Arthritis (cont.)
How is arthritis treated?
The treatment of arthritis is very dependent on the precise type of arthritis present. An accurate diagnosis increases the chances for successful treatment. Treatments available include physical therapy, splinting, cold pack application, paraffin wax dips, antiinflammation medications, immune-altering medications, and surgical operations.
What is the national financial impact of arthritis?
It has been estimated that the total cost of the arthritis bill for
the United States, in terms of hospitalization, doctor visits,
medications, physical therapies, nursing-home care, lost wages, early
death, and family discord is over $50 billion dollars annually.
This does not include the nearly $2 billion spent each year in the
United States on unproven remedies by patients addressing their
symptoms on their own.
What is a rheumatologist?
A rheumatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in
the nonsurgical treatment of rheumatic illnesses, especially arthritis.
Rheumatologists have special interests in unexplained rash,
fever, arthritis, anemia, weakness, weight loss, fatigue, joint or
muscle pain, autoimmune disease, and anorexia. They often serve as consultants, acting like medical detectives at the request of other doctors.
Rheumatologists have particular skills in the evaluation of the
over 100 forms of arthritis and have special interests in rheumatoid
arthritis, spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus
erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, Still's disease, dermatomyositis, Sjogren's syndrome, vasculitis,
scleroderma, mixed
connective tissue disease, sarcoidosis, Lyme disease,
osteomyelitis, osteoarthritis, back pain, gout, pseudogout, relapsing polychondritis, Henoch-Schonlein purpura, serum sickness, reactive arthritis, Kawasaki disease, fibromyalgia, erythromelalgia, Raynaud's disease, growing pains, iritis, osteoporosis, reflex sympathetic dystrophy, and others.
Classical adult rheumatology training
includes four years of medical school, one year of
internship in internal medicine, two years of internal-medicine residency, and two years of rheumatology
fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology
certification, offered by the American Board of Internal
Medicine, which can provide board certification to approved
rheumatologists.
Pediatric rheumatologists are physicians who specialize
in providing comprehensive care to children (as well as
their families) with rheumatic diseases, especially
arthritis.
Pediatric rheumatologists are pediatricians who have
completed an additional two to three years of specialized training
in pediatric rheumatology and are usually board-certified
in pediatric rheumatology.
Next: What is the Arthritis Foundation? »
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