News
If you're a skier, you're probably excited to get on the mountain every chance you can. If not, you may be tired from all the snow shoveling. In either case, you've probably used muscles and joints that haven't seen action in many months.
It's common to have joint and muscle aches from overuse, and a simple prescription may be a few days of rest and relaxation.
However, if you have unexplained pain and swelling of your joints, this may be a sign of a more serious condition: Arthritis.
Patients are often surprised to learn that there are dozens of different types of arthritis. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is a result of wear and tear or a previous injury.
There are other arthritic conditions unrelated to previous injuries and overuse: Inflammatory arthritis. The most common inflammatory arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis medications can lower your immune system. If you're taking medicine for arthritis, make sure you're up-to-date with your vaccinations. This is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system malfunctions and attacks the joints. The eyes, skin, heart, lungs and other organs also can be involved. The hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation that causes swelling and stiffness of the joints, which can be at their worst in the morning. In contrast, patients with osteoarthritis complain of pain that is worse in the evening. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis actually feel better with modest physical activity while patients with osteoarthritis have more pain after activity.
Rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed with a physical exam of the joints, laboratory studies and medical history. During the early stages of the disease, laboratory studies may come back negative and inflammation may not be obvious. Some patients may go for months or years without a definitive diagnosis. But rheumatoid arthritis is a very treatable condition if caught early. Therefore it is important to seek medical attention if you think you may have this condition.
Rheumatoid arthritis can affect anyone. Arthritis does not just affect the elderly. Inflammatory arthritis can affect all age groups. For example, rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects women in their ‘50s and children can be affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Children often do not complain of pain, but one sign of developing the disease may be an inability to keep up with peers in sports. If untreated, the result may be a discrepancy in leg length, stunted growth or other bone deformities, such as a shortened jaw. Obesity is closely linked with osteoarthritis, so eating a healthier diet and exercising will often decrease the progression of osteoarthritis.
— Dr. Jay Chung is a rheumatologist and internal medicine physician with Barton Health. He can be reached at 530-543-5685.
It's common to have joint and muscle aches from overuse, and a simple prescription may be a few days of rest and relaxation.
However, if you have unexplained pain and swelling of your joints, this may be a sign of a more serious condition: Arthritis.
Patients are often surprised to learn that there are dozens of different types of arthritis. The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is a result of wear and tear or a previous injury.
There are other arthritic conditions unrelated to previous injuries and overuse: Inflammatory arthritis. The most common inflammatory arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis medications can lower your immune system. If you're taking medicine for arthritis, make sure you're up-to-date with your vaccinations. This is an autoimmune condition in which the immune system malfunctions and attacks the joints. The eyes, skin, heart, lungs and other organs also can be involved. The hallmark of rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation that causes swelling and stiffness of the joints, which can be at their worst in the morning. In contrast, patients with osteoarthritis complain of pain that is worse in the evening. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis actually feel better with modest physical activity while patients with osteoarthritis have more pain after activity.
Rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed with a physical exam of the joints, laboratory studies and medical history. During the early stages of the disease, laboratory studies may come back negative and inflammation may not be obvious. Some patients may go for months or years without a definitive diagnosis. But rheumatoid arthritis is a very treatable condition if caught early. Therefore it is important to seek medical attention if you think you may have this condition.
Rheumatoid arthritis can affect anyone. Arthritis does not just affect the elderly. Inflammatory arthritis can affect all age groups. For example, rheumatoid arthritis commonly affects women in their ‘50s and children can be affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Children often do not complain of pain, but one sign of developing the disease may be an inability to keep up with peers in sports. If untreated, the result may be a discrepancy in leg length, stunted growth or other bone deformities, such as a shortened jaw. Obesity is closely linked with osteoarthritis, so eating a healthier diet and exercising will often decrease the progression of osteoarthritis.
— Dr. Jay Chung is a rheumatologist and internal medicine physician with Barton Health. He can be reached at 530-543-5685.
