Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common form of autoimmune arthritis. It is a chronic disease that causes joint pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased movement of the joints. Small joints in the hands and feet are most commonly affected.  Many times patients afflicted with RA report joint stiffness is most common in the morning but gradually improves as the day progresses with gentle joint movement.

Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Fatigue
• Joint pain
• Joint tenderness
• Joint swelling
• Joint redness
• Joint warmth
• Joint stiffness
• Loss of joint range of motion
• Many joints affected (polyarthritis)
• Limping
• Joint deformity
• Both sides of the body affected (symmetric)
• Loss of joint function
• Anemia
• Fever

When to seek care for your RA at IBJI?

If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms, an IBJI Rheumatologist can assist in making the proper diagnosis.  Rheumatoid arthritis often requires a combination of lab work and joint x-rays and ultrasounds to determine your diagnosis.

Treatments

• Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Custom Orthotics,
• Pain Management Therapy
• Medications Including Analgesics, Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen, Corticosteroids, Disease Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs, TNF-alpha inhibitors, Immunotherapy
• Minimally Invasive Arthritis Treatment, Endoscopic Surgery
• Surgery, Synovium Removal (Synovectomy), Total Joint Replacement, Joint Fusion