When you last stopped by, you read the second blog in our osteoarthritis series. Today, we are continuing the discussion by sharing your options. ProCare Health & Rehab Centers’ physical therapist is trained to help patients along their journey by increasing range in motion and decreasing pain.
Diagnosing osteoarthritis:
Last week, we shared a little bit about diagnosing osteoarthritis. First, the doctor is likely to perform a physical examen before any imaging tests. The two tests a doctor is likely to use include an x-ray and an MRI.
The absence of cartilage on the x-ray would indicate it is the suspected. An MRI would use radio waves and a strong magnetic field to produce detailed images of bone and soft tissues. This would include cartilage.
An MRI is usually not necessary for diagnosing osteoarthritis but it can be useful in complex cases. In addition to imaging tests, blood tests can assist medical professionals while diagnosing patients. There are no blood tests for osteoarthritis, but they can help rule out other causes of joint pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis will show up in a blood test. When a doctor diagnoses a patient with osteoarthritis, the first option is taking a medication. Acetaminophen, called Tylenol, helps with mild osteoarthritis, but do not take more than the recommended dose as it can cause liver damage.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, also known as Advil, can ease mild to moderate pain. Naproxen sodium, or Aleve, is the other option. Stronger Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are available by prescription if over the counter NSAIDs have not eased enough pain. Lastly, duloxetine, known as Cymbalta, is usually prescribed for depression, but it can also help with chronic pain.
Osteoarthritis physical therapy:
An experienced physical therapist can show patients how to strengthen the muscles around the affected joints. At ProCare, the physical therapist can work with the patient to increase flexibility and reduce pain. Although these are the end goals, every treatment plan can look a little different.
The most noninvasive treatment is always the best place to start. Physical therapy is notably successful in easing arthritis pain and requires minimal time. Occupational therapists may also be of great assistance.
In occupational therapy, people can learn how to do everyday, essential tasks without putting added pressure on joints. For example, brushing your teeth may be challenging and painful. A toothbrush with a larger, wider grip may be more comfortable, and this is a task you must do two times every day.
Finally, if there has not be enough pain relief with conservative options, people can opt for surgeries or other procedures. Cortisone injections may relieve a great deal of pain. During the procedure, the area around the joint is numbed by the doctor.
Then, the doctor injects corticosteroid into the space within the joint. Because the medication can worsen the joint damage over time, each patient is usually limited to three injections per year. Although its success has not been heavily proven to be more than a placebo, an injection of hyaluronic acid may be injected into the joint.
Surgery and other procedures:
Hyaluronic acid is similar to the component normally found in the joint, so it provides some cushion to the joint in place of cartilage. Worst case scenario, the doctor may choose a surgery. The doctor may opt for a surgery which realigns the bones. This is only required when one side of the knee is worn down more than the other side.
The surgery, called osteotomy, shifts the body weight away from the worn-out part of the knee, relieving pressure and pain. Lastly, a person can get joint replacement surgery. This is pretty self explanatory as the doctor would remove damaged parts of the joint and replace them with metal or plastic parts.
Unfortunately, the parts may need to be replaced one day resulting in another surgery. Call ProCare today to do preventative physical therapy and to relieve existing symptoms. We look forward to helping our neighbors!
Staff Writer
