Arthritis

What are the types of arthritis?

Arthritis is an umbrella term referring to at least 100 distinct joint diseases. Common types are: 

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis occurs when the material covering your bones thins out. It’s a normal part of aging for many people. The thinner layer of cartilage leaves less space between bones, causing bone-on-bone grinding and pain. Over time, osteoarthritis can warp the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the body’s immune system revolts. It perceives healthy tissue as harmful and attacks the joint lining. That leads to swelling, pain, and joint deformity. 

Neuropathic arthritis

Neuropathic arthritis, or Charcot joint, is a disease that may affect people with peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage in the feet and ankle areas).

This condition usually affects people with diabetes. It leads to bone weakening and fractures. Eventually, bones can collapse, and the feet can develop a rocker-bottom appearance. 

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

Arthritis pain can affect any joint, from the neck to the tiny spinal joints to the shoulders, knees, hips, and ankles. The most common symptoms are:

• Joint pain
• Stiff joints
• Joint swelling
• Hot-feeling joints
• Difficulty with routine activities like climbing stairs, opening jars, or walking
• Changed joint appearance (warping, twisting, or enlargement)

Sometimes, arthritis can sneak up on you. Some people don’t experience pain until their condition is already in the later stages. 

What are the treatments for arthritis? 

Arthritis treatment usually starts conservatively, including measures like:

• Physical therapy
• Regular exercise (an effective way to ease arthritis pain)
• Losing extra weight to ease the strain on the joints
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)

If conservative treatments aren’t successful, the Advanced Regional Center for Orthopedics & Podiatry team may recommend surgery to repair the damaged portions of your joint. 

A leading surgery for arthritis is minimally invasive arthroscopy. Your provider uses this procedure to diagnose your condition and make necessary corrections inside the joint using only tiny incisions. Arthroscopic procedures are outpatient surgeries. 

If you have severe foot and ankle instability or other debilitating joint problems, a more complex surgery like ankle realignment or joint replacement might be a good option. Your surgeon explains the alternatives and guides you through the procedure from start to finish.