The trusted guide to understanding and coping with rheumatoid arthritis—now completely updated and revised.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which inflammation plays a major role in causing joint problems. Warmth and swelling in the joints, along with significant stiffness and pain, can make daily life difficult. Many people with rheumatoid arthritis also experience fatigue, low-grade fever, loss of appetite, depression, and muscle aches.
In the fourth edition of Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Tammi L. Shlotzhauer, MD, shares new findings about causes and treatments, including:• Research on risk factors and triggers, from pathologic bacteria in the digestive tract and smoking to pollutant and chemical exposure• Lifestyle and diet modifications that can help sufferers avoid potential triggers • How stress contributes to inflammation and other symptoms • Information about new targeted disease-modifying drugs • Promising research on biomarkers that may generate a personalized approach to treatment • Remarkable gains in reducing disability, hospitalizations, and surgeries
Dr. Shlotzhauer, who has lived with rheumatoid arthritis since 2016 and has treated thousands of patients, is uniquely qualified to explain associated diseases such as osteoporosis. Writing with compassion and clarity, she also explains how to get an accurate diagnosis, shares tips for finding safe and reliable information online, and offers practical strategies for coping with the pain, fatigue, and emotional toll of a chronic illness.
Tammi L. Shlotzhauer, MD, is a practicing rheumatologist at Rheumatology Associates of Rochester and associate medical director at Rochester Clinical Research, where she directs clinical research trials involving arthritis.
Table of Contents
PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: Defining Rheumatoid ArthritisPart I: Learning about Rheumatoid Arthritis1. The Joints and Rheumatoid Arthritis2. The Course and Prognosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis3. Diagnosing Rheumatoid Arthritis: Why So Many Tests?4. Outside the Joints: Other Symptoms of Rheumatoid ArthritisPart II: Coping with Rheumatoid Arthritis5. Lifestyle and Coping Strategies6. Coping with Pain and Fatigue7. Coping with Emotions: Yours and Everyone Else'sPart III: Exercise and Rehabilitation8. Protecting Your Joints9. Exercise and Rheumatoid Arthritis10. Specific ExercisesPart IV: Medications11. Medications Past, Present, Future12. Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)13. Conventional Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (cDMARDs)14. Biotherapies: The Biologics or bDMARDs15. Targeted Synthetic DMARDs16. CorticosteroidsPart V: Beyond Medications: Other Treatments17. Alternative and Complementary Therapies18. Nutrition: Diets, Nutrients, and Nutritional Supplements19. Surgery for Rheumatoid ArthritisPart VI: Practical Matters20. Disability Benefits, Insurance, and Other Financial Matters21. Other ConcernsClosing ThoughtsGlossaryBibliographyIndex
