We commonly use the name Arthritis as a way to refer to a broad spectrum of conditions that cause joint deterioration and pain. However, according to the Arthritis Foundation, there are more than 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions! Sometimes, a family physician can help, but in more severe cases, patients will be referred to a rheumatologist or orthopedic surgeon, depending on the type of arthritis.
In this podcast, rheumatologist Dr. Arundathi Malladi gives a concise overview of the types of arthritis, treatments, and risk factors. Have a listen: addressing your aches and pains starts with understanding the cause.
Selected Podcast
Understanding Arthritis
Featured Speaker:
Learn more about Arundathi Malladi, MD
Arundathi Malladi, MD
Dr. Malladi specialized in the diagnosis, treatment and long-term management of a wide range of rheumatic diseases. These include various autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sjogren’s syndrome, spondyloarthropathy, vasculitis amongst others; various causes of arthritis including osteoarthritis, gout; and various causes of musculoskeletal pain including fibromyalgia and over-use syndromes.Learn more about Arundathi Malladi, MD
Transcription:
Bill Klaproth (Host): Rheumatology issues can be challenging but with early detection and treatment, it can be managed. Here to talk with us about arthritis and rheumatology is Dr. Arundathi Malladi, a rheumatologist at Marin General Hospital. Dr. Malladi, thank you for your time. So, let’s start here, what is arthritis?
Dr. Arundathi Malladi, MD (Guest): Arthritis is a very broad term that is used to describe all kinds of issues relating to joints. And what’s important to know is that there are actually many different types of arthritis.
Bill: Okay, so speaking of those different types, can you tell us about those. Of course, we hear about rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis. We see TV commercials all the time. Can you explain what those three are?
Dr. Malladi: Yeah, absolutely. It’s very important for patients to realize that there are different types of arthritis and mainly we divide them into types that are mechanical, and the types that are inflammatory. The mechanical types of arthritis are what we call osteoarthritis and it mainly pertains to wear and tear in the joints. This is the common type of arthritis. The inflammatory types of arthritis are types of arthritis that are caused by inflammation in the joints and that would include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and various other types of autoimmune types of arthritis.
Bill: So, Dr. Malladi, is osteoarthritis the tougher one to treat?
Dr. Malladi: Well, the reality is that osteoarthritis there is no medical treatment. It ends up being more of an orthopedic issue. Whereas the different types of inflammatory arthritis do have a lot of treatments available and this is what we hear about a lot on TV when medications are shown as being treatments for arthritis. They are referring to the treatment of rheumatoid and psoriatic and so forth.
Bill: Dr. Malladi, are there people that are at a higher risk of developing arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: So, depending on what type of arthritis we are referring to, certain individuals are at risk for arthritis. For sure, when we are talking about osteoarthritis, age is a very big risk factor. Osteoarthritis tends to occur as patients get older. The inflammatory types of arthritis, it is very varied depending on which type you are talking about. But some patients are genetically predisposed, so if there is a family history of rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, we do believe those individuals are at a higher risk.
Bill: And what parts of the body can be affected when we are talking about arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: Pretty much any joint in the body that moves is susceptible to arthritis. Osteoarthritis tends to affect a lot of the weight-bearing joints such as the big toe joint, the knees, the hip. Whereas rheumatoid arthritis tends to strike very often in the hands. Some types of arthritis can strike the spine as well including the neck and the low back. So, it really varies, but a lot of all the joints are susceptible to different types of arthritis.
Bill: And what are the symptoms? How do we differ between what is normal aches and pains and what could potentially be arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: If there is sustained pain in a joint, meaning pain that occurs on a chronic basis, day after day after day; that gets only a little better with over-the-counter Tylenol or anti-inflammatories, but still persists; then I would say a patient should bring that up with their doctor. So that their doctor can try to diagnose whether it is osteoarthritis or whether it is something that warrants more rheumatologic evaluation.
Bill: And how do you diagnose arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: It depends on several things. First of all, we go over the patient’s symptoms, try to find out the pattern of pain and then we do a very careful joint exam where we touch and feel the joints and see how the joints move. And then in some cases, if we are suspecting an inflammatory type of arthritis; we do blood tests and we might do some x-rays to get better information about the joint.
Bill: So, Dr. Malladi, pain and mobility can be major issues. So, what are the treatment options for someone with arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: You’re right, I think what really affects patients’ quality of life when they live with arthritis ends up being the pain and the gradual loss of mobility. And so, depending on the type of arthritis that they have, there are lots of treatment options available. If one has osteoarthritis that involves large joints such as the knees or the hips, they might see an orthopedic surgeon and talk about joint replacement surgery which we have gotten really good at. If the pain is not that severe requiring surgical replacement, then various medications such as Tylenol, anti-inflammatory medications or cortisone injections can be helpful to treat the joint pain and improve pain and mobility.
If the type of arthritis is inflammatory, for example something like rheumatoid arthritis, or psoriatic arthritis we have gotten really good at treating these arthritic conditions. There are lots of medications options. Some of them are pills you take by mouth, some of them require injections, but there are lot of options and we are really able to help a lot of patients with their pain and mobility issues.
Bill: Well, that’s really good news. So, let me ask you this, is early detection important. I mean what should someone do if they suspect they have the signs or symptoms of arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: I think that as joint pain is becoming a prominent symptom of one’s day to day life, that is a very important medical issue to bring up with their primary doctor. Your primary care doctor should be able to advise the patient on whether or not this type of arthritis that they have is something that can be watched or if it is something that needs to be addressed in a more urgent fashion with either an orthopedic surgeon or a rheumatologist.
Bill: Dr. Malladi, does lifestyle play a part in this at all if you don’t exercise, if you eat poorly, if you smoke, things like that. Can that lead to arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: Yeah, we are starting to learn that various lifestyle changes can actually improve the course of arthritis. Tobacco smoking is a very big risk factor and a hopefully easily modifiable one. Diet plays an important role in that healthy eating and keeping your weight under control really can take a lot of wear and tear off the joints. Being active, keeping your muscles strong also lends more protection to the joints and can help improve the longevity of joints. And so, a lot of lifestyle changes are also part of our management of arthritic problems.
Bill: Well, that’s very good to know and Dr. Malladi, thank you so much for your time today and talking to us about rheumatology and arthritis. For more information about rheumatology, visit www.northbayrheumatology.org that’s www.northbayrehumatology.org. This is the Healing Podcast brought to you by Marin General Hospital. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.
Bill Klaproth (Host): Rheumatology issues can be challenging but with early detection and treatment, it can be managed. Here to talk with us about arthritis and rheumatology is Dr. Arundathi Malladi, a rheumatologist at Marin General Hospital. Dr. Malladi, thank you for your time. So, let’s start here, what is arthritis?
Dr. Arundathi Malladi, MD (Guest): Arthritis is a very broad term that is used to describe all kinds of issues relating to joints. And what’s important to know is that there are actually many different types of arthritis.
Bill: Okay, so speaking of those different types, can you tell us about those. Of course, we hear about rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and osteoarthritis. We see TV commercials all the time. Can you explain what those three are?
Dr. Malladi: Yeah, absolutely. It’s very important for patients to realize that there are different types of arthritis and mainly we divide them into types that are mechanical, and the types that are inflammatory. The mechanical types of arthritis are what we call osteoarthritis and it mainly pertains to wear and tear in the joints. This is the common type of arthritis. The inflammatory types of arthritis are types of arthritis that are caused by inflammation in the joints and that would include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and various other types of autoimmune types of arthritis.
Bill: So, Dr. Malladi, is osteoarthritis the tougher one to treat?
Dr. Malladi: Well, the reality is that osteoarthritis there is no medical treatment. It ends up being more of an orthopedic issue. Whereas the different types of inflammatory arthritis do have a lot of treatments available and this is what we hear about a lot on TV when medications are shown as being treatments for arthritis. They are referring to the treatment of rheumatoid and psoriatic and so forth.
Bill: Dr. Malladi, are there people that are at a higher risk of developing arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: So, depending on what type of arthritis we are referring to, certain individuals are at risk for arthritis. For sure, when we are talking about osteoarthritis, age is a very big risk factor. Osteoarthritis tends to occur as patients get older. The inflammatory types of arthritis, it is very varied depending on which type you are talking about. But some patients are genetically predisposed, so if there is a family history of rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis, we do believe those individuals are at a higher risk.
Bill: And what parts of the body can be affected when we are talking about arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: Pretty much any joint in the body that moves is susceptible to arthritis. Osteoarthritis tends to affect a lot of the weight-bearing joints such as the big toe joint, the knees, the hip. Whereas rheumatoid arthritis tends to strike very often in the hands. Some types of arthritis can strike the spine as well including the neck and the low back. So, it really varies, but a lot of all the joints are susceptible to different types of arthritis.
Bill: And what are the symptoms? How do we differ between what is normal aches and pains and what could potentially be arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: If there is sustained pain in a joint, meaning pain that occurs on a chronic basis, day after day after day; that gets only a little better with over-the-counter Tylenol or anti-inflammatories, but still persists; then I would say a patient should bring that up with their doctor. So that their doctor can try to diagnose whether it is osteoarthritis or whether it is something that warrants more rheumatologic evaluation.
Bill: And how do you diagnose arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: It depends on several things. First of all, we go over the patient’s symptoms, try to find out the pattern of pain and then we do a very careful joint exam where we touch and feel the joints and see how the joints move. And then in some cases, if we are suspecting an inflammatory type of arthritis; we do blood tests and we might do some x-rays to get better information about the joint.
Bill: So, Dr. Malladi, pain and mobility can be major issues. So, what are the treatment options for someone with arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: You’re right, I think what really affects patients’ quality of life when they live with arthritis ends up being the pain and the gradual loss of mobility. And so, depending on the type of arthritis that they have, there are lots of treatment options available. If one has osteoarthritis that involves large joints such as the knees or the hips, they might see an orthopedic surgeon and talk about joint replacement surgery which we have gotten really good at. If the pain is not that severe requiring surgical replacement, then various medications such as Tylenol, anti-inflammatory medications or cortisone injections can be helpful to treat the joint pain and improve pain and mobility.
If the type of arthritis is inflammatory, for example something like rheumatoid arthritis, or psoriatic arthritis we have gotten really good at treating these arthritic conditions. There are lots of medications options. Some of them are pills you take by mouth, some of them require injections, but there are lot of options and we are really able to help a lot of patients with their pain and mobility issues.
Bill: Well, that’s really good news. So, let me ask you this, is early detection important. I mean what should someone do if they suspect they have the signs or symptoms of arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: I think that as joint pain is becoming a prominent symptom of one’s day to day life, that is a very important medical issue to bring up with their primary doctor. Your primary care doctor should be able to advise the patient on whether or not this type of arthritis that they have is something that can be watched or if it is something that needs to be addressed in a more urgent fashion with either an orthopedic surgeon or a rheumatologist.
Bill: Dr. Malladi, does lifestyle play a part in this at all if you don’t exercise, if you eat poorly, if you smoke, things like that. Can that lead to arthritis?
Dr. Malladi: Yeah, we are starting to learn that various lifestyle changes can actually improve the course of arthritis. Tobacco smoking is a very big risk factor and a hopefully easily modifiable one. Diet plays an important role in that healthy eating and keeping your weight under control really can take a lot of wear and tear off the joints. Being active, keeping your muscles strong also lends more protection to the joints and can help improve the longevity of joints. And so, a lot of lifestyle changes are also part of our management of arthritic problems.
Bill: Well, that’s very good to know and Dr. Malladi, thank you so much for your time today and talking to us about rheumatology and arthritis. For more information about rheumatology, visit www.northbayrheumatology.org that’s www.northbayrehumatology.org. This is the Healing Podcast brought to you by Marin General Hospital. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.