When you were younger, you ran, walked, and jumped on strong, healthy joints without fear of pain. Now, thanks to arthritis, you take careful steps, may spend your days and nights in agony, and long for the days when your joints could get you through your daily routine.
Our team of doctors at Somers Orthopaedic Surgery & Sports Medicine Group understands that the changes your joints go through over the years can be frustrating and debilitating. That’s why we’re dedicated to matching you with the medicines and therapies that will work best for you.
Our comprehensive arthritis treatments range from conservative lifestyle adjustments to minimally invasive surgical procedures. Here’s a closer look at our most popular treatments.
It might seem counterintuitive to exercise the joints that are causing you so much pain, but movement is actually one of the best things you can do for arthritic joints. Physical therapy sessions work to strengthen the muscles surrounding your joints, which can significantly improve your symptoms.
We guide you through a variety of physical therapy activities that focus on restoring mobility, maintaining overall fitness, and helping you keep up with your daily activities.
Depending on your needs, physical therapy can involve getting in and out of a chair, practicing climbing stairs, walking, or participating in recreational activities. We can also help you correct your posture, learn how to use assistive devices, and recommend other treatments like braces and splints.
Often, part of the solution to your arthritis problems is making simple lifestyle adjustments. For example, losing weight takes extra pressure off your joints, while managing your stress and quitting smoking can relieve painful joint inflammation. Nutrition counseling, weight loss support, and stress management techniques can help you make choices that will improve your arthritis and support your overall health.
Medication can be extremely effective in relieving the pain associated with arthritis. Depending on your needs, we may recommend medications over-the-counter pain medications, NSAIDs, or corticosteroids. If you have certain special types of arthritis, you may be referred to a rheumatologist who can prescribe disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs or biologic response modifiers.
Some topical medications contain menthol or capsaicin, which is the ingredient that makes peppers spicy. Rubbing these medicines on your arthritic joints can interfere with the transmission of pain signals from your joint to your brain.
This revolutionary treatment uses the power of cold to temporarily block the nerves in your arthritic joint from sending pain signals to your brain. Talk to our experts for more information about Iovera° cryoablation and ask if this treatment is right for you.
We also offer a variety of injections to address your arthritis pain. For example, viscosupplementation injections (“gel injections”) flood your joint with a supply of lubricating hyaluronic acid, and corticosteroid (“cortisone” or “steroid”) injections deliver a dose of pain medication directly into your joint.
Our other injections include stem cell and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections, which are two popular types of regenerative medicines. They both use the power of healing factors found naturally in the body to rebuild your damaged joint and relieve your pain from within.
Only in the most severe cases of arthritis in which your joint pain is significant and keeping you from your daily activities or not responding to conservative treatments would we recommend surgical intervention.
Should you require surgery, we specialize in minimally invasive procedures that do the least amount of damage to the surrounding tissue, helping you heal much quicker.
If you’re ready to experience life without arthritis pain, request an appointment online or over the phone at any of our five locations in New York or Connecticut to get started.
