Every day, millions of Americans suffer from chronic joint pain, whether it is the result of a form of arthritis or an injury. When this pain continues for a long time, it can become mentally taxing in addition to the physical difficulty you may have performing daily tasks. Something that seemed simple before, like doing a load of laundry, may become nearly impossible. While not all chronic joint pain can be completely cured, there are forms of treatment available. A visit to a College Park orthopedics specialist or another doctor can help you begin a path towards alleviating or at least managing joint pain. If you aren’t sure where to start, below are some of the types of treatment that may help with your recovery.
Chiropractic Care
A chiropractor will specialize in the musculoskeletal system and how it works in conjunction with your nervous system. By assessing your spine for misalignments, a skilled chiropractor can identify the root of many injuries and manually adjust your spine into a more optimal position. Chiropractors do not prescribe medication or perform invasive procedures like surgery, and their more natural approach of manual adjustments is often the first choice for people seeking treatment for joint pain.
In addition to traditional adjustments to align the spine, chiropractors often perform something called joint mobilization. In this practice, the impacted joint is worked through its natural range of motion in order to identify and address areas of restriction.
Physical Therapy
Like chiropractic care, physical therapy is a hands-on approach to joint pain that is dedicated to naturally improving conditions in the body that may make your pain worse. Physical therapy can include anything from simple home remedies like ice and heat therapy to carefully designed exercise routines.
Exercises used in physical therapy tend to be gentle, focusing on stretching and careful movements. This exercise helps to strengthen the muscles that support your joint and heal any damaged tissues, restoring or preserving range of motion. Joint mobilization will also be a goal of physical therapists, who may even try to help break up scar tissue that is causing stiffness in the joints.
Physical therapy is often used in conjunction with other treatments to make recovery more safe and effective.
Orthopedic Treatment
A College Park orthopedics specialist is a medical doctor who is specifically dedicated to working with the musculoskeletal system, including the joints. These experts will do their best to avoid invasive treatments like surgery, but may be preferred when your joint pain is severe or not helped by more natural techniques.
Orthopedic doctors are able to distribute medication, which can include prescription painkillers, but commonly come in the form of injections. Corticosteroid injections can be administered along with a numbing medication, aiming directly at the impacted joint. In addition to pain relief, the goal of these injections is to reduce inflammation that may be worsening your condition. Joint lubricants can also be injected to help facilitate mobility.
Joint Surgery
In some cases, less invasive techniques will not be enough to manage your joint pain and a surgeon will need to be brought in. This may be an orthopedic surgeon or a specialist in extremity joint surgery.
One form of minor surgery is an arthroscopy, in which small incisions are made and a tiny camera is used to fix tears in soft tissues surrounding the joints. This is often used when an injury caused the joint paint and range of motion moving forward is a concern. The same camera can also be used to gather information needed for diagnosis and further surgery recommendations.
Many people will ultimately undergo a total joint replacement, in which the joint is fully removed and replaced with an artificial version that mimics the natural joint. These are proven to reduce pain and improve mobility but are typically reserved for the most severe cases of joint pain due to the invasive nature of the surgery. Artificial joints also typically need to be replaced after about 10 years of use.
All Your Options for Chronic Joint Pain at One Clinic
While you may have an idea of the right practice for you, it is not until your joint pain has been fully analyzed and the cause diagnosed that you may know what steps to take next. At AICA College Park, you have the benefit of all these treatments and more in one location. Our doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists work together to bring you the most relevant parts of each treatment in a customized plan. We even offer onsite diagnostic imaging! If you are in need of a College Park orthopedics clinic, call AICA College Park today.