9 Things You Think Could Be Arthritis—But Aren’t

From rd.com

Your joints are achy, stiff, and swollen. Run-of-the-mill arthritis might be to blame. But so could these other lookalike conditions.

Joint pain is extremely common. In one national survey, about one-third of adults reported experiencing it within the past 30 days. If your joints are giving you grief—and you don’t have a recent injury to blame—osteoarthritis (OA) is a likely cause. The condition, in which the joint becomes inflamed as the cartilage between the bones wears away, has more than 30 million Americans in agony, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, (the CDC). Even though the condition can’t be cured, OTC medications, prescription drugs, and surgery can ease the ache.

But OA isn’t the only health condition that can cause joints to become tender and stiffen. Before you reach for the ibuprofen, read on to see if you could be suffering from one of these conditions which can mimic arthritis pain.

                                                                       Anut21ng Photo/Shutterstock

Fibromyalgia

Arthritis is often mistaken for fibromyalgia, according to the Arthritis Foundation. They share many of the same symptoms, like muscle pain, limited range of motion, and joint stiffness, especially in the morning. The difference? With fibromyalgia, the pain is often body-wide, while arthritis tends to be localized to a few joints, says Alexis Colvin, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. If you’re still not sure whether your pain could be from fibro, check out these other fibromyalgia symptoms you might be ignoring.

Tendinitis

“Tendinitis and osteoarthritis can feel very similar,” says Dr. Colvin. “Pain, stiffness, and swelling are common symptoms in both.” Making distinguishing between the two even trickier? With both conditions, the pain doesn’t usually come from one event, but gradually increases over time, says Dr. Colvin. If you’re unsure what’s causing your joint to act up, see your physician. X-rays and MRI imaging can help doctors determine which condition is causing the pain, so they can help you find relief.

Rheumatoid arthritis

There are actually more than 100 different forms of arthritis and arthritis-related diseases, according to the Arthritis Foundation. And many have similar symptoms. “Rheumatoid arthritis, in particular, feels very similar to osteoarthritis, in terms of discomfort,” says Dr. Colvin. But while osteoarthritis is often caused by general wear and tear in a joint, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. One sign that your creaky joints might be due to rheumatoid arthritis: You have a close relative with the condition. “RA often runs in families,” says Dr. Colvin.

Lupus

Like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system turns on normal, healthy tissue, according to the Arthritis Foundation. The Lupus Foundation of America estimates that 1.5 million Americans have the chronic disease, which mainly strikes women between the ages of 15 and 45. In addition to the joint pain that can feel like arthritis, lupus also causes these other surprising symptoms. If you have more than four of them, call your physician, asap.

Carpal tunnel syndrome

You wake up and your hand is achy and tingly. Is it arthritis acting up, or something else? Carpal tunnel syndrome can cause pain, weakness, and numbness that runs from the forearm to the hand: These symptoms indicate that repetitive movements like typing or playing an instrument are pinching your carpal nerve, according to WebMD. Women are three times more likely than men to have carpal tunnel syndrome. The thumb, index, and middle fingers are usually the first to feel pain.

Lyme disease

In addition to a rash, fatigue, and overall malaise, Lyme disease—an infection caused by a type of bacterium carried by deer ticks—often causes achiness in the joints, according to the American Lyme Disease Foundation. “Many times people don’t know that they’ve been bitten by a tick,” says Dr. Colvin, so it’s easy to mistake the pain for arthritis. “If someone comes in with knee pain and swelling but no explanation, doctors can drain fluid, and test it for Lyme,” says Dr. Colvin. If the results are positive, they can prescribe antibiotics. And if your doctor suspects Lyme, she’ll probably also ask if you have any of these other silent symptoms of the disease.

Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease that develops in around 30 percent of people who have the scaly skin condition psoriasis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. Usually, psoriasis develops first, with the joint problems coming later, but in some cases, joint pain can be the first system, notes the Mayo Clinic. Psoriatic arthritis can target any joint in the body, but people often notice their fingers and spine are the achiest spots. Psoriatic arthritis never goes away, but it can be managed with drugs and lifestyle changes.

Gout

Think you have arthritis in your hip or big toe? It might actually be gout, a form of inflammatory arthritis, says Dr. Colvin. The pain and swelling from gout occur when too much uric acid crystallizes in the blood, then builds up in the joints. The result: extreme pain in the joint that may come and go, according to the CDC. Fortunately, if your doctor diagnoses gout, she can prescribe medications to help keep symptoms in check, says Dr. Colvin. If you still need relief from gout, try these home remedies proven to ease the pain when it flares.

Hypothyroidism

Some people with a sluggish thyroid can experience arthritis-like joint pain and swelling—especially in the shoulders and hips according to the Mayo Clinic. Here’s why: As your metabolism slows down, fluid can build up in the joints, causing the achy symptoms. But it’s more likely that you’ll notice the condition’s other symptoms first, such as fatigue, hair loss, and increased sensitivity to cold. If you are diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, your physician can prescribe synthetic hormones to treat the small butterfly-shaped gland. Check out the best habits that will keep your thyroid healthy.

https://www.rd.com/health/things-that-arent-arthritis/

Help Me Understand Psoriasis vs. Eczema

From health.usnews.com

These two skin conditions are very similar, but knowing the differences helps with treatment

Psoriasis or eczema? These common skin conditions affect a total of about 40 million Americans each year. They result in similar symptoms – red, dry, itchy, cracked skin – but they are very different diseases, with different causes and, in more severe cases, different treatments. That’s why it is important for patients to receive a proper diagnosis, in order to receive the treatment that will best bring relief.

Eczema is by far the more prevalent condition. According to the National Eczema Association:

• 31.6 million people (10.1%) in the U.S. have some form of eczema.
• 18 million adults (7.2%) have atopic dermatitis, the most common form of eczema.
• 9.6 million (13%) children under age 18 have atopic dermatitis.
• Childhood eczema is more common among African-Americans, Asians or Pacific Islanders than whites or Hispanics.
• Adult eczema is most prevalent among multiracial populations than Hispanics or whites.
• Eczema is more common among women.

In contrast, the National Psoriasis Foundation says that:

• More than 8 million Americans have psoriasis.
• Psoriasis often begins between ages 15 and 25, but the condition can develop at any age.
• Psoriasis is more common among Caucasians than African-Americans.
• Psoriasis is more common in women, but men have more severe forms of the disease.

Differences Between Psoriasis and Eczema

Psoriasis is a chronic autoimmune disease. The immune system attacks the skin, causing red, scaly patches on the skin or scalp. There are several types of psoriasis, with plaque psoriasis the most common and making up between 80% and 90% of cases. Other types are called guttate, inverse, pustular and erythrodermic psotiasis.

Eczema, a skin inflammation, can be related to and triggered by allergies, asthma and skin sensitivities to touch, fabrics like wool or chemicals in household and personal products. It can also result from dry skin or chemicals in the environment that irritate the skin.

Neither psoriasis nor eczema is contagious, but both conditions tend to run in families.

Symptoms of Eczema and Psoriasis

Eczema and psoriasis symptoms look very similar, which makes it hard for the average person to tell one from the other. Specialists, though, can differentiate between the two. One clue is the patient's age. “Both can occur at any age, but eczema commonly presents in infancy or childhood, while psoriasis most commonly peaks in the 20 to 30 age group and again in the 50 to 60 age group,” says Dr. Mark Lebwohl, a professor and chair of the department of dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Centre in New York City.

Where the symptoms occur also is telling. “The distribution is different. Psoriasis typically occurs on the back of the elbows and front of the knees, while eczema occurs in the inside folds of joints and the neck,” Lebwohl says. Eczema also generates a liquid that can ooze and crust over, whereas psoriasis rarely oozes, he says.

Treatments for Eczema and Psoriasis

Though each disease has differing underlying causes, they are treated similarly. “We don’t always cure them, but we can help control and manage the diseases,” says Dr. Seemal R. Desai, clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and a member of the American Academy of Dermatology board of directors.

First-line treatment for mild to moderate cases of both eczema and psoriasis is topical therapy, usually a corticosteroid cream. For more severe cases of psoriasis, there are a host of new medications, both injectable and oral, to treat autoimmune diseases like this. They target the specific immune cells that are behaving dysfunctionally, with Humira being a common, heavily advertised example of this kind of injectable medication. “Patients always think pills are safer than injections, but in this day and age injections are much safer,” Lebwohl says. “They attack just one small part of the immune system, where pills attack a larger portion of that system.”

Another treatment option is phototherapy, “a modified tanning treatment, which is indicated for both eczema and psoriasis,” Dr. Desai says. Ultraviolet light acts as an immunosuppressant on the skin. “Think of high-beam lights on your car. You flash the light to scare off an oncoming car. UV light is similar. There is a specific wavelength of light that scares away immune cells,” he says. Sunlight has the same effect, but it also includes the harmful wavelengths that cause burning. Phototherapy delivers just the one wavelength needed to treat the diseases.

“If you think you have one of these conditions, see a dermatologist early,” Desai recommends. “Even the best general practitioner, this is not their area of expertise. Don’t wait until your skin is so scaly and thick it causes scratching and bleeding.” He has a particular warning for people of color, who he says are underserved and often come in later in the disease process. “See a dermatologist who specializes in treating people of color,” he says.You can find a practitioner and learn more at www.skinofcolorsociety.org.

Self-Treatment for Eczema and Psoriasis

Both doctors recommend patients take good care of their skin, with emollient-rich moisturizing creams and lotions. “Scratching makes small tears in the skin, which can cause infection. An emollient can seal some of those cracks,” Desai says.

For those with psoriasis, losing weight can also be helpful. “The treatments work better if the patient loses weight,” Lebwohl says.

Practicing good general health habits also helps your skin:

• Eat a healthy diet.
• Drink more water.
• Drink alcohol only in moderation.
• Don’t smoke.
• Exercise.

https://health.usnews.com/conditions/psoriasis/psoriasis-vs-eczema

How to Find Real Relief for Dry Skin

From consumerreports.org

These tips can help you break the itch-scratch cycle

We tend to think of itchy skin as an annoyance that grows more common with age, not as a serious health concern. And common it is: A study of more than 300 seniors in Mexico found that 1 in 4 complained of chronic itch.
But itchiness can lead to lost sleep or depression, especially when scratching an itch seems to only make it worse. And itchy skin isn’t just challenging on its own—it can sometimes indicate an underlying medical problem.

The good news is that simple home remedies can often help relieve it, and doctors can help treat more serious cases.
“I really try to get my older patients out of the mindset that dry, itchy skin is something normal that they have to live with,” says Ilana DeLuca, M.D., Ph.D., a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at George Washington University. “You don’t have to just grin and bear it.”

Why Age Is a Factor

For most people, the diagnosis is simple: xerosis, the medical term for dry skin. Xerosis is often exacerbated in the winter by the dry air from home heating systems, but it’s common in seniors year-round.
Later in life, our bodies lose the ability to regenerate the fats and proteins that contribute to a healthy outer layer of skin, says Adam Friedman, M.D., a professor and the interim chair of dermatology at George Washington University. As a result, the skin loses its natural buoyancy and can become drier, rigid, and cracked.

Eczema and Psoriasis

Another common cause of itching is eczema, an umbrella term for several conditions that cause swollen rashes. Older adults with eczema may notice severe skin cracking on the lower legs.
Psoriasis, which is associated with autoimmune problems, can also lead to significant itching. Outbreaks frequently—but not always—occur on the elbows, knees, lower back, and scalp. Psoriasis shows up in red patches covered by a thick crust of dry and cracked skin, which will typically peel off in big white pieces.
Your doctor should be able to diagnose eczema or psoriasis with a physical exam.

Simple Tips for Relief

Small changes in your routine can help you manage itchiness and alleviate xerosis on your own. DeLuca says these steps should work for nine out of 10 people with itchy skin.
Wash with a mild soap. Common soaps can leave your skin itchy and dry. Try a gentle cleanser that’s free of dyes and perfumes.
Cool it with the showers. Washing your skin too frequently can dry it out, so avoid showering more than once a day. You may also want to try lukewarm showers; hotter water can wash away substances in skin that help it retain moisture.
Use a humidifier. This tip is especially useful in winter, when heated indoor air can make dry skin even drier.
Ice the itch. If you need immediate relief—and you’re tempted to scratch—Friedman says that icing the itchy area is a good quick fix.
Chlorinate your bath. Adding just a quarter-cup of bleach to 40 gallons of warm bathwater has been found to be an effective means of combating eczema. But be careful not to use too much.
Use moisturizer effectively. Moisturisers work primarily by locking in moisture your skin already has. So Friedman suggests using one right after you get out of the shower or bath. Wearing gloves or socks for a half-hour after application can also help, he says.
Talk to your doctor. If you’ve tried all of these suggestions and you’re still itching, it might be time to see a dermatologist, says DeLuca. Psoriasis and eczema, for example, can often be treated with topical steroids or narrow-band UVB light therapy. These help some patients, but ongoing steroid use can thin out the skin and light therapy can be time-consuming.
A doctor can investigate other possible causes of unrelenting itchy skin, such as kidney, liver, or thyroid problems. In very rare cases, itching could even be a sign of certain cancers, such as lymphoma. Allergies and medications (particularly opioids) can also make you itchy.

https://www.consumerreports.org/medical-conditions/find-real-relief-for-dry-skin/