Arthritis comes in many different forms, but each one affects the joints in your body. It causes pain and trouble with mobility, especially as it progresses. But your joints aren’t the only part of your body that’s affected — in fact, arthritis can impact your overall health pretty significantly if you leave it untreated.
Our team at Orthopedic Associates of Wisconsin can help you when you’re suffering from one of the many types of arthritis. Our orthopedic expert, Dr. Mitchell Klement, helps you get the specific treatment you need to ease the symptoms of this disease.
Arthritis is a very general term that describes over 100 different types of the disease. Even though there are so many types of arthritis, they all affect your joints in one way or another. All the different types of arthritis cause inflammation in your joints, along with pain and irreversible damage.
The two most common forms of arthritis are inflammatory arthritis and degenerative arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most prevalent forms of inflammatory arthritis. RA happens when your immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joints in your body. This often leads to inflammation and pain.
Osteoarthritis is probably the most common form of arthritis, and it falls under the category of degenerative arthritis. This type of arthritis often occurs as you get older, and is the result of wear and tear damage on your joint.
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage, which protects your joint, is damaged or worn down over time. Without this cartilage, your joint is prone to inflammation and even more damage, which leads to pain and discomfort.
Arthritis mostly affects your joints; but it can also affect other aspects of your health as well. The chronic pain from this disease has a huge impact on your body over time. One of the ways arthritis affects your body is reducing the amount of productive sleep you get.
The pain from this condition often makes it hard for you to get comfortable at night, which leads to less sleep. Without getting a good amount of sleep every night, you feel fatigued throughout the day.
The pain that you feel in your joints also makes you less likely to get up and be active throughout the day. This can lead to unwanted weight gain, which puts even more pressure on the affected joints in your body.
Weight gain from arthritis can lead to many other health complications as well, including:
While decreased activity caused by the pain and discomfort of arthritis leads to weight gain, it may also lead to other issues as well. Without using your joints, the other structures such as your tendons and ligaments begin to deteriorate. Other complications that you could experience include:
If these complications from arthritis aren’t enough, the chronic pain may also take a toll on your mental health. Arthritis symptoms sometimes lead to anxiety and depression. The inability to do the activities you used to do sends you spiraling sometimes.
Your mental health is just as important as your physical health; so getting the treatment you need for your arthritis may help ease your symptoms so you can continue to lead a productive life.
Dr. Klement assists you in finding the perfect treatment to get your arthritis symptoms under control. Treatment that he recommends may include physical therapy, joint injections, or ultrasound therapy.
The type of treatment depends on the type of arthritis you have and the symptoms you’re experiencing. The sooner you get help for your symptoms, the sooner you can get back to enjoying a life with less pain and discomfort.
When you’re dealing with arthritis, you need treatments that work. You can call our office to schedule a consultation at 262-223-3040, or you can book an appointment online today to get help from Dr. Klement.
