Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most disabling diseases affecting the elderly population in the western world. This condition makes your joints stiff and swollen. Most people with this condition complain of severe pain. The good news is that there are treatments that can protect your joints and assist you in living a pain free and active life. The following article is designed to discuss the most up to date research to see what treatments are most effective in dealing with this condition. The hope is that this information will give you a starting point to go to your doctor and discuss treatments with him.