Arthritis

Why do I have arthritis?

Arthritis is a chronic condition that leads to painful inflammation and swelling of the lining of your joints. While arthritis is often linked to older age, when and if you get it (and how severe it becomes) also depends on your family history of arthritis. You can develop:

• Osteoarthritis from wear-and-tear
• Gout from poor diet or obesity
• Rheumatoid arthritis from autoimmune disorders
• Septic arthritis from a serious infection

Because so many different types of arthritis exist — there are dozens more — you shouldn’t ignore your symptoms if you have joint pain and stiffness. With advancements in modern arthritis treatments, you can get fast and effective relief right away.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

Arthritis is most commonly known for leading to painful joints. Depending on the cause and the severity of your case of arthritis, you may also have:

• Limited range of motion
• Joint stiffness
• Tenderness
• Inflammation
• Redness
• Swelling
• Bone spurs around the damaged joint

You might even find that your joint feels warm, or that you develop skin changes over the affected joint, like rashes or growths. No cure exists for arthritis, so it’s important to have your condition evaluated and start treatment early on. The board-certified podiatry team at the Center for Podiatric Medicine can help relieve symptoms and delay the progression of arthritis.

How is arthritis treated?

Your arthritis treatment plan is tailored to you and your lifestyle, as well as the severity of your symptoms. Depending on your arthritis diagnosis, you may benefit from:

• Custom orthotics
• Physical therapy
• Dietary counseling
• Weight loss planning
• Specially prescribed shoes
• Prescription arthritis medications
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

In most cases, combining these conservative arthritis treatments relieves inflammation and pain, and prevents severe flare-ups.

If left untreated, arthritis of the foot and ankle can become so severe, you need surgery. The practice’s highly skilled foot and ankle surgeons can perform minimally invasive surgery to remove or repair arthritic tissue, or if needed, replace a joint entirely.

Schedule your arthritis appointment at Center for Podiatric Medicine today. Click on the online scheduler or call any location to speak with a team member.