Get Pain Relief for Arthritis
If you have arthritis, the experts at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) can help you find relief. Our arthritis pain specialists use advanced tools and techniques to help alleviate symptoms of hip, knee and shoulder issues related to arthritis. They can also support you if you have stiffness in your hand, your knee or other joint related conditions.
What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis is a broad term for inflammation of the joint. When joints are inflamed, it causes pain and stiffness that can worsen with age. Some joints naturally wear down over time. Arthritis can also develop after an injury or from certain health conditions.
There are more than 100 types of arthritis. Some are more common than others. The most common types of arthritis are:
- Gout: A type of painful inflammatory arthritis. It often affects one joint at a time.
- Osteoarthritis: This is the most common type of arthritis. It is called “wear and tear” arthritis because cartilage within a joint breaks down over time. Cartilage is hard tissue that covers bones to keep them from rubbing against each other.
- Psoriatic arthritis: Chronic inflammation of the joints and skin that causes pain, stiffness and swelling.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune and inflammatory disease that targets the lining of the joints.
Arthritis symptoms vary depending on the type, but joint pain and stiffness are common.
Treatments We Offer
Your treatment plan will depend on the type of arthritis you are diagnosed with. Common non-surgical treatments for arthritis include:
- Injections: Your doctor may prescribe non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory medications to ease pain. Injecting corticosteroids (often called cortisone shots) can target joint inflammation and reduce pain.
- Physical therapy: In arthritic joints, stiffness and pain can worsen if you’re not being active enough. Physical therapists teach you how to work out this stiffness and improve your mobility. They can provide a tailored strengthening and stretching program and a range of therapeutic techniques that will relieve joint stress.
- Integrative care techniques: Integrative medicine treatments may help reduce the symptoms of arthritis. This includes acupuncture, massage, yoga and other forms of exercise.
When these non-surgical options are no longer effective in relieving day-to-day arthritis symptoms, you may wish to consider joint replacement surgery.
More About Arthritis Care
You can change some risk factors for arthritis, but not all. Risk factors you can change include:
- Diet: Foods such as processed meats and refined carbs can encourage inflammation. This can increase the risk of rheumatoid arthritis.
- Occupation: Jobs that repeatedly put stress on a joint have a higher risk of arthritis. If your job requires bending, heavy lifting or squatting, you may have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis in the hips and knees.
- Smoking: Cigarette smoking can increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. It can also make current arthritis symptoms worse.
- Weight: Excess weight puts extra stress on your joints and increases the risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Risk factors you cannot change include:
- Age: The risk of most types of arthritis increases with age.
- Genetics: People with certain genes are more likely to develop certain types of arthritis.
- Gender: Women are more at risk for most types of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Gout is more common in men.
- Race: Race can be a risk factor for some types of arthritis. White Americans are more likely to have osteoarthritis, while Black Americans are more likely to have rheumatoid arthritis.
If your arthritis impacts your quality of life and daily activities, talk to your primary care provider. They may recommend testing or give you a referral to an arthritis specialist or rheumatologist.
If your provider refers you to a specialist, he or she will complete a physical exam and ask you questions about your symptoms and health history. The specialist may order imaging exams such as X-rays or MRIs to determine the extent of your joint damage. Specialized musculoskeletal imaging allows specialists to view bones, joints and soft tissues to treat arthritis.
If your specialist suspects you may have rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you may need a blood test to confirm. If you have gout, your specialist might use a special microscope to examine your joint fluid for uric acid crystals.
Additional Services
Your arthritis care team coordinates your care with other specialty providers at our medical center. This means you receive comprehensive, streamlined care.
Advancing Care, Research & Education
Department of Orthopaedics
The Carl J. Shapiro Department of Orthopaedics provides advanced orthopedic care, medical education and innovative research.
Research
Our researchers work to push the bounds of the study and understanding of orthopedic care, to provide the best care for our patients.
Education
Our team is committed to training the next generation of orthopedic specialists through fellowship, residency and internship programs.
