How to Avoid Rheumatoid Arthritis Remission Relapses
Get ongoing care., Consult your doctor at the earliest sign of an arthritic flareup or relapse., Stick to your medication., Switch to an alternate RA medication., Get surgery.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Get ongoing care.
Each time you report to the doctor for a checkup regarding your RA, schedule a followup appointment.
Getting ongoing, regular medical care is the key to ensuring that you can reduce inflammation and improve your symptoms.
It will also help prevent you from developing complications like joint or organ damage or osteoporosis, a condition in which the bones grow weak and fragile.To better understand the state of your RA, your doctor might issue you a questionnaire or survey to catalog and track your objective experience.
Provide as much data as possible to your doctor so that they can make the most informed choice and provide you with the best care.
Be specific when describing your RA.
For instance, if you have a flareup, don’t just say, “I had some pain recently.” Instead, provide specifics about where you were and what you were doing when you experienced the flareup.
You might say, for instance, “When I woke up last Wednesday, I had intense pain in my left knee, but as the day went on, it dissipated.” -
Step 2: Consult your doctor at the earliest sign of an arthritic flareup or relapse.
Only your doctor will be able to determine if you need to change medications, increase your dosage, or take other corrective action to avoid relapse.
The faster you and your doctor react to any potential relapse, the faster you’ll be able to get your condition back under control., Medication for RA is often your first line of defense against it.
If you stop taking your rheumatoid arthritis medication, your symptoms could return.Always follow your doctor’s prescription when using medication to keep your rheumatoid arthritis at bay.If you have side effects from your medication that discourages you from taking it, talk to your doctor before quitting your medication outright.
Your doctor might be able to adjust your dosage or provide an alternative medicine.
Doing otherwise could put you at risk for relapse.
Don’t assume that just because your symptoms are gone you can quit your medication. , Certain RA medications known as biologic drugs (or biologics) lose their efficacy over a long period of time.
This occurs when your body develops antibodies against the compounds in the biologic drugs that help you fight RA.
If you begin to relapse, your doctor will check for antibodies against the biologics and change your medication if necessary.If your relapse is due to antibody development, you might need to supplement your biologic with a different biologic, or with a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) like methotrexate or azathioprine.
Doing so could reduce your risk of developing antibodies. , In some cases, surgery might relieve your pain and increase your joint’s function.
The surgery you get depends on the location and severity of your RA.
Your doctor will determine if surgery is possible given your overall health and medical history.Surgery should be seen as a last resort to manage your RA.
It may be necessary for those who have progressive conditions, which means that their condition is consistently worsening over time.
Discuss potential complications and outcomes from surgery with your doctor before getting any procedure. -
Step 3: Stick to your medication.
-
Step 4: Switch to an alternate RA medication.
-
Step 5: Get surgery.
Detailed Guide
Each time you report to the doctor for a checkup regarding your RA, schedule a followup appointment.
Getting ongoing, regular medical care is the key to ensuring that you can reduce inflammation and improve your symptoms.
It will also help prevent you from developing complications like joint or organ damage or osteoporosis, a condition in which the bones grow weak and fragile.To better understand the state of your RA, your doctor might issue you a questionnaire or survey to catalog and track your objective experience.
Provide as much data as possible to your doctor so that they can make the most informed choice and provide you with the best care.
Be specific when describing your RA.
For instance, if you have a flareup, don’t just say, “I had some pain recently.” Instead, provide specifics about where you were and what you were doing when you experienced the flareup.
You might say, for instance, “When I woke up last Wednesday, I had intense pain in my left knee, but as the day went on, it dissipated.”
Only your doctor will be able to determine if you need to change medications, increase your dosage, or take other corrective action to avoid relapse.
The faster you and your doctor react to any potential relapse, the faster you’ll be able to get your condition back under control., Medication for RA is often your first line of defense against it.
If you stop taking your rheumatoid arthritis medication, your symptoms could return.Always follow your doctor’s prescription when using medication to keep your rheumatoid arthritis at bay.If you have side effects from your medication that discourages you from taking it, talk to your doctor before quitting your medication outright.
Your doctor might be able to adjust your dosage or provide an alternative medicine.
Doing otherwise could put you at risk for relapse.
Don’t assume that just because your symptoms are gone you can quit your medication. , Certain RA medications known as biologic drugs (or biologics) lose their efficacy over a long period of time.
This occurs when your body develops antibodies against the compounds in the biologic drugs that help you fight RA.
If you begin to relapse, your doctor will check for antibodies against the biologics and change your medication if necessary.If your relapse is due to antibody development, you might need to supplement your biologic with a different biologic, or with a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) like methotrexate or azathioprine.
Doing so could reduce your risk of developing antibodies. , In some cases, surgery might relieve your pain and increase your joint’s function.
The surgery you get depends on the location and severity of your RA.
Your doctor will determine if surgery is possible given your overall health and medical history.Surgery should be seen as a last resort to manage your RA.
It may be necessary for those who have progressive conditions, which means that their condition is consistently worsening over time.
Discuss potential complications and outcomes from surgery with your doctor before getting any procedure.
About the Author
Angela Martinez
Brings years of experience writing about lifestyle and related subjects.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: