Red and swollen joints are common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The joints become warm to the touch, stiff, swollen and painful. RA can go into remission but flare-ups are a part of the disease. There is no cure for RA, but there are several treatment options available to combat the pain and help slow the progression of joint damage.
Medications
Medications are the front line treatment for red swollen joints seen with RA. Several medications can work in conjunction with each other to treat RA symptoms. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, can relieve mild to moderate pain from red swollen joints. These are best for short-term use. There are prescription strength nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that are a higher dosage and are better for long-term use. Steroids can make RA patients with red swollen joints more comfortable by reducing the inflammation and the pain. Steroids are best used for short-term use during flare-ups due to some of the side effects that can occur with long-term steroid use. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are used to help limit the joint damage in RA, which in turn helps with the red swollen joints. These medications have the best effect when used early in the disease, and they have been shown to actually slow the progression of RA. It can take up to several months, however, before patients feel any benefits from the disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Other drugs that are used in RA to help with red swollen joints are TNF-alpha inhibitors, anakinra, abatacept, and rituximab. All four of these medications work to help reduce inflammation. Reducing the inflammation will help with the red swollen joints.
Surgery
If medications are not helping with the red swollen joints of RA, another option is surgery. Surgery can help with the pain and can also help correct the deformities caused by RA. There are several surgery options available, from total joint replacements to tendon repair and also removal of the joint lining, which is what causes the inflammation and pain.
Self-Care Measures
There are other measures that RA patients can do to help ease the pain and discomfort of red swollen joints. Exercising the joints when they are not tender or inflamed can help strengthen the muscles. Applying heat can help with painful joints for short periods of time. Always use care when applying heating pads to the joints. Applying cold packs to the red swollen joints can help with the pain and with muscle spasms. Alternative therapies are also showing some relief in the symptoms of red swollen joints. These therapies can include certain diet plans and yoga. Acupuncture is showing some marked improvements for patients dealing with red swollen joints on a daily basis. Always check first with your RA physician to make sure these treatments are an acceptable plan of care.
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