If you want to know more about the medicine and its effect on Rheumatoid arthritis, keep reading. This article discusses how celecoxib helps treat rheumatoid arthritis, precautions, instructions while taking the medication, and its side effects.

What is rheumatoid arthritis, and what does it look like?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune inflammatory disorder that chronically affects the joints in the body. It is also a form of arthritis, which causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in your joints. 

An autoimmune disorder is when your body’s immune system mistakenly attacks your body tissues causing damage. 

Rheumatoid arthritis begins slowly with minor signs and symptoms, and these symptoms progress over a while. In some cases, it can cause a wide variety of damage to the body system, including the lungs, heart, skin, eyes, and blood vessels. 

Causes of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. The exact cause of the immune system attacking the body’s tissues is unknown; however, researchers believe that genetics could likely be the cause of it of autoimmunity. 

It is also believed certain factors such as infections (bacterial or viral) can also trigger autoimmunity, which can cause Rheumatoid arthritis. 

Risk Factors: You are likely to have rheumatoid arthritis if you:

• Are female (women are more likely at risk of Rheumatoid arthritis as compared to men) 
• Are above 40 years (Rheumatoid arthritis mainly occurs in middle-aged person)
• Smoke
• Are obese
• Have a family history 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms

Some of the early symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis include: 

• Weakness in certain parts of the body 
• Tenderness and pain in certain parts of the body 
• Increase in fatigue 
• A general feeling of being unwell 

Later stage symptoms include: 

• Fatigue 
• Stiffness 
• Swelling 
• Warmth in joints 
• Redness 
• Joint pain and stiffness 
• Morning stiffness 
• Fever 
• Tingling 
• Numbness
• Reduction in range of motion

Celecoxib and preventing rheumatoid arthritis, use and dosage

Celecoxib does not prevent Rheumatoid arthritis; however, it helps reduce and manage the symptoms of the disease. 

Celecoxib work by blocking the action of certain chemicals that are associated with inflammation and pain. They block cyclooxygenases (COX) enzyme, and there are two forms of COX enzyme: 

• COX-1 
• COX-2 

The COX enzymes control the production of prostaglandins in the body. Prostaglandins are a group of chemicals associated with inflammation, the formation of blood clots, and blood flow. Celecoxib is a selective COX-2 enzyme inhibitor. 

Celecoxib for Rheumatoid Arthritis Use

Celecoxib is available in capsule form and is to be taken orally. Celecoxib may be prescribed once or twice daily. If your daily dose of celecoxib is 200 mg, it can be taken with or without food. If your dose is greater than 200 mg, you should take the medication with food. 

Follow the directions on your prescription label. You can ask your healthcare worker in case of any queries. Take the medication as directed by your healthcare worker. Do not take more or less than prescribed. To help you remember your daily dose, try to take the medication at the same time every day. 

If you miss your dose while taking the medication, consume it as soon as you remember it. In case if it is almost time for your next dose, you can skip the missed dose and follow your regular dosing schedule. Do not consume double doses to make up for the missed dose. 

Celecoxib Dosage for rheumatoid arthritis

Usually, celecoxib is prescribed in the range of 100-200 mg, to be taken once or twice per day. The standard adult dose prescribed is 200 mg to be taken once daily or 100 mg twice daily in an evenly spaced dose. 

If celecoxib does not improve your Rheumatoid arthritis pain and symptoms, your doctor may increase your dose to 400 mg (that can be prescribed once daily or 200 mg to be taken twice a day). 

Common Celecoxib Side effects 

Like all medications, celecoxib also has some side effects. It is possible that you may not experience any side effects. Below mentioned are the side effects. Please inform your doctor immediately if they are severe or if they do not go away:

• Sore throat
• Gas
• Dysgeusia
• Dizziness 
• Constipation
• Cold symptoms   

Stop using the medications if they experience any of the below-mentioned side effects and call your doctor immediately: 

• Nausea 
• Itching 
• Diarrhea 
• Loss of appetite 
• Back pain 
• Lack of energy 
• Unexplained weight gain 
• Fatigue
• Yellowing of skin or eyes
• Rash
• Hives 
• Fever 
• Pale skin
• Painful urination 
• Frequent urination (at night)
• Hoarseness
• Swelling of face, lips, eyes, hands, tongue, or throat
• Fast heartbeat 
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Cloudy or discolored urine 
• Flu-like symptoms 
• Blisters 
• Pain in the upper right part of the stomach 

The above-mentioned side effects of each class of medication are not comprehensive. There may likely be other side effects. Call your physician if they experience anything unusual or persistent. 

Other precautions 

Please inform the doctor and pharmacist about allergies to any medication or any of its ingredients. If they have any other allergies, do not forget to share the same with the healthcare professional. 

Inform your health worker about other prescription, non-prescription medications, and nutritional supplements that are being taken. Also, inform about vitamins and herbal supplements consumed or planned. 

If you are taking celecoxib, you should inform your doctor before going to surgery or dental procedure. 

Celecoxib and pregnancy

Inform your doctor if they are suffering from any comorbidities. You should inform your physician you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant, or breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while on treatment, inform your doctor immediately.  You should not take Celecoxib after 20 weeks of pregnancy unless advised by the doctor. 

Celecoxib and Asthma

Before your treatment begins, inform your doctor if you have asthma, a frequently runny nose, stuffy nose, or nasal polyps (a condition where swelling occurs on the lining of the nose). You should also inform if you have a heart, liver, or kidney disease history.

Recommended reading for you

1. Rheumatoid Arthritis Natural Treatment (Opens in a new browser tab)
2. Natural Ways to Ease Your Arthritis Pain (Opens in a new browser tab)
3. Treating Osteoarthritis with Celecoxib. Side Effects, causes & symptoms Explained (Opens in a new browser tab)
4. Foods to Avoid for Arthritis (Opens in a new browser tab)

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