For severe RA or when RA symptoms flare, your doctor may recommend steroids to ease the pain and stiffness of affected joints. In most cases, they can be used temporarily to calm a symptom flare. But some people need to take steroids for a longer time to control pain and inflammation.
You can get steroids as a shot directly into an inflamed joint or take them as a pill. These are not the type of steroids that bulk up your muscles.