DOES RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS HAVE A CURE?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes joint pain, stiffness,  and fatigue that can be very painful and limiting.  It can become difficult to get through even simple activities through the day.  In the past, RA was a devastating diagnosis because there were limited treatment options, and no cure.  Although pain medications were used to relieve symptoms, RA would often progress over the years, leading to recurring pain and crippling deformities in the joints.

These days, the majority of patients with RA can improve because of new medications and treatment strategies that can intervene to slow or stop the disease process and save the joints.  The goal is now to prescribe new classes of medications designed to make the disease inactive.  Although there is no cure for RA, these medications can control the immune system and keep the joints healthy.  Medications are then monitored closely for effectiveness in pain relief and reduction of inflammation.  Adjustments are made at regular intervals by adding or changing medications, until a regimen works to push RA into remission. 

In reality, RA is a chronic disease with no cure that varies from mild to severe for each individual person.  When diagnosed, many people are fearful or overwhelmed by their uncontrolled symptoms.  But you should have faith that your healthcare team will work to adjust your medications and reduce your risk factors to get your immune system under control.  Your goal should be to get your symptoms to a state of remission, where your symptoms are manageable or resolved.  With proper medical surveillance, people with RA can remain physically active with healthy joints.  In the meantime, patients who engage in healthy lifestyle measures to remove risk factors will empower themselves to further take control of the disease. Therefore, anyone with new or persistent RA symptoms should expect to improve, and your goal should always be to strive to get and keep the disease process under control.  Once you have been successfully diagnosed, you have already taken one step in the right direction!