Intra-Articular Steroid Injections
What is Intra-Articular Steroid Injections?
- Medications: These include disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), biologic agents (newer DMARDs), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids. The DMARDs reduce the body’s immune response against the joints whereas the NSAIDs and steroids reduce swelling and pain. Medications are combined for greater efficacy.
- Physical therapy: Physical therapy exercises should be performed regularly to increase the strength of the muscles and flexibility of the joints. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a type of electrotherapy that is provided for pain relief.
- Occupational therapy: Occupational therapy helps you to perform daily activities at home and at work independently. Stress on the joints is minimised by modifying your movements or using adaptive equipment. It also helps you adapt to your condition using relaxation and stress-management techniques.
Surgery: Surgical treatment is considered if you have severe rheumatoid arthritis and your symptoms do not improve with the conservative treatments. The benefits of surgery are pain relief and improvement in joint function. Surgical procedures include synovectomy (removal of inflamed synovial membrane), joint replacement, joint fusion and tendon repair.
Other Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis
Several treatment modalities are available for the management of rheumatoid arthritis including:
- Medications: These include disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), biologic agents (newer DMARDs), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids. The DMARDs reduce the body’s immune response against the joints whereas the NSAIDs and steroids reduce swelling and pain. Medications are combined for greater efficacy.
- Physical therapy: Physical therapy exercises should be performed regularly to increase the strength of the muscles and flexibility of the joints. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a type of electrotherapy that is provided for pain relief.
- Occupational therapy: Occupational therapy helps you to perform daily activities at home and at work independently. Stress on the joints is minimised by modifying your movements or using adaptive equipment. It also helps you adapt to your condition using relaxation and stress-management techniques.
Surgery: Surgical treatment is considered if you have severe rheumatoid arthritis and your symptoms do not improve with the conservative treatments. The benefits of surgery are pain relief and improvement in joint function. Surgical procedures include synovectomy (removal of inflamed synovial membrane), joint replacement, joint fusion and tendon repair.
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