Understanding Arthritis - Diagnosis & Treatment

How Is Arthritis Diagnosed?

A diagnosis of arthritis is the first step toward arthritis treatment. In addition to arthritis symptoms and a doctor's examination, blood tests and X-rays are commonly used to confirm rheumatoid arthritis. Most people with rheumatoid arthritis have antibodies called rheumatoid factors (RF) in their blood, although RF may also be present in other disorders.

X-rays are used to diagnose osteoarthritis, typically revealing a loss of cartilage, bony spurs, and bone rubbing against bone. Sometimes blood tests and joint aspiration (using a needle to draw a small sample of fluid from the joint for testing) are used to rule out other types of arthritis. If your doctor suspects infectious arthritis as a complication of some other disease, testing a sample of fluid from the affected joint will usually confirm the diagnosis.

What Are the Treatments of Arthritis?

Treatment of arthritis generally includes occupational or physical therapy, exercise, drugs, and sometimes surgery to correct joint damage. Treatments for osteoarthritis generally can help relieve pain and stiffness, but the disease may continue to progress. The same was true for rheumatoid arthritis in the past. But newer treatments for rheumatoid arthritis have been able to slow or stop progression of arthritis damage.

The duration and intensity of pain and discomfort depend on the type of arthritis you have and the degree of severity.

Conventional Medicine for Arthritis

In the case of localized pain, stiffness, and immobility, the typical three-stage treatment consists of medication to relieve pain and inflammation, rest to let injured tissues heal themselves, and exercise to rebuild mobility and strength.

Joint Protection for Arthritis

Learning to protect your joints is an important part of arthritis treatment. With the help of an occupational therapist, you can learn easier ways to do your normal activities, such as avoiding positions that strain your joints; using your strongest joints and muscles while sparing weaker ones; wearing braces or supports for certain joints; using grab bars in the bath; using modified doorknobs, canes, or walkers; and using devices to help you with tasks such as opening jars or pulling up socks and zippers. Your doctor may recommend pain relievers combined with regimens of rest, exercise, physical therapy, and controlled application of deep heat to soothe affected joints.

Arthritis Medication

To reduce pain and inflammation in mild cases of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, your doctor will probably prescribe aspirin or another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as naproxen or ibuprofen. Your doctor may also suggest acetaminophen.

In more advanced cases, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid joint injections -- strong anti-inflammatories -- to ease the pain and stiffness of affected joints. Depending on the individual, results range from temporary relief to long-lasting suppression of symptoms. Doctors are also using hyaluronate gel-like solutions in joint injections to further restore the cushioning and lubricating properties of normal joint fluid, thereby minimizing pain. Some examples are Hyalgan, Synvisc, Supartz, and Orthovisc.