Rheumatoid Arthritis & Leg Pain
- People with rheumatoid arthritis should not assume that their leg pain is related to their RA. Peripheral artery disease, also called PAD, also causes leg pain. It is not uncommon for patients with RA to also have PAD. (Reference 1)
- Patients with RA often experience leg pain at night while trying to sleep. Using massage, over the counter pain medications and heat wraps around the leg before going to bed may help sufferers control pain enough to get to sleep.
- Building muscles in the legs may help reduce the pain associated with rheumatoid arthritis by adding support to the joint.
- There are several ways to relieve leg pain from RA, including protecting the joints with braces, resting legs, and elevating the legs.
- Using over the counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen can relieve arthritis leg pain.