Osteoarthritis Treatment Doctor in Jersey City, NJ

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease and one of the most common types of arthritis. Known as “wear-and-tear” arthritis, it’s a chronic and progressive condition that we at Harborside Sport & Spine encounter frequently. It entails a breakdown and eventual loss of joint cartilage, affecting millions worldwide, predominantly the elderly, but it can also affect younger people due to injury or overuse of joints.

Causes and Development: While the exact cause of osteoarthritis is unknown, it typically develops due to a combination of factors. Aging is a significant contributor, leading to the gradual breakdown of cartilage. Other factors include joint injury, genetic predisposition, obesity, repetitive stress on a particular joint, hormonal changes associated with menopause, and certain occupations that involve repetitive motions or high-impact activities.

Symptoms: Osteoarthritis is primarily characterized by joint stiffness and pain that typically worsens with activity and are relieved by rest. Other symptoms may include reduced range of motion, grating or clicking sensations, tenderness to the touch, swelling, warmth, and creaking of the affected joints. The hands, knees, hips, and spine are the joints most frequently impacted; at Harborside Sport & Spine, we specialize in treating these areas.

Diagnosis: At Harborside Sport & Spine, diagnosing osteoarthritis involves a comprehensive physical examination, patient history review, and imaging tests like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or X-rays to determine the degree of cartilage injury and validate the diagnosis.

Treatment and Management: While there is currently no cure for osteoarthritis, at Harborside Sport & Spine, we offer a variety of treatments to help control symptoms, enhance performance, and halt the spread of the illness. These include pain relief medications, non-drug therapies such as physical therapy to strengthen muscles around the joint and improve range of motion, weight management to reduce pressure on the joints, joint injections to reduce inflammation and pain, and, in serious situations, surgery to replace or repair injured joints.

Prevention and Lifestyle Modifications: At Harborside Sport & Spine, we believe that certain lifestyle modifications can help manage symptoms and prevent disease progression. These include keeping a healthy weight, exercising frequently but gently, avoiding repeated motions, avoiding applying too much force to joints, strengthening muscles around the joints, and seeking prompt medical attention for joint injuries.

Even though osteoarthritis is a chronic disease, with proper management from a dedicated team like ours at Harborside Sport & Spine, people with the condition can lead active and healthy lives. Prompt diagnosis and intervention can mitigate the advancement of the illness, alleviate symptoms, and enhance joint functionality.

At Harborside Sport & Spine, we encounter patients with varying degrees of osteoarthritis, a common type of arthritis that is primarily a degenerative joint disease. It entails the cartilage in the joint breaking down and eventually lost. This painful condition can arise from a multitude of factors, some of which are preventable.

One of the main causes of osteoarthritis is aging. Over time, the cartilage that cushions your joints begins to deteriorate, leading to painful bone-on-bone contact. While this is common among middle-aged and older adults, our team is experienced in providing effective treatments and interventions to manage this condition.

Excess weight is another significant cause of osteoarthritis. Obesity puts additional pressure on weight-bearing joints, such as the spine, hips, and knees, speeding up the cartilage’s deterioration process. We offer comprehensive management programs that include weight loss and fitness advice to alleviate these symptoms.

Our team also sees patients who have developed osteoarthritis due to joint injuries or overuse, often from sports or certain work activities. We provide rehabilitation and physiotherapy services to help manage and possibly prevent the onset of osteoarthritis in these cases.

Genetics plays a role in the onset of osteoarthritis. Individuals with genetic variations affecting their cartilage structure may be more susceptible. Our team of experts can analyze your medical history and provide personalized treatment plans to manage this condition effectively.

We also consider diseases like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, or gout, which can cause or contribute to osteoarthritis. Our multidisciplinary approach ensures we address all health issues impacting your condition.

Hormonal changes, especially in postmenopausal women, may also influence the development of osteoarthritis. We provide comprehensive care for women experiencing these changes, helping protect their joint health.

In conclusion, osteoarthritis can be caused by a variety of factors, including age, obesity, joint injuries, genetic predispositions, certain diseases, and hormonal changes. At Harborside Sport & Spine, we are committed to understanding these causes to aid in the prevention, early detection, and effective management of osteoarthritis.

We understand the debilitating effects of osteoarthritis. This degenerative joint disease, characterized by the loss of cartilage in the joints, can significantly impact your quality of life with symptoms such as pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced range of motion.

Joint pain is a common symptom we encounter in our patients, which can vary from a dull ache to sharp, intense pain. This pain usually worsens with activity or weight-bearing and may also occur during periods of rest, particularly at night.

Another symptom that our patients often experience is stiffness, particularly upon waking up in the morning or after a period of inactivity. It may restrict your range of motion and general movement, making everyday tasks difficult.

Observing swelling and tenderness in the joints is also a sign of osteoarthritis. Light pressure on the joint might cause discomfort, and the joint may appear enlarged due to fluid accumulation caused by inflammation in the joint lining.

In some cases, patients may experience a grating or popping sensation, known as crepitus, indicating the breakdown of cartilage lining the joint surface. This can accompany a reduced range of motion, making activities such as bending, climbing stairs, or grasping objects increasingly difficult.

As the disease progresses, the body may produce osteophytes, or bone spurs, causing further discomfort and limiting joint mobility. Joint instability, particularly in weight-bearing joints like the knee or hip, can also occur in advanced cases.

At Harborside Sport & Spine, we believe in a comprehensive approach to managing and treating osteoarthritis symptoms. Our team of qualified healthcare providers is prepared to walk you through the correct diagnosis and course of treatment. Please do not hesitate to contact us if any of these symptoms are present for you. Our goal is to assist you in returning to a pain-free and comfortable way of living.

Diagnosing osteoarthritis is a comprehensive process that starts with a profound medical evaluation. Our specialists, who are well-versed in rheumatology, carry out this evaluation meticulously, ensuring every patient’s medical history is scrutinized and a thorough physical examination is performed.

During the medical history review, our experts will ask about any symptoms you’ve experienced, such as pain, stiffness, or swelling in the joints. They will also inquire about risk factors for osteoarthritis, such as age, family history, past joint injuries, and occupations that involve
repetitive or strenuous activity.

The physical examination focuses on assessing the joints for tenderness, swelling, range of motion, and stability. To rule out other possible reasons for your symptoms, our specialists may also evaluate other body parts.

After the initial assessment, we may recommend imaging tests such as X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity of the condition. X-rays can visualize the joint structure and identify bony changes associated with osteoarthritis, such as joint space narrowing, osteophytes (bone spurs), and subchondral sclerosis (hardening of the bone beneath the cartilage). MRIs can provide more detailed images of the soft tissues of the joint, including cartilage, ligaments, and tendons, and can help differentiate osteoarthritis from other joint-affecting conditions, such as inflammatory arthritis.

In certain cases, we may order additional tests like blood tests and joint fluid analysis. While there is no specific blood test for osteoarthritis, it can be useful to rule out other diseases that cause similar symptoms, such as rheumatoid arthritis or gout. A joint fluid analysis involves drawing fluid from the affected joint with a needle, which can then be examined for signs of inflammation, infection, or crystals.

Diagnosing osteoarthritis can be challenging due to varying symptoms among individuals and similarities with other conditions. However, at Harborside Sport & Spine, our thorough and systematic approach ensures an accurate diagnosis and guides the development of an effective, personalized treatment plan. For more information, contact us or request an appointment online. We serve patients from Jersey City NJ, Hoboken NJ, Weehawken NJ, West New York NJ, Guttenberg NJ, Secaucus NJ, Harrison NJ, Kearny NJ, Newark NJ, Belleville NJ, Lyndhurst NJ, East Orange NJ and Elizabeth NJ.