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Imaging studies have a limited role during the early stages of back pain, yet more than half of people with low back pain receive an imaging study. People with back pain often are inappropriately told to rest and stop work. Only half of people with low back pain are prescribed exercise, which is the most effective treatment.

Hundreds of stem cell clinics have popped up across the country, many of them hoping to cash in on the enthusiasm surrounding this treatment. The field, particularly in the past five years, has been overrun with a large number of people who have co-opted the word stem and have been using it as a marketing tool to offer therapies to patients that are as yet unproven, says Dr. Muschler. That practice is a misuse of the term stem cell and amounts to selling false hope.

To really understand gout you have to realize that this dramatic event is a symptom of the disease and not the disease itself. The disease of gout occurs when deposits of uric acid accumulate in and around joints, says Dr. Mandell. These deposits can occasionally break down and form crystals, which cause the symptom, which is the gout attack.

Millions of Americans, both women and men, have low bone density, putting them at risk for bone fractures. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF), about one-half of women and one-quarter of men over age 50 have a fracture during their lifetime.

For people who are overweight or obese, the most effective treatment is weight loss. This is not surprising because every extra pound of weight adds two to four pounds of excess pressure on the knees. Losing weight is probably the most difficult part of the treatment puzzle, but its also the most important, says Dr. Day.

Cleveland Clinic, along with other healthcare institutions, has put new practices and policies into place to deal with the opioid epidemic. We spoke with Lisa Yerian, MD, Medical Director of Continuous Improvement at Cleveland Clinic, and Cleveland Clinic psychiatrist Mohsen Vazirian, MD, about the problem and the response. In this and future issues of Arthritis Advisor we will continue the discussion.

Do you sometimes have a painful neck? If so, you are in good company. About half of us will experience neck pain some time during our lifetimes. The good news is most neck pain is mild and will go away on its own or with simple treatment. It may be caused by a strained muscle or ligament, poor posture or repetitive stress.

When you think of joint replacement surgery, youre probably thinking knees or hips. But other joints can be replaced as well, including ankles. Fewer ankle replacement surgeries are done, partly because the technology has lagged behind that for hips and knees. This is changing.

Your incredible intricate hands allow you to do amazing things, from mundane jobs, such as opening jars or typing, to more refined tasks, such as woodworking or playing the piano. You may take your hands for granted, until something goes wrong. Hand pain, stiffness and deformities can occur for a variety of reasons and can complicate your life.

Its important to understand that while back pain is a common complaint, most people do not need surgery. Back problems can stem from a variety of causes, including muscle strains, herniated disks, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis and others. Nonsurgical measures, such as physical therapy, core strengthening, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and activity modification, usually relieve symptoms.

The temporomandibular joints (one on each side of your head) articulate the lower jaw to the temporal bone of the skull. These hinge-like joints, along with the jaw (masticatory) muscles, allow you to open and close your mouth and move your lower jaw from side to side. Thus you can talk, chew and yawn with ease.

A new study backs up earlier research suggesting that regularly eating fish may help reduce joint pain and swelling for people with rheumatoid arthritis. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to have anti-inflammatory properties. For the study, published in Arthritis Care & Research (June 2017), researchers studied 176 people with rheumatoid arthritis who filled out questionnaires about their diet, including frequency of eating fish.