Health column: Do you experience achy joints? What causes it and treatment options
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Or is it? It’s cold and damp, and that means the joint aches and pains are in full effect for many folks. Winter activities, like shoveling snow, can aggravate these aches and pains.
Many people experience aches in knees, hips and lower backs. How can these bothersome ailments be treated to lessen the pain experienced throughout the winter? Suzanne Newman, APRN- CNP, a nurse practitioner with University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Centers’ Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine clinic, has answers.
Suzanne says chronic knee pain is a common complaint the providers see almost daily in the orthopedic clinic. There are patients who come in with chronic pain to hips and lower backs as well. Sometimes the conditions are chronic and sometimes the pain is due to injury.
Susanne says arthritis is commonly diagnosed as the reason for the chronic pain in the joints when there is no injury present. Common symptoms may include decreased range of motion to the affected joint and stiffness in the joint especially after sleeping or sitting for a long period of time. Some patients have a clicking or cracking sound in the joint with movement. People may experience swelling with activity or by the end of the day.
Getting to the bottom of the cause and treating the pain
Diagnosis of arthritis is done by gathering a thorough health history, including other diseases the patient may have, medications the patient takes and how active the patient is. A physical assessment is completed and baseline X-rays are typically done. The provider also will discuss what specifically aggravates the pain in the affected joint. Based on the results of all of this, the provider assists in developing a treatment plan tailored for the patient and their needs.
Suzanne says alleviating and control of the pain from arthritis is usually decided based on the severity of symptoms, but there are many options. Over the counter medications, like Tylenol or ibuprofen can be helpful for mild pain. Braces that can be purchased at the drugstore can be used for support to help reduce pain with activity.
The CDC recommends exercise and stretching and living a healthy lifestyle to help reduce pain associated with arthritis. It recommends 30 minutes of activity at least five days a week to help protect the joints and alleviate some of the pain experienced with arthritis. Weight management is another way to help control pain in the joints.
Suzanne states just a 10% decrease in a person’s weight can reduce pain scores by 50%. She also reports the use of Volteran gel, which can be purchased over the counter, has shown to be affective. She says 60% of users who apply the gel four times a day have experienced a 50% decrease in symptoms.
When over the counter options are not successful in managing arthritis pain, there are still options that do not include joint replacement. Suzanne says there are injections that are done in the provider’s office that can help control the pain. These may include cortisone or other medicated injections given directly into the affected joint.
Braces, physical therapy, joint replacements
The orthopedic clinic providers can prescribe fitted braces that offer more support to the joint than over the counter braces. Sometimes physical therapy is ordered to help restore range of motion to the aggravated joint. Sometimes, with severe injury, or when all other treatments have failed, a joint replacement is necessary. This decision is made together with the patient and provider in order to meet the needs of the patient.
For all levels of care, our orthopedics and sports health team combine medical care excellence, innovative scientific research and personalized attention that provides the best possible outcomes. Our providers care for the full spectrum of adult and children’s muscle and skeletal conditions, including sports injuries and orthopedic specialty care.
To schedule an appointment with nurse practitioner Suzanne Newman, or one of the other orthopedic providers today, call 419-207- BONE (2663) or visit uhhospitals.org/schedule.
Christina Vanderpool is the Community Outreach Nurse and University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center.
This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Achy joints could be arthritis. UH Samaritan offers treatment options
