Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic condition, can become disabling without treatment. In this autoimmune disease, your immune system mistakenly attacks the tissue of affected joints, causing symptoms of pain and stiffness, as well as long-term joint deterioration.
RA can’t be cured, but today’s advanced internal medicine offers effective treatment options to manage your condition, relieve your symptoms, and slow the progression of the disease. At Pleasanton Arthritis and Osteoporosis Medical Center of Pleasanton and Turlock, California, we offer a full range of RA treatments and therapies.
Board-certified rheumatologist Dr. Iraj Sabahi diagnoses new and existing patients with RA, and works with you on your personalized treatment plan. With Dr. Sabahi’s help, relief for your RA is a real possibility.
RA causes your immune system to attack your synovium, the tissue that lines your joints. RA can affect joints throughout your body, including wrists, fingers, knees, and more. RA often begins in smaller joints such as fingers and toes, before progressing to larger joints.
The chronic inflammation resulting from repeated autoimmune attacks causes pain and deterioration in the affected joint. You might have symptoms of RA including chronic joint pain, tenderness, swelling, stiffness, and loss of motion. Joint stiffness is often the worst first thing in the morning.
Your affected joints may also feel warm to the touch, and you can end up running a fever as a result of your RA. RA can leave you feeling fatigued or sap your appetite. You could also notice that your eyes and mouth feel uncomfortably dry due to RA.
While your RA symptoms flare up and subside for periods of remission, your chronic underlying condition remains. That’s why you need support from the rheumatology professionals at Pleasanton Arthritis and Osteoporosis Medical Center.
Diagnosing RA takes expertise and attention since early symptoms can misleadingly appear similar to those of other health problems. Dr. Sabahi and his team use diagnostic tools including physical exams, ultrasound exams, X-rays, and blood tests to accurately diagnose your RA. Then, we get started on your personalized treatment plan.
Many RA patients see significant benefits from early treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and achieve remission of symptoms. Newer classes of DMARDs like biologic agents and targeted synthetic DMARDs may also be beneficial. At Pleasanton Arthritis and Osteoporosis Medical Center, our rheumatology practice offers in-office infusion treatment with RA-fighting biologics.
In order to manage your RA symptoms of pain and inflammation, you can use over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or naproxen sodium. Or, if you need stronger NSAIDs, we may provide a prescription, although long-term use can have negative health complications.
Corticosteroid medications rapidly relieve symptoms of joint pain and inflammation and even slow joint degeneration. However, since steroid side effects like loss of bone density can also contribute to your health and mobility problems, it’s typically best to taper off your reliance on these medications after getting RA flare-ups under control.
The team at Pleasanton Arthritis and Osteoporosis medical center ensures that you’re not just surviving RA, but thriving.
We suggest physical therapy routines to strengthen your joints and keep them flexible, limiting the frequency and intensity of flare-ups. Occupational therapy and assistive devices keep you independent, helping with tasks like cooking or dressing that RA-related joint pain makes challenging.
You may also benefit from regenerative medical therapies like platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. PRP stimulates your natural growth factors and can help joints damaged by RA to heal and regrow lost bone and tissue.
To learn more about all the ways that the Pleasanton Arthritis and Osteoporosis Medical Center relieve symptoms of arthritis and support new and existing patients living with RA, get in touch with our offices now. You can schedule an appointment over the phone, or request your appointment online.
