Why Go to an Orthopedic Clinic for Arthritis Treatment

Living with arthritis can be difficult. At its worst, arthritis makes even the simplest of movements extremely painful. Why suffer from arthritis when effective treatments are available? There are specialist doctors called orthopedic physicians who can help you treat arthritis, making your life more comfortable and enjoyable. The best place to seek arthritis treatment is an orthopedic clinic or center. Orthopedic clinics have a collection of experts and resources that are catered to treating progressive conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system, like arthritis.

Why Go To An Orthopedic Clinic?

Orthopedic clinics have doctors who are experts in treating conditions like arthritis. Orthopedic physicians work closely with other specialized professionals with a wealth of experience treating musculoskeletal conditions, and this combination of knowledge and expertise are beneficial to patients like you.

Orthopedic Surgeon

This type of physician specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases and injuries in the bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Orthopedic surgeons have expertise in performing surgeries to repair or correct the body. They can also diagnose and give nonsurgical treatments to patients with injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.

Orthopedic surgeons can address severe and progressive pain that interferes with your activities as well as moderate or advanced cases of arthritis. They also tend to patients whose previous treatments were unsuccessful.

A physiatrist or rheumatologist can diagnose and treat your arthritis by prescribing medicine or by referring you to a physical therapist. However, if they find that medication and therapy do not work for you, they will refer you to an orthopedic surgeon.

Visiting an orthopedic clinic for arthritis is an excellent option for immediate treatment instead of having to visit several specialists’ facilities before finding relief.

Arthritis Treatment in Orthopedic Clinics

There are a lot of the ways doctors at orthopedic clinics work together to find you relief. Here are some of the treatments that are used to treat arthritis symptoms and slow the condition’s progression. Most patients require a combination of at least 2 of these treatments for effective and long-term results.

1. Physical Therapy. Exercise can improve your range of motion and strengthen muscles around damaged joints. This method is often combined with medications and surgery for effective results.
2. Medications. Doctors may prescribe medications to manage pain and inflammation in affected joints. Some drugs used for arthritic pain are:
   1. Over-the-counter painkillers
   2. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
   3. Counterirritants
   4. Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
   5. Biologic response modifiers
   6. Corticosteroids
3. PRP Therapy. Instead of simply alleviating pain, the main objective of PRP therapy is to heal your tissue. It is recommended when other forms of treatment are not effective.
4. Surgery. If therapy and medication do not alleviate pain and reduce inflammation, surgery may be the way to go.
   1. Arthroscopy – This procedure is used for both the diagnosis and treatment of joint problems. It lets orthopedic surgeons see the inside your joint without making large incisions. They can also repair joint damage through additional small incisions. This is most commonly performed on the knees, shoulders, elbows, ankles, hips, and wrists.
   2. Joint replacement – In this procedure, the damaged joint is replaced with artificial pieces. This is most commonly done on the hips and knees.

Arthritis Treatment in Little Rock, Arkansas

Bowen Hefley Orthopedics in Little Rock, Arkansas, offers a variety of treatments for arthritis. Our experts have a wealth of experience treating all types of musculoskeletal issues, including arthritis. To make an appointment, please call (800) 336-2412. You may also request an appointment online.