Arthritis Specialist

What is arthritis?

Most of the time, when people talk about arthritis, they’re referring to osteoarthritis. However, there are more than 200 different types of arthritis that cause joint pain and inflammation. Of the 54 million Americans who have arthritis, more than 30 million of them have osteoarthritis — the degenerative form of the disease that occurs when you lose cartilage in your joints. Other common types of arthritis include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Fibromyalgia
• Lupus
  
  

You can develop arthritis in any joint of your body. Though symptoms range in severity, the most common symptoms include swollen, stiff, and painful joints. 

When should I talk to a doctor about arthritis pain?

Many people assume that arthritis is an inevitable part of getting older. Although your risk of arthritis does increase with age, you don’t have to put up with joint pain. If you have joint pain, make an appointment to talk to a member of the team at Summit Pain Alliance. Often, when you start treating and managing arthritis early, you can limit your pain and the effect it has on your life. 

How is arthritis treated?

Summit Pain Alliance provides personalized interventional pain management services to reduce arthritis pain and restore your quality of life. Depending on your specific needs and condition, the team creates a multidisciplinary pain management program that incorporates different therapies to manage your pain without relying on medication.

Some of the treatments they use for arthritis pain include:

• Massage
• Physical therapy
• Acupuncture
• Cortisone injections
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections
• Stem cell therapy
• Joint injections
• Peripheral nerve blocks
• Peripheral nerve stimulation
• Spine and joint bracing
• Viscosupplementation

Your provider might also recommend lifestyle modifications. For example, you might find that following an anti-inflammatory diet improves your symptoms. Additionally, losing weight can reduce strain on your joints and lessen your pain. Often, patients find that regular, moderate exercise such as taking a walk around their neighborhood or going for a swim helps reduce pain.

If you have painful joints, don’t brush it off as an inevitable part of aging, call Summit Pain Alliance, or make an appointment online today for expert arthritis pain management services.