Imagine being 30-years-old and starting to feel joint pain. It is light at first and mildly irritating, but it soon becomes harder and harder to do the things you love or even to get up, go to work and do your job. Imagine being in your mid-30s with swollen hands, feet and other joints and constant pain. For those people in West Virginia with rheumatoid arthritis, this is a daily reality. For many, the pain is so severe that they are unable to return to their jobs and must apply for disability benefits to survive.

Rheumatoid arthritis, just like any other type of arthritis, is an inflammation of the joints. Unlike the other types of arthritis, however, rheumatoid arthritis is found in the lining of the joints. While this medical condition is not too widespread -- affecting approximately 3 percent of the people in the United States -- it will hit men and women in their prime. Most people with rheumatoid arthritis will start experiencing symptoms between the ages of 30 and 60.

Luckily, physicians have come up with some innovative new treatments for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. While it may surprise many West Virginians, one of the most effective treatments is a chemotherapy drug. Nearly 70 percent of people who have taken the medication have regained a complete range of movement in their joints and no longer have any pain.

Immune modifiers have also been used in conjunction with chemotherapy drugs to help those living with rheumatoid arthritis. These drugs have also seen considerable response, with 85 percent reporting improvements.

Of course, these medications come with considerable risks and negative side effects. Chemotherapy, whether used for rheumatoid arthritis or for cancer, can be extremely dangerous and take a great toll on the body. But, many patients may not believe they have much choice because of the debilitating pain and joint damage the live with each day.

Source: Asbury Park Press, "Rheumatoid arthritis treatments have benefits, negatives," Susan Bloom, Feb. 20, 2012