What If I Still Hurt? with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Sometimes you might still have pain after using your medicine. Here are some things to try:

• Take a warm shower.
• Do some gentle stretching exercises.
• Use an ice pack on the sore area.
• Rest the sore joint.

If you still hurt after using your medicine correctly and doing one or more of these things, call your doctor. Another kind of medicine might work better for you. Some people can also benefit from surgery, such as joint replacement.

Joints in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory disease, mainly affecting joints and

A tendon is a band of fibrous tissue that connects the muscle to bone.

Most people with RA have inflammation in the tendons around the joints, especially in the hand.

Nodules may form on the tendons, or the tendon sheath, that surrounds the tendon, may become inflammed.

Why are the tendons affected in RA? Abnormal synovial cells invade and erode, cartilage and bone within the joint. Surrounding muscles, ligaments, and tendons are weakened.

Abnormal immune response causes the body to produce antibodies to its own tissues. The antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis, known as rheumatoid factors, are antibodies against IgG.