What You Need to Know When Seeking Treatment for Joint Pain
Most people with joint pain complain of severe pain around the elbows, knees, and other areas where two or more bones intersect. Joint pain can be a sign that there is something wrong that requires medical intervention. The specialists at Town Center Orthopaedic Associates treat joint pain in Reston after a thorough examination and proper diagnosis. Here are some quick facts about joint pain and seeking treatment.
An overview
The most common type of joint pain is osteoarthritis which is a degradation of the joints over time. This condition mainly affects seniors and people dealing with obesity or weight-related issues. Joint pain can also occur due to an injury when you sprain your ankle or knee during a sporting activity. Joint pain can also occur due to an infection in your joints, also known as septic arthritis. Further, joint pain can also be a symptom of a deficiency of vitamin D. Joint pain is common in children and can be caused by juvenile idiopathic arthritis or JIA. It is vital to seek treatment for joint pain before things get out of hand and escalate to bigger problems.
Seeking treatment for joint pain
It is important to seek treatment if your joint pain does not improve within two weeks even after taking pain medication. Normally, joint pain is also accompanied by other symptoms such as swelling, redness, and tenderness on the joint area. Sometimes the joint pain may lead to intense pain and inability to use your arms or feet. Other symptoms include fever, sweating, and being unable to sleep due to severe pain.
Tests and diagnosis
Sometimes you may need physical therapy and pain medication to resolve joint pain. However, you can visit a medical facility if there is no improvement. At the health center, the doctor asks a couple of questions to investigate the cause of the pain. Also, blood tests may be conducted to rule out an infection and put you on a treatment plan. The specialists also conduct an x-ray to make an accurate diagnosis. After the tests, your doctor generates a report and recommends appropriate treatment.
Treatment options
Most people consider self-care as the first option in treating joint pain. It involves taking pain medication to help relieve the pain and massaging the joint area with warm water. However, if there is an underlying condition, it may not be effective, and the symptoms may persist. Therefore, there is a need to visit a doctor for a comprehensive evaluation. After tests, your doctor applies various interventions to treat the underlying causes. Also, physical therapy may be recommended to help speed up the recovery. The outcome of the treatment differs depending on the cause of the joint pain. Also, people heal differently, and the recovery period also varies. Whereas some return to their everyday routine quickly, for others, it can take time. However, the goal of any medical intervention is to offer long-term relief to pain and ease the discomfort.
Most people with joint pain can get relief by seeking treatment early. If you experience joint pain, visit the medics at Town Center Orthopaedic Associates for assessment and treatment.