Understanding the Different Types of Arthritis

Joint pain and stiffness are common when you have arthritis. But did you know that designing an effective treatment strategy depends on the type of arthritis you’re experiencing?

The pain management specialists at Optimal Pain & Regenerative Medicine are well-known for their expertise in helping individuals overcome the debilitating effects of chronic pain. With six state-of-the-art practice locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas, these dedicated physicians design individualized treatment strategies designed to relieve your arthritis pain and limit joint damage.

Find out what they have to say about the different types of arthritis.    

Arthritis basics

Arthritis not a single condition. Rather, it’s a category of more than 100 conditions that cause joint inflammation, stiffness, and pain. These symptoms are a result of damage to healthy tissue within and around the affected joint.

Along with chronic pain, advancing arthritis decreases a joint’s mobility. This obviously affects your flexibility and ability to walk, bend, or lift. Depending on where the arthritis occurs, the disease can also make it difficult to perform even simple activities of daily living such as combing your hair or opening a door.

At Optimal Pain & Regenerative Medicine, our treatment goals focus on relieving your pain as well as preserving your overall joint health.

Arthritis types

The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis, most common by far, is related to degenerative changes caused by overuse and/or wear and tear on joints as you age.

Rheumatoid arthritis is related to an autoimmune condition that causes your immune system to attack and destroy healthy tissue that it’s mistaken for a virus, bacteria, or other toxic organism.

Other conditions that fall under the arthritis umbrella include:

• Juvenile arthritis, which affects children under 16
• Gout, related to high levels of uric acid in your blood, often caused by what you eat
• Ankylosing spondylitis, an autoimmune condition that attacks ligaments and tendons
• Lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease which affects joints, skin, kidneys, and other organs  
• Psoriatic arthritis, which often accompanies the skin condition psoriasis

Joint pain and stiffness is a common factor in all types of arthritis. However, truly effective treatment relies on determining and addressing the underlying cause.

Treating arthritis

At Optimal Pain & Regenerative Medicine, we provide many services that effectively relieve pain and restore your mobility.

Once we’ve diagnosed the cause of your pain, we design customized treatment plans that address your specific needs and concerns. We’re also committed to starting with conservative treatments, such as ice and rest, and advancing your therapy as needed.

For instance, if you have joint pain related to arthritis, we may recommend:

• Physical therapy
• Medications
• Stem cell therapy
• Hyaluronic acid injections
• PRP (platelet-rich plasma) therapy
• Steroid injections

These treatments effectively relieve pain and advanced therapies such as PRP can enhance your body’s own natural ability to repair and rebuild damaged tissue.

To help preserve joint health, we may devise a treatment strategy that includes:

• A healthy diet that nourishes your joints
• Joint-friendly exercise such as swimming, biking, and other non-weight bearing activity
• Guided physical therapy designed to increase strength and flexibility

For effective, customized treatment that relieves arthritis pain and helps preserve joint health, schedule a visit at Optimal Pain & Regenerative Medicine today. Call the office or request an appointment online.