Dangers of Delaying a Trip to the Rheumatologist

A rheumatologist specializes in treating joint, muscle, and bone conditions. While some joint or muscle pain can be temporary or the result of injury, many chronic conditions develop as a result of joint deterioration with age, and these can cause severe pain and immobility.

Any chronic pain should be addressed in order to identify its underlying cause and prevent more serious complications, leading to mobility and daily function loss. Your primary care physician may be able to identify conditions affecting joint mobility, but in more complex cases or when symptoms persist or worsen, you are best suited to seek an evaluation from a trained rheumatologist.

Many serious joint conditions are linked to inflammation and serious joint degeneration. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, this inflammation can become chronic, causing damage beyond the joints to other systems within the body. Most joint conditions can be effectively treated when identified early, so you don’t want to delay your visit to the rheumatologist. Ignoring the problem may lead to lifelong loss of function and disability.

Signs You Need To See a Rheumatologist

The key to identifying joint conditions early is paying attention to symptoms and discussing them with your physician. Certain conditions can significantly limit mobility and impact quality of life if left untreated. The sooner the underlying cause is identified, the better the chances of successful treatment.

You should see your rheumatologist if you notice any of the following:

• Joint pain that increases with weight-bearing
• Tenderness in the joint area
• Joint swelling
• Joint stiffness worsens after inactivity
• Awakening at night with joint discomfort
• Reduced range of motion of the joint
• Limping
• Locking of a finger or joint
• Joint redness
• Warmth in and around the joint
• Weakness or numbness

Don’t Delay Your Trip To the Rheumatologist

For the most effective treatment and to best protect your mobility and quality of life, you should see a rheumatologist for pepper evaluation of the health of your joints. With a thorough evaluation of joint function and the development of a treatment program, you may be able to avoid serious health complications such as:

• Joint narrowing as a result of total cartilage breakdown
• Loss of stability as tendons and ligaments deteriorate
• Bone spurs
• Stress fractures
• Pinched nerves in your neck, back, and extremities

A rheumatologist can accurately identify the cause of your joint pain and develop a treatment plan to reduce the risk of long-term loss of function and disability. Several underlying causes or contributing factors could be in play, and not seeking treatment for them can be devastating.

Autoimmune Conditions

The immune system is designed to defend the body, but sometimes it acts erroneously and targets healthy cells and tissues, including the joints. There isn’t always a known cause for these autoimmune conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, but there are early symptoms that you can look out for, including:

• Joint pain and stiffness
• Joint swelling and redness
• Numbness in hands or feet
• Chronic fatigue
• Skin rashes
• Achy muscles
• Trouble concentrating

Don’t wait: There is often no cure for autoimmune conditions, but treatment can help control the inflammation that is targeting your joints. If left untreated, healthy tissues will continue to be attacked, causing chronic damage, pain, decreased mobility, and even deformities.

Obesity

Being overweight may be caused by consuming more calories than your body can burn. Having a high fat-to-muscle ratio, increases the pressure and strain on bones and joints. This can increase the rate of natural wear and tear. As you age, your metabolic rate naturally slows down, making it easier to gain weight. Additionally, there are other common causes for obesity such as:

• Poor diet high in fats
• A sedentary lifestyle
• Lack of sleep, which changes hormones and impacts food cravings
• Genetics, which can influence your body’s metabolism and fat storage

Don’t wait: Carrying extra weight wears down your joints, and as a result, obesity can lead to serious consequences, including:

• Chronic joint deterioration
• Chronic inflammation
• Elevated blood sugar levels
• Liver issues
• Cardiovascular issues
• Abnormal cell growth
• Impaired sleep
• Blood pressure issues

Age-Related Wear

Cartilage in the joints naturally breaks down with age and use. With less of this flexible connective tissue to protect your joints and absorb shock, pain, and immobility can develop. The most commonly identified symptoms include joint pain, swelling, and stiffness of joints and the surrounding areas. In addition to these symptoms, you may also notice:

• Decreased range of motion of the joint
• Reduced flexibility
• Easy fatigability
• Possible joint deformity

Don’t wait: Along with overuse, some conditions can contribute to the faster breakdown of cartilage, such as infections, injuries, and chronic inflammation. Identifying and treating these conditions early are important for protecting your joints, maintaining mobility, and preventing chronic pain.

Osteoporosis

Bone is living tissue that is continuously built and broken down. As you get older, bone is broken down faster than new bone can be built and this can cause bones to weaken. Along with an increased risk of fracture, there is also a significant chance of joint pain. Symptoms that may occur as a result of fracture from brittle bones include:

• Back pain
• Joint pain and immobility
• Loss of height over time
• A stooped posture
• Another bone that breaks much more quickly than expected
• Need for assistive devices such as wheelchair, walker, or cane

Don’t wait: Autoimmune conditions can cause chronic inflammation that contributes to bone density loss and joint degeneration. This is in addition to the natural bone density loss that occurs with age. To maintain proper mobility and reduce fractures and debilitating pain, it is important to seek treatment to prevent chronic issues.

Numbness

Numbness or tingling is known as paresthesia and is most often caused by nerve compression or restricted blood flow to an extremity. It can also be related to a swollen joint that is compressing a nearby nerve. On occasion, a tingling feeling is nothing to worry about, but you should seek immediate medical evaluation when there is no apparent cause or when symptoms persist.

Don’t wait: Several conditions are linked to numbness in the extremities and symptoms that could indicate a more serious cause include

• Inability to walk or move
• Loss of consciousness
• Slurred speech
• Inability to think clearly

An underlying condition that requires treatment could be causing numbness, and if left ignored, the risk for joint pain and permanent nerve damage increases.

Testing Done By a Rheumatologist

When you present with joint stiffness, swelling, discomfort, or immobility, the first step is a physical exam of the affected joint(s). The doctor will look at and feel around the affected joint(s) and conduct range of motion testing to evaluate the cause and severity of the joint issue. Full evaluation involves testing for damage to the joint and surrounding soft tissues, including tendons and ligaments.

Further testing to evaluate joint abnormalities, such as imaging tests (X-rays, MRI scans, CT scans, and ultrasounds) may also be done. Additionally, if symptoms indicate nerve compression, nerve tests may also be done. Finally, blood tests are used to identify potential immune-mediated issues that could be responsible for reduced joint function, as below:

• Rheumatoid Factor (RF) and CCP Antibody tests look for specific proteins produced by the immune system.
• Elevated Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) or C-reactive protein (CRP) levels may be associated with joint stiffness and swelling.
• Antinuclear Antibody (ANA) tests look for the presence of antinuclear antibodies in the blood.

Traditional Treatment Options

Treatment to reduce joint pain and prevent chronic problems is more effective when the underlying cause is identified early.

It is possible to treat minor joint issues and discomfort with ice therapy to reduce swelling and heat therapy to relax muscles. Additional treatment options include:

• Oral or topical treatments can be taken to reduce swelling and discomfort.
• Physical therapy and low-impact exercises can help improve muscle strength to better support and stabilize a weakened joint.
• Corticosteroids can be injected directly into the affected joint to help reduce inflammation, pain and swelling.
• Bracing provides compression around the affected joint to help improve mobility and reduce pain.
• Surgery is an option when more conservative treatment methods have failed and will depend on the cause and severity of your condition.

For long-term pain management, a more natural approach can help heal and strengthen joints to promote optimal joint function and quality of life.

Natural Treatment Options

Medical treatment options are designed to alleviate discomfort but may leave the underlying condition untreated. You do not have to live with this pain. There are natural, clinically-studied ingredients that support joint health and function. As part of a healthy lifestyle, 1MD joint health supplements provide comprehensive joint care.

MoveMD®️

MoveMD® combines natural ingredients backed by the latest in joint health science to help you take back control of life without the worry of joint pain. MoveMD® is a revolutionary joint health solution developed to provide targeted joint support to boost function and mobility from within. The addition of AprèsFlex®, a patented and bio-enhanced form of boswellic acid and Zanthin® Natural Astaxanthin, a patented antioxidant clinically proven to outperform Glucosamine and Chondroitin, delivers the best in joint health.

CuruminMD®️ Plus

Turmeric has been used in traditional medicine for millennia, but curcumin is often digested too quickly for the true health benefits to be effective. CurcuminMD® Plus uses Longvida® Optimized Curcumin formula, which has been found to be 285 times more bioavailable than standardized 95% curcumin. With the addition of Boswellia serrata, this supplement helps reduce inflammation that causes swelling and helps prevent cartilage deterioration.

KrillMD™

The KrillMD™ formula uses exclusive K-REAL® krill oil, proven to be twice as effective as fish oil. These highly potent omega-3 fatty acids, bonded to krill phospholipids, combined with the powerful antioxidant astaxanthin, work to improve mobility and flexibility.

Final Thoughts

Your primary physician can help identify minor joint issues but should symptoms worsen or not improve, it is important to seek a rheumatologist’s evaluation. Joints wear down naturally with age, but there are also underlying conditions that can exacerbate this, leading to chronic joint pain. Your rheumatologist has the training and experience to correctly identify these conditions to get you the most effective treatment.

Ignoring your joint pain can increase the risk of immobility and leave widespread inflammation unchecked and running rampant through your body. Don’t let pain slow you down. Discuss joint symptoms with a rheumatologist, and with a proactive approach and the comprehensive joint support from MoveMD®, pain won’t be slowing you down.