Qingping Yao, MD, PhD
- Orthopaedic & Rheumatologic Institute
- Rheumatologic and Immunologic Disease
- Cleveland Clinic
Joint pain can be associated with more than 50 kinds of arthritis — but it also can be caused by conditions that are not arthritis at all. So when a joint aches, how do you know whether you have arthritis or something else? And if you have arthritis, how do you know which kind you have?
Getting the right diagnosis is critical. Treatment for joint pain differs widely, depending on the cause. The right diagnosis and early treatment can arrest joint damage and return you to your previous level of activity. The wrong treatment — or avoiding treatment — may mean joint deterioration, poor function and compromised mobility.
Arthritis literally means “joint inflammation” — redness and warmth within the joint. Because inflammation is painful, arthritis limits movement. The three most common types of arthritis are:
• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout
The causes, symptoms and risk factors for each of these forms of arthritis may differ. You may suffer from more than one type of arthritis — for example, gout and osteoarthritis.
Our expert will discuss the symptoms and treatments and explain how to better communicate with your doctor so together you can arrive at the right diagnosis and treatment sooner.
Qingping Yao, MD, is a rheumatologist in the Orthopaedic & Rheumatologic Institute. He specializes in arthritis, lupus, and autoinflammatory disorders. Dr. Yao graduated from the Inner Mongolia Medical College and went on to receive his doctorate at Peking Union Medical College. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Capital Health System – Fuld Campus. He also completed a fellowship in rheumatology at University of California Los Angeles Medical Center. He is a member of the American College of Rheumatology and the American Medical Association.
To make an appointment with Qingping Yao, MD or any of the other specialists in our Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases at Cleveland Clinic, please call toll-free at 866.275.7496. You can also visit us online at clevelandclinic.org/rheum
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