Odds are that at some point in life, people living with
rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
will take some type of medication to relieve pain or swelling. Medication for RA
can be divided into two categories:
1. Symptom Relievers. Used to help relieve pain and swelling, these include
the following:
- Tylenol®*
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin and ibuprofen
- COX-2 inhibitor NSAIDs, such as Celebrex®#
2. Disease Modifiers. These drugs, known as disease-modifying antirheumatic
drugs (DMARDs), not only help relieve pain and swelling, but they also help slow
the progression of RA.
Arava
is classified as a DMARD because it helps slow the progression of RA and relieve
pain and swelling in the joints. So, while there is no cure for RA, you may be able
to do something to help prevent it from getting worse.
If you need
more information about Arava, please click here.
*Tylenol is a registered trademark of McNeil-PPC Inc.
#Celebrex is a registered trademark of Pfizer Inc.