Leading-edge Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatments

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that happens when your immune system attacks the lining of your joints, causing pain and swelling. Typically, this type of arthritis affects your smaller joints first, such as your fingers and toes. As the disease progresses, it may spread to larger joints, including the spine. Swelling from rheumatoid arthritis leads to bone wear and joint disfigurement and can also damage your blood vessels, eyes, nerves, heart, lungs, kidneys and skin. 

Although rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis symptoms are the same, the difference between osteoarthritis versus rheumatoid arthritis is the symptoms’ cause. Wear and tear on the joints causes osteoarthritis — not a problem with the immune system. 

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis vary and may come and go. Sometimes symptoms disappear for a period — called remission. And other times, symptoms get worse — called flares or flare-ups. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may include: 

• Appetite loss 
• Back and neck pain 
• Fever 
• Joint stiffness, particularly in the morning or after an extended period of sitting or lying down 
• Swollen, tender joints 
• Tiredness 

Rheumatoid arthritis treatments focus on relieving pain and swelling and preventing swelling-related damage. Your treatment may include medicines, physical therapy and lifestyle changes, like weight loss and avoiding foods that may increase swelling.  

When nonsurgical therapies aren’t enough to relieve your symptoms, our specialists can perform arthritis-related surgeries — including minimally invasive approaches and joint replacement surgery. Our goal is to help you live without pain.