What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis that affects millions of people. It develops when the cartilage that cushions your bones wears down due to aging or wear-and-tear. This form of arthritis often affects the joints in your spine, knees, hips, and hands. Treatment helps manage your symptoms, making them less painful and reducing the risk of worsening degeneration. 

What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?

The symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• Stiffness
• Joint pain
• Joint swelling 
• Tenderness
• Reduced flexibility
• Cracking or popping sounds in your joints
• Hard lumps around the affected joints
• Inflammation 
• Joint disfigurement 

Your symptoms may begin as mild and become more severe over time when not treated.

What are the risk factors for osteoarthritis?

Factors that increase your risk of osteoarthritis include:

• Obesity
• Aging
• Being a woman
• Joint injuries
• Repeated joint stress
• Family history of osteoarthritis 
• Defective cartilage
• Malformed joints
• Diabetes 

Prevention measures include maintaining an ideal body weight, eating nutritious foods, avoiding injuries, and staying physically active. Avoiding repetitive motions is also helpful. 

How is osteoarthritis diagnosed?

Your Pain Medicine Group provider determines if you have osteoarthritis after reviewing your medical history, lifestyle, and symptoms. They examine your joints to look for redness, tenderness, swelling, and poor flexibility. 

Your specialist may order blood testing, joint fluid tests, X-rays, MRIs, or other imaging procedures to diagnose your specific condition and determine the best way to treat it.

How is osteoarthritis treated?

Treatments for osteoarthritis include:

• Good nutrition
• Healthy weight management
• Regular exercise
• Heat and cold packs
• Medications
• Dietary supplements
• Injections 
• Physical therapy
• Occupational therapy
• Nerve stimulation
• Bracing
• Assistive devices
• Regenerative treatments
• Surgery

Examples of regenerative treatments include platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapies that promote cell regeneration and holistic healing.

You might need more than one type of osteoarthritis treatment to achieve a superior outcome. It’s also important to get plenty of sleep, avoid smoking, and minimize stress. Avoid repetitive motions or take frequent breaks from them as often as you can. 

Your provider tailors each treatment to your needs, follows up with you periodically, and alters your treatment plan whenever necessary. Call the Pain Medicine Group office at any time with questions or if you develop new symptoms.

Schedule an evaluation at Pain Medicine Group by phone or book one online today for osteoarthritis symptom relief.