Understanding Arthritis: Types, Symptoms, and Treatments

Millions of individuals across the world suffer from the common ailment known as arthritis. As a leading healthcare provider specializing in pain management, Rapid City Interventional Pain Clinic offers top-tier services for patients suffering from arthritis.

Our team of medical professionals is proficient in diagnosing various types of arthritis, including Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Hand arthritis, and many more. We utilize state-of-the-art diagnostic tools and conduct thorough physical exams to ensure accurate diagnosis and treatment planning.

Our treatment approach focuses not only on managing symptoms but also on improving our patient’s overall function and well-being. Keeping in mind that there’s currently no cure for arthritis, our ultimate goal at Rapid City Interventional Pain Clinic is to help our patients manage their symptoms, slow the progression of the disease, and maintain a high quality of life despite their condition. We are dedicated to providing patient-centered, evidence-based care for all our patients with arthritis.

Arthritis can be a daunting diagnosis, but with the right medical support and treatment plan, it can be managed effectively.

Joint pain is the most prevalent symptom, and it can be mild, moderate, or intermittent. This pain often worsens with movement or after periods of rest. It might impact a particular bodily part, such as the hands, feet, knees, or multiple areas. Stiffness in the joints is another typical symptom, frequently worse in the morning or following periods of inactivity. This stiffness can limit your range of motion, making the afflicted joint difficult to move.

Arthritis can also cause swelling of the joints, making the skin over the affected joint appear red and warm to the touch, leading to tenderness and increased discomfort. Other symptoms of arthritis can include fatigue, a general feeling of ill health or malaise, weakness, weight loss, fever, night sweats, muscle aches, skin rashes, and sleep problems. In severe cases, arthritis can lead to deformities of the joints, loss of joint function, and symptoms affecting other parts of the body, such as the eyes, lungs, kidneys, and heart.

At Rapid City Interventional Pain Clinic, we’re here to help and to provide you with interventional pain management for Arthritis. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, particularly if they’re persistent or worsening, we urge you to consult with our team to discuss your treatment options.

At Rapid City Interventional Pain Clinic, we not only diagnose specific conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but we also identify more general categories like inflammatory or degenerative arthritis. Our goal is to provide a thorough and accurate diagnosis, which forms the basis for a personalized treatment plan designed to minimize your pain and improve your quality of life. Other measures to diagnose your condition are:

● Medical History and Physical Examination: Our team conducts a thorough physical examination of our patients, checking for signs such as fluid around the joints, warm or red joints, and limited range of motion. We also take a detailed medical history, asking about your symptoms, their duration, and progression.
● Blood tests: They can assist in identifying inflammatory indicators like CRP and ESR.
● Imaging Studies: Imaging technologies, including X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans, provide valuable information on bone damage, cartilage loss, and joint and soft tissue conditions.
● Additional Diagnostic Tools: Professionals may use additional diagnostic tools such as joint aspirations or biopsies to draw fluid from affected joints or collect tissue samples. These can further aid in determining the specific type of arthritis and rule out other underlying conditions.
● Differential Diagnosis: The expertise of our healthcare professionals is crucial in differentiating between different types of arthritis. They will consider factors such as the disease’s onset and progression, the pattern of joint involvement, and any associated symptoms, along with test and imaging results.

Our team comprises proficient experts who focus on identifying and treating these ailments. Our experts can help identify the type of arthritis, whether it be OA that typically affects weight-bearing joints and larger joints or RA that usually impacts smaller joints of the hands, wrists, and feet.

Understanding the difference between the two types of arthritis is crucial in devising an effective treatment strategy. For OA, our approach often involves pain management with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), physical therapy, weight management, and in severe cases, we may consider surgical interventions. For RA, we focus on reducing inflammation to prevent further joint damage. This is often achieved using disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, biological agents, and physical therapy.

At Rapid City Interventional Pain Clinic, we emphasize the importance of early detection and appropriate management of OA and RA. We strive to lessen the burden of these conditions on our patients, aiming to improve their quality of life. So, if persistent joint pain, stiffness, or any other symptoms mentioned above are experienced, do not hesitate to reach out to our clinic for a consultation. For more information, contact us or book an appointment online. We are conveniently located at 101 E Minnesota St. Suite 301 Rapid City, SD 57701. We serve patients from Rapid City SD, Rapid Valley SD, Black Hawk SD, Box Elder SD, Sturgis SD, and surrounding areas.