Arthritis is a cause of pain and disability in 37 million Americans or one out of every 7 people in this country. There are over 100 different types of arthritis, which can affect one or more of the joints in the body.
Early warning signs of arthritis are pain, tenderness, swelling, and/or stiffness (especially in the morning).
At South Pointe Hospital's Pain Management Center, we provide a comprehensive treatment plan to reduce the pain / stiffness and improve or maintain movement in the affected joints. Treatment options are available for persons suffering pain from items such as osteoarthritis (a progressive loss of cartilage in the joints), rheumatoid arthritis (inflammation of the joint fluid membranes), ankylosing spondylitis (inflammation of the ligaments in the back), and lupus (a persistent inflammatory disease which affects all parts of the body).
After a complete medical evaluation by one of our pain specialists, your arthritic pain relief may begin with:
- Acupuncture - the Chinese practice of the insertion of needles into specific body locations to relieve pain
- Assistive devices
- Exercise - muscle stretching and / or strengthening, and aerobics
- Heat or cold treatments
- Implantable medication pump - surgically implanted pump is designed to deliver a controlled amount of medication through a catheter to a specific area in the body to relieve pain
- Joint protection
- Medication management
- Nerve blocks diagnostic and therapeutic - the interruption of a nerve's function by the injection of a local anesthetic agent or other drug
- Rest and relaxation techniques
- Therapeutic massage
See the available treatments section in the Pain Management Center for a comprehensive description of further treatment options.
If you are experiencing any of the above warning signs for greater than 3 weeks or are suffering from an arthritic condition, call (216) 491-6433 for a pain evaluation today.