Arthritis, a condition that causes pain and inflammation in a joint, affects millions of people worldwide. It can lead to significant discomfort, reduced mobility, and a decreased quality of life. However, the field of arthritis treatment has seen remarkable advancements, offering new hope to those suffering from this chronic condition.
Pain management doctors are at the forefront of implementing these innovative treatments, providing patients with effective relief and a path to regaining their active lifestyles.
Let’s talk about arthritis and innovative therapies offered by a board-certified pain management doctor at Central Florida Spine & Pain for arthritis.
Understanding Arthritis
The term ‘arthritis’ encompasses over a hundred different types of joint diseases and related conditions, with various causes and treatment implications. Common symptoms include joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and decreased range of motion, which can make normal daily activities challenging.
The Common Types of Arthritis
Among the most prevalent forms are:
- Osteoarthritis, a degenerative joint disease that most frequently affects the knees, hips, lower back, and neck.
- Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder with systemic manifestations.
- Psoriatic arthritis, which occurs in some individuals with psoriasis, causes joint inflammation.
Other forms, such as gout, lupus, and ankylosing spondylitis, also pose significant health concerns.
Impact and Prevalences
Arthritis is not merely a disease of old age, as the common misconception goes. While it does affect the elderly, it also impacts children and young adults.
According to the latest data, approximately 54 million adults and 300,000 children in the United States alone have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis.
Innovative Arthritis Treatments at Central Florida Spine & Pain
Central Florida Spine & Pain specializes in interventional pain management, a discipline focused on diagnosing and treating pain with minimally invasive techniques. This approach is particularly beneficial for arthritis patients, offering alternatives to traditional methods that often rely heavily on medications or invasive surgery.
Guided Joint Injections
One of the cornerstone treatments for arthritis at Central Florida Spine & Pain is guided joint injections. The procedure involves administering anti-inflammatory medications directly into the joint affected by arthritis.
Imaging guidance—such as ultrasound or fluoroscopy—sets guided joint injection apart to ensure the medication is precisely delivered to the exact location where it’s needed most.
This precision is critical because it maximizes the effectiveness of the medication, allowing it to directly target the area of inflammation without affecting surrounding tissues. For patients, this means rapid relief from the pain and swelling that characterize arthritis.
The process is relatively quick, minimally invasive, and can provide significant relief for extended periods. This makes guided injections an attractive option for those seeking alternatives to oral medications or more invasive surgical interventions.
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy
PRP therapy is another cutting-edge treatment offered by Dr. Giordano. This technique uses a concentration of platelets from your own blood to promote the healing of arthritis joints.
In PRP therapy, a sample of the patient’s blood is taken and then processed to concentrate the platelets. This platelet-rich plasma is then injected into the arthritic joint under imaging guidance.
The high concentration of growth factors in the plasma promotes the repair of damaged joint tissues, reduces inflammation, and alleviates pain. Since the treatment uses the patient’s own blood, the risk of adverse reactions is significantly reduced.
PRP therapy offers a promising route for arthritis patients, providing pain relief and facilitating tissue healing without the need for surgery or reliance on long-term medication.
Radiofrequency Ablation
Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive procedure with great promise in treating chronic joint pain associated with arthritis. This technique uses radio waves to generate heat, which is then carefully applied to specific nerves responsible for transmitting pain signals from the arthritic joint to the brain.
By targeting these nerves, RFA effectively disrupts their ability to communicate pain, providing long-lasting relief. The RFA procedure is performed with imaging technology to ensure precision. Since RFA is minimally invasive, patients can expect a quicker recovery time than traditional surgery.
Best Arthritis Treatment in Melbourne, FL
At Central Florida Spine & Pain, we understand the complexities of arthritis and are dedicated to finding the right treatment for you. Under the guidance of Dr. Nicholas Giordano, a board-certified physician, our team offers personalized care tailored to your specific arthritis needs.
For more information about innovative arthritis treatment or to schedule your visit, contact our friendly staff today at (321) 802-5021. We look forward to serving you!
