Arthritis

Nearly 60 million people in the United States have arthritis, and almost half of those people have to limit their activities because of their joint pain. At Lakeshore Pain and Spine Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin, board-certified anesthesiology and pain medicine physician Bradley Silva, MD, takes a multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain conditions like arthritis. The interventional pain management practice treats you, not your diagnosis. For compassionate arthritis care, call Lakeshore Pain and Spine Center or request an appointment online today. 

My knees hurt. Could I have arthritis?

Arthritis is a medical term that means joint inflammation. Many conditions cause knee pain, including arthritis. In addition to pain, arthritis may cause joint stiffness and swelling. 

Arthritis may affect any joint in the body and can significantly impact your ability to perform daily functions. It most often affects the large weight-bearing joints like the knees, hips, and back. It may also affect smaller joints involved in daily activities, such as the shoulders and hands.

If your knees hurt and feel stiff, you may have arthritis. 

What are some types of arthritis?

There are many types of arthritis. Some of the more common include:

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease (DJD), is the most common type of arthritis. It occurs from the gradual wearing away of the cartilage that separates the bones that make up a joint. 

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

RA is an autoimmune disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joints, causing inflammation. RA usually occurs in the smaller joints first, affecting the same joints (hand or foot) on both sides of the body.

Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is arthritis that affects the spine, usually causing lower back pain. 

Psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis is immune-mediated arthritis that occurs when the immune system attacks the connective tissue in the joints, causing inflammation and pain.

When should I see pain management for arthritis?

You should schedule an interventional pain management appointment at Lakeshore Pain and Spine Center if your arthritis pain is an ongoing problem affecting your quality of life. 

Your provider reviews your symptoms and medical history, does a physical exam, and may request imaging tests to confirm or rule out arthritis as the cause of your joint pain. 

They also spend time talking to you about your arthritis and how it affects your life, and what you would like accomplished with treatment.

What treatments can help my arthritis?

Your interventional pain management expert at Lakeshore Pain and Spine Center customizes your arthritis treatment plan based on the severity of your condition, the joints affected, and the underlying cause. Your treatment plan may include:

• Medication management
• Physical therapy
• Interventional pain procedures (joint injections, nerve blocks, radiofrequency ablation)
• Psychological therapy
• Surgery

For knee pain from arthritis, Lakeshore Pain and Spine Center offers Hyalgan® gel injections, which they perform at the onsite procedure suite.

Call Lakeshore Pain and Spine Center or schedule your arthritis appointment online today.