You Don't Have to Live with Arthritis: We Have Solutions

More than 50 million adults and 300,000 children live with arthritis in the United States. While people usually speak in general terms about arthritis pain, there are actually more than 100 different conditions that fall under this broad term. What they all have in common is joint inflammation that causes uncomfortable symptoms like pain, stiffness, and reduced range of motion.

At Metro Pain Centers, our pain specialists understand that the key to effectively treating arthritis involves determining the precise cause of your joint inflammation. And, no matter which type of arthritis you have, we can help get your symptoms under control.

What’s to blame for your arthritis pain

Most people associate joint pain with aging. However, many types of joint inflammation can occur at any age for a variety of reasons. Here are a few examples of the most common forms and their causes.

Osteoarthritis

This kind of arthritis develops because of wear and tear on your joints — which are the places in your body where two or more bones come together. A healthy joint has cartilage covering the bones, which enables smooth and fluid motion. When you have osteoarthritis, this cartilage breaks down, leading to friction, stiffness, and pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis

When you have rheumatoid arthritis, you actually have an autoimmune disorder. Unlike osteoarthritis, which occurs because of wear and tear, rheumatoid arthritis causes your immune system to target the lining of your joint, triggering inflammation, pain, and swelling.

Psoriatic arthritis

Like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease. However, this form of arthritis often affects your skin as well, leading to rashes, swelling, and joint redness, especially in the hands.

In addition to the long list of arthritic conditions, you can also experience arthritis symptoms because of other illnesses, such as fibromyalgia, lupus, Lyme disease, and inflammatory bowel disease.

Finding effective relief for arthritis symptoms

When you think of arthritis as a single condition, it's easy to assume that there's a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment. But we know that won't provide relief for this far-more-complicated issue. Instead, we take a personalized approach to identifying the specific cause of your joint inflammation to help you manage your condition more effectively.

Our first step involves performing a comprehensive physical exam, evaluating your range of motion, and checking your joints for signs of disease. This appointment could also involve additional diagnostic testing, including blood work and joint fluid tests or imaging, like an ultrasound, MRI, or X-rays.

After reaching a diagnosis, we develop a customized plan focused on treating your condition, relieving your pain, and restoring your joint function. This personalized approach could include a variety of therapies, such as:

• Pain-relieving or anti-inflammatory medications
• Medications designed to slow or suppress your immune system
• Counterirritant creams and ointments to disrupt pain signals
• Physical therapy, splints, or braces

We also offer interventional treatments, ranging from epidural and trigger point injections to nerve blocks and spinal cord stimulators.

If you have arthritis symptoms, we can help. Contact one of our offices in New Jersey or New York by calling or requesting an appointment online today.