The methods of treating this disease themselves have many complications caused by drugs such as stomach ulcers, liver and kidney damage, cushing syndrome due to corticoide medication (patients with muscle atrophy, fat capacitor inface and back, thin skin, osteoporosis, depending on corticoide, adrenal insufficiency ...).The following are questions that patients often ask us when going to the doctor.

*I now have a lot of joint pain, every time I wake up or harden the joints, especially my fingers.Do not know if I have rheumatoid arthritis?

- The characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis is the inflammation of the joints, so the inflamed joints must be swollen, may be encountered in any joint but the fingers, wrists, knees or damageThuong, usually symmetrical on both sides.Morning stiffness lasts longer than osteoarthritis.When there is a lot of joint pain, it is not necessarily a rheumatoid arthritis that may have osteoarthritis.However, if only one arthritis is not able to eliminate rheumatoid arthritis.

* If the doctor diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, do I need a blood test or not?

- To diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, the doctor will give the patient as two test groups.The first group to prove that the patient has inflammation including the speed of sedimentation and CRP.Usually in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, these indicators will increase very high.The second test group to diagnose the disease, including low factors RF and Anti-CCP.The positive test plus clinical condition will help diagnose rheumatoid arthritis.


* I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and was given medication but the disease kept recurring.Please ask if there is any cure for this disease.

- So far the definitive treatment of this disease is impossible.To help patients reduce pain, reduce symptoms of joint pain, the doctor may prescribe anti -inflammatory pain medications with or without corticoide.

However, these drugs cannot reduce the progression of the disease.The swelling of the joints many times will destroy joint cartilage and damage joints.The classic medications can slow down the disease including many substances but the most common are methotrexate.This drug must be used for a long time but there is a risk of damage to the liver, kidneys, as well as making gastritis and sometimes it does not work.This is a big problem of this disease.

Recently, there have been many biological treatments that helped treat this disease and have many good results but the price is very high, has not been paid by health insurance, so very few patients can access this drug.These drugs directly attack inflammatory factors such as Interleukine 1, Interleukine 6, or directly into B cells to reduce the inflammatory process.The drug is used in the form of infusion or injecting under the skin and need to ensure the risk of tuberculosis before taking the drug.

* I have rheumatoid arthritis and my joints have pain when moving, although taking medication but still not less.Please ask if there is any way to use medication to reduce joint pain and help re -use joints?

- Once the joint has been damaged and deformed, the use of drugs does not work.Joint regeneration surgery helps patients to use their joints without pain.For knee joints and hip joints, artificial joint replacement can be used.With other joints such as wrists and ankles, stiffness can help patients reduce pain, walk or worse.

These surgery are paid by health insurance.Endoscopy cuts the joints when the cartilage surface is still good or in some joints without bearing such as elbows, shoulders, wrists also help reduce pain and improve the movement of the joints.Depending on the disease, the doctors will appoint surgery when necessary.

---