I have decreased my frequency of giving steroid injections for decreasing pain of osteoarthritic knees. I educate patients on evidence, placebo effects and risks. I recommend less invasive therapies including physiotherapy, exercise (quadriceps and hip abductor strengthening, Tai Chi), hot compress, antiinflammatory creams, weight loss, TENS machine, orthopedic & orthotic devices, etc.
Despite being one of the most common forms of arthritis afflicting adults, optimal care of patients with gout including treatment of acute attacks as well as long-term management is not always achieved.
Gout is one of the most common forms of arthritis, affecting 1.4% of the population. Primary care physicians diagnose and manage most patients with gout. While the gold standard for diagnosing gout is visualization of monosodium urate crystals (MSU) in joint fluid under polarization microscopy, this is not always the case.
Arthroscopy is often thought of as an effective, low morbidity procedure for the treatment of arthritis, symptomatic meniscus tears, or possible intra-articular loose bodies. The question is however, “Is arthroscopy effective in the treatment of arthritis or degenerative meniscus tears?”
The Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA), American College of Rheumatology (ACR), and European League against Rheumatism (EULAR)7 have put forward revised guidelines in the recent years in their treatment approaches for rheumatoid arthritis. More than ever there is an emphasis on early diagnosis and appropriate treatment with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).
Rheumatoid arthritis has been described to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This risk appears to be multifactorial in nature. However, there is emerging evidence that glucocorticoids play a role.
Acute limping is a very common chief complaint among children visiting a clinic. When children with a limp present to you, always consider the possibility of septic arthritis. How can one differentiate between transient synovitis and septic arthritis?
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