Osteoarthritis Specialist
-
- Tweet
Southern Joint Replacement Institute
Fellowship Trained Orthopaedic Surgeon located in Nashville, TN
Painful osteoarthritis affects millions of Americans every year, keeping them from activities they love. At Southern Joint Replacement Institute in Nashville, Tennessee, expert orthopedic surgeon Jeffrey T. Hodrick, MD, and the medical team offer comprehensive treatment for osteoarthritis, helping to relieve pain and restore joint function. Contact the office or book an appointment online to learn more about osteoarthritis treatment and pain relief.
Osteoarthritis Q & A
What is osteoarthritis?
The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis is inflammation in the joints. It’s more prevalent with age and occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears away. Without enough cartilage, the bones in your joints may rub together and cause pain.
Although osteoarthritis can affect any joint, it’s most common in the knee and hip. You may be more likely to experience osteoarthritis if you’re overweight or have had previous joint surgeries, such as an anterior cruciate ligament repair.
What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis can be painful and usually grows worse over time. The most common symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
- Joint pain
- Swelling in the joint
- Joint stiffness
- Sensitivity to touch in the joint
- A grating feeling or sound when you move the joint
If you experience these symptoms, schedule an evaluation with Southern Joint Replacement Institute to see if osteoarthritis is the cause.
How is osteoarthritis treated?
Unfortunately, damage to the joints cannot be reversed. However, some treatments can help treat the symptoms of pain swelling and inflammation.
The first step in treating osteoarthritis is to ensure you have a healthy lifestyle. Staying active, eating well, and losing excess weight can help keep your joints healthy.
You may also be able to use over-the-counter pain medicines like acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium to ease pain. These medicines can help when pain flares up.
Physical therapy can also help you improve your joint health. Exercises can strengthen the muscles around the joint, relieving stress on your bones that causes pain. Regular exercise may also help relieve stiffness and ease swelling.
If pain medicines and exercise aren’t enough to relieve your pain, you can also try cortisone injections. These injections deliver powerful anti-inflammatory medicine into the joint, reducing pain and swelling.
Osteoarthritis worsens with time. If pain, stiffness, or other symptoms keep you from your daily activities, it may be time to consider joint replacement surgery. During this surgery, the damaged tissue is removed and replaced with a metal and plastic joint. Joint replacement surgery is safe and effective.
Don’t live with joint pain. Contact Southern Joint Replacement Institute or book an appointment online to learn how you can fight osteoarthritis.
