Category Archives: arthritis

Some Fibromyalgias are Treatable Arthritis

I have a patient with psoriatic arthritis that had widespread pains. His rheumatologist told him it was “fibromyalgia” He developed such bad bronchitis I had to put him on steroids – at which point his “fibromyaglia” pains went away. He … Continue reading

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Back Pain in Crohn’s Colitis is a Spondyloarthritis

Imaging spine in Crohn’s Colitis found evidence of spondyloarthritis (active spine arthritis) in 1/2 of cases. Have a case of “arrested” crohn’s disease (there is usually evidence of continued activity in stool secretion – see http://painmuse.org/?p=374 re that) with chronic … Continue reading

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Knitting as Treatment For Hand Osteoarthritis

Case was recorded that got 75% improvement in hand OA condition by frequent knitting

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Low Vitamin D associated with Osteoarthritis

This is not necessarily new – Framingham study found that low vitamin D was associated with with “an increased risk for progression of osteoarthritis of the knee” back in 1996. This seems to have been forgotten.  Now a new study … Continue reading

Posted in arthritis, Knee | 1 Comment

Inflammatory Back Pain (IBP) – MRI’s Use depends on when you do it.

In IBP – MRI could be negative or positive at one point and then the opposite later on. Make MRI imaging more dubious than people think.

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Methotrexate for Knee Osteoarthritis

On methotrexate up to 25 mg/week orally, 53% had over a VAS drop of  2.0/10 while only 24% had in control group.

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Hip/Knee Arthritis – Not Satisfied With Acetaminophen? – Using Arthritis Pills (NSAIDs) Instead Helps

When Osteoarhtritis patients were allowed to try NSAID instead of acetaminophen,  “proportion of patients on acetaminophen treatment during the study decreased from 74.8 % at baseline to 23.9 %, while the proportion on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increased from 59.8 … Continue reading

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Is Hip Arthritis a Bone Disease?

Serial MRI images were able to detect either broad band or localized signal changes in proximal femur during a period of hip pains. Subsequently, the hip pains may resolve but hip OA changes appeared on imaging. This  chronologs  the process – bone … Continue reading

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MSM for Knee Arthritis Disappointing by Self

Use of MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) for knee arthritis barely reached significance and did not reach clinical usefulness by self – maybe better if combined with NSAID’s?

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Midfoot Pains – Response to Injection

Over 1/2 of patients will get sustained relief of midfoot pain for 3 months with steroid injection

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Erosive Hand Osteoarthritis – Can Do Better Than Arthritis Pills

Hand Osteoarthritis with progressive deformities, pain and  erosions on xray is not your typical osteoarthritis. It is coined “inflammatory osteoarthritis” and can lead to  increased disability.  Drugs like IM methylprednisolone, Hydroxychloroquine, Infliximab, and  Anakinra all help.

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Self Questionnaire For Inflammatory Arthritis

Group is in process of putting together a self administered inflammatory arthritis questionnaire – this is what they have come up with so far…

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New Arthritis Pain Option – Botox It

For some years, they were finding Botox into ankle, shoulder and hip joints was giving pain relief. Now injecting Botox 25 u into a thumb Metacarpal-phalangeal and 50 – 100 units into cervical facet joints gives a similar result.

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Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PR) – What can Help?

Prednisone dosage for the PR is a major concern. Initial dosages can be 20 mg daily, decreased 50% at 21 weeks. The accumulative dose is dangerous for osteoporosis, weight gain, hypertension and heart disease. Methotrexate at 7.5 mg weekly failed … Continue reading

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Osteoarthritis Can Improve With Antibiotics – What Does That Mean -and would this prove safer than NSAID’s?

In osteoarthritics, Doxycycline, a tetracycline, was found to reduce knee joint space narrowing by 40% at 16 months and 33% at 30 months compared to placebo. In another study, after noticing a rapid reduction of inflammation in an OA case … Continue reading

Posted in arthritis, Drugs | 2 Comments

Knee Mensicus Tears – Accelerate Osteoarthrtis or Bistander?

A Recent Framingham study has demonstrated on MRI: By age 69, 50% have meniscial tears; it is more common in women 61% of these tears were asymptomatic In cases of Osteoarthritis, those with symptoms 63% had cartilage tears, without symptoms … Continue reading

Posted in arthritis, Knee | 1 Comment

Polymyalgia Rheumatica – Back and Neck Pains

http://ard.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/67/6/758 “Cervical interspinous bursae lie anteriorly in C6–C7 interspinous spaces (arrows). B. Median sagittal section through L3–L5 of the vertebral column. Lumbar interspinous bursae lie posteriorly in L3–L5 interspinous spaces (arrows).” These are inflamed bursas between the posterior neck (and … Continue reading

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The Pain Diagnosis that Cannot be Made in Women – Spine Arthritis – Ankylosing Spondylitis

A recent study found doctors had a poor knowledge of the features of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) which is why only 6% of women with this disease are properly diagnosed by GP’s. This will mean women with active spinal arthritis might … Continue reading

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New Treatment for Thumb base Arthritis – 60% relief but you won’t like it… and what else can be done

Arthritis of the joint in the wrist down from the thumb can be common and in some cases eludes successful treatment. Recent article published in the prestigious medical journal, Pain, describes one application of leeches to the area can reduce … Continue reading

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Can’t Tolerate Arthritis Pills? – Try SAMe But Give It a Month.

Most NSAID’s (arthrtis pills) have a GI bleed (stomach bleed) rate of 10%. Diclofenac is 7%. Celebrex is 5% but only if they are not taking ASA. I have cases that cannot tolerate any NSAID’s or due to major GI … Continue reading

Posted in arthritis, Drugs | 1 Comment

Glucosamine in RA -pain but not inflammation?

Glucosamine 1500 mg/day seemed to help the pain of RA but not signs of inflammation – add on for Acetaminophen in NSAID intolerant along with fluvastatin (Lescol)?

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