32 year old Xiao Wang, who has been experiencing multiple joint swelling and pain for six months, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis after undergoing comprehensive examination at the hospital. Due to his active condition, the doctor prescribed relevant medication for Xiao Wang and instructed him to take it on time. One month later, recheck the Blood test and return to the clinic. Xiao Wang took Diclofenac sodium and methotrexate according to the doctor's advice, and he felt the swelling and pain of his joints improved significantly. After three months of medication, Xiao Wang felt that he had basically returned to normal and his previously swollen and painful joints had improved. Xiao Wang felt that since his condition was under control, it was no longer necessary to continue taking medication, so he stopped taking the medication on his own. However, two months later, Xiao Wang experienced multiple joint swelling and pain again, and this time his condition was more severe than when he first started. Due to his busy work schedule, Xiao Wang did not go to the hospital for further treatment this time. He believed that he could continue taking medication according to the previous doctor's instructions, so he resumed his initial treatment plan. To Xiao Wang's surprise, after three months of treatment, the joint swelling and pain still couldn't be completely improved. Xiao Wang went to the hospital again for treatment. The doctor evaluated Xiao Wang's condition and added other anti rheumatic drugs for treatment, gradually relieving Xiao Wang's joint swelling and pain symptoms. This time, Xiao Wang dared not stop taking medication without authorization, strictly following the doctor's instructions and using medication regularly. The joint swelling and pain never recurred again. Why can't I stop taking medication after the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis have relieved? The treatment drugs for rheumatoid arthritis mainly include traditional slow acting anti rheumatic drugs (cDMARDs), biological DMARDs (bDMARDs), and targeted DMARDs (tDMARDs). These drugs all have anti rheumatic effects, which can control the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, delay the imaging progression of rheumatoid arthritis, and prevent bone destruction. Another kind of therapeutic drugs is called bridge therapy, including Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAIDs) and glucocorticoids. These drugs can quickly improve the symptoms of joint swelling and pain, but can not delay the progression of rheumatoid disease, nor can they stop the process of bone destruction. Therefore, for bridge therapy drugs, it is generally recommended to reduce discontinuation as quickly as possible after symptom improvement, while for DMARDs drugs, long-term adherence is required. For the treatment duration of rheumatoid arthritis, long-term treatment is still advocated. When the condition remains stable, the treatment plan can be adjusted according to the situation, such as reducing the drug dosage or extending the dosing interval. However, the condition should be closely monitored during the reduction process, and sudden discontinuation of medication is not recommended. Most patients require long-term medication maintenance. Therefore, when suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, it is necessary to adhere to regular treatment, closely follow up, and avoid discontinuing anti rheumatic drugs on their own. Article/Zhang Jingfeng (Peking University Third Hospital) (Outlook New Times)