Arthritis

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

Arthritis usually shows up as joint pain, swelling, and stiffness. Your symptoms usually worsen with time and interfere with daily activity. If you have arthritis in the hips or knees, walking up the stairs or getting out of the car can become painful. Shoulder arthritis can make tasks like putting away groceries impossible.

If not treated, arthritis can cause permanent joint changes and negatively impact your quality of life.

What are the types of arthritis?

Arthritis describes more than 100 different conditions. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common types.

Osteoarthritis is often referred to as wear-and-tear arthritis. It usually develops as you age or because of a past injury. The cartilage, connective tissue that cushions the ends of your bones, wears away, so you experience bone-on-bone friction.

Rheumatoid arthritis results when your immune system attacks your joints’ connective tissue. Usually, rheumatoid arthritis strikes both sides of your body (while osteoarthritis may only affect only one knee or hip).

Arthritis sometimes develops due to an infection or metabolic dysfunction.

How do you diagnose arthritis?

Arthritis may be suspected when you come in with joint pain and swelling symptoms. An X-ray, MRI, or CT scan confirms degradation or inflammation at the joints.

How do you treat arthritis?

Dr. Tun helps you learn how your lifestyle habits affect your arthritis pain. If you’re overweight, losing weight can help reduce pressure on your joints. Following an anti-inflammatory diet, quitting smoking, hot and cold therapy, and regular physical activity also help manage arthritis pain.

He may recommend over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and prescription medications to help you manage discomfort.

Conservative treatments like corticosteroid injections or hyaluronic acid joint injections for the knees decrease inflammation and improve glide between the bones. When these measures aren’t enough to ease your pain and restore some function, Dr. Tun can refer you to a trusted orthopedic colleague to discuss surgery. Surgery usually involves joint replacement or particle joint replacement.

If you’re struggling with arthritis pain, make an appointment at the office of Jeffery Tun, MD, today. Call the office or use this website to book online.