Arthritis Specialist

What causes arthritis?

Arthritis is a degenerative condition that impacts one or more of your joints. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of the condition, results when the cartilage between your bones breaks down and, eventually, disappears. This is often the result of age or injury.

Other forms of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and gout, result from an overactive immune response.

Regardless of the cause, arthritis causes inflammation in your joint, which often leads to:

• Joint pain
• Swelling
• Stiffness
• Limited mobility

Arthritis often gets worse over time and, when extreme, becomes debilitating.

What can you do at home to improve arthritis symptoms?

When your arthritis symptoms are mild, you can reduce the signs of arthritis at home. If you’re overweight, Dr. Walker recommends losing weight. This can greatly reduce the stress on your knees and hips, relieving pain and improving mobility and function.

In addition to reaching and maintaining a healthy weight, he also suggests engaging in regular, daily exercise. By keeping your joints moving, you maintain your flexibility and build muscle and bone strength. Strive for 30 minutes most days of the week. Water exercises reduce stress on your joints, so check out your local pool for classes, or opt for yoga, which is gentle on your joints.

When your arthritis pain worsens, consider hot and cold therapy, alternating between heating pads and ice packs on your inflamed joint.

How are the symptoms of arthritis treated?

Dr. Walker offers a range of treatments to reduce your arthritis symptoms. Depending on how severe your symptoms are, he may recommend physical or occupational therapy. These treatments help you build strength and learn how to limit the impact arthritis has on your daily activities.

He may suggest using medications to treat your arthritis symptoms, including anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce swelling and pain or hyaluronic acid injections to offer cushioning and support to your joints. In some cases, he may recommend dietary supplements like:

• Glucosamine
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• SAM-e
• Capsaicin
• Turmeric
• Fish oil

In other cases, Dr. Walker may suggest other types of joint injections, such as corticosteroids or amniotic allograft treatments.

If you want to know more about your arthritis treatment options, call Dr. Walker’s office today or go online to schedule your initial consultation.

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