Podiatry Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Podiatry Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Patients experiencing foot arthritis issues should seek the help of a podiatrist for better treatment and management of rheumatoid arthritis.

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The most common type of inflammatory arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will often follow many associated foot problems. Podiatrist plays a key role in treating this arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis affects the smaller joints such as fingers and toes first so feet are often one of the first places to be affected.

If left untreated, RA patients can even experience a combination of common foot

problems,

such

as

bunions

and

clawtoe.

Podiatry

billing

services provided by experienced companies are of great support for busy podiatrists to meet their medical claim submission tasks.

Key symptoms of RA include stiffness in the toe joints and ligaments, fatigue, pain and redness and swelling in one or more toe joints or in the ankles. The most common joints affected are those in the hands and the feet. Rheumatoid arthritis can also affect blood vessels and other body organs. The joints in the foot that are most commonly affected by RA are: the smaller joints of the toes, the metatarsophalangeal (MP) joints in the forefoot, the subtalar joint and less commonly, the ankle joint. When the smaller joints are damaged by RA, it often spreads to the major body joints.

As a result, RA patients may experience heavy inflammation of the joints even for several months.

Podiatry treatment for RA aims at reducing painful symptoms, supporting the joints of the feet, and improving foot functions.

Diagnosis for this arthritis type will be done on the basis of the patient’s medical history and physical examination, imaging tests and blood tests done. Imaging tests recommended may include computerized tomography (CT) scan, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan or X-ray of the feet, as the changes caused by RA often appear in the feet before they appear in other joints.

Based on the diagnosis, the podiatrist will first recommend non-surgical options such as customized orthoic insoles that can be fitted into shoes that www.outsourcestrategies.com

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can accommodate foot, or wearing braces or specialized boots to relieve pressure on joints in the back of the foot, steriod medications, physical therapy and an anti-inflammatory diet that reduces inflammation that causes RA symptoms. Surgery will be done only if these non-invasive treatment options are ineffective. Surgical options can also correct any bunions and hammertoes caused by RA. Other healthcare specialists who may team up with podiatrists for effectively treating RA include rheumatologists, chiropodists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, along with specialist nurses.

For error-free medical claims submission, podiatry practices must remember that the documentation should provide the type of arthritis (juvenile, seropositive, seronegative), and any associated manifestation such as myopathy, heart, or lung involvement. ICD-10 codes related to RA include 

M05.79 Rheumatoid arthritis with rheumatoid factor of multiple sites without organ or systems involvement



M06.07 Rheumatoid arthritis without rheumatoid factor, ankle and foot o

M06.071 Rheumatoid arthritis without rheumatoid factor, right ankle and foot

o

M06.072 Rheumatoid arthritis without rheumatoid factor, left ankle and foot

o M06.079 Rheumatoid

arthritis

without

rheumatoid

factor,

unspecified ankle and foot 



M06.37 Rheumatoid nodule, ankle and foot o

M06.371 Rheumatoid nodule, right ankle and foot

o

M06.372 Rheumatoid nodule, left ankle and foot

o

M06.379 Rheumatoid nodule, unspecified ankle and foot

M06.87 Other specified rheumatoid arthritis, ankle and foot

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o

M06.871 Other specified rheumatoid arthritis, right ankle and foot

o

M06.872 Other specified rheumatoid arthritis, left ankle and foot

o

M06.879 Other specified rheumatoid arthritis, unspecified ankle and foot



M06.9 Rheumatoid arthritis, unspecified

It is crucial for all patients with RA and related foot problems to have access to a podiatrist for assessment and periodic review of their foot health needs.

Practices must consider outsourcing their podiatry billing and coding tasks only to an experienced medical billing company experienced in the field.

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