Here at University Pain and Spine Center, we want to help you relieve any neck pain that you are feeling. Whether the pain is minor or severe, our qualified and friendly staff is here to help you.
Arthritis is a chronic disease that affects the health and function of your joints. With over 100 types, among the most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, both leading to chronic pain and impaired mobility.
Osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of the protective cartilage that lines the ends of the bones in your joints. Without healthy cartilage, your joint bones rub together and create friction that causes joint pain, swelling, and stiffness in your joints.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a type of autoimmune disease. This kind of arthritis causes your immune system to mistakenly attack the otherwise healthy joint lining, leading to chronic pain and inflammation. Over time, inflamed joints become harder to move and painful.
Your risk for arthritis increases as you age, if you’re obese, or if you have a history of joint injuries.
Treatment options include anti-inflammatory medications, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, and a class of drugs called biological response modifiers (commonly called biologics). A physician may recommend splints or braces, exercise, and modification of daily activities.
If joint synovitis cannot be controlled with medications or if the tendons of the hand and wrist become inflamed or weakened and the joint pain becomes unbearable due to the disease, surgery may be needed. Surgery may also be required to correct deformities of the fingers that often result from the disease. Rheumatoid arthritis can also affect other areas.
Arthritis is a progressive disease. While your symptoms may start out as occasional and mild, they can intensify over time. You should schedule an evaluation at the University Pain and Spine Center if you experience:
You can also request a consultation if you have persistent joint pain that isn’t getting better with rest and over-the-counter medications.
While there’s no cure for arthritis, the proper treatment can relieve your symptoms and ensure you enjoy a high-quality, active life.
Here at the University Pain and Spine Center, our specialists diagnose osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other forms of the disease, often through a physical exam, X-rays, or other imaging tests. They will customize a treatment plan based on the affected joint and the severity of your pain. Options include:
Typically, initial treatment for arthritis involves anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications to keep you comfortable, targeting chronic pain and joint pain.
Physical therapy services enhance your healing process and strengthen the muscles that support the affected joint, reducing joint pain and improving mobility.
Viscosupplementation involves injections of a thick hyaluronate fluid into the affected joint. The fluid lubricates the joint structures to increase your mobility. It’s ideal for osteoarthritis-related joint pain.
If oral medications aren’t enough to treat your symptoms, you may need ultrasound-guided injections of a numbing agent and anti-inflammatories directly into the affected joint to address severe chronic pain.
The University Pain and Spine Center offers regenerative therapies such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections. These innovative treatments help trigger your body’s ability to regenerate healthy joint tissue and bone, allowing you to face osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, and easing chronic pain.
Prolotherapy is another type of regenerative medicine that involves injecting a natural irritant into inflamed joints to stimulate your body’s internal healing processes, allowing you to neutralize joint pain.
If chronic pain or joint stiffness limits your abilities, call the University Pain and Spine Center nearest you to book an appointment or call us today.
