Rheumatoid Arthritis Information
Medications for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Psoriatic Arthritis Information
Medications for Psoriatic Arthritis
Fibromyalgia Information
Medications for Fibromyalgia
Osteoarthritis Information
Medications for Osteoarthritis
Spondylitis Information
Medications for Spondylitis
Polymyalgia Rheumatica Information
Medications for Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Lupus Information
Medications for Lupus
General Arthritis
Is my hand pain from arthritis?
Arthritis pain can affect many different joints. Hands, wrists, ankles, feet, and knees are joints that are often affected by arthritis. However, almost any joint in the body can develop arthritis. Other symptoms that suggest that joint pain is from arthritis are warmth and swelling around the joint. Most pain from arthritis lasts more than just seconds to minutes; it might last for a few days to weeks.
https://creakyjoints.org/symptoms/arthritis-in-hands/
If I have arthritis, can my healthcare provider help me?
An accurate diagnosis of why you might have joint pain is very helpful. There are many forms of arthritis; having an accurate diagnosis allows for more specific and effective treatment. It also can help one understand the future progression of the arthritis pain and whether other joints may become affected.
Can I prevent arthritis?
Some forms of arthritis can be prevented. Wear and tear degenerative arthritis, also known as osteoarthritis, can be prevented by reducing body weight and lessening trauma on joints. Injuries to the joint can also cause degenerative arthritis. However, genetics and other factors also contribute to degenerative arthritis. So, while some types of arthritis are preventable, others may not be.
What are symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?
Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, also known as RA, include joint pain, swelling, warm or hot joints, and joint stiffness. These symptoms can affect many joints in the body including your fingers, knuckles, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and toes. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause fatigue, muscle aches, poor appetite, fever and depression.
When to seek medical care for arthritis?
A diagnosis of arthritis is based on the characteristics of the joint pain, including swelling, warmth around joints, and joint stiffness. Inflamed joints might include fingers, knuckles, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles and toes. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it is important to seek out medical care, especially if these symptoms are leading to difficulty with moving or performing daily activities. Talking to your primary care doctor is usually the place to start. They may refer you to an arthritis specialist such as a rheumatologist or orthopedic surgeon. There are some blood tests that can be very helpful for determining if pain is from arthritis and what type of arthritis. X-rays can also detect joint damage and are often ordered at a visit.
Are there home remedies for arthritis?
There are several treatments you can start at home to lessen the symptoms of many forms of arthritis. Over-the-counter drugs, such as ibuprofen, can help decrease inflammation. If you use a blood thinner, such as coumadin, or have a heart condition, you should not use ibuprofen. Warm showers or baths in the mornings to relieve stiffness and heating pads can help with swollen and stiff joints.
Should I take over the counter NSAIDs, such as Motrin, Advil, Ibuprofen, Aleve, or Naproxen, if I think I have arthritis?
Anti-inflammatory medicines, such as ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve), are commonly used medicines for arthritis pain. Ibuprofen is one type of anti-inflammatory drug that also helps reduce pain and swelling. There are many other anti-inflammatory medicines, most are pills and some are creams. They can be quite useful for arthritis and are often available over-the-counter or prescribed by providers to help reduce the pain and swelling associated with arthritis. If you use blood thinners, such as coumadin, or have a heart condition, you need to consult your doctor before using one of these medicines.
What are side effects of ant-inflammatory drugs?
Anti-inflammatory drugs can cause bleeding ulcers of the stomach and the intestine. They have also been associated with heart attacks, strokes, and kidney problems. Taking them for a few days is usually safe, but it’s always wise to discuss these medicines with your own healthcare provider, especially if you have known heart disease or kidney disease or take blood thinners.
Lifestyle, Exercise and Diet
Is there a specific diet for arthritis?
While there is no specific diet to help patients with rheumatoid arthritis, an anti-inflammatory diet may help. Research has shown that a Mediterranean-based diet of fish, olive oil, fruits and vegetables may reduce inflammation. However, almost all people with rheumatoid arthritis also need to take medications to reduce inflammation. Arthritis is a condition that has many types. A few types of arthritis have clear evidence that diet can prevent attacks and reduce symptoms. Many forms of arthritis have no evidence regarding preferred diets. However, there are some good suggestions to follow for several types of arthritis. Arthritis that’s related to inflammation may be helped by diets that are anti-inflammatory in nature. Some foods that might reduce inflammation include: fish, such as salmon and tuna; fruits and vegetables, such as blueberries, blackberries, cherries, strawberries, spinach, kale and broccoli; nuts, such as walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios and almonds; beans, such as pinto, black, garbanzo and red kidney; and lastly, olive oils. Some people find that reducing intake of eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes might reduce inflammation. Cutting salt intake and consumption of processed foods (lunch meats) is also worth considering.
What exercises should I do for my arthritis?
Some types of exercise may help improve your day-to-day functioning. Low-impact exercises are best for your joints such as stretching, walking, riding a bike, and yoga. Also, strengthening the muscles around the joints with weight-bearing exercises can be helpful. However, it is true that certain types of exercise and movement may be painful and difficult for some patients with arthritis. It is always useful to review your exercise program with a trained physical therapist or rehabilitation expert to make sure your exercises are right for you.
Can I drink alcohol if I have arthritis?
Talk to your provider about drinking alcohol with your rheumatoid arthritis therapies. For certain rheumatoid arthritis medications, such as Methotrexate, alcohol use increases your risk of liver damage. One should never drink heavily, defined as more than 2 drinks per day. However, there is some evidence that 1-2 drinks per day reduces inflammation and the risk of a common inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis. On the other hand, drinking any alcohol can bring on an attack of gout. Alcohol use and arthritis is complex and requires discussion with your arthritis provider.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Information
Does weather affect my RA?
Although the evidence is still unclear, aspects of weather are believed to affect joint pain and stiffness. Barometric pressures, large temperature changes and humidity are said to play a role in joint flare-ups in some patients. Specifically, drops in barometric, or atmospheric, pressures and increases in humidity resulting in cold, rainy weather are believed to affect joints the most according to surveys distributed in studies.
What are common triggers for RA flares?
Triggers vary from person to person however, there are some predicable triggers for flare ups such as overexertion, poor sleep, stress and infections like the flu. Other triggers may include certain diets, weather changes and unpredictable flares with no cause, but this depends on each individual.
Opioids
What is it/How does it work?
Opioids are a part of the analgesics drug class which block the production of chemical messengers that send pain signals in the body. The main outcome is to relieve severe pain that some experience with RA. While opioids can be very effective in relieving pain, there is a greater risk of side effects and addiction than with acetaminophen (Tylenol) or NSAIDs (Motrin). Examples of opioids include Percocet, Vicodin, oxycodone, codeine, and tramadol.
What are the side effects?
While side effects vary by medication and dosage, some common side effects of opioids include constipation, nausea, vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal pain, drowsiness, lightheadedness, extreme sleepiness, lack of energy, dry mouth, headache, itching, rash, sweating, nervousness, and impaired physical and mental abilities. Opioids also become addictive for many patients.
Biosimilars
What are biosimilars?
The Food and Drug Administration has started approving a new type of drug called biosimilars. Like their namesake, this class of drugs is highly similar to biological medications used to treat autoimmune forms of arthritis. Biosimilars are very similar to the original biologic DMARDs. At least six biosimilars have been approved by the FDA and your drug insurance may ask you to switch to such a biosimilar. Speak with your arthritis expert about these treatments.
Vaccinations
Should I get vaccinated if I am considering taking a biologic treatment?
Vaccines help prevent infections and they are in important way of reducing side effects from all treatments from rheumatoid arthritis. All patients with rheumatoid arthritis should discuss appropriate vaccination with their primary care doctor or arthritis expert. Biologic treatments should be preceded by a careful review of the patient’s vaccine history, updating all relevant vaccinations. Most vaccinations are safe while using a biologic treatment. However, live vaccines should not be given while using a biologic treatment. Luckily, almost all vaccines given routinely are killed vaccines.
What types of vaccinations should I get?
The flu shot is recommended for anyone over the age of six months, especially for those with chronic diseases. Patients with RA should take the shot and avoid the nasal flu vaccine as it contains the live virus which could make RA patients sick with a comprised immune system. COVID-19 vaccines are safe and recommended inpatients with RA. Some patients with RA taking DMARDs or steroids may not receive the same level of immunity after a COVID-19 vaccine. Another vaccination recommended is the Herpes Zoster/Shingles vaccine, which protects against a painful infection caused by the chicken pox virus. This vaccine is recommended for anyone age 50 and older. There are two available vaccinations called Zostavax and Shingrix. While Zostavax is commonly used for those with inflammatory arthritis, please talk with your doctor about getting a shingles vaccination and which available vaccine is right for you. The pneumococcal vaccine protects against a serious infection that cases pneumonia, meningitis and bloodstream infection known as sepsis. This vaccination is recommended for anyone age 65 and older, and patients who are younger than 65 with a comprised immune system should also consult with their doctor about receiving this vaccine. The whooping cough, or pertussis, vaccine protects against a respiratory infection that is severe in older adults and can be fatal in infants. Those ages 19 or older who have not received a Tdap booster which protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, should talk to their doctor about getting this vaccine.
Antibiotics
Is it safe for me to take antibiotics while taking medications for RA?
Because a side effect of many RA medications is an increased risk of infections, there may be a time when antibiotics are prescribed to treat an infection. Patients taking any DMARD should confirm with their arthritis specialist whether or not they should temporarily stop their RA medication while taking an antibiotic course. Harmful interactions could occur with penicillin-based antibiotics and methotrexate being taken together. Antibiotics may cause the kidney’s ability to remove methotrexate from the body to decrease resulting in higher levels of methotrexate in the body, which can cause harmful side-effects.
Steroids/Prednisone
Should I be worried about taking steroids?
Steroids (prednisone, Medrol) are an effective way of reducing inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. The steroids used for rheumatoid arthritis are very different than steroids that some athletes might take. Steroids for rheumatoid arthritis reduce inflammation and have been used for over 60 years. They work quickly and are often used at the outset of rheumatoid arthritis treatment, giving patients quick improvement in symptoms. They are also often used when patients are having a rheumatoid arthritis flare or attack. Flares are characterized by several days to weeks of pain and stiffness in the joints. Frequently, providers suggest a brief course of steroids during such flares. Common names for steroids are prednisone and prednisolone.
What are the side effects of steroids?
Steroids have a wide range of potential side effects and are thus recommended to be used briefly and at the lowest dose possible. Common side effects that occur early in their use include anxiety, inability to sleep, an increase in hunger, an elevation in blood sugar in patients with diabetes or prediabetes, and occasionally an elevation in blood pressure. These are all side effects that can be managed and are usually short-lived while taking steroids. When steroids are used for longer periods, other side effects can develop. The side effects may develop after weeks or months or even years of steroid use. These side effects include an increased risk of infection, such as shingles, and increased risk of heart attacks and strokes. Cataracts can also occur, as well as thinning of the skin with easy bruising. Another important side effect to be aware of is the risk of osteoporosis and associated fractures. Steroids can reduce bone strength early in the course of treatment. All patients taking steroids need to discuss getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D either in their diet or with supplements. Patients who remain on moderate dosages of steroids, such as prednisone above 5 mg, for several months need to consider the use of preventative medications for osteoporosis.