when to seek help

Just wondering when do you finally seek help for arthritis from your doctor. We all get it at some point. I believe I have it in my fingers, knees and left hip. Fingers are easy to tell cause they swell and they are looking very bumpy at the knuckles which now stay looking that way, and they always hurt. I use Ibuphrophen all the time for other reasons anyway, but when do you seek help and how do they know what kind you have or what to look for.

[TrudieC]

It is very important to seek help as early as possible.  Yes, osteoarthritis is something that most people get as they age but there are a hundred other types.  You need to be properly diagnosed and treated.  This can help to prevent permanent disability and identify any auto-immune type arthritis diseases that can affect other organs in your body.  Please ensure you get proper testing by a rheumatologist.

[las03]

can a regular family doctor also test you for the different types of this as well. I am going to see mine tomorrow for the pain. Hoping he can help.

[TrudieC]

A regular family doctor can do some initial testing that may indicate there is a problem but are unlikely to run or to have the test run at a lab that runs them properly.  It doesn't hurt to ask for him to run them to get the ball rolling.

[las03]

Well, got back from my pcp and he ran labs to check for arthritis along with RA to see whats going on. The lab said the regular arthritis panel should come back in a day or two but the test for RA takes longer. So I will wait and see what happens and go from there.