Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be present in as many as 1 in 100 people. It is a chronic persistent inflammatory arthritis. Mainly the small joints are affected often in a symmetrical pattern. In its earliest stages it is important not to mistake RA for inflammatory small joint osteoarthritis (OA), calcium pyrophosphate arthritis or psoriatic arthritis. Key to diagnosis is the presence of autoantibodies (rheumatoid factor but more specifically, anti-CCP antibodies) and characteristic changes on scans of affected joints (Ultrasound or MRI).

Early diagnosis and treatment is important;
Treatments for RA are very effective. The most effective painkillers are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). These drugs sometimes can cause side effects on the stomach lining and upper gut. Make sure you have discussed the pros and cons of the painkillers in your own case, with your doctor or a rheumatologist;
The main tablet treatments used long-term to treat RA (termed immunosuppressants or synthetic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs [DMARDs]) are methotrexate, leflunomide, hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine. These are often combined for greater effect;
Injection therapies are newer, more potent and some are relatively restricted in their use in The UK NHS. They are anti-TNF-alpha inhibitor biologic drugs (e.g. adalimumab, etanercept (e.g. benepali), golimumab, certolizumab, remicade, remsima etc), abatacept, rituximab, tocilizumab and JAK inhibitors (e.g. baracitinib);
There are standard advice sheets on each of the drugs used to treat RA licensed in The UK at: www.medicines.org.uk. The drug name can be searched on the homepage, then read the relevant PILs document listed there (the SmPC document is technical information written primarily for prescribers)

Links:
The web pages of the UK charity ‘Versus Arthritis’. Lots of excellent information on all aspects of RA: https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/

Patient advocacy organisation in The UK. Resources and support for all people with RA. www.nras.org.uk