Page 26 Healthy Cells Magazine Peoria July 2014

arthritis q & a
D
i agnosi ng and treati ng rheumatoi d arthri ti s requi res a
team effort i nvol vi ng the pati ent and several types of
health care professionals.
The pri mary doctor to treat arthri ti s may be an i nterni st, a
doctor who specializes in the diagnosis and medical treatment
of adul ts, or a rheumatol ogi st, a doctor who speci al i zes i n
arthritis and other diseases of the bones, joints, and muscles.
As treatment progresses, other professi onal s often hel p.
These may include the following:
Orthopaedists: Surgeons who specialize in the treatment of,
and surgery for, bone and joint diseases.
Physical therapists: Heal th professi onal s who work wi th
patients to improve joint function.
Occupational therapists: Heal th professi onal s who teach
ways to protect j oi nts, mi ni mi ze pai n, perform acti vi ti es of
daily living, and conserve energy.
Dietitians: Heal th professi onal s who teach ways to use a
good diet to improve health and maintain a healthy weight.
Nurse educators: Nurses who specialize in helping patients
understand their overall condition and implement their treat-
ment plans.
Psychologists: Heal th professi onal s who seek to hel p
patients cope with difficulties in the home and workplace that
may result from their medical conditions.
What You Can Do: The Importance of Self-Care
Although health care professionals can prescribe or recom-
mend treatments to hel p pati ents manage thei r rheumatoi d
arthritis, the real key to living well with the disease lies with the
patients themselves. Research shows that people who take part
in their own care report less pain and make fewer doctor visits.
They also enjoy a better quality of life.
Self-management programs teach about rheumatoid arthritis
and its treatments, exercise and relaxation approaches, com-
muni cati on between pati ents and heal th care provi ders, and
problem solving. Research on these programs has shown that
they help people:
Rheumatoid Arthritis: Who Treats It?
Part VI of a Series
Information provided by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Understand the disease
Reduce their pain while remaining active
Cope physically, emotionally, and mentally
Feel greater control over the di sease and bui l d a sense of
confidence in the ability to function and lead full, active, and
independent lives
For more i nformati on about rheumatoi d arthri ti s and other
musculoskeletal health issues, visit www.niams.nih.gov. Join us
next month for part 7 on the series of RA.
Photo credit: monkeybusinessimages/Thinkstock
Coordinated
and efficient
healthcare
saves everyone
money.
Because Your Healthcare Story
Shouldnt Be Told in Pieces.
cihie.org