Are you suffering from rheumatoid arthritis? Depending on what stage you're in, you're probably suffering from discomfort, extreme pain, and everything in between. Rheumatoid arthritis happens when the immune system becomes hyperactive and attacks your body's joints. You then experience joint inflammation and pain. The goal with most treatment plans is to relieve that pain and ultimately get your rheumatoid arthritis into remission. Every person's body will respond differently to various kinds of treatment plans. Just because one drug worked well for one person doesn't necessarily mean that same drug will work for you. Here are three of the most common types of treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers:

Prescription drugs. Almost all treatment plans include some mixture of prescription drugs. These drugs usually include some combination of anti-inflammatories, steroids, immunosuppressants, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. The mixture often depends on how advanced the disease is. If you're in the early stages, your doctor will likely go with more moderate drugs that don't have severe side effects. If you're in advanced stages, your doctor that may decide that intense drugs are worth it despite the side effects. 

Some of the side effects can include weight gain, a reduced immune system, sensitivity to sunlight, digestive issues, and more. There will likely be some trial and error with drugs until you and your doctor find the right combination for you.

Pain relief treatments. Your medication will be the primary treatment for getting the disease into remission. However, there are other treatments you can implement to reduce the pain and swelling. One is simply treating your joints with ice and heat each evening, especially when they are severely swollen. Another effective treatment can be swimming. When you swim, you place less pressure on your joints. The weightless exercise may help loosen the joints and relieve tension.

Other potential helpful therapies could include acupuncture and massage therapy. Of course, this will vary by person. You may want to try a few sessions to see if it helps.

Surgery. This is usually used as a last resort when a joint has deteriorated to the point that it can no longer be used. Joint surgery won't put your disease into remission. However, it could relieve your pain and help make you functional again. Surgery can include tendon repair and bone fusion in less severe cases. In more serious instances, you may need an entire joint replacement. That usually involves a long recovery period. However, it may be worth it if your knees or hips have deteriorated to the point that you can no longer walk.

For more information, contact Arthritis & Rheumatology Associates of South Jersey or a similar location.