Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief

[fitzybelle]

I have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in my hands which comes and goes and can be very painful. I have been to and from the hospital/doctors many times and don't seem to get any relief. I have been prescribed Prednisone which does not help. I have considered visiting an osteopath but not sure if this would help. Could anybody give any advice please? Many thanks in advance

[starone]

I have osteo-arthritis, which is different from rheumatoid but still very painful. I try to keep my fingers moving but have a lot of pain in my thumb where it joins my wrist. I don't know if this will help, but any port in a storm - I read a small paragraph in one of the many magazines which people give me (I'm too stingy to buy any) which advocated eating a couple of pieces of ginger every day. The man who wrote the article said the pain went within a few days and has not come back since. His doctor said it was not proved but if it worked on him to keep eating the ginger. I am trying it at the moment because I like ginger and had some given me for Christmas. I usually eat it all in a couple of days but have been limiting myself to two pieces a day to see if it works. Haven't noticed anything miraculous happening yet but I do believe it is a bit better, so give it time.

[LazyGun]

@Starbuck - Ginger has long associations with calming effects in GI disturbances, and there is some association with pain relief - its mode of action is thought to be as a form of COX 2 inhibitor.

There is still insufficient studies to offer any kind of conclusive evidence for efficacy, but you might find the following link useful

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11710709

[Eve]

I've had steroid injections though usually as a cover over in the case of a bad flare, more so between meds (as I'd had problems with some of them) and also oral steroids. They can make you feel great at first but longer term (and not that long either) I couldn't wait to get off them once the side effects kick in - let alone potential long term side effects.

There are conditions where they are warranted long terms as they are the only drugs which will help but RA isn't one of these as there are so many other drugs available to help. My rhumatologists tried to get me off oral steroids as quickly (for a bad flare) as they could though with tapering down it's not like you can just stop taking them. Wonderful things, just a shame they have such issues longer term.

Please don't let it linger without proper treatment for the systemic illness it is if possible, it's horrible when other bits get involved like your eyes.

[Eve]

I use ginger to help nausea (like with the methotrexate), I have a stash of ginger tea, ginger biscuits etc...

[annieigma]

thanks shaney and nanny,
Problem is, apart from the other problems, is asthma. some pain killers do bring on an attack,of that there is no doubt in my mind, and once was taken by ambulance in the middle of the night when i took some "doctor prescribed" pain killers, then was given steroids to counteract the pain killers!!
so nsaids are a worry.
I do seem to think that probably prednisolone is safest in the short term, have some relief for a month, stop taking it then hope for the best for a while.
My mother is 91, walks to the shops every day,never had a days illness in her life, has perfect sight and hearing, and complains when she gets a cold and says " don't get old, its horrible" bit late for that, i'm afraid!! my mis- spent youth is having its toll.

[nannybooby]

Annie , no one in my family ever had any form of arthritis or psoriasis , just lucky old me !! RA is diagnosed by a simple blood teat,but according to my rhumi all arthritic conditions overlay each other.The important part of taking steriods is to limit the sonoval activity - this is what causes the permanent joint distortion and all the related additional pain that brings. As he says to me its my get out of jail card ...but not get out of jail for free.
If the meth is making you sick are you taking folic acid too , I take 2.5mg each day for 3 days to help with the sickness and hair loss.

[Eve]

I was suffering with side effects (evil heartburn, nausea etc... and my GP doubled my acid meds and rhumo said to take folic acid every day save methotrexate day and it has really helped, got lots of ginger stuff too. Some drugs are just wrong for you thoygh (sulfasalazine was one for me, not nice) but there are other dru
I've started noticing a big reduction in hair growth though in places I rely don't mind :)

Dreading if it affects head hair though as I have very fine hair as it is and cut it shorter reduce strain on my shoulders drying it etc... There are ways round most things thoygh.

I apologise for weird typing, on phone and can type but not delete or amend proper.

[jazzie07]

There are some medications that you can use but such medications can ease the pain just for a while, are you interested in applying for a clinical trial. Learn about a RA clinical research study being conducted in your area http://www.sirroundprogram.com