Good communication between patient and doctor is also key. Improve your sense of well-being and ability to function These goals may be met through lifestyle activities, medication, and ongoing care. Sometimes, surgery is also needed. Lifestyle activities include a good balance between rest and exercise. Exercise improves muscle strength and can help people sleep well and reduce pain.
Rest helps to reduce active joint inflammation and pain, and to fight fatigue.
Stress reduction techniques may reduce the amount of pain a person feels. Traditionally, doctors prescribed pain relievers to people with RA first, and administered more powerful drugs later, only after the disease became worse. Recently, many doctors have changed their approach, prescribing more powerful drugs earlier to halt disease progression and reduce or prevent joint damage. Surgical procedures that may help patients with RA who have severe joint damage include joint replacement and tendon reconstruction. Surgery is not for everyone, however, and the decision to take this route should be made only after careful consideration by the patient and the doctor, working together.