What is arthritis?
Arthritis is a medical term that means joint inflammation. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which has a strong genetic component and involves painful and progressive loss of surface cartilage. Other common forms of arthritis include:
- – Inflammatory or autoimmune (i.e. rheumatoid, lupus, psoriatic)
- – Gout and pseudo-gout
- – Septic or infectious
The hallmarks of osteoarthritis include asymmetric cartilage loss, bone spur formation, cyst formation, and progressive stiffness and deformity of the joint. To read more about the different types of arthritis please visit www.arthritis.org.
How is arthritis diagnosed?
Arthritis is diagnosed by combining clinical symptoms (pain, stiffness, swelling, deformity) with radiographic (x-ray) findings (joint space loss, bone spur formation, cysts). Occasionally, patients will present with radiographic evidence of arthritis and have minimal clinical symptoms. Even if the x-rays show “bone-on-bone” arthritis, the treatment is always guided by the clinical symptoms and not the radiographic findings.
What is the treatment for knee arthritis?
There are many different treatment options for knee arthritis, all of which aim to reduce pain and improve function. Conservative treatment options include:
- – Use of anti-inflammatory medication (i.e. ibuprofen, naproxen, acetaminophen)
- – Use of a cane, walker, or other ambulatory aid
- – Weight loss when appropriate
- – Low-impact physical therapy for muscle strengthening and conditioning
- – Various injections aiming to reduce joint inflammation and prevent further cartilage deterioration
When these measures fail to provide sufficient pain relief, the next step is to discuss surgery. The most reliable way to definitively treat severe knee arthritis is through a knee replacement. Patients with mild arthritis may have other less invasive treatment options available to them, including PRP injections and minimally invasive knee arthroscopy. These joint preserving options provide good short to medium term (2 – 5 year) relief and may enable you to maintain a high level of activity. Give us a call today to schedule a comprehensive evaluation and Dr. Garabekyan will answer all of your questions regarding the best treatment option for your knee.
Related Topics: Cartilage, PRP, Knee Arthroscopy, Knee Replacement