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 basicsRheumatology
Should 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?Why a +RF test doesn’t always mean you have Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you’ve ever seen a doctor because of persistent hand pain or hand swelling or even knee pain it is quite possible you’ve had the Rheumatoid Factor test done. When it comes back positive it is easy to assume that it means you have Rheumatoid Arthritis, I mean, obviously, it has the same name in it, “Rheumatoid.” But as with most things antibody related, it’s not that simple. The Rheumatoid Factor can be positive in a lot of different conditions aside from Rheumatoid Arthritis and the chance of having a positive Rheumatoid Factor blood test goes up as we get older.
Learn more about the Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and Rheumatoid Arthritis in the above video and take notes. Having more information will help you understand your own labs results and get you more prepared for your own doctor’s visit.
Have a good Doctor’s visit with Fibromyalgia
How are things like chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or any other chronic condition for that matter, supposed to be adequately addressed in our doctor’s visits? When we are only given 15 minutes and a giant computer (or tablet) sits between us and the doctor, it just seems like a losing battle.
Chronic conditions, ESPECIALLY, autoimmune conditions require time and a doctor’s full attention, both of which are on short supply in our current clinic environments. This is a big problem that will, ultimately, require big solutions, but there are things you can do, right now, to work within the system we’ve got, to get the most out of each appointment. The video above talks about things you can do to prepare for your appointment so that you are moving FORWARD and not just in circles.
Please let me know what you think and if you have any other tips that could help us all as we try to make our medical system work for us!
Cheers,