Arthritis: avoiding diagnostic pitfalls.

Cervical spondylosis may be the most common cause of arm pain in the elderly. Although patients describe this pain as "severe," they seem able to ease it by massaging the area, which is not the case with other painful rheumatoid conditions. Elevated serum uric acid in an arthritis patient is not always a sign of gout. A definite diagnosis of gout can be made only when urate crystals are found in the joint fluid.