Arthritis is a disease that affects the joints, affecting adults over 30. Joints are present throughout the human body: in the legs, arms, spine, at all the junctions of bones. Different bones are treated by different doctors; with arthritis, the main thing is not the place of origin. Which doctor treats arthritis? The choice depends on factors:
Symptoms of arthritis have been appearing for a long time - contact an orthopedist to diagnose and treat advanced forms. Symptoms begin to appear - visit a rheumatologist.
If arthritis develops as a result of injury, consult a traumatologist. Having eliminated the consequences of the injury, it is worth paying attention to the affected joint. If arthritis affects internal organs, do not forget about their treatment.
Arthritis is a difficult disease to treat; treatment takes time even in the early stages. There is no specific answer to “Who treats arthritis?” More often, treatment is complex, with different doctors contributing.
In case of illness, the first port of call is the general practitioner. The doctor will spend time to determine if the disease is suspected. He will give you a referral to a doctor, so you don’t have to look for the right doctor.
There are downsides to seeing a therapist. The first and main thing is the doctor’s workload. It’s difficult to make an appointment, it’s a waste of time. It's easier to go to someone who specializes in your type of arthritis.
The need to go to a therapist disappears if you know which specialist to contact. It's worth going to the doctors:
The choice of doctor depends on the specifics of the disease.
Treatment that distributes the functions of different doctors is effective; arthritis manifests itself at different levels. An individual doctor takes care of something individual. This applies to arthritis caused by diseases: inflammation of the knee joint is caused by injury, you should consult a traumatologist. The choice of whom to turn to for advice should be determined this way.
Arthritis often affects internal organs: heart, kidneys, excretory system. Consultation and observation of a doctor who deals with the affected organs is necessary.
It is more often believed that a rheumatologist works with joint problems. Prescribes a course of treatment and ensures that it proceeds correctly. A rheumatologist is consulted if rheumatoid arthritis is suspected.
Contact a rheumatologist if symptoms appear:
If rheumatoid arthritis is not diagnosed in time, then a rheumatologist will not be able to help: you will have to undergo clinical treatment, which is long and tedious. Advanced stages often involve surgery. To reduce the risk, doctors recommend that after 30 years of age, you should be regularly examined by a rheumatologist in order to prevent pathological processes and aging from affecting the body and limbs.
When contacting a surgeon, the emphasis is on the work of the connective tissues included in the joint. He is undergoing outpatient treatment and is under constant surgical supervision. Often, surgeons are consulted after visiting a rheumatologist: the rheumatologist has diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis of the knee joint. To establish a diagnosis, you need to carry out a number of procedures:
Most procedures are performed under the supervision of a surgeon.
Contact us when procedures do not help and surgery is necessary. More often this is done using an intra-articular probe. If arthritis of the knee joint is diagnosed, then the knee is operated on. There is a risk of installing a prosthesis.
The doctor removes the tissue of the affected joint, after which a course of rehabilitation is prescribed. The rehabilitation is carried out by an orthopedic surgeon.
If you go for a consultation with a surgeon right away, it will confuse him and confuse the cards. Therefore, patients with suspected arthritis are not recommended to consult a surgeon.
It’s not worth contacting an orthopedist first; it’s a waste of time. More often, the patient turns to an orthopedist after completing the main course of treatment. Having cured conditional rheumatoid arthritis, the patient is removed from the rheumatologist’s register and registered with an orthopedist. He will ensure that the joints function and recover correctly so that no complications arise.
There are such advanced forms of arthritis that a rheumatologist is unable to help. In this case, they turn to an orthopedist, who will weigh how much the joints are deformed, which is necessary for treatment.
The causes of arthritis vary from heredity to injury. If you fall and hurt your knee, you are at risk of knee arthritis. It is worth contacting a traumatologist.
The doctor will eliminate the consequences of the injury and refer you to a rheumatologist. The underlying cause of arthritis disappears, making treatment easier.
An arthrologist is a narrow specialization, rare; the doctor deals with arthritis, including joints. It’s hard to find an arthrologist in a big city, and even more so in a small city.
Often an arthrologist is found in a paid clinic; you will have to pay a lot of money for a consultation. If you really have arthritis, after visiting an arthrologist you will not have to consult other doctors. The arthrologist will prescribe a course of treatment, prescribe medications and give the necessary directions.
Diseases that affect joints and other parts of the human musculoskeletal system are a real problem in modern medicine. They not only significantly worsen the quality of life due to chronic pain, but also cause loss of human health and ability to work. Correct diagnosis at an early stage of the disease, which only a doctor can establish, will help take the necessary measures. Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is very difficult and takes a long time. Who should I contact for help?
A preliminary medical examination must be carried out by a general practitioner. It is necessary to examine the general condition of the patient. The complex of treatment measures includes measuring blood pressure, body temperature, and identifying side diseases. In the future, the patient will be referred to a more specialized specialist. As a rule, rheumatoid arthritis is treated by a rheumatologist.
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of inflammatory joint disease. This disease is widespread among older people. Moreover, the female population is exposed to it much more often than the male population.
Basically, the disease occurs gradually and unnoticed by the human body. A person feels well for a long period, leads a normal life, while existing antibodies kill the body's own tissues. When a large accumulation of antibodies occurs, all their components are damaged and inflammation of the joints begins. Deformation and slow destruction of tissue components leads to their functional impairment or their complete loss. At a later stage of the development of the disease, arthritis can affect other vital organs: kidneys, lungs, cardiac system, and muscle tissue atrophy occurs.
Any doctor admits that today there are no specific etiological factors that stop the development of antibodies in arthritis. There are only two probable theories about the cause of the disease:
Risk factors for getting this disease include injuries, hypothermia (hypercooled state of the body) and other infectious components. Signs of incipient arthritis appear gradually. Stiffness in joint movements and periodic pain make you think about the onset of the disease. Outbreaks of inflammation can last from a few minutes to several days. If the restless condition of the joints does not go away, you should consult a doctor and take urgent measures.
Correct diagnosis of the disease is very important in the early stages of the disease. Pathological processes of changes in the immune system occur several months before obvious signs of the disease. The results of a synovial membrane biopsy will help establish the correct diagnosis and begin treatment. Rheumatism is examined in several stages:
Rheumatoid arthritis must be treated comprehensively. Along with general therapy, physical therapy is a must. At an early stage, the patient is prescribed non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Based on the results of many months of continuous treatment, further tactics for using these medications are determined. If it is noticeable that the patient’s condition is significantly improving, then the treatment is correct. Arthritis can also be overcome using non-traditional folk remedies. You can improve joint plasticity by carefully selecting effective treatment. This may take from several months to a year.
In order to avoid the chronic form of rheumatoid arthritis, the attending physician prescribes the drug methotrexate. Thanks to effective treatment with these medications, surgery can be avoided. It is produced in the form of a concentrate for the preparation of injections or in tablets. Please note that before using the drug you must have your blood tested. During the entire treatment process, constant blood monitoring is necessary. All advice on dosage and use of the drug should be obtained from a doctor.
Rheumatoid arthritis is often treated more effectively with folk remedies than with traditional medicine. There are many examples of this. Treatment with folk remedies is aimed at containing relapses and maintaining joints in an elastic state. There are several widely applicable methods:
Rheumatoid arthritis forces you to change your usual lifestyle. Stiff joints require a good warm-up before a hard working day. Physical therapy will help to further stimulate muscle tone. Daily exercises will give elasticity to the joint parts and will be an excellent prevention of the disease. In the evening, treatment with joint massage will be effective. However, all recommendations for physical therapy and massage will be given by the rheumatologist who is treating you.
Follow the advice of experts, and arthritis will disappear from you forever. Be healthy!