Arthritis

Arthritis Management and Treatment

Offered in East Orange and Newark, NJ

Dealing with arthritis can negatively impact your quality of life, making it harder to complete daily tasks. We understand that dealing with joint pain can be challenging, and we are here to help you navigate through your journey with arthritis. Our team at Nirvana Healthcare Management Services understands that most, assisting you in getting the care you need in an environment you trust.

Learn more about arthritis treatment in East Orange and Newark, NJ, at Nirvana’s primary care locations: Salerno Medical Associates, Metropolitan Medical Group, Roseville Medical Society, and North Ward Medical Arts. Treatments are also available through CHOP/SHOP, which provides house visits to eligible patients.

What Is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a chronic disease characterized by joint inflammation, causing stiffness and pain. It occurs when the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues, particularly in the joints. This condition affects the connective tissues, leading to decreased joint function and mobility. There are a range of factors that can affect whether you develop arthritis over your life, including the following:

  • Family history
  • Age
  • Gender
  • Previous joint injury
  • Obesity

Signs You Have Arthritis

The common symptoms of arthritis include consistent joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and reduced range of motion. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, it might be time to consult a specialist for a proper diagnosis.

Different Types of Arthritis

There are several types of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder where the immune system attacks healthy joint tissue. Psoriatic arthritis affects some people who have psoriasis. Gout is a painful condition that occurs when excess uric acid forms crystals in the joints. Before receiving treatment for arthritis symptoms, it’s important to understand the different kinds of arthritis you may have. The most common types of arthritis include:

  • Osteoarthritis: Joint cartilage will start to deteriorate, causing the bones to rub directly against each other. This is what causes pain and stiffness in that area. This can occur over time or through joint injury or infection.
  • Rheumatoid arthritis: Your immune system starts to attack your joints, starting at the joint’s lining. This can lead to the destruction of bone and cartilage, causing inflammation and pain.
  • Psoriatic Arthritis: Unlike rheumatoid or osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis is a chronic autoimmune form of arthritis that causes joint inflammation and occurs alongside the skin condition psoriasis. It affects the connective tissues where tendons and ligaments attach to bone, leading to joint pain, swelling, stiffness, skin rashes, and nail changes.

Additional types of arthritis include psoriatic arthritis, septic arthritis, thumb arthritis, and more. If left untreated, arthritis symptoms can seriously start to take a toll on your everyday life. This is especially true if you are experiencing symptoms in your hands, wrists, or arms, as it can make daily tasks like writing, typing, or general mobility even more difficult to accomplish. It can even make walking or sitting increasingly more uncomfortable.

Diagnosing Arthritis

Diagnosing arthritis involves a physical examination and possibly some diagnostic tests. Your doctor will check for fluid around the joints, warm or red joints, and limited range of motion in the joints. Providers may use a couple of methods to diagnose which kind of arthritis you have. First, they will physically examine the area, looking out for swelling, redness, and warmth. They will also check how well that joint functions through exercises. Then, your provider can determine which method would best diagnose your symptoms. Testing methods include:

  • Fluid testing: Arthritis can be found by analyzing certain fluids in your body, like blood, urine, or joint fluid.
  • Imaging: To get a closer look at your bone, joint, cartilage, and tissue, your provider may suggest various imaging techniques. This could include X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, or ultrasounds to see a more detailed image of what could be causing your arthritis symptoms.

Treatment Options in New Jersey

Once the cause of your arthritis symptoms is determined, we can create a treatment plan that works best for you. Several treatment options can help manage symptoms and improve the quality of life for individuals with arthritis. Some of the possible options we may suggest based on the type of arthritis include the following:

Medication

Depending on which type of arthritis you have, we can prescribe medications to help manage your symptoms. This may be through over-the-counter prescriptions, creams, gels, ointments, pills, or injections.

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy can be a crucial part of arthritis treatment. It can help preserve joint function, reduce pain, and improve mobility. We also encourage exercising areas of your body like your legs, hips, or arms to improve your range of motion and increase function. In some cases, your therapist may suggest wearing a splint or brace to heal the joint.

Surgery

In severe cases of arthritis, surgery such as joint replacement may be necessary. This is often the case for weight-bearing joints like the hips and knees. Procedures may include joint repair, joint replacement, or joint fusion.

Lifestyle Changes

To help relieve arthritis symptoms, we may suggest making specific changes to your lifestyle. Some aspects that could help to improve function in areas presenting arthritis include:

  • Weight loss
  • Regular exercise
  • Heating pads and ice packs
  • Devices like canes, shoe inserts, or walkers

Learn More about Arthritis Treatment in NJ

Living with arthritis doesn’t have to mean living with chronic pain. Whether you’ve just begun to suspect you might have arthritis or you’ve been managing arthritis symptoms for years, we’re dedicated to helping you find relief and regain your mobility.

Our family-owned practices are dedicated to providing families in the Newark and East Orange, NJ, areas with health care services they can rely on. We have a team of highly skilled care providers who are here to make life a little easier for you, starting with your health. To learn more about how we can help manage your arthritis symptoms, contact us today.

973-672-8573