Arthritis is a term that describes more than 100 different types of joint disease. Osteoarthritis is one of the more prevalent forms of arthritis, affecting the tissues that protect the joints. Living with osteoarthritis means the joints wear down over time, causing symptoms like pain and stiffness.
Just about any joint can develop osteoarthritis, but it's common in the hips, knees, spine, and ankles. The condition worsens over time without treatment, sometimes leading to permanent disability — but conservative options can help.
At the Spine and Orthopedic Center of New Mexico, in Roswell, New Mexico, Dr. Omar Osmani and Dr. David Ball provide orthopedic and podiatry services for conditions like osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is one of the most prevalent forms of joint disease. It occurs when the protective tissues within the joints break down over time, leading to chronic joint pain and other symptoms.
Older people are at risk for osteoarthritis, especially those over 45, but it's not an expected aspect of the aging process. According to the CDC, at least 33 million adults in the United States have osteoarthritis.
The symptoms related to osteoarthritis vary, depending on the affected joint and the severity of the condition. However, there are several common signs and symptoms of OA, which include the following:
Many things can increase your risk for osteoarthritis, including your age and repetitive injury to a specific joint. Obesity and a family history of OA are other risk factors that play into your chances of developing joint pain.
Osteoarthritis often affects the hips, knees, hands, and spine but can develop in any joint. The good news is that you can delay the effects of OA before it progresses to a severe form of the disease.
Although osteoarthritis is a menace to many people, we can often manage it through conservative measures. The first step is a diagnosis, which our team obtains through discussing your symptoms and diagnostic imaging.
Once we come to a diagnosis of OA, we discuss treatment options. There are several nonsurgical options Dr. Osmani recommends for immediate and long-term pain relief, and they include:
Physical therapy is an essential part of osteoarthritis treatment. During physical therapy, the therapist provides exercises, stretches, and other treatment modalities to improve function and reduce pain. The goal is to strengthen the muscles and tissues around the joint to help support it.
Over-the-counter pain medications are an excellent option for mild to moderate osteoarthritis discomfort. Their anti-inflammatory properties reduce joint swelling, lessening pain and stiffness. These medications are very helpful in conjunction with ice, heat, and physical therapy.
If noninvasive options don't work for your needs, Dr. Osmani may recommend corticosteroid injections into the affected joint. Corticosteroids are powerful anti-inflammatory medications that go right into the joint to reduce swelling, pain, and other symptoms for months.
Viscosupplementation is an injection that restores lubrication into the joint space. Hyaluronic acid is the main component of these injections, acting as the natural lubricant in each joint. HA injections can give you months of relief from arthritis pain.
Platelet-rich plasma, or PRP, is a regenerative medicine that utilizes your blood to harness its healing properties. The main component of PRP is platelets, which contain essential growth proteins that repair damaged tissues in the joints.
Many people find relief from osteoarthritis with nonsurgical treatments — but they don't work for everyone. If pain and stiffness are ruling your life despite conservative treatments, Dr. Osmani may discuss surgical treatment.
Surgery isn't the first option for osteoarthritis because it's invasive and comes with an extended recovery time. However, it may be the only option for some people who fail conservative treatments.
Dr. Osmani only considers joint replacement surgery when you've tried multiple conservative measures without significant relief and the pain in your joint is so severe it's affecting your daily activities.
Before having surgery, you should understand the risks, recovery time, and any restrictions you may have. Joint replacement surgery is often successful, but it does come with an extended recovery time and the need for extensive rehabilitation.
At your appointment, Dr. Osmani discusses all your treatment options for osteoarthritis. He considers your health, symptoms, and how arthritis affects your life when developing a customized treatment plan.
Call our Roswell, New Mexico office today to schedule an appointment for osteoarthritis or stop into our urgent care center. You may also request an appointment on our website.
