Diagnosis and Treatment of Arthritis

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Arthritis: Conquering the Pain and Reclaiming Movement

Arthritis affects a surprisingly large number of Americans. A 2005 survey showed that more than 20 percent of adults reported having cases of arthritis, with a significant percentage claiming that the condition was serious enough to limit their activity. Increasing your understanding of arthritis—including how to treat and manage it—can be instrumental in reducing long-term joint damage and pain. In this guide we'll direct you to sites with all the resources you need to understand this extremely prevalent condition.

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What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is an umbrella term that refers to more than 100 conditions affecting the musculoskeletal ... read more »

Arthritis Types

There are more than 100 varieties of arthritis, according to the MedTerms Dictionary on MedicineNet.com. ... read more »

Diagnosis and Treatment of Arthritis

Between the invasive and noninvasive procedures used to diagnose arthritis, and the supplements, physical therapies, surgical and noninvasive procedures used to treat it, modern medicine gives the prospective patient a lot to learn about. This section connects you with overviews of the myriad techniques for dealing with arthritis.

Dulcinea's Insight

Descriptions of diagnostic procedures include explanations of what the tests aim to achieve, how they are conducted, and what is required of the patient. Likewise, descriptions of surgical procedures overview the goal of the surgery, and describe how it is conducted.

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For diagnosis ...

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons has a "Glossary of Orthopaedic Diagnostic Tests" that contains an alphabetized list of procedures used to diagnose arthritis. These include arthrography, computed tomography (CT scan), electromyography, nerve conduction studies, and venography.

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To understand a diagnostic report ...

Arthritis Central is a doctor-created and -maintained site with a section dedicated to helping you understand the technical aspects of your diagnostic tests. Tests included are blood tests; x-rays, scans, and ultrasounds; tissue biopsies; joint aspiration, and electrical studies.

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For self-diagnosis ...

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases has an overview of arthritis for patients and their families. The section called "Do I have Arthritis?" contains symptoms you should watch for, along with advice on where to seek help and what to expect if you think you may be arthritic.

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For treatment ...

The Arthritis Foundation offers a "Conditions and Treatments" section, which is the Web's most extensive portal to information on arthritis treatments. This great piece on self-care offers more than 30 tips for things that you can do to ease the physical or emotional stress of arthritis. Laughing, exercising in water, and kicking cigarette addictions are examples of the tips you'll find.

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For surgical treatments ...

The Arthritis Foundation has a glossary with descriptions of the surgical procedures used to correct arthritis. These procedures include arthrodesis, osteotomy, resection, total joint replacement, and others.

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For holistic treatment ...

The Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center has 10 articles on managing arthritis that deal with holistic and alternative therapies. An article on yoga is in question-and-answer format, and overviews some of the poses, lists tips for selecting classes, and summarizes the research surrounding the effectiveness of yoga as an arthritis treatment.

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Aetna InteliHealth publishes "Complementary And Alternative Therapies For Osteoarthritis," an article introducing different therapies and the research (or lack there of) justifying them. Interestingly, recent studies show that acupuncture treatments "for osteoarthritis of the knee suggest a benefit not only for pain relief but also with respect to function," though scientists have no idea why.

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The American College of Rheumatology has an overview of herbal and natural remedies for the treatment of arthritis. The article warns of the dangers associated with herbal remedies, and briefly discusses herbs and supplements believed (although not FDA-approved) to treat arthritis.

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The Arthritis Foundation makes another appearance here with a list of alternative therapies often used to supplement the standard treatment regimen of arthritis patients. Massage, acupuncture, and prayer and spirituality (which, polls show, are a commonly employed alternative arthritis treatment) are a few of the methods discussed.

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For clinical trials ...

ClinicalTrials.gov lists all the ongoing and upcoming clinical trials for arthritis. You can filter the results by clicking the "Search Within Results" button at the top of the page, and then entering a new term, such as a specific type of arthritis or a geographic location.

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