According to a newspaper published in 1984, more than 7% of men and women above 40 years of age living in Ohta-ku were suffering from so-called rheumatic diseases.
Therefore, accurate diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is only 1/10 of these diseases, is most important when the effect of a certain treatment of RA is estimated. In my opinion, most of the treatments including even new anti-rheumatic drugs do not change the natural course of joint destruction in RA, so we have only procedures of managing RA patients.
Conservative treatment of RA consists of not only effective administration of anti-inflammatory drugs, but also prevention of deformity and contracture of extremities.
Rehabilitation programs to prevent the deformity and contracture were shown in each joint of RA patients.
Although psychological relief of pain may be used effectively in oriental medicine, the fundamental way of managing RA must not be forgotten.