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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa 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.

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Regardless 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.

There is no known way to prevent rheumatoid arthritis, although progression of the disease usually can be stopped or slowed by early, aggressive treatment.

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