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September 23rd, 2005 by admin | Filed under Uncategorized.Sadly arthritis of all kinds is a very prevalent medical condition, with the number of sufferers increasing each year. It is now believed to affect around 13% of the population of the developed world. Arthritis is very painful and difficult to treat. Because of this it is extremely important that the correct diagnosis be made regarding exactly which type of arthritis the patient is suffering from. Only then can a correctly designed individual program be formulated. There is, fortunately, a lot that can be done to ease the symptoms and reduce the suffering, provided that the correct diagnosis be made and the condition be treated before it has progressed too far.
The first essential step when you notice problems that could be symptomatic of arthritis is obviously to consult with a qualified medical professional. In just about every country there is some form of system involving general practitioners, who can often be consulted for no fee initially. These general practitioners are able to refer patients to specialists, who can perform diagnostic tests, which will usually include blood tests and X rays. These tests could even be carried out on site if the doctor works in a large health centre, but in most cases the patient will be tested at a local hospital.
The two major types of test that will be carried out at the hospital are X rays and blood tests. Both have their uses and their limitations. An X ray is the most useful diagnostic tool possible when the disease involves damage to the bones. This is osteoarthritis, a condition which is often due to wear and tear on the body and is therefore much more common amongst older people. The other major type of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, will often not show up on these kind of scans. Blood tests come in numerous variations, most of which are designed to test for iron deficiency anaemia, or for testing whether parts of the body are inflamed.
If these basic tests are carried out at a local hospital, as they usually are, there will often be the option of referring the patient to a specialist who will be based at the hospital. These specialists will perform more tests, possibly including the MRI scan. This was developed in the 1980s as a way of taking pictures of parts of the human body, with a view to diagnosing a very wide variety of conditions, often relating to the heart, or the tissue around the brain or spinal column. These MRI scans, although very technically advanced, are much safer than X rays because they do not emit any kind of ionizing radiation.
Following the diagnosis of arthritis there are many different options and consultations will be necessary between the patient, the general practitioner responsible for the patient and other specialists who have become involved. It is also possible that other health professionals will need to become involved, such as social workers, counselors, or occupational therapists, depending on the age, overall medical condition and lifestyle of the patient. There is certainly no ‘out of the box’ treatment programme for arthritis that will be suitable for all sufferers.
Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to arthritis-guided.com/ Arthritis
