Acronyms of Arthritis 2: Types
Being diagnosed with arthritis can change a lot of things, but you’re not alone! Whether through organizations like the Arthritis Foundation, online forums like Reddit, or friends and family, there are so many options for finding support from others who understand what it’s like to live with arthritis. We deal with a lot of complicated medical terms, so we often shorten them to abbreviations and acronyms. In my last Acronyms of Arthritis article, I covered treatments (MTX, SSZ, DMARDs, NSAIDs). Here, I’ll be covering all the different letters you might hear people use when talking about their type of arthritis. Common arthritic conditions (alphabetical) AS Ankylosing spondylitis is the most…
Acronyms of arthritis 1: Treatments
Being diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis—like ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and psoriatic arthritis—can seem like being thrown into a world made of cryptic letters. Acronyms are everywhere. Acronyms for types of arthritis like RA, AS, SpA, JIA; acronyms for tests like RF, ESR, CRP; acronyms for treatments like NSAID, DMARD, MTX—it seems to never end! Let’s unravel some of these tricky terms, starting with common drugs you might hear about to treat arthritis. Soon you’ll be using them like a pro! OTC OTC (over-the-counter) medications don’t require a prescription from your doctor. In the US, some fairly effective first-line arthritis treatments are available OTC, such as ibuprofen (Motrin)…
