Do You Have Arthritis? Here Are Key Early Warning Signs

Arthritis is one of the most common causes of a joint injury. Integrated Pain Consultants is committed to providing you with options to address your joint pain so that you can avoid medication dependency and unnecessary surgery. Unfortunately, many people aren’t diagnosed with arthritis until it is severe. There are many types of arthritis, and just like any condition catching and diagnosing it early is critical to treating it.

Some early warning signs include pain that is constant but not necessarily severe enough to warrant seeing a specialist. If the pain increases when you rest, that’s another potential arthritis red flag. A joint that feels stiff in the morning is also a likely candidate for having arthritis. Arthritis is an umbrella term used to describe many joint inflammations, and the most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA). OA happens when the connective tissue between bones gets worn down. This is most common as we age, which is why OA is often diagnosed in those 50+.

Arthritis Facts

Increasingly, younger people are getting diagnosed with arthritis thanks to a sedentary lifestyle. However, not all clinics are keeping pace with this trend. A younger person might have arthritis, but that diagnosis might not even be on the radar of someone who isn’t a pain specialist. On a global scale, 33 percent of people will develop arthritis in their lifetime, but that includes over 100 types of rheumatic diseases! Arthritis should be a concern for everyone, and you need to know the early signs so you can see a pain specialist right away if necessary.

Early arthritic pain in joints is often intermittent. Stiffness doesn’t just occur in the mornings, but also after working for a long stretch of time. If you have trouble moving your joints, such as extending a knee or getting up from a chair, that could be an early sign of arthritis.

Treating Arthritis

Swelling and redness near a joint, as well as pain that doesn’t go away after four days, are lesser-known signs of arthritis. If you’re a woman, have diabetes, are obese, and/or have a family history of arthritis, you’re also at a higher risk of developing it. If you’ve been diagnosed with arthritis or think you may have early signs, don’t panic. We offer options like radiofrequency ablation, joint injections, spinal cord stimulation, viscosupplementation, and more. Schedule your detailed evaluation for arthritis with Integrated Pain Consultants today by calling (480) 626-2552.