“How to manage rheumatoid arthritis pain?”
My 16-year-old son suffers from rheumatoid arthritis. He struggles to deal with the pain of the condition. How to manage rheumatoid arthritis?
4 Answers
I'm so sorry! Having a child diagnosed with a chronic, painful illness is so hard!
Here's some information on managing rheumatoid arthritis in adolescents:
Medication: Options include disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics to reduce inflammation and slow disease progression.
Physical Therapy: Exercise and physical therapy can help improve joint flexibility and muscle strength.
Healthy Habits: Encourage a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate rest. Regular eye exams are also important as JIA can affect the eyes.
Remission: In some cases, symptoms may go into remission with treatment.
Pain Management: Focus on relieving pain and inflammation to improve quality of life.
Collaborate closely with healthcare providers to tailor a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses the individual needs of your son.
Here are a few great websites for you to look over:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374088
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/arthritis/juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/juv-rheumatoid-arthritis.html
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/j/juvenile-rheumatoid-arthritis.html
https://familydoctor.org/condition/juvenile-rheumatoid-arthritis/
https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/understanding-juvenile-rheumatoid-arthritis-treatment
Here's some information on managing rheumatoid arthritis in adolescents:
Medication: Options include disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and biologics to reduce inflammation and slow disease progression.
Physical Therapy: Exercise and physical therapy can help improve joint flexibility and muscle strength.
Healthy Habits: Encourage a balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate rest. Regular eye exams are also important as JIA can affect the eyes.
Remission: In some cases, symptoms may go into remission with treatment.
Pain Management: Focus on relieving pain and inflammation to improve quality of life.
Collaborate closely with healthcare providers to tailor a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses the individual needs of your son.
Here are a few great websites for you to look over:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20374088
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/arthritis/juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis
https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/juv-rheumatoid-arthritis.html
https://www.cedars-sinai.org/health-library/diseases-and-conditions/j/juvenile-rheumatoid-arthritis.html
https://familydoctor.org/condition/juvenile-rheumatoid-arthritis/
https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/understanding-juvenile-rheumatoid-arthritis-treatment
This is difficult as every patient's pain is different. The first step is to optimize medications to treat the arthritis. After this has been achieved then determine if occupational therapy would be beneficial for possible muscle strengthening and stretching to help with daily activities. Sometimes the pain is from the muscles trying to perform daily activities rather than the arthritis.
Aspirin type products help a little, but have mostly been replaced by non-biological and biological Dmards.
If your son is not seeing a rheumatologist who specializes in juveniles, you should consult one as soon as possible. The disease could be causing irreversible damage to his joints if untreated.
