Fibromyalgia/Pain

JAMA Review: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) POTS is a chronic autonomic disorder affecting an estimated 0.1%–1% of the US population, with peak incidence at ages 13–29 and a striking 90% female predominance. https://t.co/dAKlTp4VK3 https://t.co/A2UvgYOQN1

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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JAMA Review: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)

Jack Cush, MD

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic autonomic disorder affecting an estimated 0.1%–1% of the US population, with peak incidence at ages 13–29 and a striking 90% female predominance.

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402 RA pts w. symptomatic Extra-articular manifestations (eg, neuropathy, KCS) had significant impairment in quality of life and work productivity, independent of disease activity. They had lower HAQ (0.92 vs 0.68) & more Absenteeism https://t.co/1FH9gyxoxK https://t.co/faToGXpdSQ

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
In the JAMA review of shoulder pain, what is the recommended first-line treatment for most shoulder diagnoses? Test your knowledge in this week's RheumIQ at https://t.co/TBlB4pmnKa https://t.co/mKClL2P0Tc

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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Rheum Scholarship (8.21.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Cush reviews the news and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.com; talking about lumbar belts, scholarships and misdiagnosis.

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JAMA: Review of Shoulder Pain JAMA Internal Medicine (Haas et al, 2026) has published a clinical overview to the approach, diagnosis and management of Shoulder Pain. https://t.co/xYSahFksx9 https://t.co/kTIml2mD6k

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Joint Pain Prevalence is not Declining A current report from the national NHIS survey shows that over half of US adults diagnosed with arthritis reported moderate to severe joint pain. https://t.co/zq7pGaZO72 https://t.co/kvco72v5IZ

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Nonrigid lumbar belts for nonspecific low back pain actually work! Multicenter French trial enrolled 168 nsLBP pts - belt group had better wk 12, lower pain scores andless need for back pain medication. https://t.co/zgRclsoAR8 https://t.co/9HVwuE1YLz

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2026 Medscape report on Nurse practitioners shows nearly half of NPs are burned out, and for 1 in 6, that exhaustion has curdled into something heavier: both burnout and depression. Worse, 63% of NPs don't believe relief is in sight https://t.co/G8N5YgOKyA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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Joint Pain Prevalence is not Declining

Jack Cush, MD

A current report from the national NHIS survey shows that over half of US adults diagnosed with arthritis reported moderate to severe joint pain.

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JAMA: Review of Shoulder Pain

Jack Cush, MD

Shoulder pain affects 16% of adults annually and is the third most common musculoskeletal presentation in primary care. This new review reframes the diagnostic and therapeutic approach, moving away from pathoanatomic labels (rotator cuff tendinopathy, impingement, bursitis) toward the umbrella

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Systemic Burden of Gout https://t.co/OUgXMtH1bn https://t.co/zK7vRCevTY

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2026 BSR Pain Guideline: What Rheumatologists Need to Know The British Society for Rheumatology has issued its first guideline dedicated solely to pain in inflammatory arthritis (IA)—covering RA, PsA, axial SpA and JIA. https://t.co/3Jtneox8Rh https://t.co/06ccLhjhMh

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
NHANES survey (2005-2018) studied prevalence of arthritis in adults w/ depression (PHQ-9 ≥10), From 15157 depressed pts, RA was most prevalent & increased 7.8 to 17.7%; OA unchanged 11.7 to 10.7% & PsA declined 7.2 to 1.7%. Depression assoc w/ higher risk for RA (OR 1.40) & PsA https://t.co/fcROEvsHDT
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Evaluating Inflammatory Joint Pain in Older Adults Lee, Levinson, and Makris have published an approach to evaluating inflammatory joint pain in older adults in JAMA Internal Medicine. While intended to be a practical guide for Primary Care Clinicians (PCCs), the tenets and https://t.co/TPKEOjkcKl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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2026 BSR Pain Guideline: What Rheumatologists Need to Know

Jack Cush, MD

The British Society for Rheumatology has issued its first guideline dedicated solely to pain in inflammatory arthritis (IA)—covering RA, PsA, axial SpA and JIA.

Read Article
RA,polyarticular,black,rheumatoid

Evaluating Inflammatory Joint Pain in Older Adults

Jack Cush, MD

Lee, Levinson, and Makris have published an approach to evaluating inflammatory joint pain in older adults in JAMA Internal Medicine. While intended to be a practical guide for primary care clinicians, the tenets and clues ring true for all.

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Multimodal & multidisciplinary Tx (MMT) are underutilized in adults w/ chronic pain. Study of 347 Chr pain pts - 60% used non-opioid meds; 29% used opioids & only 11% MMT. Older age & high intensity pain assoc w/ Opioids. MMT had more complex pain w/ greater pain interference, https://t.co/iF0UQeut9b
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA Patient Education Page on: Therapeutic Use of Cannabis and Cannabinoids https://t.co/s6F7B9qLfr https://t.co/lpLGozJgvi

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA Review of Hip Fracture The July 16th edition of JAMA reviews the highly prevalent problem of hip fractures - a major global health burden: 14.2 million occur worldwide annually (280,000 in the US), with global incidence higher in women (833.9/100,000) than men https://t.co/TiiCjoq2Hj
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
QD Clinic: Addressing Severe Gout Flares Dr. Eric Dein, Summit, NJ, discusses a difficult-to-treat case of gout. https://t.co/tochY0BUBj https://t.co/9hQ13cDY9s

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Dan.Kastner

A Tribute to Daniel L. Kastner, MD, PhD (1951–2026)

Jack Cush, MD

The rheumatology, genetics and NIH communities mourn for Dr. Daniel L. Kastner, who died on July 28, 2026, in Bethesda, Maryland, at age 74. The following are declarations, tributes, and memories dedicated to this mensch of a man, titan of science, memorable mentor and humble physician.

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Gout & Metabolic Syndrome Dr. John Fitzgerald, Los Angeles, hates the expression "It's only Gout." https://t.co/0JipL3kgcM https://t.co/jszxYAfZwa

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Machine learning study of 657 multiethnic Lupus pts - 14% had organic & 30% had neuropsychiatric damage. High Glucocorticoid dose was the strongest predictor or organic Dz. NP damage predicted by MD global, fatigue, pain, & steroids https://t.co/LVK57LxKk6 https://t.co/VLisZT7ReY

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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JAMA Review of Hip Fracture

Jack Cush, MD

The July 16th edition of JAMA reviews the highly prevalent problem of hip fractures - a major global health burden: 14.2 million occur worldwide annually (280,000 in the US), with global incidence higher in women (833.9/100,000) than men (510.0/100,000). Lifetime risk at age 50 is 22.9% for

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Recent Blogs

Advanced Practice Rheum

Fibromyalgia

Jack Cush, MD
APR fibro video cover
Dr. Jack Cush reviews fibromyalgia.
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Evaluation of Rheumatic Complaints

Jack Cush, MD
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Dr. Cush provides a systematic approach to evaluating musculoskeletal and rheumatic complaints in clinical practice.
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From DNA to PGA

David Pisetsky, MD, PhD
dna
I have been investigating the mechanisms of antinuclear antibody (ANA) expression in SLE since 1978. In this pursuit, I have followed the advice of my first division chief, Dr. Ralph Snyderman, a great academician.  Ralph told me to identify a research focus and make it mine. I think I have done reasonably well in my mission so you can imagine my surprise (and excitement) when, for the Lupus 2025 meeting in Toronto, I was asked to conduct a Meet the Professor session on the Type 1 & 2 model for SLE.
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