Thriving with Arthritis

About Thriving with Arthritis

Thriving with Arthritis and Autoimmune Diseases is an evidence-based podcast dedicated to helping people understand, manage, and live well with arthritis and autoimmune diseases. Hosted by Dr. Diana M. Girnita, MD, PhD, a double board-certified physician in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology with a PhD in Immunology, the podcast bridges modern rheumatology with lifestyle and integrative medicine. The show covers a wide range of conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, lupus, Sjögren’s disease, gout, and other inflammatory and immune-mediated disorders. Each episode provides clear explanations of diagnosis, lab testing, imaging, medications, biologics, and emerging therapies—alongside practical strategies for nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress regulation, and chronic pain management. Listeners hear conversations with experts in rheumatology, immunology, nutrition, physical therapy, and mind-body medicine, as well as real patient stories that highlight the challenges of diagnosis, flares, remission, and long-term disease management. Dr. Girnita brings over 20 years of clinical and academic experience, including advanced postdoctoral training at Harvard University and the University of Pittsburgh. She is widely recognized for combining rigorous scientific medicine with a whole-person approach that treats not just disease activity, but the person living with the disease. An educator with a global reach, Dr. Girnita has accumulated over 30 million views across YouTube and social media, where she delivers clear, science-based education on autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Medscape, and other major medical publications. Thriving with Arthritis empowers patients to make informed decisions, navigate the healthcare system with confidence, reduce inflammation, prevent complications, and reclaim quality of life.

Publisher

Dr. Diana Girnita MD, PhD

Category

education · health & fitness · health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

29 Feb 2024

Latest episode

28 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

46 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Sept 2026

   Juvenile Arthritis in Kids: Growing Pains or Arthritis? Signs, Diagnosis & Treatment with Dr. Saumya Joshi

   Can children get arthritis? Yes. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic arthritis in children, and it is often dismissed as growing pains or a sports injury. Dr. Diana Girnita, MD, PhD, talks with pediatric rheumatologist Dr. Saumya Joshi, MD, MS, RhMSUS, founder of Joshi Pediatric Rheumatology. KEY POINTS Growing pains vs. arthritis: growing pains hit the shins in the evening or at night and are gone by morning. JIA affects the joints themselves (knee, ankle) an...

2. 

   17 Jul 2026

   Can Ozempic, Zepbound or Mounjaro Truly Transform Rheumatoid and Psoriatic Arthritis?

   Can Ozempic, Mounjaro, Zepbound and Wegovy calm inflammation — not just melt away weight? In this episode of Thriving with Arthritis, Dr. Diana Girnita, board-certified rheumatologist and PhD in immunology, sits down with Dr. Vishnuteja Devalla to unpack the fast-growing science of GLP-1 medications in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. They break down how GLP-1 drugs actually work, why the same receptor lives on your immune cells, and what the latest evidence really shows for auto...

3. 

   1 Jul 2026

   Rheumatoid Arthritis Remission — Off Medication, and Up Kilimanjaro

   Climbing Kilimanjaro with rheumatoid arthritis — off medication. Jon did it. And in this episode, his rheumatologist explains how. Most people hear "rheumatoid arthritis" and brace for a life sentence. Dr. Diana Girnita, a board-certified rheumatologist, sits down with Jon, a patient she guided from daily pain and methotrexate to drug-free remission — and, a few years later, to the summit of Kilimanjaro. Together, they walk through what that journey actually looked like, including...

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

16,152,312

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

11 ratings

Spotify

3.7 / 5

3 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 40 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

29

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

32

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