THE CAROLINA CENTER FOR RHEUMATOLOGY AND ARTHRITIS CARE, PA

There is no treatment to cure rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The goals of treatment are to:

• relieve pain
• reduce inflammation
• slow down joint damage 
• improve functional ability

Treatments include:

Medications

• anti-inflammatory medications:
  non-buffered aspirin
  acetaminophen (Tylenol)
  nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen and naproxen (Advil, Aleve)
  Cox-2 inhibitors - celecoxib (Celebrex)
  steroid drugs (prednisone)
  
  
• disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDS) -- to slow the course of the disease:
  methotrexate (Rheumatrex)
  hydroxycholoquinone (Plaquenil)
  sulfasalazine (Azulfidine)
  leflunomide (Arava), cyclosporine (Neoral)
  penicillamine (Cuprimine)
  gold (Ridaura) -- gold can also be given as an injection
  
  
• immunosuppressive drugs (only used when other drugs are ineffective):
  azathioprine (Imuran)
  cyclophosphamide (Cytoxan)
  chlorambucil (Leukeran)
  
  
• biologic response modifiers -- drugs that interfere with the autoimmune response associated with RA
  etanercept (Enbrel)
  infliximab (Remicade)