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Home / Ask the Expert / Rheumatoid arthritis and infections

Rheumatoid arthritis and infections

April 26, 2007 By Arthritis Center

Question

I am on NSAID, Methotrexate, Prednisone and Plaquenil for my RA. But lately I have been getting alot of small infections. My big toe, a hangnail on my thumb and ear infection. I have all three right now at the same time. It seems that any little scratch or cut I get it gets infected. Is there any thing that I can do so they will not become infected? I was going to start to use antiseptic soaps instead of just regular soap. I don’t Rknow if that is going to work or not.

Answer

Hygiene helps prevent many different infections– hospital control officers always lecture about simple hand washing. But I agree that in your case, I’m not sure how much improvement you are going to see. Reduction in the prednisone dose if possible may have the most benefit.

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