Treating early inflammatory arthritis
The principles and types of treatment for all forms of early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) are the same and involve early use of medicines to reduce and control inflammation. Commonly used medicines for short-term, early control of joint inflammation include steroids as joint injections, intra-muscular injections or less commonly as tablets. Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic medicines (DMARDS) are also started promptly (and often in combination) to achieve long-term control of joint inflammation.
See here for information on commonly used anti-rheumatic medicines.
Once a diagnosis of early inflammatory arthritis (EIA) is made it may be possible to classify it as a particular form of inflammatory arthritis at the first clinic visit, although it may take a few weeks or months for a formal diagnosis to be made.