Arthritides is the plural of arthritis, which literally means inflammation ("itis") of a joint ("arrhro"). This disease includes any disorders, acute or chronic, whether caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection, or an autoimmune disease, or whether it is idiopathic, meaning due to unknown causes.
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic disease that mainly affects the spine, although the hips, shoulders, knees, or ankles also may become involved. Symptoms initially are stiffness and pain in the lower back, but inflammation of the joints and ligaments that enable the back to move may eventually cause the joints and bones to fuse together and inhibit movement. Genetics, particularly a gene called HLA-B-27, seems to play a major role in causing AS, usually in men.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Betamethasone, Cortisone, Dexamethasone, Diclofenac, Etanercept, Indomethacin, Infliximab, Methylprednisolone, Naproxen, Phenylbutazone, Prednisolone, Prednisone, Sulindac, Triamcinolone
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Flurbiprofen, Ketoprofen, Meloxicam, Methotrexate, Pamidronate, Sulfasalazine, Thalidomide
Fibromyalgia (FM), also called fibromyalgia syndrome, is a chronic illness characterized by musculoskeletal aches, pain, and stiffness, tenderness in soft tissue, general fatigue, and sleep disturbances. The areas that are painful to the touch tend to occur in specific areas of the body known as “tender points.” These points aid in diagnosis of this illness, which is difficult to diagnose. The most common sites of pain include the neck, back, shoulders, pelvic area, and hands, but any part of the body can be involved. Symptoms tend to ebb and flow over time.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: None
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Amitriptyline, Cyclobenzaprine, Citalopram, Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, Duloxetine, Mirtazapine, Venlafaxine, Gabapentin, Pregabalin, Tiagabine, Topiramate, Modafinil, Tramadol
Gout is one of the most painful forms of inflammatory arthritis. It develops when too much uric acid builds up in the body. This leads to the deposition of uric acid crystals in joints, often in the big toes or other small joints. Lumpy deposits of uric acid, called tophi, may occur and kidney stones from uric acid crystals develop. The immediate goal of treatment is to alleviate inflammation and pain, but long-term therapy is aimed at reducing uric acid levels.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Allopurinol, Betamethasone, Colchicine, Cortisone, Dexamethasone, Indomethacin, Methylprednisolone, Naproxen, Phenylbutazone, Prednisolone, Prednisone, Sodium Thiosalicylate, Sulfinpyrazone, Sulindac, Triamcinolone
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Diclofenac Sodium, Etodolac, Ketoprofen, Fenofibrate, Ketorolac, Meloxicam
Lyme disease is the most common illness transmitted by ticks in the United States. Its first symptoms are usually a rash at the site of the tick bite, fever, chills, muscle and joint aches, headache, and fatigue. However, one of the complications may be Lyme arthritis that may develop quickly or weeks to months after the tick bite, most commonly in the knee. The disease is named after Lyme, Connecticut, where the first outbreak in the United States was first observed in the 1970s.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: None
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Doxycycline, Hydroxychloroquine, Methotrexate
Osteoarthritis (OA), the most common joint disease affecting older adults, involves progressive damage to cartilage - the rubbery material at the end of long bones - and structures around the joint. OA may cause fluid accumulation, bony overgrowth, and weakness of muscles and tendons, limiting movement and causing pain and swelling. Any joint may be affected but most common are the knees, hips, spine, and hands.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Betamethasone, Capsaicin, Carisoprodol, Celecoxib, Choline Salicylate, Cortisone, Dexamethasone, Diclofenac, Diclofenac/Misoprostol, Diflunisal, Estrogens, Etodolac, Fenoprofen, Flurbiprofen, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin, Ketoprofen, Meclofenamate, Meloxicam, Methylprednisolone, Nabumetone, Naproxen, Oxaprozin, Oxycodone, Phenylbutazone, Piroxicam, Prednisolone, Prednisone, Salsalate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Sulindac, Tolmetin, Triamcinolone, Trolamine Salicylate, Valdecoxib
Off-Label Prescription Drug Breakthrough Option: Doxycycline
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a unique combination of destructive, disabling arthritis in three or more joints in an asymmetrical pattern (that is, not the same joints on both sides of the body), and a tendency to finger deformities and spine problems, all of which may precede the development of the skin disease psoriasis by months or years. The psoriasis is characterized by raised scales and plaques ranging from red to grey or silvery-white covering large areas.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Betamethasone, Cortisone, Dexamethasone, Etanercept, Infliximab, Interferon Gamma, Methylprednisolone, Prednisolone, Prednisone, Triamcinolone
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Auranofin, Azathioprine, Mercaptopurine, Bromocriptine, Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, Cyclosporine, Leflunomide, Meclofenamate, Methotrexate, Sulfasalazine
Reiter's syndrome is named for the physician who first described it in 1916 and defined it as a cluster of three problems: arthritis, nongonococcal urethritis (infection of the urethra caused by pathogens other than gonorrhea), and conjunctivitis. It is called a reactive arthritis because it complicates an infection (often minor) elsewhere in the body. The arthritis lasts longer than a month and is associated with inflammation of the urethra or cervix with diarrhea.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: None
Off-Label Prescription Drug Breakthrough Option: Bromocriptine
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. In autoimmune diseases, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues as if they were foreign invaders. Although RA is usually a progressive illness, leading to joint destruction and disability, there may be quiet periods where there are few or no symptoms. However, because it is a chronic disease, RA continues indefinitely and may not go away.
Commonly Prescribed (On-Label) Drugs: Adalimumab, Anakinra, Aspirin, Auranofin, Aurothioglucose, Azathioprine, Betamethasone, Celecoxib, Choline Salicylate, Corticotropin, Cortisone, Cyclosporine, Dexamethasone, Diclofenac, Diclofenac/Misoprostol, Diflunisal, Etanercept, Etodolac, Fenoprofen, Flurbiprofen, Gold Sodium Thiomalate, Hydroxychloroquine, Ibuprofen, Indomethacin, Infliximab, Ketoprofen, Leflunomide, Magnesium Salicylate, Meclofenamate, Meloxicam, Methotrexate, Methylprednisolone, Nabumetone, Naproxen, Oxaprozin, Penicillamine, Phenylbutazone, Piroxicam, Prednisolone, Prednisone, Salsalate, Sodium Salicylate, Sulfasalazine, Sulindac, Tolmetin, Triamcinolone, Valdecoxib
Off-Label Prescription Drugs Breakthrough Options: Bromocriptine, Captopril, Chlorambucil, Cyclophosphamide, Doxycycline, Minocycline
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