Arthritis has become a major global health concern affecting mostly older patients. There are also many different types of arthritis, each having its symptoms. The most reported symptoms of arthritis include; swelling, tenderness, pain, warmth, stiffness, and redness. The symptoms of arthritis can range from mild to severe; it usually depends on your overall health and pre-existing medical conditions. If you are diagnosed with arthritis, your healthcare provider will work closely with you to determine which treatment is best suited for you. Fortunately, there are various treatments available for arthritis to choose from. In this post, we will look at the possible treatments for arthritis Fort Worth.
When diagnosing arthritis, your healthcare provider will first inquire about your current symptoms, medical history, and pre-existing health complications. For a more accurate arthritis diagnosis, your doctor will perform:
Medical exam
This may entail checking for regions of swelling or tenderness around the joints, evaluating the mobility and motion range in the joints, and assessing your overall health to determine if a pre-existing condition is causing your arthritis problem.
Blood tests
While blood tests cannot be used to diagnose all types of arthritis, they may be required if your doctor suspects you have rheumatoid arthritis.
Ultrasounds
Ultrasounds can also be performed to check for any damage in your soft tissue and allow proper placement of medications into the affected joint.
Arthritis treatment options mainly focus on improving your joint function and managing your symptoms. Some of the possible treatments for arthritis include:
Medications
Anti-inflammatory non-steroidal medicines such as naproxen and ibuprofen that help relieve joint inflammation, corticosteroid medications that are administered as an injection or pills to reduce joint pain and inflammation. The notable downside of this medication is that it can result in abnormal weight gain. Your doctor may also prescribe you antirheumatic medications that help slow the joint damage and prevent your soft tissue ligaments from permanent damage.
Heat and cold
Symptoms of arthritis can be managed by placing cold and hot pads over the affected joints.
Physical therapy
Physical therapy has proven to be very effective in treating arthritis. Physical therapy entails performing certain physical exercises that help strengthen the muscles around your joints and improve your range of motion.
Surgery
Provided non-surgical treatment options fail to relieve your arthritis symptoms, your provider may recommend surgical procedures such as joint replacement that helps replace the damaged knee and hip joints with artificial ones or joint repair to realign and smoothen your joints to improve their function and reduce inflammation. Joint fusion helps correct damaged smaller joints and allows them to heal into one strong unit.
While there is no cure available for arthritis, various treatment solutions can effectively manage your arthritis symptoms. You can also prevent the risk of arthritis by maintaining a healthy body weight, avoiding tobacco products, and minimizing your risk of joint damage. As mentioned earlier, body imaging exams are performed during arthritis diagnosis to help your physician clearly view your joints, bones, and soft tissues. For example, MRI and X-rays can help check for soft tissue inflammation, bone dislocation or fractures causing pain, cartilage damage around the joints, and ligament or tendon injuries around your joints.