Arthritis Pain

If you’re feeling stiff or achy, arthritis might be to blame. Most often synonymous with old age, arthritis occurs when the joints naturally wear down with use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly one in four American adults have arthritis. While it might not completely disrupt daily activities, it definitely makes them a little more uncomfortable to enjoy. If you’re suffering with arthritis and would like to learn more about possible treatment options, The California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas is here to help. 

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a disease that causes damage to the joints, which are the places in the body where two bones meet. Most joints simply wear down due to use and overuse over the years. But, there are also times when arthritis can develop because of an injury or as a result of another health condition. 

While arthritis can affect any joint, the most common joints include: 

• hands/wrists
• feet/ankles
• Knees
• Hips
• Shoulders
• Lower back
• 
  

Most patients with arthritis report feeling pain, stiffness and limited range of motion, swelling (inflammation), tenderness and warmth around the joint. 

While there are more than 100 different types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is the most common. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease, in which the tissues in the joint break down over time and with wear and tear. Other types include:

• Rheumatoid arthritis: an auto-immune disorder wherein the body attacks its own tissues
• Psoriatic arthritis: arthritis that affects people who have psoriasis, which is another type of autoimmune disorder
• Gout: a type of inflammatory arthritis that causes pain and swelling in your joints, most often in the toes/feet/lower limb
• Facet joint arthritis: arthritis in the facet joints of the spine that are most often the result of wear and tear or an injury
• Ankylosing spondylitis: Arthritis that affects joints near your lower back
• Juvenile arthritis: most common in kids and teens younger than 16 years old

Depending on the type of arthritis, it could either break down the natural tissue in the joint (degeneration) or cause swelling (inflammation). Both are painful results of the disease. 

What Causes Arthritis?

Arthritis is most often caused by continuous wear and tear, which is why most people who suffer from arthritis are 65 years or older. But, there are additional factors that put people at a higher risk for developing arthritis. These include: 

• Obesity, which adds stress to the joints, especially those in the hips and knees
• Injury to joints
• Physically demanding lifestyle, whether that be athletes or people who have a physically stressful job
• Family history of arthritis
• Infections in or around a joint
• Smoking a using tobacco products
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Autoimmune diseases

While there is no surefire way to prevent arthritis, a person can reduce arthritic symptoms by maintaining a healthy weight, being active, protecting the joints (i.e. avoiding repetitive, strenuous activities if possible), and discussing any feelings of joint soreness with a pain management specialist.

What are Arthritis Treatment Options?

Unfortunately there is no cure for arthritis at this time, but there are treatments, procedures and medications that can help to alleviate the pain and problems associated with the disease. These options include: 

• Exercise: following a low-impact exercise regimen helps the joints to stay flexible and achieve their full range of motion. Yoga, swimming and walking are great exercise options. Maintaining a healthy weight also reduces added stress on the weight-bearing joints in the body. 
• Physical therapy: a great way to improve strength and range of motion, partnering with a trained physical therapist will help a person to receive specific stretches tailored to their abilities and targeted joints
• Home remedies: this can include taking vitamins, using braces, enjoying an anti-inflammatory diet, utilizing heating pads and essential oils, and more. While they might not treat the arthritis itself, they will help to make the painful feelings less painful or frequent
• Over-the-counter pain medications: NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) help to alleviate inflammation and pain. They can also be a helpful, short-term tool that allows physical therapy efforts to be more enjoyable. 
• Joint injections: for a more long-term solution, an injection of a corticosteroid helps to reduce inflammation and pain, and increase range of motion, with positive effects felt almost immediately. Depending on the joint targeted and the specific type of arthritis, repeated injections might be needed. 
• Medial branch blocks: a minimally-invasive injection procedure that involves injecting a small amount of a local anesthetic, with or without a corticosteroid, near the medial branch nerves (the small nerves near the facet joints of the spine), which essentially blocks the pain signals from the joints from reaching the brain. Relief is almost immediate and multiple blocks can be performed to help manage pain on a long-term scale. 
• Surgery: if non-surgical methods have been exhausted and joint pain is still felt, a full joint replacement might finally provide needed relief. The joint, most commonly hip and knee, is most often replaced with a plastic or metal prosthesis. But the recovery period is long and there are side effects associated with surgery, so it’s recommended to first reasonably attempt all possible conservative methods first. 

While some beginning stages of arthritis can be managed with at-home efforts, it’s important to see your healthcare provider if you are experiencing severe pain, your joint stiffness is getting worse or you’re unable to move the joint at all, or you’re experiencing more painful or more frequent flare-ups than previously. 

If you’re living with joint pain due to arthritis, please schedule an appointment today. Just because arthritis is one of the most common health conditions adults experience, that doesn’t mean that you have to live with it in pain. The California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, Chula Vista areas can help to determine your specific type of arthritis and recommend the best treatment options to help you manage the effects of arthritis and keep you enjoying the activities you love.