Video:Overview of Joint Pain
with Dr, Robert FenellLearn more about joint pain, a painful condition that many people suffer from every day. Here is more information on joint pain, including why it occurs and how to treat it.See Transcript
Transcript:Overview of Joint Pain
Hello, I'm Dr. Robert Fenell, Founder of HandAndFootClinicsOfAmerica.com and I'm here today on behalf of About.com to talk to you about joint pain.
Two Types of Arthritis Cause Joint Pain
Joint pain affects millions of people every day. Joint pain is usually caused by some type of arthritis. Arthritis is an inflammatory condition involving various joints of the body. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are two conditions that result in joint pain. When you have joint pain, you want to make sure that you consult your doctor so you can get a proper diagnosis and seek the best medical care as soon as possible, before the condition gets too advanced.
Differences in Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Joint Pain
Osteoarthritis is a type of joint pain that is a degenerative type of joint pain or degenerative arthritic pain and it usually is located to the joint itself and doesn't affect other organ systems of the body. Rheumatoid arthritis can affect many of the different joints of the body, but it will commonly start in some of the smaller joints of the hands and feet. And when it develops, it will usually be symmetrical in its symptomatology, meaning both hands or both feet will have discomfort or pain or stiffness. Rheumatoid arthritis also affects the entire body. It is both a joint condition as well as a systemic inflammatory condition that can affect the organs of the body.
Common Treatments to Relieve Joint Pain
Some common solutions to alleviating joint pain include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDS; steroidal drugs such as corticosteroids, used in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. There are conservative measures as well, such as chiropractic or osteopathic joint manipulation which is very successful in alleviating the symptoms associated with both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis; physical therapy to restore joint function, range of motion and strength; and even acupuncture to help alleviate the pain and symptoms associated with the joint pain condition. Be certain to consult your doctor if you're suffering with joint pain, to get a proper diagnosis quickly and seek the best treatment option as soon as possible.
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