Can You Stop Arthritis Once It's Started?

More than a fifth of American adults — nearly 54 million — have been diagnosed with arthritis, while millions more may have the disease without a doctor diagnosis. Though many people think of arthritis as only affecting older people, it can develop in younger people, too, taking a toll on physical health and overall quality of life.

At Metro Spine PC, our team offers patient-centered treatment for arthritis, along with symptoms like back pain, knee pain, and hip pain. In addition to medical therapies focused on relieving pain and inflammation, we also help patients take steps to slow the progression of the disease, protecting joint health and reducing the need for more aggressive interventions, like surgery. If you have arthritis, here’s what our team wants you to know.

Arthritis: The basics

Arthritis isn’t just one disease — it’s a family of more than 100 diseases, each of which affects joint health and function. All types of arthritis cause the joint structure to break down over time, resulting in additional inflammation and a worsening of the disease and its symptoms.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis, and it’s the type most people know about. Sometimes called “wear-and-tear” arthritis, OA happens over time, when wear and tear on the joints breaks down the layer of cartilage that protects the ends of the bones that make up the joint.

Not surprisingly, OA becomes more common as we get older and years of joint use take their toll. It can also affect younger people who lead active lives, like professional athletes, as well as people who have had joint injuries.

Other types of arthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and lupus, are caused by autoimmune disorders. In these types of arthritis, your immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy joint tissue, resulting in joint damage, pain, stiffness, and a loss of mobility.

Preventing progression

Unfortunately, there’s currently no cure for arthritis and no foolproof way prevent it from happening. You can, however, take some steps to minimize its effects and even slow the progression of the disease.

Seek treatment early

Arthritis is a progressive disease, which means it’s imperative to begin a treatment plan as early in the disease process as possible. If you have joint pain or stiffness, joint “clicking” noises or “sticking” sensations, joint swelling, or any changes in the way your joints function or feel, it’s important to have an evaluation right away to avoid additional joint damage.

Stick to your treatment plan

Your treatment plan is designed just for you, with the goals of relieving discomfort and protecting your joint health. Once you have a treatment plan in place, it’s important to follow that plan and to have regular checkup visits so we can adjust your plan as needed.

Stay active

When your joints are sore or stiff, using them more might seem counterintuitive. But joints are made to move, and regular exercise is usually part of every arthritis treatment plan. Regular movement keeps joints lubricated to reduce friction and inflammation, and it also helps you keep your weight under control.

Manage your weight

Speaking of weight, arthritis frequently affects weight-bearing joints, like your knees, hips, and back. Eating a healthy diet and losing excess pounds help avoid weight gain that can place additional strain on your joints, especially when that diet includes plenty of anti-inflammatory foods like dark-colored berries and leafy greens.

Prioritize sleep

Sleep is a time when your body heals itself, and that includes healing at least some of the damage that affects arthritis joints. Sleep also helps you cope with arthritis symptoms more effectively, making it easier to stick with your treatment plan. 

Learn how to manage your arthritis

Although different types of arthritis may cause similar symptoms, the disease affects people in different ways, particularly in terms of the specific effects it has on your life and your activity level. Our team works closely with every patient to develop a treatment plan focused not only on relieving your symptoms, but on improving your joint health, as well.

To learn more about arthritis treatment and how we can help you improve your joint health, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Metro Spine PC in Oxon Hill and Clinton, Maryland, today.