Roughly 54 million people in the United States live with arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly half of those with arthritis report their condition limits their physical abilities. 

If you’re one of the millions of people in the US struggling with arthritis, you’re no doubt searching for your best treatment options. 

At Steel City Spine and Orthopedic Center, we see first-hand how arthritis affects quality of life. Our spine and orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jocelyn Idema, offers a full range of treatment options for our arthritis patients, from conservative medical treatments to advanced surgical procedures.

Here, we want to talk to you about the best treatment options for your arthritis.  

Arthritis 101

Arthritis is a catchall term for more than 100 different conditions that cause joint pain and inflammation. These conditions fit into four categories:

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

No matter the type, arthritis is a progressive condition, meaning it gets worse over time.

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for any type of arthritis. 

However, many effective treatments ease symptoms and slow down the progression of the joint pain, inflammation, and damage. 

Best nonsurgical treatments for arthritis

The best treatment options for arthritis are the ones you start sooner rather than later. You may not be too concerned about your joint pain during the early stages of your arthritis, especially if your pain is mild or only occurs at the end of a long day.

But getting the right diagnosis and treatment plan for your arthritis in place early, may delay or prevent progression of your joint condition and the need for more invasive interventions. 

For our arthritis patients, we always start with conservative treatments, such as:

• Lifestyle changes — at-home exercise program, weight loss
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Over-the-counter pain-relieving medication
• Physical therapy
• Steroid injections

Initially, our goal is to provide treatments that ease your discomfort. Then, we work with you to develop a plan that keeps your pain away, like weight loss and physical therapy.

When surgery is your best option

When conservative care no longer provides relief from your arthritis pain, then surgery may be your next best option. 

At Steel City Spine and Orthopedic Center, we specialize in arthritic conditions that affect the spine, including osteoarthritis of the spine, spondyloarthritis, and spondylolisthesis. 

When surgery is the best option for your spine-related arthritis, we may perform a spinal fusion, which involves joining two or more vertebral bones to stop painful movement. 

Or, if you have spinal arthritis pain because of compression or pinching of a spinal nerve or your spinal cord, we may perform a laminectomy. During this procedure, we remove a portion of your vertebral bone — lamina — to ease pressure on the spinal nerves or spinal cord. 

We specialize in minimally invasive spine surgery and use these techniques whenever possible to limit tissue damage, postsurgical pain, and recovery time. 

Mobility is the primary function of your joints. When it comes to arthritis treatment, our goals are to make sure your joints maintain this vital function. 

Learn more about our best treatment options for your arthritis by calling the office most convenient to you — Pittsburgh, McKees Rocks, or Washington, Pennsylvania — or requesting an appointment online today.