Rheumatoid Arthritis

When hands change: Hand Arthritis

January 3, 2022 ·

“My hands are deforming just like my grandmothers.”

We don’t think about how much our hands do for us until they start giving us problems. We assume we will be able grip our steering wheel, type on our keyboards and button our shirts. But for many of us, usually in our 40’s (although it can start earlier), we start to notice changes in our hands. A day of work at our computer ends with our hands sore. We can’t quite open jars as easily as before and we may notice seemingly random shooting pains and numbness in our fingers. These symptoms can go unnoticed until we start noticing our hands LOOK different and rings don’t fit. Shoot….time to see a doctor!

When someone ends up in my office worried about their hands, I know their number one concern is Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). A quick visit to Dr. Google, informs everyone that RA could cause hand pain and lead to “deformities.” For most of us with hand pain (including myself), RA will not be the culprit, but instead, osteoarthritis (OA).

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Know the Prednisone Side Effects

December 23, 2021 ·

Let me be clear – I wouldn’t want to be on prednisone either. In fact, when suffering from a wicked case of vertigo, I fought my doctor buddies who advised I take a Medrol dose pack to ease the symptoms.

“I’m going to gain weight!” “I’m going to have anxiety!”

As a Rheumatologist, I am well-versed in all the possible side effects of prednisone (and similar meds) and feared the worse.

But I also know that there is a time a place for prednisone. Not only was I currently in need of the benefits of prednisone, many of my patients are as well. But there ARE side effects that need to be considered and discussed.

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Do you need Prednisone?

December 20, 2021 ·

“We are just wanting to know if we need to start steroids.”

Doctors will often make this comment when seeking out a rheumatology consultation. Prednisone has almost become synonymous with rheumatology. For years it was one of just a handful of treatments at our disposal to calm down the myriad of autoimmune and inflammatory conditions we came across. But the liberal use of prednisone by rheumatologists also served as education to all the harms the drug can cause.

When facing a prescription for prednisone, one can have many mixed feelings. Relief at the prospect of having some respite from pain and fear at the idea of all the side effects. Prednisone use has become so ubiquitous, especially with autoimmune disease, it can be easy to think of it as simply another “Tylenol” or “Advil.” But it needs to be understood and respected in order to be best used.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment – pt 1

July 28, 2021 ·

It takes a medical degree, a 3 year Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship to learn how to best treat Rheumatoid Arthritis. There are many nuances and caveats and even seasoned rheumatologists find themselves asking for help from colleagues. But it doesn’t serve anyone to leave all the decision making to the doctor. Although the topic can get complicated, there are concepts that everyone with RA should be familiar with. Understanding the strategy behind why your doctor prescribes certain medications can ensure that you continue to have productive and effective conversations.

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Know the facts: Rheumatoid Arthritis (part 1)

July 21, 2021 ·

When getting a new diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis, I find that most people need to start with the basics. It can be overwhelming. I know that not much beyond “You have Rheumatoid Arthritis” is heard and that everyone will need time to digest all the information out there.

So let’s talk about some Rheumatoid Arthritis facts and start with “What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?” RA is an autoimmune, systemic, inflammatory disorder. Seen in almost 1% of the US population, RA is more often seen in women compared to men and usually happens during middle age.

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