Читать книгу Arthritis For Dummies - Barry Fox - Страница 67

Although RA is often a chronic disease, most people respond well to treatment and lead active, productive lives. A few years back, a victim of RA could look forward to a dreary life spent bedridden or in a wheelchair. But today, they have a better prognosis: Only about one in ten patients progresses to the point of disability, and in a full 70 percent of the cases, symptoms are relieved or controlled for long periods of time.

Treatment begins with immunosuppressive medications. Not all people respond to the same medicines, so there may be some trial and error while you and your provider find the treatment that works for you and your RA. Sometimes, surgery is needed for permanent deformity, but the goal is to get RA under control before you get to that point. While RA is considered a chronic, lifelong condition, our current treatments can bring about dramatic improvements in the signs and symptoms of the disease.