Can Arthritis Be Cured

Arthritis is a little word that encompasses more than 100 conditions that result in joint pain and inflammation. To put some more numbers to the issue, more than 92 million adults in the United States have doctor-diagnosed arthritis or arthritis-like symptoms.

Aside from the joint pain and inflammation, the other commonality is there’s no cure, no matter the type.

While there may be no cure for arthritis, that doesn’t mean you have to throw up your hands in surrender — far from it. At Interventional Pain Center, Dr. Sachida Manocha specializes in helping patients better manage joint pain and inflammation, so they can move freely and comfortably.

Here’s a look at how we can help you push back against arthritis.

The different types of arthritis

As we mentioned, there are more than 100 types of arthritis, and most can be divided into the following categories:

• Degenerative or wear-and-tear arthritis, namely osteoarthritis (OA)
• Inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis
• Infectious arthritis that stems from a viral, bacterial, or fungal infection
• Connective tissue problems, such as scleroderma
• Metabolic arthritis, including gout

Of this list, far and away the most common form of arthritis is OA, which affects about 32.5 million people in the US, but this number is expected to grow as our population ages. Following OA in terms of prevalence is rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, fibromyalgia, and lupus. 

Treating arthritis

Since there’s no cure for arthritis, our mission as pain management specialists is to restore pain-free movement. As well, we also want to help you slow or better manage the arthritis to prevent the condition from inflicting irreversible damage inside your joints, which could necessitate getting a joint replacement.

If you’re dealing with OA, for example, we typically recommend several treatments, including:

• Physical therapy
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen
• Corticosteroid injections to relieve pain and reduce inflammation
• Medical marijuana
• Alternative therapies, such as acupuncture and chiropractic care

As important as these treatments are in helping relieve discomfort, there’s also a lot you can do on your own. First and foremost, it’s important that you exercise, as this can help strengthen your joints. Exercising can also help with a second goal — losing weight, if applicable. If you’re carrying extra pounds, you’re placing more pressure on your joints, which could wear them down prematurely.

Bear in mind that we’re discussing OA here. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, for example, there is a separate class of medications, including biologics, that can better manage the disease. In these cases, you would need to work with a rheumatologist.

If you’re unsure if you have arthritis and you’d like to investigate what’s behind your joint pain and inflammation, we suggest that you come see us so we can determine what you’re up against. From there, we can point you in the right direction for help.

To get started, please book an appointment online or over the phone with Interventional Pain Center today. We have offices in Worthington and Newark, Ohio.