Treating Arthritis
Nestler
Today with early treatment of arthritis, the progress of the disease can be slowed and in many cases the pain and crippling can be kept under control for years.
At the first signs of the illness, arthritis treatment should be investigated. Among the treatments your doctor may suggest are medication, self-care, physical therapy and occupational therapy.
Various medications may help to ease the pain and improve joint functioning. A physician should be consulted early in the disease to establish a plan of dealing with it.
Occasionally medicines taken by mouth or in the form of ointments, salves or gels lose their effectiveness, and the doctor may suggest injecting a joint space with a corticosteroid, which can offer some pain relief and reduce inflammation.
A therapist will help design an exercise program which, when interspersed with rest periods, will help reduce joint inflammation. After trying various treatments, a doctor may recommend surgical procedures to relieve disability and pain caused by arthritis.
Joint replacement (arthroplasty) is a common procedure and the technique has improved greatly over the years. Now it is possible to insert a replacement joint through a 2 inch incision compared to the previous 4 or 5 times that length. In this procedure the surgeon removes your damaged joint and replaces it with a plastic or metal device (called a prosthesis). The shorter incision means less physical trauma, and many patients are able to get out of bed on the day after the surgery. This means shorter healing time and less pain.
Hip and knee joints are the most common replacements. Replacements in these large joints are most successful and can last at least 20 years in the majority of people who receive them. Today implants can replace your shoulder, elbow, finger and ankle joints.
These replacement joints have been described as beautiful items, complete with all the physical movements needed for the joints to function correctly in the body. The hip being a ball and socket, moves in every direction, helping one resume an active, pain-free lifestyle.
During surgery, the surgeon may perform lavage and debridement, procedures which remove blood, fluid, or loose debris and bone or cartilage fragments inside the joint.
Surgeons also can permanently fuse bones in a joint (arthrodesis) to increase stability and reduce pain. The fused joint, such as an ankle, can then bear weight without pain, but has no flexibility. Surgeons can also reposition bones to help correct deformities.
In summary, a wide variety of arthritis treatments are available but the importance of early management can not be overemphasized. Learn about this ailment and, with your doctor, develop a plan for dealing with it.
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