Arthritis can affect many parts of your body—and many parts of your life. Keeping an open and honest dialogue with your doctor can help you become more comfortable with your condition and your treatment. Here are some questions you may want to ask:
- What is rheumatoid arthritis (RA) doing to my joints and the rest of my body?
- How can inflammation be managed and damage prevented?
- What blood, urine and other tests will be needed to monitor my condition?
- What medications do you think are the right ones for me?
- What lifestyle changes should I make to reduce or prevent RA flares?
- When will I start to feel my symptoms improve?
- How will I know it's time to talk about changing or adding to my treatment plan?
- Do any of my medications have side effects?
- How often should I get checkups?
- Should I consider surgical procedures to help ease my RA?
- Should I look into alternative therapies to complement my treatment plan?