The past 20 years have brought many new ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and there are more around the corner. Here's how the face of treatment has changed.
Twenty years ago, your doctor told you to take over-the-counter or prescription drugs to relieve pain and reduce inflammation. You got a corticosteroid shot. The doctor waited to prescribe stronger medicines -- and choices were limited back then -- until your RA got worse. The approach was to treat flares, not the disease itself.
Now, you and your rheumatologist tackle RA head-on -- and early. You’ll take powerful medicine from the start -- prescription drugs that work to stop the disease before it causes major damage. There are several to choose from or combine if the first ones don’t work.