Arthritis Treatment

We Can Help You Control the Pain

The older we get, the more at risk we are for developing arthritis. Arthritis is a degenerative disease that gets worse over time. There are many different types of arthritis, and most of them involve damage to cartilage. Cartilage is the coating on bones and tissues that allow them to smoothly glide over each other. When cartilage is damaged, friction occurs, resulting in pain and inflammation.

The most common types of arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis – This is the most common form of arthritis. It wears down on cartilage, and can completely destroy it. Pain from osteoarthritis gets worse over time and can lead to the development of a bone spur.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis – This arthritis is an auto-immune disease, which are conditions that cause the body’s immune system to turn on itself and attack healthy tissue. Modern medicine still has not figured out why this happens or how to stop it, but we do have treatments that can slow down its progress and manage the pain.
• Post-Traumatic Arthritis – This is arthritis that occurs after one of your joints was injured by a serious impact. If you have ever experienced a fracture, sprain, or muscle tear, you could develop post-traumatic arthritis. It can sometimes take years for the onset of arthritis to begin, so even an injury you experienced several months ago could be the culprit.
• Psoriatic Arthritis – Arthritis that sometimes co-develops with the skin condition psoriasis. It usually affects the joints in the fingers and toes.

There are over 150 forms of arthritis, so even if these do not sound like the type of pain you are experiencing, a type of arthritis could still be the cause. Symptoms vary depending on the type, but generally, patients will experience swelling, stiffness, and pain when moving the affected joint.

Exploring Your Treatment Options

Arthritis treatments should begin conservatively with methods like medication, physical therapy, and exercise. Even mental health treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be effective. When you’re stressed, blood vessels get tighter, making it harder for damages areas of the body to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal.

If conservative treatments have failed, it’s time to consider surgery. There are many procedures that can help patients find relief from arthritis. The most involved procedure usually reserved for patients with severe cases is joint replacement surgery.