Arthritis is an increasingly common concern for aging adults. As you reach your golden years, you’re likely noticing aching joints, morning stiffness, and reduced range of motion. But what if these small signs are hinting at a bigger, more serious issue?

Rheumatoid arthritis is a serious concern for seniors — and it’s a chronic, progressive type of arthritis that becomes more common with aging. Because all seniors are at risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), here are the facts all older adults need to know.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Can Happen to Anyone

What is rheumatoid arthritis? It’s an autoimmune disorder that causes painful, swollen joints. When you’re living with RA, you’re experiencing inflammation in your joints, which can cause daily pain, difficulty moving, and, if left untreated, joint damage. Unfortunately, rheumatoid arthritis can’t be cured. But you can treat the symptoms and the pain you experience, which can ultimately help slow the disease’s progression.

Unlike ordinary arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis can affect your entire body. More than 1.5 million people in the U.S. have rheumatoid arthritis. Though this condition commonly begins to show symptoms between the ages of 30 and 60, rheumatoid arthritis is also very common in older adults. As you get older, your risk of developing RA increases — and symptoms can come on much faster after age 60.

In order to understand and treat rheumatoid arthritis, it’s important to know the symptoms that can indicate the disease is happening in your body.

Common RA Symptoms

The most common rheumatoid arthritis symptom is joint pain. However, because RA is different from arthritis and other autoimmune conditions, it’s important to distinguish your joint pain from other potential issues.

The following are the most common RA symptoms that appear in seniors:

  • Joint pain in large joints, like the shoulders
  • A sudden change in your joint health
  • Muscle pain
  • A fever
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Anemia

The symptoms of elderly-onset RA vary quite a bit from RA that’s diagnosed in a person’s younger years. Seniors age 60 and older will experience joint pain in different areas first. And while RA commonly affects joints in the hands, feet, wrists, elbows, and knees, it can vary in older adults. Be on the lookout for joint pain anywhere in the body, and remember that RA usually affects joints symmetrically. This means that if you feel pain in one shoulder, you’ll likely feel it in the other as well.

How to Treat the Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Doctors often prescribe disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs to patients who are showing signs of rheumatoid arthritis. DMARDs are anti-inflammatory drugs that can help to reduce pain and swelling.

People who have rheumatoid arthritis are encouraged to exercise, but working out can be painful when you are struggling with severe rheumatoid arthritis. Some researchers believe that your diet may be the key to overcoming rheumatoid arthritis. You should, however, recognize that the medical community has not verified the link between diet and rheumatoid arthritis, so relying on a combination of treatment options is the best approach in most situations.

It is important to keep in mind that there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis. Most rheumatoid arthritis treatments that are available focus on slowing the expansion of rheumatoid arthritis to new areas of your body and reducing the severity of your symptoms.

Nevertheless, you can live a healthy and happy life if you follow a treatment schedule that is tailored to the specific symptoms that you are experiencing. Many people who have rheumatoid arthritis rely on a combination of physical therapy and medication to improve their quality of life. Since rheumatoid arthritis can get progressively worse as time goes on, it is important for you to contact your doctor for a professional diagnosis as soon as possible if you have the symptoms of this disease.

Alternative RA Treatment Options

In addition to medications, there are a number of alternative and supplemental treatments for managing symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. While medication can target specific symptoms and possibly slow down any joint damage, utilizing other treatment options can help you get your symptoms under control and maintain your flexibility and comfort.

The best approach to managing rheumatoid arthritis is a multifaceted one — an approach that combines modern medicine with alternative treatment options like those mentioned here.

Stretching and Exercise: Stretching can reduce rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Low-stress exercises, like swimming or cycling, can even delay the progression of rheumatoid arthritis by strengthening the muscles surrounding the affected joints.

Hot and Cold Therapy: Periodically applying heat packs or ice packs to any aching joints can provide temporary pain relief.

Dietary Changes: Plant-based diets can reduce inflammation, so eat as many fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts as you can.

Supplements: Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation. Boswellia, also known as frankincense, and turmeric have anti-inflammatory properties as well. Probiotics, which are present in foods like yogurt, pickles, and cheese, may also reduce symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Prognosis

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, your prognosis today is much better than what it might have been in the past. Thanks to modern treatments and advances in medical technology, many people who have RA are able to continue enjoying social and physical activities.

However, the prognosis for people who have the disease varies and depends on your treatment choices. A study reported in Rheumatology News found that people who had RA and who were prescribed anti-tumor necrosis factor, or anti-TNF drugs, had a reduction in the mortality rate of 30 percent.

And while there’s no cure for rheumatoid arthritis, researchers continue to look for ways to manage symptoms more effectively. Currently, patients who derive benefits from taking anti-TNF drugs may expect to receive a combination of drugs in the future. According to a report in The Rheumatologist, Ravinder N. Maini, M.D., a researcher and professor of rheumatology at Imperial College in London, UK, believes that future treatments for rheumatoid arthritis might include combinations of anti-TNF drugs together with anti-angiogenic drugs or targeted therapeutics that target the synovial fibroblasts inside of the lining around the joints.

As medical science progresses more and more each year, additional treatment options will become possible. In order to best manage your rheumatoid arthritis as a senior, it’s important to stay informed. No matter your age, you can live life fully and comfortably, even with an RA diagnosis. Staying informed will ensure you’re up to date on the latest options for treating this condition.