Arthralgia (Subscribe)  

Clinical presentation of osteoarthritis (OA) is dominated by pain during joint use and at rest. OA pain is caused by aberrant functioning of a pathologically altered nervous system with key mechanistic drivers from peripheral nerves and central pain pathways. This review focuses on symptomatic pain therapy exemplified by molecular targets...

The complex challenge to the physician is to safely diagnose simple arthralgia from degenerative joint disease, inflammatory arthropathies or pain secondary to other diseases.
Updated 2010

Shoulder pain is defined as chronic when it has been present for longer than six months. Common conditions that can result in chronic shoulder pain include rotator cuff disorders, adhesive capsulitis, shoulder instability, and shoulder arthritis. Rotator cuff disorders include tendinopathy, partial tears, and complete tears. A clinical decision rule...

Several surveys have identified that Australian general practitioners have largely accepted acupuncture as part of their armamentarium. About a quarter of GPs have been trained in acupuncture and the majority of those surveyed agreed that acupuncture was effective and that they had referred patients for the therapy. Acupuncture is an...

The aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have become an established component of adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal women with hormone receptor–positive breast cancer.1-3 Although adherence to AI regimens in clinical trials has been favorable,4 in clinical practice the arthralgias associated with AI use adversely influence adherence.5-7 In this issue of Journal of Clinical Oncology, Sestak et al8 and...

Chronic shoulder pain is a common problem in the primary care physician's office. Effective treatment depends on an accurate diagnosis of the more common etiologies: rotator cuff disorders, adhesive capsulitis, acromioclavicular osteoarthritis, glenohumeral osteoarthritis, and instability. Activity modification and analgesic medications comprise the initial treatment in most cases. If this...

Review of the features and management of chondrocalcinosis
Pyrophosphate arthropathy--recent clinical advances. Doherty M. Ann Rheum Dis. 1983 Aug;42 Suppl 1:38-44. full text

This article presents a systematic approach to diagnosing and managing disorders of the shoulder joint and surrounding structures.
Shoulder pain. Masters S, Burley S. Aust Fam Physician. 2007 Jun;36(6):414-6, 418-20. Full text

Our objectives were to identify estimates of the prevalence of radiographic knee OA in adults with knee pain and of knee pain in adults with radiographic knee OA, and determine if the definitions of x ray osteoarthritis and symptoms, and variation in demographic factors influence these estimates.
CONCLUSION: Knee pain is...

Physicians can usually diagnose the cause of shoulder pain by performing a focused history and physical examination and ordering anteroposterior and lateral radiographs. Treatment depends on the cause and can include physical therapy, injections of corticosteroids into the joint space or bursa, and surgery. This paper reviews the diagnosis and...