Corticosteroids can make you feel dramatically better

Taking these drugs early in the development of rheumatoid arthritis is especially important in the effort to slow the disease and save the joints and other tissues from permanent damage. Physicians prescribe DMARDs to limit the amount of joint damage that occurs with rheumatoid arthritis. But when used for many months or years, they may become less effective and cause serious side effects. In the short term, corticosteroids can make you feel dramatically better. These medications, such as prednisone and methylprednisolone , reduce inflammation and pain, and slow joint damage. However, there is evidence that by suppressing COX-1, NSAIDs may cause stomach and other problems because COX-1 is the enzyme that protects your stomach lining. Like other NSAIDs, COX-2 inhibitors celecoxib and valdecoxib suppress an enzyme called cyclooxygenase that is active in joint inflammation. NSAIDs only available by prescription include stronger doses of ketoprofen , naproxen and ibuprofen as well as tolmetin , diclofenac , nabumetone and indomethacin.