There's no cure yet but some major advances in the treatment and remission of this disease have taken place in the last decade. Disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) can stop the symptoms and slow the disease down. Some studies even report reversal of joint damage in some cases.

Other biologic agents such as anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or TNF blockers are also available for those patients who don't respond well to the DMARDs.

Scientists are really looking more toward prevention as the "cure." If patients with risk factors can be identified before the start of the disease, then maybe preventive drugs or diet could work.

For now we may be able to "cure" patients with drugs to put them into remission. Patients with RA hope for a cure that won't require them to take drugs every day of their lives.

For your grandmother, if a rheumatologist hasn’t seen her in the last few years, a visit might be helpful. One of the new medications may be able to help relieve some or even all of her symptoms.