The over 100 types of arthritis affect around 23% of adults in the United States. If you have prolonged or worsening joint pain from arthritis, the team at Lynx Healthcare in Albuquerque, New Mexico, can create an individualized treatment plan focusing on non-operative techniques to slow the damage to your joints. For expert arthritis treatment, call or book an appointment online today.
Arthritis is a term for a group of conditions that cause worsening damage within your joints over time.
Your joints rely on cartilage and lubrication to move smoothly and painlessly. With various forms of arthritis, the cartilage slowly wears down until your bones grate together. This can be a very painful process that can eventually cause stiffness and compromise your mobility.
Although there are over 100 types of arthritis, the Lynx Healthcare team often treats these two most prominent types:
Osteoarthritis causes the cartilage in your joints to wear away over time. When your bones start to rub together directly, they can form painful bone spurs that contribute to additional pain and swelling.
Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in your body but is usually most severe in weight-bearing joints like your hips or knees.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack the lining within your joints. Over time, this causes deterioration of the cartilage and other tissues in and around the joints.
Rheumatoid arthritis most commonly affects the joints in your hands and feet.
Lynx Healthcare creates an individualized treatment plan to minimize or slow the damage in your joints from arthritis. Treating your arthritis can also improve your quality of life by making it easier to sleep, work, exercise, and enjoy leisurely activities.
After assessing you with an in-office physical examination and imaging procedures or a bone scan, the team determines the extent of arthritic damage in your joints and can plan your treatment effectively. Your arthritis treatment might include:
Because arthritis gets worse with time, nonsurgical treatments may eventually not be enough to effectively manage your symptoms and the team at Lynx Healthcare might recommend surgery. They can remove the joint lining with a surgery called synovectomy, fuse joints together with joint fusion surgery, or realign your joint with an osteotomy.
Depending on your occupation, lifestyle, general health, and other factors, there may be a few steps you can take at home to reduce the symptoms and effects of arthritis. A few examples are:
The Lynx Healthcare team can give you the support you need to successfully implement changes like these in your day-to-day life.
Constant joint pain, stiffness, and swelling could be a sign of one of the many types of degenerative arthritis. To minimize the damage and preserve your mobility, call Lynx Healthcare, or book an appointment online today.
