Rheumatoid Arthritis is one of the most difficult conditions to manage. These resources provide a starting place for patients to ask useful questions. While it is not curable, early intervention through the combination of therapies yields the best outcome and quality of life.  
 

Two resources for a good overview of RA.
     1) Article with a good general overview.
     2) PDF file detailing RA from Medical Massage Vol I by Dr. Ross Turchaninov, M.D.
pp. 484-488 details guidelines
 

Highly skilled medical massage therapists with advanced training in lymphatic drainage provide a powerful treatment that slows the progression of RA. Standard Massage is Contraindicated (harmful) to Inflamed Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
 

Article Peer Review 
Rheumatoid Arthritis. Massage Today, V. 9(12), 2009, by Elaine Stillerman, LMT

This article was endorsed by one of our top international leaders in the field of medical massage--Dr. Ross T. He writes:

"A good article which gives practitioners the basic overview of RA and the treatment options the modern medicine offers to these patients. The article is written from a personal perspective because the author herself suffers from RA. Definitely, the article reflects the author’s personal experience with the different treatments of this very complex abnormality.
 

The most important part of the article is its final section where it is obvious that there is no one modality or the treatment method which helps to control RA. The only way the patients with RA are able to succeed is through the combination of therapies, or what we now call integrative medicine."
 

For further study, Medical Massage Vol I by Dr. Ross Turchaninov, M.D. pp. 484-488 details guidelines for medical massage. It's important for the person suffering from RA to find a massage practitioner with advanced skills and willing to follow a specialized treatment for OA and work within the pressure limitations of the patient.
 

Resources Access:

Here is a link to the article that was reviewed: 
https://www.massagetoday.com/mpacms/mt/article.php?id=14137
 

Attachment: PDF of Medical Massage Vol I by Dr. Ross Turchaninov, M.D. pp. 484-488 available at https://www.facebook.com/groups/243469556199740/
 

Advanced lymphatic drainage available locally:
1177 Louisiana Ave #110
Winter Park, FL 32789 
(407) 222-3069
http://healingmassagepractitioners.com/
Paola Mendoza, office manager

Their lead therapist is the most advanced trained LMT in lymphatic drainage techniques that I know. Please let them know I referred you for advanced manual lymphatic drainage.
 

I don't know of anyone with specific training in bodywork techniques for the inflamed stages of RA. Paola and I have discussed working as a team to develop a treatment plan with both medical massage and manual lymphatic drainage.
 

If anyone has a recommendation for someone with that RA training, please share.