Arthritis Specialist

What is arthritis?

Arthritis isn’t a disease itself; it’s a term that describes a variety of conditions causing joint inflammation. This discomfort occurs anywhere in your body where at least two bones come together, forming a joint.

When you have arthritis, you can experience several different joint symptoms, including:

• Pain
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Reduced range of motion

It’s also common to have symptoms that are worse in the morning or after prolonged periods of inactivity.

What causes arthritis?

There are over 100 conditions that cause arthritis symptoms. In most cases, these diseases develop because of cartilage degeneration. Your cartilage is the protective tissue covering each of your joints. As cartilage breaks down, your bones rub together causing friction, which leads to pain and reduced movement.

Most people have osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis

This type of arthritis typically occurs with age, the “wear and tear” on your joints. Though anyone can have osteoarthritis, your risks are higher if you have any of the following:

• Obesity
• History of injury (ligament damage, dislocation)
• Gender (women are at higher risk)
• Family history
• Scoliosis (degeneration of the joints in the spine)
• Birth defects (ex. congenital hip dysplasia or dislocation)

Rheumatoid arthritis

This form of arthritis develops because of an autoimmune disorder. When you have an autoimmune disease, it causes your body to attack healthy tissue. With rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system misfires and attacks the tissue nourishing your cartilage.

How do you treat arthritis?

Dr. Khoury offers a wide range of noninvasive and minimally invasive arthritis treatments at Advanced Spine and Pain Specialists. Based on your specific form of arthritis and the severity of your symptoms, he might recommend therapies that include:

• Creams and ointments that interrupt pain signals
• Medications, like anti-inflammatories and pain relievers
• Joint, nerve, or spine injections that treat pain at the source
• Radiofrequency denervation that alters nerve pain signals in your spine
• Physical therapy focused on strengthening your muscles and improving your range of motion

In addition to medical treatments, Dr. Khoury often recommends lifestyle changes, like weight loss, to help reduce extra pressure on your joints. If you don’t respond to conservative arthritis treatments, Dr. Khoury might also suggest surgical solutions, like joint replacement.

For more information on arthritis treatment, call Advanced Spine and Pain Specialists, or schedule an appointment online today.