Arthritis

Arthritis can feel debilitating, especially when you’re trying to stay active to enhance your health and wellness. At A+ Athlete Sports Medicine in Robbinsville and Neptune, New Jersey, board-certified sports medicine physicians Adam Redlich, MD  and their skilled team offer traditional and integrative treatments for arthritis pain to relieve your discomfort. Call the office to learn more about your options, or schedule an appointment online today.

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is a chronic disease that affects your joints, particularly your knees, shoulders, hips, spine, and smaller joints. The hallmark signs of arthritis are joint swelling, pain, and even musculoskeletal deformities. See the A+ Athlete Sports Medicine team if you struggle with arthritis discomfort.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

The most common symptoms of arthritis include:

• Joint stiffness
• Joint pain
• Swelling
• Reduced range of motion
• Limited mobility
• Redness
• Warmth

Arthritis symptoms vary in severity. They may be slightly bothersome or progress to crippling discomfort and disfigurement when left untreated.

Who is at risk of arthritis? 

The risk factors for developing arthritis include:

• Older age
• Family history of arthritis
• Previous joint injuries
• Carrying excess weight

While gout more commonly appears in men, women have an increased risk of rheumatoid arthritis, a type of arthritis that results when your body’s immune system attacks the lining of your joints.

How is arthritis diagnosed?

The A+ Athlete Sports Medicine team determines if you have arthritis after discussing your symptoms and medical history. They evaluate your joints and may complete blood tests, joint-fluid testing, or on-site imaging procedures to determine the extent of joint damage you may have.

Your sports medicine specialist then develops a treatment that’s the most appropriate for your individualized needs.

How is arthritis treated?

A+ Athlete Sports Medicine offers nonsurgical methods for treating arthritis pain. They may recommend home remedies, such as using ice or heat packs, resting the affected joints, or wearing a brace.

You might take arthritis medications, undergo physical therapy, or receive joint injections. A+ Athlete Sports Medicine offers lubricating gel joint injections to ease friction and lubricate the joints. Corticosteroid injections reduce swelling and pain, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections use platelets from your blood to speed up cell regeneration and natural healing. 

A+ Athlete Sports Medicine also offers acupuncture and osteopathic manual manipulation for joint pain relief.

In severe cases of arthritis, you may need surgery to fuse, repair, or replace affected joints. Your A+ Athlete Sports Medicine provider tailors a treatment that’s best for you based on your medical history, lifestyle and preferences, and severity of your joint damage.

To get relief from arthritis discomfort, call the A+ Athlete Sports Medicine office or schedule an appointment online today.