Is there any permanent cure for rheumatoid arthritis?

Q: I am a 29 years old married woman suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. I experience severe pain in my palms, knees, fingers, shoulders etc. I have a year old baby and am not even able to hold him up in my arms. The doctor has told me that I am suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Is there any permanent cure for rheumatoid arthritis?

A:Rheumatoid arthritis is like any other chronic disease for example diabetes or high blood pressure or asthma or thyroid disease etc. In such diseases the word 'cure' cannot be used. If anyone claims to 'cure' it he/she is not telling the truth. But, there is nothing to get disheartened, even all these diseases mentioned above can be fully controlled to the extent that the person then starts to lead a normal life with the only condition that some medicines may have to be taken lifetime (just like that of diabetes or high blood pressure). For rheumatoid arthritis there are now wonderful medicines that are available. With these medicines the disease can be quickly controlled. Once the disease gets controlled, medicines are reduced to minimum doses that will keep the disease under control. A very important point that has emerged in recent years is that the disease (rheumatoid arthritis) itself has serious side effects so-much-so that any side effect of any drugs that are now-a-days used in rheumatoid arthritis, are almost negligible in comparison.