What Can Joint Treatment Doctors Do for Different Types of Arthritis?

Those creaks and groans you hear in your joints are not only an inevitable part of growing older, they could also be signs of a type of arthritis. As we age, our body’s cartilage begins to break down, which causes bones to rub together and create friction. This friction causes your joints to swell and become stiff and store. This type of arthritis is known as osteoarthritis, and it is primarily caused by the natural wear and tear that our bodies endure as we age. No one said getting older was easy!

At Pain Treatment Specialists, our team of Harvard-trained pain doctors strive to make the aging process as painless as possible. Our joint treatment doctors are experts in pain medicine, and use minimally invasive arthritis treatments such as steroid injections, nerve blocks, and physical therapy. When you meet with one of our joint specialists in NYC or NJ, you’ll discuss a course of treatment that gets you up and moving without pain very quickly. Even though our pain doctors can’t stop the aging process, they can make the inevitable passing of time much less painful.

Who Are The Best Joint Treatment Doctors?

The best joint treatment doctors are found at Pain Treatment Specialists, where all of our pain doctors have an extensive background in pain medicine and intervention pain treatments. All of our doctors are the best joint treatment doctors in the field not only because of their exceptional qualifications, but also because of their compassionate care. When you meet with one of our pain specialists, you’re not rushed through an appointment, and have time to thoroughly explain your joint pain issues. Our joint specialists are not orthopedic surgeons, and do not suggest surgical procedures unless medically necessary. If you visit a primary care physician first for the diagnosis and treatment of your joint pain, be sure to follow up with the joint treatment doctors at Pain Treatment Specialists for a customized pain treatment plan. Our joint pain doctors include:

• Dr. Laura Lombardi: Dr. Lombardi completed her anesthesiology residency at Columbia University, and her interventional pain medicine fellowship at Harvard. She is also double board certified in pain medicine and anesthesiology, as well as a regular presenter at national medical conferences on these topics. Dr. Lombardi uses her expertise when diagnosing and treating joint pain with fluoroscopic-guided x-rays, which precisely identifies the exact location of your joint pain.
• Dr. George Hanna: Dr. Hanna is a former Clinical Instructor and Director of Pain Innovations at Harvard Medical School. However, even though Dr. Hanna held these prestigious positions in academia, he knows that the patients he works with at Pain Treatment Specialists are the reason why he became involved with pain medicine. Dr. Hanna’s patients note that he is an excellent listener, and regularly follows up to ensure that the joint pain methods used were effective.

Book an appointment today and meet with Dr. Hanna, Dr. Lombardi, and the other members of our Harvard-trained pain team. Getting rid of joint pain is as easy as scheduling an appointment at our cutting-edge pain clinics.

What Type of Arthritis Do I Have?

Only a joint treatment doctor can properly identify what type of arthritis you’re suffering from. While some of the symptoms of these types of arthritis may appear similar, their underlying causes are different.

1. Osteoarthritis: As the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis involves damage to your joint’s cartilage. This damage can be caused by wear and tear, an injury, infection, or the natural aging process. Your cartilage is the hard coating on the ends of bones where joints are formed. Cartilage has one primary job: cushion the end of bones and allow a frictionless joint movement. When the bones begin to grind on each other due to the reduced cartilage, your joint becomes swollen and stiff, and you experience a lack of flexibility. Because osteoarthritis affected the entire joint, it can also cause changes to your connective tissues and inflammation of the joint lining.
2. Rheumatoid Arthritis: Also known as RA, this is an autoimmune condition. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when your immune system attacks the lining of the joint capsule. This joint capsule is a tough membrane that encloses all of your joint’s parts. As a result, the lining becomes swollen and inflamed, and can eventually destroy cartilage within the joint.

Only joint treatment doctors, like the team at Pain Treatment Specialists, are qualified to diagnose and treat your arthritis. Schedule an appointment and see how our arthritis treatments work for your type of arthritis

What Kinds of Arthritis Treatments Can I Do At Home?

Treating your arthritis at home is necessary when you’re having a day where your joint pain is unbearable. You will find the greatest amount of joint pain relief at our pain clinics in NYC and NJ, and are encouraged to make an appointment as soon as possible for your arthritis treatment. However, our joint specialists recommend the following at-home arthritis treatments that help get you through a pain-filled day:

1. Any amount of weight loss is good for your joints. The more weight you carry, the more stress you’re putting on your joints. Consult with your primary care physician for a sensible weight loss plan that involves increasing your daily exercise, as well as modifying your eating habits.
2. Over the counter medications are fine for temporary pain relief. They provide anti-inflammatory medicine as well as pain relief. Do not exceed the daily dosage amounts, and let your pain doctor know if this medicine is effective for your joint pain.
3. RICE is an effective strategy for at-home joint pain relief. Rest your sore joint if you’re feeling stiff or sore, and then follow with ice/heat therapy in 20 minute intervals. Compress your joint with a bandage or brace to provide additional support, and elevate your sore body part to help with swelling.

Book an appointment at Pain Treatment Specialists and find an effective arthritis treatment that works to eliminate your joint pain. Our joint treatment doctors have a wide variety of effective pain treatments that work for your specific joint pain concerns.