Joint pain that doesn’t go away after a few days is not something you should ignore. At LCT Medical, Chidi Anukwuem, MD, and Miriam Joseph, NP, specialize in diagnosing arthritis and managing its symptoms with cortisone injections, lifestyle recommendations, and other treatments. To set up a consultation for arthritis management, book an appointment over the phone or online at the office in Irvington or Old Bridge, New Jersey, today.

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What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a term for joint pain and swelling. There are numerous types of arthritis, but they all share similar symptoms and complications affecting the tissues, joint lining, and cartilage where two or more bones meet.

While no cure exists for arthritis, you can manage your symptoms with treatment at LCT Medical. Before recommending a treatment plan, your provider finds out which type of arthritis affects you. You might have one of these two most common variants:

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis happens when the cartilage in your joints naturally wears down and becomes rough. Since smooth cartilage helps your joints glide fluidly, joint movement becomes painful and stiffer than before.

Osteoarthritis often affects the knees, and LCT Medical specializes in treating it.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis develops because of an immune system reaction to the natural lining within your joints. The lining gets inflamed, causing pain, swelling, and tenderness.

What are some signs and symptoms of arthritis?

Symptoms of arthritis are very similar across all different types of the condition. Generally, arthritis causes:

  • Joint pain
  • Stiffness
  • Swelling
  • Decreased range of motion
  • Redness
  • Exacerbated symptoms in the morning

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you might also experience some secondary symptoms because of your body’s active inflammatory response. You might feel extra tired throughout the day or have little to no appetite.

Describing your symptoms and being as specific as possible about their onset can help LCT Medical make a diagnosis and plan your treatment.

What are my options for arthritis treatment?

Managing arthritis requires you to make some changes to your lifestyle, but there are also clinical treatments available for the symptoms. Your treatment plan might consist of:

Lifestyle changes

Changing your lifestyle in healthy ways is always an important part of managing a chronic disease. Losing weight with a healthy diet and getting more exercise can relieve some of the pain in your joints and help you retain mobility.

Medications

LCT Medical might prescribe or recommend medications like analgesics or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to manage pain or reduce arthritis inflammation.

In-office treatments

LCT Medical offers cortisone joint injections to relieve inflammation at targeted joints.

Physical therapy

Physical therapy might benefit you if you have arthritis. LCT Medical can put you in contact with a physical therapist near you.

If your joint pain or stiffness is too serious or prolonged to ignore, call LCT Medical or book an appointment online today.