The Basics of Autoimmune Arthritis

The treatment usually consists of four groups of medications:-

1. NSAIDs
   Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can relieve pain and reduce inflammation but only temporarily.
2. Steroids
   Corticosteroid medications reduces inflammation and pain and slows down joint damage. Its function is similar to a pain killer but probably with less short-term side effects.
3. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
   These drugs can slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis and save the joints and other tissues from permanent damage.
4. Biological agents

These drugs can target parts of the immune system that trigger inflammation causing joint and tissue damage. However, these types of drugs also increases the risk of infections, hence we reserve these drug for patients who fail conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs or have very aggressive RA.