Diagnosis and Treatment of Arthritis.

Author: Kyong Hee JUNG ¹
Author Information

1. Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea. khjung@inha.ac.kr
Publication Type:Review
Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis; Osteoarthritis; Gout; Diagnosis; Treatment
MeSH: Aged; Aging; Arthritis*; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Bone Density; Cartilage; Diagnosis*; Gait; Gout; Humans; Joints; Muscle Weakness; Muscular Atrophy; Musculoskeletal System; Osteoarthritis; Pain, Referred; Physical Examination
From:Journal of the Korean Neurological Association 2017;35(Suppl):25-30
CountryRepublic of Korea
Language:Korean
Abstract: Changes in the musculoskeletal system due to aging lead to muscle weakness, muscle atrophy, degenerative changes in joints and cartilage, and decreased bone density. Pain in the joints is a very common and subjective symptom. There are various causes, such as referred pain or neurological pain that make it difficult to diagnose correctly. Especially, in elderly patients, their detailed history and a physical examination are important for the diagnosis of arthritis, and consideration of the effects of underlying diseases and drugs is essential. In this review, we first describe the clinical approach to diagnosis of arthritis, and briefly describe the diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout, which are common arthritis causing gait disorders in the elderly.