Osteoarthritis Doctor in Fort Wayne

Does the creak of an old door remind you that you need an osteoarthritis doctor in Fort Wayne? When you suffer from this common degenerative condition, every motion can cause agony as unprotected bone ends to rub together. While some cases of osteoarthritis are caused by injury or disease, most are simply due to wear and tear. Whatever the cause of your osteoarthritis, you would probably rather get those creaky joints working and feeling better the natural way, instead of relying on pills or surgery. That’s why you should turn to the osteoarthritis treatment options at Northeast Joint & Wellness in Fort Wayne.

What Is Osteoarthritis and What Causes It?

Arthritis is a broad medical term for joint pain. Our fort Wayne osteoarthritis doctor notes that there are dozens of types of arthritis and causes such as:

• Degenerative arthritis (including osteoarthritis)
• Inflammatory arthritis (including rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis
• Infectious arthritis, which is usually caused by bacterial infiltration
• Gout (caused by an accumulation of uric acid in a joint)

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis that send patients to our Fort Wayne osteoarthritis doctor. It occurs when a joint’s natural anti-friction measures degenerate. Healthy joints have a layer of cartilage that cushions the bone ends against each other. Over many years, the cartilage begins to thin out and break up, permitting painful friction and inflammation to occur. Examples include:

• Osteoarthritis of the weight-bearing joints, such as the hips or knees
• Shoulder arthritis that limits your ability to raise or rotate your arm
• Elbow, wrist, or hand arthritis that makes manual work difficult
• Osteoarthritis of the spinal facet joints, a complication of degenerative joint disease

Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, which commonly strikes in acute bouts and then recedes, osteoarthritis tends to remain a constant source of pain whenever the joint is flexed. As the degeneration worsens, so do the symptoms, until you’re compelled to seek osteoarthritis treatment in Fort Wayne.

How Is Osteoarthritis Treated without Surgery?

Anti-inflammatory drugs can take the edge off of osteoarthritis pain, but only for a few hours at a time — and taking repeated dosages can expose you to certain health risks. Fusion surgery is a more permanent solution, but also one that permanently limits joint motion. Our Fort Wayne osteoarthritis doctor can take a more conservative approach that actually helps your joints work better while easing pain without drugs. We commonly use regenerative medicine treatments such as:

• PRP therapy – In PRP therapy, we take a blood sample and extract its platelets (which contain growth factors essential to tissue repair). We then have a platelet-rich serum that we can inject into an arthritic joint for concentrated healing.
• Rehabilitation – Rehabilitation can help you improve range of motion and reduce chronic pain in joints plagued by osteoarthritis.

Benefits of Regenerative Medicine for Osteoarthritis

Regenerative medicine offers some extraordinary benefits without the risky downsides of some other osteoarthritis treatment methods. Our Fort Wayne osteoarthritis doctor prescribes it as a conservative form of therapy because it relies not on chemicals or surgery, but on your body’s own natural healing processes. Techniques such as PRP therapy and rehabilitation are very safe, highly effective, and genuinely helpful for preserving joint health. Your particular treatment plan will be customized to your individual condition, needs, symptoms, challenges, and goals.

Why Northeast Joint & Wellness?

Northeast Joint & Wellness in Fort Wayne can give your joints what they truly need to battle the nagging pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis. If you’re seeking a real answer instead of superficial relief, you need to talk to our Fort Wayne osteoarthritis doctor. Call (260) 245-0460 today to schedule a consultation!