There are more than 100 different diagnoses that are all classified as types of arthritis. Regardless of which one you have, one of your symptoms is joint pain. All of the types of arthritis cause inflammation, swelling, and pain in one or more of your joints.
At Louis Keppler & Associates, our providers work with many patients who have arthritis. We work to help relie
Here are four of the more common forms of arthritis we see, as well as what kinds of treatments may be available.
1. Osteoarthritis
Easily the most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis is sometimes called wear-and-tear arthritis, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. Over time, your joints simply begin to wear out.
Osteoarthritis affects the knee joint most often, and when you consider how many times a day you bend and straighten your knees, the amount of weight they carry, and the impact every time you’ve ever jumped, run, or skipped, it’s not really surprising.
One of the most important things you can do when you have osteoarthritis is to keep the tissues and muscles around the affected joint strong. That helps to stabilize your joint and allows for increased mobility.
Your doctor may recommend medications, injections, physical therapy, or several other types of treatments to help you continue to move comfortably for as long as possible. As your disease progresses, if your knee is involved, you may need to begin thinking about knee replacement.
2. Rheumatoid arthritis
Whereas osteoarthritis is due to simply using your joints, rheumatoid arthritis has an entirely different underlying cause, even though the end result is still pain, swelling, inflammation, and joint damage. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, which means that your immune system gets confused and treats parts of your body in the way it would a virus or invading bacteria.
Although rheumatoid arthritis often attacks your joints, other organs or your skin can be involved. There are medications that offer relief for many people with rheumatoid arthritis, and we offer various treatments that may help, as well.
3. Psoriatic arthritis
Like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disorder. If you have psoriasis, you’re at risk of developing psoriatic arthritis, as 5-20% of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis. Psoriasis causes red, flaky, itchy patches on your skin.
Inflammation seems to play a key role in psoriatic arthritis, so many successful treatments involve controlling inflammation.
4. Gout
A buildup of crystallized uric acid in a joint leads to pain and inflammation and is a form of arthritis called gout. It occurs most often in the big toe, but may be in other parts of your foot or ankles, hips, wrists, or fingers. Uric acid is usually processed out of your body by your kidneys, but when they can’t keep up, it builds up as crystals in your joints.
Gout can happen when you’re overweight or you consume a diet of rich foods like meats and alcohol. Most of the time, attacks of gout last between one and 10 days, and they may become more frequent with time, especially if you don’t address the cause.
There are many other forms of arthritis, including other autoimmune disorders like fibromyalgia and lupus, along with other joint disorders. As we mentioned, the thing that they all have in common is that they cause joint pain.
If you’ve been dealing with swollen, tender, stiff, or aching joints, schedule an appointment with us at Dr. Louis Keppler & Associates. Our experts may offer treatments you haven’t considered that can help you live and move more comfortably.
