Stiff painful joints can interfere with activities like gardening, cooking, playing tennis, climbing stairs or walking the dog. While we think of osteoarthritis as a condition that primarily affects older people, it turns out that most people with this condition aren’t yet eligible for Medicare. As many as 30 million people may suffer with this condition.

Many people with arthritis take NSAID medication to ease joint pain. Unfortunately, many discover that the relief is elusive and the side effects are all too real. We will discuss pros and cons of the most common drug treatments.

What are the optimal strategies for treating osteoarthritis? Can nondrug approaches like exercise or a diet with anti-inflammatory foods help ease joint pain?

Arthritis doctor Beth Jonas will be in the studio with us to answer your questions about painful joints. Call in your stories and questions: 888-472-3366 between 7 and 8 am EDT on Saturday, April 22, 2017.

Beth Jonas, MD, is a rheumatologist with the University of North Carolina’s Thurston Arthritis Research Center in Chapel Hill, an Associate Professor of Medicine, and Director of the UNC Rheumatology Fellowship Training program.

Dr. Jonas’ clinical interests are in the evaluation and management of patients with arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and enteropathic arthritis.  She has a strong interest in medical education and educational scholarship, and is highly involved in teaching rheumatology to learners at all level from undergraduate medical students to rheumatology fellows.

http://www.med.unc.edu/tarc/patient-care/unc-rheumatology-clinic

http://www.med.unc.edu/tarc

The podcast of this program will be available the Monday after the broadcast date. The show can be streamed online from this site and podcasts can be downloaded for free for four weeks after the date of broadcast. After that time has passed, digital downloads are available for $2.99. CDs may be purchased at any time after broadcast for $9.99.

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You’ll find more information about medications for arthritis and nondrug approaches to easing joint pain in our online resource, Alternatives for Arthritis.