Do You Have Arthritis?

" Welcome to our webcast by doctor David Marks arthritis is a painful and sometimes debilitating condition. This disease of the joints affects 43 million Americans and that number will only increase as the population ages what is arthritis and who's at risk. Joining us to explore these questions is doctor -- to basket he's professor of medicine and public health at Cornell and rheumatologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery welcome. Thank you David and that's the -- doctor Stephen smiles clinical assistant professor of medicine at NYU thanks for being here. But everybody's heard the word arthritis. But a lot of people probably don't know what it means what does it frightens me well."

" And simplest terms -- word arthritis means inflammation. Of the joints. It comes from our which means joint and I guess which means inflammation. Press the -- arthritis is really like word or automobile what make or model what color what options. There over a hundred different clinical conditions that we referred to as arthritis. And as people understand arthritis -- use it can mean not just pain in the joints. The pain around the joints as breast pain in the bones and muscles that may be nowhere near tomorrow. So when the late public uses the term off -- is -- frequently using it referred to there of these conditions relevant suggest anyone. And what that means is that the challenge to a physician like doctor smiles -- myself. Is to be able to tease out exactly what kind of arthritis -- dealing with so that we can better individualized. Therapy for that patient."

" Doctor -- what are some of the most common types of arthritis. We're open and there will receive most often. Commonly are two types of categories. -- writers that we see related to the degeneration of drawing. And then you degeneration -- it will explain what that means it is the localization. Of a process that smoke rose to be -- itself. Rather than a systemic disease. Of the entire body that we see in disorders that are. Categorized under inflammatory joint diseases like rheumatoid authorities sort of the two largest categories. We would see. Osteoarthritis. A local roads to joke -- the -- arthritis but generalize systemic disease -- its major manifestation being a systemic go joint decisions."

" me let me carry that one step further as Steve has indicated. -- when we talk about degenerate disease generally what we talk about is he there novel use of an abnormal joint. Or abnormal use of a normal -- So mutual individuals who are basketball players and used your needs a lot develop the kind of operates in the means. That we would see in our grandparents their hands and other parts of their body of thought. And I have those individuals who may have been born and we -- dislocation of the hit. And they -- that joint is abnormal and -- using an abnormal killing normally they may develop an early form of degeneration. So as a federation is not always mean. When somebody's -- are actually not I think it's important for people to understand about right this is not a disease or people. It's a disease that can be in your grandmother but also disease can be your grandchild. And the different forms of arthritis can occur at different ages and different people."

" There -- what may be less common types of what rights once you mentioned a couple of them with lupus you can have arthritis also. -- Or Norman systemic lupus. Some expenses. These -- clinical and two. One of them can be related to the -- itself how does someone know if they have arthritis to begin. They're generally the first sign of all varieties the first symptom of our."

" I should say is keen he in or around the joint. -- I generally that's what people understand when they think they have upright this. And that's generally what. Causes them to seek attention for. The problem is that unfortunately there is a culture. Perhaps frustrating part via. Some advertising that we've seen in the past. That's right this is not a serious disease that he and can be treated -- it simple aspirin. That's not always the case and -- the kinds of conditions that cause arthritis. Often require much more treatment. And what may be available over the counter. And that's why it's important for people who have these kinds of problems to see -- position -- one last point that would make. Is that it's also important to understand. That they are. Artists arthritis diseases. That -- symptoms other than arthritis. And there are forms of other diseases that cause arthritis for example. People will look -- viral disease may have joint pain. And people with joint -- may have problems with their -- problems with their -- so it's very important to be able to tease out -- differentiate. Both conditions that can cause arthritis they're not -- the July. And those conditions that are off Friday's closing things that happen outside the job. Give me an example of when a person he should be concerned that the arthritis is caused by some systemic disease. Well I think whenever someone as part spiders they should be thinking not just of their joint. But other things that can cause it as well. Unfortunately. We can be a long time interval and Steve has seen many of these patients -- I have. And individuals will present you with pain and charming and as you watch them for a period of time you come to realize that. They're going to develop heart disease -- the grant to develop a skin disease like psoriasis. And often they're can be -- delay of up to a year between the time that patients were coming with the joint pain. And when they have the -- sent them so the market ever have a good position used to be able to identify when that's going to happen and anticipated Steven."

" I think that the process once it becomes somewhat chronic. Patients can have other signs and symptoms loss of appetite maybe fever maybe loss of weight. Maybe some other part of their widely viewed through chest their abdomen is normal functioning properly. And in the context of them having. Drawn discomforts. They should then she kept the attention of their physician and wonder whether or not the presentation of the pain that could be in a swollen. -- Because they've gone ahead and develop -- Because of that -- aura. The slowing over an overall because of what part of psoriasis. If something that they eventually bring to their internist. And even to the possibility of shooting a rheumatologist who."

" Yeah I would agree with everything you said that I would also argue for the earlier interventions from an earlier approach to diagnosis and treatment. We know that unfortunately. A number of people with a -- writers don't come to see us. I'm self several bombs or even years into the process I think that's an occasion and really bridge party get people to --"

" Earlier and earlier and things. That possibility of there kid who's going to be improved. One of the three most common symptoms that a person should look for forthrightness. The three most common symptoms would be paying. And are gonna join swirling it around a -- he can redness. In around a joint pain swelling. And revenues correct. Well thank you very much and thank you for joining a webcast I'm doctor David Brooks about."