Best Osteoarthritis Doctors in Reno, Sparks and Carson City, Nevada.
While it’s common to experience cracking or swollen joints after a hard workout or sitting still for too long, it’s not common to experience these sensations for an extended period of time. Joint pain could point to osteoarthritis. Conservative therapies can help to relieve pain symptoms, but work best when osteoarthritis has been diagnosed in the early stages. If not, pain symptoms can become severe and chronic. The Nevada Advanced Pain Specialists in the Reno, Sparks and Carson City areas offer all treatment options to help patients reduce their feeling of pain and soreness now, as well as avoid additional symptoms in the future.
Osteoarthritis, also known as OA or degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis. It happens when the cartilage that lines the joints wears down, causing the bones to rub against each other, causing pain. Bone spurs can also form in the joint spaces, which can lead to pain as well.
The main reason why the cartilage will break down is because of wear and tear, mainly from years of use and overuse. Cartilage is the tissue that is located at the end of each bone, which acts as both a shock absorber and as a lubricant, helping the joint to glide smoothly. In addition to wearing down from use, an injury or other health condition can lead to the degeneration of the cartilage.
Thinned cartilage can lead to pain. In later stages of the condition, when cartilage has completely broken down, can lead to even more pain, inflammation and loss of mobility as this causes the bones to rub against each other when used.
There unfortunately isn’t one clear answer as to why osteoarthritis happens. What most researchers agree on is that it develops slowly over years of use. It could also be due to a combination of factors in addition to lifestyle, including genetics, the breakdown of the joint over time, as well as mechanical factors of the body as a whole.
Most people will experience osteoarthritis on some level in the later part of their life. While most suffer from noticeable pain sensations or symptoms, not everyone experiences symptoms.
For those who experience symptoms, the most common symptoms include:
Pain is most often felt when the joint is being used, or quickly thereafter, and can last for several hours. As the condition worsens, pain can be felt regardless of movement.
The best way to determine if osteoarthritis is the cause of your pain is to partner with a trained pain management specialist who can accurately recognize your symptoms and provide you with a diagnosis. In addition to performing a physical exam, your provider will utilize X-rays to check for any changes to the joints, cartilage loss and bone spurs.
If they believe that you have osteoarthritis that has been caused by an underlying health condition, additional tests might be needed.
Osteoarthritis is a long-term condition that cannot be cured, but that doesn’t mean that symptoms can’t be managed and ideally improved. Treatments can help to manage symptoms as well as slow the disease’s progression. Pain management specialists will most often exhaust all conservative and lifestyle changes before resulting in more invasive options.
If you are living with joint pain and would like more information about treatment options, please schedule an appointment today with the Nevada Advanced Pain Specialists in the Reno, Sparks and Carson City areas. Our team can help to determine if osteoarthritis is causing your symptoms, and can help to recommend treatment that both gets you out of pain and slows the progression of the disease.
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