Joint Pain: Understanding the Causes and Treatment Options
If joint pain disrupts your life, visit a joint pain doctor at Metro Healthcare Partners in Brooklyn, NY. Call (718) 305-1436 to make an appointment for joint pain treatment.
Do you know how many joints, or places where bones meet, are in your body? Experts disagree on the precise number, with estimates ranging from 250 to 360.
What experts can agree on is that joint pain can be a disruptive, even debilitating, force in your life. Whatever the cause of your condition, a joint pain specialist at Metro Healthcare Partners can help alleviate the pain, restore your mobility, and help you get back on track to enjoying your life.
To start your journey toward relief, review our guide to the different types and causes of joint pain and the most common and effective joint pain treatment options.
The Types of Joint Pain
Joint pain falls into two categories: arthritis-related and non-arthritis-related. Each category has multiple potential causes for pain which is why it’s so hard to make diagnoses and develop effective joint pain treatment plans.
Arthritis-Related Joint Pain
Any time your joint pain is due to inflammation or deterioration within the joint, doctors classify it as arthritis. The Arthritis Foundation estimates that as many as 60 million adults and 300,000 children have some form of arthritis. These include:
Osteoarthritis
This results from a breakdown of the cartilage in the joints with age or injury which allows the bones to rub together, resulting in pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion.
Autoimmune Inflammatory Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of this type of arthritis, which includes psoriatic arthritis and more. With this disease, the immune system overreacts and attacks the joints, causing inflammation and pain.
Gout
Gout attacks the big toe, ankle, or knee when uric acid builds up in the blood and forms crystals on the joint. Inflammation results when the immune system attempts to attack these crystals, causing bouts of severe pain.
Septic and Viral Arthritis
Although less common, septic and viral arthritis can result in joint pain. These are typically temporary but still serious conditions caused by infection in the joint or a virus. More than 50% of septic arthritis cases are due to Staphylococci bacteria while Streptococci bacteria is a close second.
Non-Arthritis Related Joint Pain
Doctors consider any other type of joint pain that doesn’t result from joint inflammation non-arthritis pain. The most common reasons include:
Bursitis
Bursitis is inflammation and swelling of the tiny, fluid-filled sacs called bursa that help protect joints. Most often found in the knee, hip, elbow, or shoulder, bursitis is usually the result of overuse and causes pain and swelling.
Tendinitis
Another overuse injury, tendinitis is inflammation of the tendons that cover the joints and hold them into place.
Disease
Joint pain is a common symptom of certain diseases. For example, joint pain is one of the most common symptoms of the autoimmune disease lupus, with about 95% of patients experiencing it.
Injury
Injuring your joint can cause significant pain. Damaging the joint’s ligaments, tendons, or cartilage through overuse, overextension or a tear will result in ongoing pain.
Joint Pain Treatment Options
Sometimes, joint pain is temporary and goes away on its own with time and over-the-counter medications. Ongoing, debilitating discomfort requires help from a joint pain doctor. Depending on your diagnosis and the cause of your pain, you have several treatment options.
It’s imperative to see a worker’s comp doctor in Brooklyn, NY for joint pain treatment if you sustain an injury at work, as professional evaluation and treatment are critical to your claim. Treatment can ease your symptoms, restore your mobility, and improve your quality of life with comprehensive pain management.
The most common treatments for joint pain include:
Medication
Most doctors start with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) before moving on to prescription pain medication.
Steroid Injections
Steroids can temporarily reduce swelling and inflammation.
Physical Therapy
Working with a physical therapist can strengthen the muscles, improve flexibility, and restore the range of motion in an injured joint.
Weight Loss
Losing weight can reduce strain on your joints and lessen pain. One study found that losing just one pound eliminates four pounds of pressure from your knees.
Lifestyle Changes
Making changes to your life like quitting smoking can reduce joint pain. Smoking can speed up cartilage loss and cause inflammation that leads to pain.
Surgery
In some cases, surgery may be the best joint pain treatment if less invasive methods don’t work. Procedures to repair ligaments, remove cartilage, remove inflamed synovium, and resurface the joints are some surgical options for treating severe pain.
Make an Appointment to See a Joint Pain Doctor in Brooklyn, NY
Regardless of why you have joint pain, you don’t have to live in pain. Contact the leading car accident doctor in Brooklyn, NY, Metro Healthcare Partners, to make an appointment to see a specialist about your joint pain treatment options. Call (718) 305-1436 to schedule a visit today and start your journey to relief.
Our doctors accept most insurance plans, including workers’ compensation, no-fault, and PIP (personal injury protection). Same-day appointments may be available. We can also help with chronic pain treatment after a work injury, so call now.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Should I Seek Treatment for Joint Pain?
Any time your joint pain disrupts your life or becomes unbearable, see a doctor about treatment. You should seek emergency treatment if the joint looks misshapen, you can’t use it, it swells suddenly, or if you have other symptoms, like a fever.
Can You Reverse Arthritis?
Arthritis causes joint inflammation, which is the source of pain, swelling, and discomfort. There is no cure for the disease, but you can manage it with medication, physical therapy, exercise, diet, and in some cases, surgery.
Can Staying Hydrated Help with Joint Pain?
Drinking plenty of water can help keep your joints healthy by preserving cartilage, which is about 80% water. Staying hydrated ensures the joints produce enough synovial fluid to keep the joints moving, ensures that cartilage can absorb shocks, and helps reduce inflammation. This can help support your joint pain treatment and prevent further deterioration.