Best Treatment Options for Your Arthritis

The numbers surrounding the prevalence of arthritis in the United States were thought to be around 54 million, but new reports suggest that this number may be as high as 91 million. And this number is expected to rise over the next 20 years as the population ages. If you figure into these growing numbers, we want to assure you that you do have treatment options.

At LA Pain Doctor, our expert team of pain management specialists understands the unique concerns that come with arthritis and the effects this joint disease can have on your quality of life. We believe in approaching the problem from every angle possible while avoiding more invasive solutions, such as joint replacement surgery.

If you want to regain pain-free movement, here’s a look at some of our best treatment options for your arthritis.

Arthritis 101

Before we get into our treatment options, let’s quickly review what we’re up against when it comes to arthritis. To start, arthritis is a catchall term for more than 100 different types of conditions that cause pain and inflammation in your joints. To better break down the many forms of arthritis, we generally divide them into four categories:

• Degenerative arthritis, such as osteoarthritis
• Inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis or psoriatic arthritis
• Metabolic arthritis, namely gout
• Infectious arthritis

No matter what type of arthritis you have, it’s important to note that there’s no cure for the disease. That said, there’s plenty we can do to slow the progression and make you more comfortable.

Best treatment options for arthritis

At our practice, our goals are twofold: relieve your pain and help you regain mobility. To accomplish these objectives, we turn to a number of different treatments, sometimes in combination, including:

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications

Also called NSAIDs, these medications are usually our first line of treatment as they help reduce inflammation and relieve your pain.

Joint injections containing corticosteroids

With joint injections, we deliver a steroid to tackle inflammation and a local anesthetic to relieve the pain. Joint injections offer immediate relief and can last from weeks to months, sometimes even up to a year.

Medial branch blocks

This treatment is highly effective in relieving arthritis pain in your back and neck, especially the facet joints in your lower back. The block reduces inflammation and quiets the nerves responsible for sending pain signals to your brain.

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy

This is a regenerative technique in which we redirect your platelets into your damaged joints to promote repair and rebuilding in your connective tissues. 

Typically, we start out conservatively and try to first relieve your pain. Once you’re more comfortable, you can engage in adjunct therapies that go a long way toward improving your arthritis, such as physical therapy. Lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and exercising more, can also go a long way toward slowing the progression of your arthritis and relieving your symptoms.

Ultimately, your joints are made to move and our goal is to get you back to pain-free mobility using the most advanced arthritis treatments available.

If you’d like to explore your treatment options for arthritis further, please contact one of our four locations in Metairie, Laplace, Harvey, or New Orleans, Louisiana.