenty of rest when your RA flares up can help reduce joint inflammation and pain, as well as improve fatigue.
Hot and Cold Therapy
Ice packs and heating pads relieve local pain, swelling, and stiffness. Cold therapy can bring down inflammation to reduce pain. Heat therapy increases blood flow to ease joint stiffness and cramping in the muscles around the joints. You can alternate between cold and hot therapy options as needed.
The ACR also recommends heat and cold therapy as medical treatment.Examples of heat and cold therapy in the medical setting includecryotherapy,therapeutic ultrasound,infrared sauna,paraffin therapy, andcold laser therapy.
Diet
A healthy diet helps to protect overall well-being, improves energy, manages weight, keeps the immune system strong, and boosts mental health. While diet alone can’t treat RA, eating a healthy and balanced diet can go a long way in helping you to feel better.
The ACR recommends following ananti-inflammatory dietlike theMediterranean-style diet.This diet promotes eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and olive oil, with moderate amounts of low-fat dairy and fish.
The Mediterranean diet also limits sugars, sodium, processed foods, refined carbs, and saturated fats—allbelieved to increase inflammation.
Stress Management
Many of the RA treatment options included in this list—such as exercise, diet, and complementary and integrative therapies—can help lower stress. Otherstress managementoptions include talking to a friend, taking breaks, and relaxing with a cup of chamomile tea.
Stopping Smoking
Studies have shown that smoking can worsen RA and reduce the effects of medications used to treat the condition.RA is also a risk factor for heart disease, and smoking further increases your risk.
If you are having a hard time quitting, let your healthcare provider know. They can give you information about programs and products to help youstop smoking.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM)
CAM therapies are nontraditional therapies typically used in addition to your RA treatments to better manage your symptoms.
Your CAM options for managing RA might include:
If you want to try CAM oralternative treatmentsto improve your RA symptoms, ask your healthcare provider if they’re safe for you to try. Herbs and supplements can interact with over-the-counter and prescription medications.
Integrative Approach
Integrative medicinedraws from many therapies to provide the diverse treatments needed to ease your pain and help you enjoy an active life while managing RA. Medications, physical therapy, dietary changes, and all the treatments and CAM options mentioned here are part of an integrative approach.
Surgery is a last-resort treatment for RA that has progressed to cause significant joint damage. Your healthcare provider may recommend one of the following:
Tendon repair
Synovectomy
Synovectomyis surgery to remove the inflamed synovial tissues lining the joint. Though this procedure relieves your symptoms, the tissues can regrow. Then, RA can cause inflammation and pain in the new lining.
Arthrodesis (Bone Fusion)
A bone fusion may be a treatment option for the small joints in your fingers.Your surgeon removes the damaged cartilage, reshapes the bones, and inserts pins, screws, or plates to hold the two bones together. As new bone grows, the two fuse into one bone, eliminating the painful joint.
Arthroplasty (Joint Replacement)
RA Treatment Effectiveness
Guidelines for treating RA come from the ACR and get updated every few years.Updates usually occur as new treatments are released, older drugs are reassessed, and new evidence emerges regarding nondrug treatments.
Many medications used to treat RA are potent and can produce side effects, but are used because the evidence suggests that the benefits outweigh the risks.
Each person’s treatment approaches for RA are based on disease severity as the condition progresses throughstages. Disease severity is typically classified as early to moderate, severe, and end-stage.
Early to Moderate RA
In stage 1, orearly RA, you will experience the earliest symptoms of RA, includingmorning stiffnessand pain in the small joints of the hands and feet.Symptoms during this stage are subtle, which may make it harder for a healthcare provider to make a diagnosis.
If you are diagnosed early on and start treating the condition, there is a better chance of disease remission. Treatment options in early RA include NSAIDs, methotrexate, other non-biologic DMARDs, and low-dose steroids.
In stage 2, or moderate RA, inflammation of the joint linings may cause damage, and you will experience pain and limited motion in affected joints.Inflammation may affect other body tissues, especially the skin and eyes.
Most people get a diagnosis during stage 2, and treatment can reduce further damage and get symptoms under control. Your healthcare provider may add a biologic drug or JAK inhibitor to your treatment plan at this stage.
Severe RA
By the time RA progresses to stage 3, it is considered severe. There might be more pain and swelling. Some people may also have muscle weakness, mobility loss, andbone and joint damage.If biologics and JAK inhibitors fail to manage symptoms, your healthcare provider will recommend another biologic or a different class biologic.
Stage 4, or end-stage RA means that affected joints no longer work, and symptoms include severe pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function.Progression to the stage can take years or decades, and with effective treatment, most people never make it to stage 4.
Does RA Progression Affect Life Expectancy?
RA is generally not a fatal condition, but disease progression and complications of the condition might affectlife expectancy. Mortality risk in people with RA can increase over time and seems to peak 20 years after diagnosis.Respiratory conditions and cardiovascular diseases are significant risk factors for premature death.
Fortunately, newer, more aggressive RA treatments have reduced such complications and increased the potential for disease remission, which means people with RA are living longer.
How to Manage RA During Flares
People with RA have periods in which the disease flares up, and inflammation levels and disease activity are high. The most commonsymptoms of a flare-upare severe joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and fatigue. A flare-up can last for a few days, or it can last for weeks or months.
Getting enough rest is important during a flare but you should still try to move your joints. Consider activities that are easy on the joints, such as stretching, walking, and swimming.
Keep stress levels down while recovering. Try massage, warm baths, and OTC oral and topical pain relievers to manage pain and reduce inflammation. If you haven’t already adjusted your diet, a flare is a good time to add anti-inflammatory and eliminate pro-inflammatory foods.
Contact your healthcare provider if your flare-up lasts longer than a few days or worsens. They can prescribe a corticosteroid or other treatments to quickly reduce inflammation and manage symptoms, including pain.
RA Treatment Advancements
RA is a chronic condition without a cure. Fortunately, you have plenty of options for treating it, and therapies for treating RA continue to increase. As researchers develop and improve treatments, your healthcare provider might change your treatment plan to manage your disease better.
Some of thenewest treatment optionsavailable and in testing include:
Talk to your healthcare provider to learn more about the latest available treatment options. They can share all the potential benefits and risks of changes to your treatment plan. They can also recommend lifestyle changes and the best ways to improve your outcomes.
Summary
Treating RA involves an integrated approach combining nondrug and drug options. Non-drug options include physical and occupational therapies, lifestyle changes, and CAM therapies. Drug treatments include anti-inflammatory drugs, pain relievers, non-biologic and biologic DMARDs, corticosteroids, and JAK inhibitors. Surgery is a last resort for treating severe joint damage due to advanced RA.
20 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Rheumatoid arthritis treatment.Bullock J, Rizvi SAA, Saleh AM, et al.Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Brief Overview of the Treatment. Med Princ Pract. 2018;27(6):501-507. doi:10.1159/000493390.Fraenkel L, Bathon JM, England BR, et al.2021 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021;73(7):924-939. doi:10.1002/acr.24596Arthritis Foundation.Topical treatments for arthritis pain.Hua C, Buttgereit F, Combe B.Glucocorticoids in rheumatoid arthritis: current status and future studies.RMD Open. 2020;6(1):e000536. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2017-000536Mysler E, Caubet M, Lizarraga A.Current and emerging DMARDs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Open Access Rheumatol. 2021;13:139-152. doi:10.2147/OARRR.S282627Guo Q, Wang Y, Xu D, Nossent J, Pavlos NJ, Xu J.Rheumatoid arthritis: pathological mechanisms and modern pharmacologic therapies.Bone Res. 2018;6:15. doi:10.1038/s41413-018-0016-9Yoshida Y, Tanaka T.Interleukin 6 and rheumatoid arthritis.Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:698313. doi:10.1155/2014/698313Krause ML, Makol A.Management of rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy: challenges and solutions.Open Access Rheumatol. 2016;8:23-36. doi:10.2147/OARRR.S85340England BR, Smith BJ, Baker NA, et al.2022 American College of Rheumatology guideline for exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional integrative interventions for rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2023;75(8):1299-1311. doi:10.1002/art.42507American Physical Therapy Association.Becoming a physical therapist.Polinski KJ, Bemis EA, Feser M, et al.Perceived stress and inflammatory arthritis: a prospective investigation in the studies of the etiologies of rheumatoid arthritis cohort.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(12):1766-1771. doi:10.1002/acr.24085American Psychological Association.Stress effects on body.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Chamomile.Chang K, Yang SM, Kim SH, Han KH, Park SJ, Shin JI.Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2014;15(12):22279-22295. doi:10.3390/ijms151222279Nagy Z, Szigedi E, Takács S, et al.The Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): A SystematicReview and Meta-Analysis.Life (Basel). 2023 Mar 21;13(3):849. doi:10.3390/life13030849.Arthritis Foundation.Hand surgery for arthritis.Babaahmadi M, Tayebi B, Gholipour NM, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis: the old issue, the new therapeutic approach.Stem Cell Res Ther. 2023;14(1):268. Published 2023 Sep 23. doi:10.1186/s13287-023-03473-7Black RJ, Lester S, Tieu J, et al.Mortality estimates and excess mortality in rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatology (Oxford). 2023;62(11):3576-3583. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kead106Holdsworth EA, Donaghy B, Fox KM, Desai P, Collier DH, Furst DE.Biologic and targeted synthetic DMARD utilization in the United States: Adelphi real world disease specific programme for rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatol Ther. 2021;8(4):1637-1649. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00357-1
20 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Rheumatoid arthritis treatment.Bullock J, Rizvi SAA, Saleh AM, et al.Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Brief Overview of the Treatment. Med Princ Pract. 2018;27(6):501-507. doi:10.1159/000493390.Fraenkel L, Bathon JM, England BR, et al.2021 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021;73(7):924-939. doi:10.1002/acr.24596Arthritis Foundation.Topical treatments for arthritis pain.Hua C, Buttgereit F, Combe B.Glucocorticoids in rheumatoid arthritis: current status and future studies.RMD Open. 2020;6(1):e000536. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2017-000536Mysler E, Caubet M, Lizarraga A.Current and emerging DMARDs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Open Access Rheumatol. 2021;13:139-152. doi:10.2147/OARRR.S282627Guo Q, Wang Y, Xu D, Nossent J, Pavlos NJ, Xu J.Rheumatoid arthritis: pathological mechanisms and modern pharmacologic therapies.Bone Res. 2018;6:15. doi:10.1038/s41413-018-0016-9Yoshida Y, Tanaka T.Interleukin 6 and rheumatoid arthritis.Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:698313. doi:10.1155/2014/698313Krause ML, Makol A.Management of rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy: challenges and solutions.Open Access Rheumatol. 2016;8:23-36. doi:10.2147/OARRR.S85340England BR, Smith BJ, Baker NA, et al.2022 American College of Rheumatology guideline for exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional integrative interventions for rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2023;75(8):1299-1311. doi:10.1002/art.42507American Physical Therapy Association.Becoming a physical therapist.Polinski KJ, Bemis EA, Feser M, et al.Perceived stress and inflammatory arthritis: a prospective investigation in the studies of the etiologies of rheumatoid arthritis cohort.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(12):1766-1771. doi:10.1002/acr.24085American Psychological Association.Stress effects on body.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Chamomile.Chang K, Yang SM, Kim SH, Han KH, Park SJ, Shin JI.Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2014;15(12):22279-22295. doi:10.3390/ijms151222279Nagy Z, Szigedi E, Takács S, et al.The Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): A SystematicReview and Meta-Analysis.Life (Basel). 2023 Mar 21;13(3):849. doi:10.3390/life13030849.Arthritis Foundation.Hand surgery for arthritis.Babaahmadi M, Tayebi B, Gholipour NM, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis: the old issue, the new therapeutic approach.Stem Cell Res Ther. 2023;14(1):268. Published 2023 Sep 23. doi:10.1186/s13287-023-03473-7Black RJ, Lester S, Tieu J, et al.Mortality estimates and excess mortality in rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatology (Oxford). 2023;62(11):3576-3583. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kead106Holdsworth EA, Donaghy B, Fox KM, Desai P, Collier DH, Furst DE.Biologic and targeted synthetic DMARD utilization in the United States: Adelphi real world disease specific programme for rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatol Ther. 2021;8(4):1637-1649. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00357-1
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Rheumatoid arthritis treatment.Bullock J, Rizvi SAA, Saleh AM, et al.Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Brief Overview of the Treatment. Med Princ Pract. 2018;27(6):501-507. doi:10.1159/000493390.Fraenkel L, Bathon JM, England BR, et al.2021 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021;73(7):924-939. doi:10.1002/acr.24596Arthritis Foundation.Topical treatments for arthritis pain.Hua C, Buttgereit F, Combe B.Glucocorticoids in rheumatoid arthritis: current status and future studies.RMD Open. 2020;6(1):e000536. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2017-000536Mysler E, Caubet M, Lizarraga A.Current and emerging DMARDs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Open Access Rheumatol. 2021;13:139-152. doi:10.2147/OARRR.S282627Guo Q, Wang Y, Xu D, Nossent J, Pavlos NJ, Xu J.Rheumatoid arthritis: pathological mechanisms and modern pharmacologic therapies.Bone Res. 2018;6:15. doi:10.1038/s41413-018-0016-9Yoshida Y, Tanaka T.Interleukin 6 and rheumatoid arthritis.Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:698313. doi:10.1155/2014/698313Krause ML, Makol A.Management of rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy: challenges and solutions.Open Access Rheumatol. 2016;8:23-36. doi:10.2147/OARRR.S85340England BR, Smith BJ, Baker NA, et al.2022 American College of Rheumatology guideline for exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional integrative interventions for rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2023;75(8):1299-1311. doi:10.1002/art.42507American Physical Therapy Association.Becoming a physical therapist.Polinski KJ, Bemis EA, Feser M, et al.Perceived stress and inflammatory arthritis: a prospective investigation in the studies of the etiologies of rheumatoid arthritis cohort.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(12):1766-1771. doi:10.1002/acr.24085American Psychological Association.Stress effects on body.Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Chamomile.Chang K, Yang SM, Kim SH, Han KH, Park SJ, Shin JI.Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2014;15(12):22279-22295. doi:10.3390/ijms151222279Nagy Z, Szigedi E, Takács S, et al.The Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): A SystematicReview and Meta-Analysis.Life (Basel). 2023 Mar 21;13(3):849. doi:10.3390/life13030849.Arthritis Foundation.Hand surgery for arthritis.Babaahmadi M, Tayebi B, Gholipour NM, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis: the old issue, the new therapeutic approach.Stem Cell Res Ther. 2023;14(1):268. Published 2023 Sep 23. doi:10.1186/s13287-023-03473-7Black RJ, Lester S, Tieu J, et al.Mortality estimates and excess mortality in rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatology (Oxford). 2023;62(11):3576-3583. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kead106Holdsworth EA, Donaghy B, Fox KM, Desai P, Collier DH, Furst DE.Biologic and targeted synthetic DMARD utilization in the United States: Adelphi real world disease specific programme for rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatol Ther. 2021;8(4):1637-1649. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00357-1
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center.Rheumatoid arthritis treatment.
Bullock J, Rizvi SAA, Saleh AM, et al.Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Brief Overview of the Treatment. Med Princ Pract. 2018;27(6):501-507. doi:10.1159/000493390.
Fraenkel L, Bathon JM, England BR, et al.2021 American College of Rheumatology guideline for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021;73(7):924-939. doi:10.1002/acr.24596
Arthritis Foundation.Topical treatments for arthritis pain.
Hua C, Buttgereit F, Combe B.Glucocorticoids in rheumatoid arthritis: current status and future studies.RMD Open. 2020;6(1):e000536. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2017-000536
Mysler E, Caubet M, Lizarraga A.Current and emerging DMARDs for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.Open Access Rheumatol. 2021;13:139-152. doi:10.2147/OARRR.S282627
Guo Q, Wang Y, Xu D, Nossent J, Pavlos NJ, Xu J.Rheumatoid arthritis: pathological mechanisms and modern pharmacologic therapies.Bone Res. 2018;6:15. doi:10.1038/s41413-018-0016-9
Yoshida Y, Tanaka T.Interleukin 6 and rheumatoid arthritis.Biomed Res Int. 2014;2014:698313. doi:10.1155/2014/698313
Krause ML, Makol A.Management of rheumatoid arthritis during pregnancy: challenges and solutions.Open Access Rheumatol. 2016;8:23-36. doi:10.2147/OARRR.S85340
England BR, Smith BJ, Baker NA, et al.2022 American College of Rheumatology guideline for exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional integrative interventions for rheumatoid arthritis.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2023;75(8):1299-1311. doi:10.1002/art.42507
American Physical Therapy Association.Becoming a physical therapist.
Polinski KJ, Bemis EA, Feser M, et al.Perceived stress and inflammatory arthritis: a prospective investigation in the studies of the etiologies of rheumatoid arthritis cohort.Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(12):1766-1771. doi:10.1002/acr.24085
American Psychological Association.Stress effects on body.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.Chamomile.
Chang K, Yang SM, Kim SH, Han KH, Park SJ, Shin JI.Smoking and rheumatoid arthritis.Int J Mol Sci. 2014;15(12):22279-22295. doi:10.3390/ijms151222279
Nagy Z, Szigedi E, Takács S, et al.The Effectiveness of Psychological Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA): A SystematicReview and Meta-Analysis.Life (Basel). 2023 Mar 21;13(3):849. doi:10.3390/life13030849.
Arthritis Foundation.Hand surgery for arthritis.
Babaahmadi M, Tayebi B, Gholipour NM, et al. Rheumatoid arthritis: the old issue, the new therapeutic approach.Stem Cell Res Ther. 2023;14(1):268. Published 2023 Sep 23. doi:10.1186/s13287-023-03473-7
Black RJ, Lester S, Tieu J, et al.Mortality estimates and excess mortality in rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatology (Oxford). 2023;62(11):3576-3583. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kead106
Holdsworth EA, Donaghy B, Fox KM, Desai P, Collier DH, Furst DE.Biologic and targeted synthetic DMARD utilization in the United States: Adelphi real world disease specific programme for rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatol Ther. 2021;8(4):1637-1649. doi:10.1007/s40744-021-00357-1
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