Rheumatoid Arthritis (cont.)
Medical Author:
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACRDr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. Medical Editor:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical EditorMelissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology. IN THIS ARTICLE
Follow-upRegardless of whether a specialist or your primary-care physician is treating you for rheumatoid arthritis, he or she should see you regularly to monitor your condition, your response to treatment, and side effects and other problems related to your rheumatoid arthritis or your treatment. The best way to monitor your condition is to see if you have any disability (loss of function) and, if so, how much. The frequency of these visits depends on the activity of your rheumatoid arthritis. If your treatment is working well and your condition is stable, the visits can be less frequent than if your rheumatoid arthritis is getting worse, you are developing complications, or you are having severe side effects of treatment. Each person's situation must be decided individually. Viewer Comments & ReviewsRheumatoid Arthritis - TreatmentThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What treatment was effective for your arthritis? Rheumatoid Arthritis - Early SymptomsThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your symptoms at the onset of your disease? Rheumatoid Arthritis - MedicationsThe eMedicineHealth physician editors ask:What medications have been effective at treating your rheumatoid arthritis? |
Arthritis
Get the latest treatment options
From WebMD
Rheumatoid Arthritis Resources
Featured Centers
- Ask the Nutritionist: Weight Loss Tips
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Gout: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Read What Your Physician is Reading on Medscape
Rheumatoid Arthritis »
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease of unknown cause that primarily affects the peripheral joints in a symmetric pattern.
Featured Topics
Medical Dictionary
Pill Identifier on RxList
- quick,
easy,
pill identification
Find a Local Pharmacy
- including
24 hour
pharmacies

