Arthritis Specialist

What is arthritis?

In general terms, arthritis is joint pain or discomfort caused by inflammation and it can affect almost every joint in the body. The most common types of arthritis are:

• Osteoarthritis: Osteoarthritis is the most common type of degenerative joint disease and largely affects weight-bearing joints (hips, knees, and spine).
• Inflammatory arthritis: In some people, the immune system can get out of whack and attack the joints, causing inflammation. The most common examples of this are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
• Infectious arthritis: Arthritis that is caused by an infection that triggers inflammation in the joints. Food poisoning, hepatitis C, and some sexually transmitted diseases (STD) fall under this category.
• Metabolic arthritis: This type of arthritis is commonly called gout, which is a buildup of uric acid that causes pain in the joints.

Who is at risk of developing arthritis?

Arthritis is an equal opportunity offender and can strike anyone regardless of age, race, or sex. Still, conditions exist making some people more prone to it than others, such as:

• Women entering menopause
• Athletes
• Repetitive use
• Previous injury
• Genetics
• Obesity
• Disease
  
  

How is arthritis treated?

Because of the complexity of arthritis, new science is constantly coming on-line to help us  better understand its origins so we can learn better how to treat it. There is no magic bullet for curing arthritis. Treatment is largely symptomatic and depends on your situation, and generally includes:

• Medications
• Physical therapy
• Exercise
• Weight loss
• Cortisone injections
• Surgery
  
  

Dr. Burns works up a thorough assessment of your situation by looking at your medical and physical history, and, with the help of diagnostic imaging tools, comes up with a plan that gives you optimal results designed to improve your quality of life.

Can arthritis be prevented?

There are many things people can do to prevent arthritis from cropping up or to minimize its effects, like:

• Maintaining optimal weight
• Physical exercise and strength training
• Good nutrition
• Resting inflamed joints
• Icing and heat therapies when joints are taxed
• Exercises for mobility and flexibility (like yoga)

Dr. Burns is happy to provide you with a complete list of recommendations for preventing painful arthritis, especially for those who fall into higher risk categories.