When to Talk to Your Physician

Nothing on this page is intended to be nor should be construed as medical advice. For medical advice, see your physician.

If you have any of the signs below or questions about them, you should speak to your physician.

Potential Warning Signs of osteoarthritis:

• Steady or intermittent pain in a joint.
• Stiffness in a joint after getting out of bed or after sitting for a long time.
• Swelling or tenderness in one or more joints.
• A crunching feeling or the sound of bone rubbing on bone.
• Your parents or close relatives have osteoarthritis.
• Sports injury which never quite healed.
• Is the affected area hot, red, or tender? If so, it may not be osteoarthritis.
• Check with your physician about other causes, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Be Proactive

To ensure that you get the best care possible, you want to play an active role in improving and maintaining your own health. This means being prepared when you see your physician and having as much information as possible so that your physician can make the right diagnosis, and you and your physician can decide on the best way to manage your condition.

Information for Your Physician

One way to take an active role is to answer the short list of questions on this form and bring your answers with you on your next physician visit. The more information your physician has, the better the care he or she will be able to provide.

Download a questionnaire to fill out and take to your physician here.

Questions to Ask Your Physician

When consulting your physician, here are some possible questions to ask:

• Is what I have arthritis, or is it another condition?
• If it is arthritis, what type of arthritis is it?
• How will my condition change over the next few years?
• What can I do to help relieve my pain, increase my mobility or manage my condition?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of the possible treatment options?
• Do I need to use a prescription drug, or can my condition be managed through diet, exercise and taking a prescription medical nutrition product like Limbrel?
• What are the side effects of prescription drugs?
• Will the prescription drug options cause a bleeding ulcer, elevated blood pressure, heart risk, or risk of bone fracture?
• Are the prescription drugs considered safe for long-term use?
• Are there any medications that might interact with the products considered to use for my condition?
• Will the products being considered for my conditions interact with any medications I am presently taking?