What is arthritis?

Arthritis affects individuals from all ages and is more prominent in those who have injured their joints over time, incurred trauma, or just from wear and tear. It is very common, but very few understand it. Arthritis is a more relaxed term used to describe a series of joint disease. Those who suffer from arthritis may have joint pain that is constant and ongoing, restricting their range of motions and quality of life. Finding pain relief for arthritis is just a phone call or click away.

There are over 100 types of Arthritis, the best way to determine what type you may have is to get a diagnosis for a treatment plan.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

The most common symptoms of arthritis include:

• Pain in the joints
• Stiffness
• Decreased range of motion
• Swelling
• Redness
• Inflammation in Joints

Additionally, some patients experience only mild symptoms, while others experience much more severe symptoms. Next, let us take a look are the most common types of arthritis.

What are the different types of arthritis that are common?

Generally, there are a variety of different types of arthritis but some are more prevalent than others. The following forms of arthritis are the most common types of arthritis:

• Osteoarthritis (OA)
• Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
• Psoriatic Arthritis (PA)
• Fibromyalgia
• Gout
   
• Lupus
• Back Pain

Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease, meaning it only gets worse over time without treatment, that affects the whole joint, breaking down the cartilage and protective fluid which makes it more difficult to move and use the affected joint(s). Eventually, if left without treatment, bones of the joint may rub directly against one another, hence the term “bone on bone”, causing severe pain.

Pain intensity can vary from person to person. It can be mild to severe and may be manageable through medication but as we all know, pain medication can be a dangerous and addictive solution that only masks the symptoms of the disease without healing the root cause. Although it is painful to use the affected the joint, continued use and exercise of the joint can help to combat the progression of the disease.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

With Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) the body’s immune system is dysfunctional and attacks the healthy tissues of the body’s joins and other organs. Normally, the immune system triggers inflammation that protects a person from viruses, bacteria, infections and other unwanted foreign bodies. Since arthritis is an auto-immune disease, RA inflammation becomes overactive and attacks healthy tissues – such as the lining of joints, like the synovium, in the case of RA. Persistent and extended periods of inflammation lead to permanent damage to the affected joints and leads to worsening pain in the process.

RA typically affects the parallel joints on both sides of the body, not just one side, such as both knees, hips, hands, or shoulders, even the back as well. It can also affect the internal organs, including the liver, heart, and eyes.

Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA)

Similar to RA, PsA is another autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks otherwise healthy tissue, especially the skin and joints, causing red rashes and painful sores. It typically occurs in people who have psoriasis, another autoimmune disease that leaves patches of red or silvery scaly skin patches as the amount of skin cells produced increases. These patches are usually painful or itchy and can become dry and cracked, leading to increased pain levels.

Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) can affect any joint in the body. It may affect the sites where tendons and ligaments attach to the bones, called entheses. The inflammation of these areas commonly affects the heel or bottom of the foot and the lower back.

Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is considered a pain disorder caused by the central nervous system malfunctioning, including the brain and spinal cord. It is characterized by wide spread pain that comes and goes or be constant. It is believed that CNS signals are amplified in fibromyalgia, so that pains signals are heightened. This hypersensitivity can cause a simple touch or movement to become extremely painful. Other possible symptoms include fatigue, sleeping problems, inability to concentrate and mood troubles, all of which may intensify pain perception.

Gout

Gout is a form of inflammatory arthritis, but it does not cause body-wide inflammation like Psoriatic or Rheumatoid arthritis. The result is an extreme pain in the affected joints. Untreated, the crystals can form lumps in the affected joints and the surrounding areas. Gout usually strikes unexpectedly, often in larger joints of the big toe, but can occur in other areas. When a flare up occurs, you can go from being fine to waking with excruciating pain. Lifestyle changes, such as drinking an adequate amount of water or avoiding alcohol and purine-rich foods, can be used to effectively treat gout without medications and prevent new flare ups from occurring.

Lupus

A complex autoimmune inflammatory disease that affects many parts of the body, including the joints, kidneys, skin, blood, brain and other organs. It causes joint pain, headaches and chest pain as well as a multitude of other symptoms, including fatigue, hair loss, sensitivity to light, fever, rash and kidney problems.

Back Pain

One of the most common reasons that people seek medical attention from their doctors, can have countless causes, including several forms of arthritis and associated conditions, such as ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis (PsA), spinal stenosis and fibromyalgia. Most back pain though is the result of some type of injury. Innovative Medical Center’s proprietary NDS method has been developed as an alternative to spinal surgery and addictive pain medications. It is a combined form of spinal decompression, physical therapy, and functional medicine.

Most commonly, arthritis affects the joints in the knee, hands, hips, back and shoulder. Arthritis diseases can cause debilitating, life-changing pain in different ways. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than a third of the adults who have arthritis have reported that their daily lives are affected negatively, limiting their daily activities and work. One in four say that it causes severe pain (seven or more on a pain scale of 10). Just as their are different types of arthritis, their are also a variety of different treatments. Many involve the use of pain medications, but at Innovative Medical Center we have individual treatments plan to help reverse the damage caused by arthritis without the use of addictive opioids or pain medication.

How does Innovative Medical Center diagnose arthritis?

The doctors at Innovative Medical Center can usually diagnose Arthritis based on the patient’s symptoms and a physical examination. When the doctor suspects Arthritis, he/she may also order an imaging test to identify the cause of the pain.

What treatments are available to relieve your pain?

Innovative Medical Center offers several treatment options for patients with Arthritis. In most cases, the doctors at Innovative Medical Center will come up a customized treatment plan specific to you.

How effective is Innovative Medical Center’s arthritis treatment for relieving pain?

The doctors at Innovative Medical Center customize Arthritis treatments based on the location of the patient’s pain, the patient’s specific symptoms, and other factors. Many patients report finding pain relief and that their symptoms improve, and their quality of life increases along with their range of motion.