Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Because rheumatoid arthritis presents itself in many different ways, treatment must be tailored to the individual, taking into account the severity of the person's arthritis, other medical conditions a person may have, and their individual lifestyle. Current treatment methods focus on relieving pain, reducing inflammation, stopping or slowing joint damage, and improving a person's functioning and sense of well-being.

Follow the links below to find information about the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Reviewed November 2009

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Related HealthInsite Topics

Systematic Reviews of Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis
HealthInsite Topic Page
Links to systematic reviews of the evidence for the effectiveness of treatments for rheumatoid arthritis

17 Resources Found
Results 1 to 17 displayed.

Title:   Clinical guidelines for musculoskeletal diseases
Publisher:   Royal Australasian College of General Practitioners (RACGP)
Description:   Contents: Clinical practice guidelines for the non-surgical management of hip and knee osteoarthritis; clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of early rheumatoid arthritis; clinical guidelines for the diagnosis and management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Date:   Aug 2009

Title:   Juvenile arthritis in Australia
Publisher:   Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
Description:   Juvenile arthritis is one of the common chronic diseases affecting Australian children. The disease contributes significantly to ill health, affecting growth and skeletal maturity of children. The life course of the disease entails a variety of complications, activity limitations and need for regular support and care.
Date:   Oct 2008

Title:   Pain relief for children
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Paracetamol, ibuprofen and codeine are the most commonly used medicines for treating pain in children. Aspirin is no longer recommended for children under the age of 12.
Date:   Jun 2008

Title:   Paediatric analgesia
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   In Australia, the main analgesic medications used in children in an ambulatory setting are paracetamol, ibuprofen and codeine. There has been significant debate in the literature recently as to which of these is the safest and most effective drug to use in children.
Date:   Jun 2008

Title:   Arthritis
Publisher:   The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health
Description:   Arthritis literally means 'inflammation of the joint'. There are approximately 150 conditions that can be classified as arthritis. The most common symptoms are pain, swelling and stiffness in one or more joints, and fatigue. Three of the most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout.
Date:   Sep 2007

Title:   Exercise Therapy for Arthritis
Publisher:   HealthInsite Topic Page
Description:   Links to information on exercise as therapy for arthritis
Date:   Jan 2007

Title:   Antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptides: how they assist in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   New assays for antibodies against artificially generated cyclic citrullinated peptides are of importance in the assessment of patients with suspected rheumatoid arthritis, especially during the early stages of the disease.
Date:   Dec 2006

Title:   Monoclonal antibody therapy for non-malignant disease
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Advances in technology have enabled monoclonal antibodies to be produced which bind to specific antigens associated with disease processes. By targeting these antigens the antibodies can destroy or alter the function of cells which express the target.
Date:   Oct 2006

Title:   Coxibs and arthritis pain and inflammation - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   A class of drugs called COX-2 inhibitors, or coxibs, have been designed to help relieve pain and inflammation in osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Date:   May 2005

Title:   Rheumatoid arthritis: prescription medications - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   A wide variety of prescription medications are available for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. This information will help you to understand your treatment options.
Date:   May 2005

Title:   Remicade for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   Remicade is the Australian brand name for a drug called infliximab which has been found useful for treating rheumatoid arthritis in adults.
Date:   Nov 2004

Title:   Rheumatoid arthritis (Comments for Consumers)
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Severe rheumatoid arthritis sometimes needs treatment which alters the immune system. This reduces inflammation in the joints. Genetic engineering is making new products to reduce inflammation. Adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab are three of these products.
Date:   Apr 2004

Title:   Tumour necrosis factor alpha inhibitors for the treatment of adult rheumatoid arthritis
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   The last decade has seen a substantial shift in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. It has moved from symptom control to 'designer' therapies, based on the known pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, which alleviate symptoms and retard joint destruction. Three examples of these new therapies are adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab.
Date:   Apr 2004

Title:   Disease modifying drugs in rheumatoid arthritis (Comment for Consumers)
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Rheumatoid arthritis is a common disease which causes inflammation of the joints. To slow down the damage to the joints, patients are given medicine to reduce the inflammation. It is not possible to say which medicine will be best for which patient. Some people need to take more than one medicine.
Date:   Apr 2003

Title:   Disease modifying drugs in adult rheumatoid arthritis
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Effective treatment of rheumatoid arthritis now involves starting disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs at the time of diagnosis. This aims to slow development of the irreversible joint damage that leads to long-term disability.
Date:   Apr 2003

Title:   Rheumatoid arthritis: see a specialist early - myDr.com.au
Publisher:   myDr
Description:   A global plan is set to streamline the process between GPs and rheumatologists.
Date:   Jun 2001

Title:   The changing treatment of arthritis
Publisher:   Australian Prescriber
Description:   Arthritis falls into two very broad categories, which are not mutually exclusive. The most common is osteoarthritis. The other broad category contains inflammatory arthropathies, of which rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are the most common examples.
Date:   Jan 2000
Results 1 to 17 displayed.