Arthritis Specialist

What are the most common types of arthritis?

Arthritis is a catchall term for more than 100 different diseases that cause pain and inflammation within your joints. The most common forms of arthritis include:

Osteoarthritis (OA)

This degenerative disease accounts for the majority of arthritis diagnoses (31 million of the total 54 million arthritis sufferers). The hallmark of osteoarthritis is the breakdown of cartilage within your joint, leaving your bones to rub together painfully. Osteoarthritis is degenerative and there’s no cure for the disease, but there are good preventive and management measures.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This type of arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which your body’s own immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of your joints (your synovium).

Psoriatic arthritis

This form of arthritis is also an autoimmune disorder that causes inflammation within your joints.

There are many other types of arthritis, including gout, infectious arthritis, and fibromyalgia, but the ones listed above represent the most common forms.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

No matter what type of arthritis you suffer from, the symptoms are largely the same across the board and include:

• Pain, which can be constant or only occur after heavy use of the affected joints
• Swelling and inflammation
• Stiffness in your joint
• Limited range of motion

Many forms of arthritis are degenerative, which means these symptoms may start out mildly but grow progressively worse as time goes by.

How is arthritis treated?

When treating arthritis, Dr. Satow has two goals: reduce your discomfort, and restore your mobility and range of motion. After assessing your arthritis and the extent to which it’s compromising your joints, Dr. Satow may recommend a multipronged approach that includes:

• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Physical therapy
• Injections, including platelet-rich plasma (PRP), hyaluronic acid, and steroids
• Assistive devices
• Hot and cold therapies

If the damage in your joint is extensive, Dr. Satow may recommend joint replacement surgery. Each year in the United States, up to a million people replace their hips and knees, bringing pain-free function back to their lives.

Dr. Satow specializes in joint replacement surgery and uses the latest minimally invasive techniques to get you back up on your feet, moving freely again.

If you’d like to explore your options for arthritis treatments, call Gregg K. Satow, M.D. or schedule an appointment online today to get started.