Can steroids and ankle brace binders be effective in alleviating ankle pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 38-year-old man suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and experiencing severe pain in my left ankle. Consequently, I underwent an X-ray, which revealed soft tissue swelling. I am currently taking medication for rheumatoid arthritis, including a tablet of Methotrexate 20 mg once a week, a capsule of bio-D3 strong, a tablet of Folvite 5mg daily, a tablet of Celedol 200mg twice daily, a tablet of Naproxen as needed, tablet Rabez 20mg, tablet Zapiz 0.5 at night to aid sleep. However, there has been no improvement in the pain in the affected tissue. I kindly request suggestions for appropriate medication. Please refrain from suggesting doctors or further tests as I have already done blood tests. Please find the attached X-ray report (attachments removed to protect the patient's identity).

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

These medicines are correct. If they are not providing you with relief, then you need to start a short course of steroids.

I suggest taking Tablet Wysolone (Prednisolone) 5mg thrice daily for five days after food. Afterward, reduce the dosage to twice daily for five days, and then further reduce it to once daily for five days. This is a 15-day course that will help reduce the swelling. Follow up after 15 days to check for any changes in medicines.

Additionally, you should wear an ankle brace binder at all times and opt for comfortable sports shoes. Please note that this professional advice is provided based on the inputs given to me and is subject to the actual examination of the report or image. It should be correlated with clinical findings.

Thank you.

Please feel free to reach me again, in case of further queries.