To get the most out of each visit, we need to be prepared for our doctor’s appointment. But how do we do that if having a doctor’s appointment can be intimidating. The sterility, the hurry up and wait atmosphere, the white coats, the illness…..trust me, I know no one likes coming to see me! The only reason I can go to my appointments or feel comfortable in hospitals is exposure therapy- my job has desensitized me. It’s one thing when we are just there for an annual checkup and generally feel great, but when we feel horrible or have symptoms that are hard to explain, we can get overwhelmed and easily forget some of the key things we wanted to go over. Our time with the doctor is so limited, the rushed feeling can put us off guard as well. This leaves many of us unsatisfied and not completely cared for.
[Read more…] about Prepare for your doctor’s appointmentArchives for January 2021
Fibromyalgia Treatment: the basics
Getting a diagnosis of Fibromyalgia can be relieving, yet terrifying, all at the same time. For those dealing with unexplained symptoms, just to know it has a name can be reassuring. However that relief can replaced by overwhelm as we enter into the world of fibromyalgia treatment. There are currently only 3 FDA approved medications for fibromyalgia, all of which focus on the nervous system. For many, these types of medications are new and can come with scary sounding side effects. Why are these the medications approved and what do they do? What do they not do?
[Read more…] about Fibromyalgia Treatment: the basicsI love Physical Therapy
The lessons we can learn from Physical Therapy about our own body and our movement, can, literally, be life changing. Having persistent joint pain or body pain can be frustrating and demoralizing. It can have a profound impact on ALL aspects of our lives, as we may find we can no longer do the things that brought us joy or stress relief. At first, this may seem like a small annoyance, but with time the tension can build and our mental health can suffer. Naturally, we think that this deserves a trip to the doctor, and of course it does. But all too often I have seen the looks of disappointment when I suggest the treatment is physical therapy. What? No shot?? No medication?
[Read more…] about I love Physical TherapyShould you see a doctor for arthritis?
We often think that arthritis is just a part of getting older and that 1) we don’t need to see the doctor and 2) there’s nothing that can be done. But as a rheumatologist, I couldn’t disagree more! Arthritis may be a part of getting older, but PAIN doesn’t have to be and it definitely deserves a conversation (or two) with your doctor. Learn what you can expect during that visit in the above video.
As with most doctor appointments, when you see your doctor for arthritis or joint pain they will need to hear about your experience of the pain. What makes it worse? What makes it better? They will also examine, not only the joint giving you trouble, but all of your joints. At that point the doctor will either be able to tell you right away if you have osteoarthritis or may need to order blood tests and/or x-rays to see if something else is going on. What else could be going on? Well, there are different types of arthritis, some of which can only be diagnosed with the addition of blood work.
[Read more…] about Should you see a doctor for arthritis?Can Joint Injections help your arthritis?
Joint injections come in many different flavors and if you have ever talked to your doctor about your joint pain, they have most likely come up. But do they help? What can you expect from them? And which kind should you get? To learn more keep reading and check out the video above.
Joint injections are one of the many tools primary care doctors, rheumatologists and orthopedists have to help you with your joint pain. In previous years, the only option would be a steroid injection but these days we have hyaluronic acid injections, platelet rich plasma (PRP) and even stem cells. But be careful! Only steroid injections and hyaluronic acid injections are approved. PRP and Stem Cell injections are gaining popularity but still lack data proving their efficacy. How the PRP and Stem Cells are obtained is not standardized, which makes studying them very difficult.
[Read more…] about Can Joint Injections help your arthritis?