Arthritis

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is inflammation or degeneration of a joint. Osteoarthritis — the wear-related breakdown of cartilage — is by far the most common form and frequently affects the knees, hips, shoulders, hands, and the facet joints of the spine. Symptoms include aching pain, stiffness that's worst after rest, swelling, and gradually shrinking range of motion.

How can a pain specialist help my arthritis?

While there's no cure for osteoarthritis, the pain it causes is very treatable. Interventional options act directly at the painful joint rather than relying on systemic medication alone — an important advantage for patients who can't tolerate long-term anti-inflammatory drugs.

What treatments are available?

Depending on the joint and severity, Dr. Eaddy may recommend image-guided corticosteroid injections, viscosupplementation (gel injections) for knee osteoarthritis, and radiofrequency ablation of the small sensory nerves that carry pain from a joint — including genicular nerve ablation for knees and medial branch ablation for spinal facet arthritis. These can provide months of relief and are repeatable. The goal is always the same: less pain, more function, and staying active, since movement itself protects arthritic joints.