If you have joint pain, you might be showing signs of arthritis. The team of medical professionals at Family Health Center of Bastrop in Bastrop and Smithville, Texas, treat various forms of arthritis to relieve your pain and discomfort. Call the practice to schedule an evaluation or book an appointment online today.
Arthritis is a chronic condition that causes pain and inflammation in one or more of your joints. With hundreds of types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid are the most common. Causes of symptoms vary depending on which type you have.
Causes can come from:
When arthritis goes untreated, you can experience deformity and a lack of mobility in your joints. Your doctor’s prescribed treatment manages your pain.
Your joints lie at the place where two bones join together, made up of tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bones. Arthritis can occur in any part of your joint.
Symptoms of arthritis include:
As time goes by, the effects of arthritis can cause more serious symptoms, such as twisting, bending, and lumpiness in your joints, and you might not be able to grip objects as you could before.
To find out if you have arthritis, your specialist at Family Health Center of Bastrop performs a comprehensive physical exam that involves checking your flexibility, muscle strength, and range of motion. Further testing requires X-rays and an MRI if you have pain in multiple joints or if you’ve suffered a trauma.
Your provider then diagnoses your condition and prescribes a personalized treatment plan based on your type of arthritis and its severity.
Although a cure for arthritis doesn’t exist, treatment can help manage it. Initial recommendations involve making lifestyle changes that include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and resting your body.
Standard treatments include using anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving medications, which can ease your symptoms. This form of therapy doesn’t heal the root cause of your arthritis, but it can relieve your symptoms.
Other proven methods include:
Before treatment begins, your doctor talks to you about your options and expected outcomes.
To learn more about how you can diagnose and treat your joint pain or arthritis, call the practice or book an appointment online today.
