The 3 Most Common Types of Arthritis – Pain Management in Jacksonville, FL

Many people think that arthritis can be boiled down to the phrase “joint pain,” but it is much more complicated than that. There are over 100 different types of arthritis and related conditions, and they all cause joint pain in a different way. Arthritis can affect people of any age. It can even affect children. Florida Pain Physicians offers pain management in Jacksonville, FL, for many different types of arthritis. Here are the three most common types that we see at our clinic:

Osteoarthritis

This type of arthritis is characterized by a breakdown of the protective cartilage in your joints, making movement difficult and painful. In the advanced stages of osteoarthritis, the bones in the joint rub directly against one another, which causes severe pain. The severity of pain varies from person to person. Effective pain management in Jacksonville, FL, can help relieve symptoms of OA.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the patient’s joints are attacked by their own immune system. Your immune system protects you from diseases, but in some conditions, like rheumatoid arthritis, your antibodies become overactive and begin attacking healthy tissue. The immune system attacks the synovium, the tissue that lines your joints. The resulting inflammation breaks down the joint, causing permanent damage. RA can also affect your bones and ligaments.

Psoriatic Arthritis

This type of arthritis is also an autoimmune disease but is accompanies by related conditions. Psoriatic arthritis is caused when the immune system attacks the joints. The immune system also damages your connective tissue, causing a condition called enthesitis and your skin, causing psoriasis. Psoriasis symptoms include flaky skin and thick white or red patches on the skin that itch. Psoriatic arthritis gets its name from this condition because it is usually the first symptom that patients notice. However, it is possible to have psoriasis without arthritis.

Our physicians at Florida Pain Physicians can help you cope with chronic arthritis pain. Make an appointment at (904) 800.PAIN (7246) for personalized pain management in Jacksonville, FL. We take a multi-faceted approach to treatments, which include medication, physical therapy, behavioral interventions, and other alternative therapies.