Our Advanced Joint Replacement Program
Whether youre experiencing mild, moderate or severe arthritis symptoms, our orthopedic physicians and staff at Desert Care Network are ready to provide the compassionate care and treatment you need to live a normal life. We usually recommend conservative treatment options first, such as pain medications, weight loss, physical therapy and exercises that can help keep your muscles strong and joints flexible.
If these are not enough, our physicians may recommend joint replacement which is designed to restore the function and eliminate the pain associated with arthritis of the , hip, knee or shoulder. This program offers minimally invasive surgical techniques and enhanced anesthesia approaches that lead to shorter hospital stays and faster recovery time.
When A Joint Is Bent And Cannot Be Straightened This Condition Is Called
conditionbentjointcannotstraighten
Mallet finger is an injury to the end of the finger that causes it to bend inwards towards the palm. You wont be able to straighten the end of your finger because the tendon connecting the muscle to the finger bone is stretched or torn.
Similarly, what is Boutonnière deformity? Boutonniere deformity is a deformed position of the fingers or toes, in which the joint nearest the knuckle is permanently bent toward the palm while the farthest joint is bent back away .
In this manner, can a boutonniere deformity be fixed?
The takeaway. A boutonniere deformity is a fairly common complication of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and finger injuries. Its often treated by wearing a splint when caught early. In more severe cases, you may need surgery to repair the tendons in your finger or straighten the middle joint.
What causes a boutonniere deformity?
Boutonnière deformity is generally caused by a forceful blow to the top side of a bent middle joint of a finger. It also can be caused by a cut on the top of the finger, which can sever the central slip from its attachment to the bone.
Also Check: Which Is Worse Rheumatoid Arthritis Or Osteoarthritis
Stop Ignoring Your Physical Limitations
Just as there are people with arthritis who aren’t active at all, there are those who push beyond their limits. The trick is to pace your activities. Overdoing it is just as harmful as underdoing it.
Pushing your limits can increase pain and put you at higher risk of joint damage. Respect pain and choose activities with your physical limitations in mind.
Recommended Reading: Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Cause Eye Problems
How To Treat Arthritis
Treating arthritis requires each patient to be fully invested in their our own care. While we do offer traditional treatments, such as anti-inflammatory medications, injections and surgery, they are not the only way to increase joint mobility, reduce pain and promote faster healing.
Managing your arthritis focuses primarily on exercise, physical therapy as well as proper diet and nutrition to achieve and maintain a healthy body weight. Muscles are a very important component of stability and structure around joints and can often slow the degenerative changes of arthritis if maintained with exercise and physical therapy.
Its best to avoid high-impact exercise like running or repetitive jumping if it makes your joint pain worse, although those activities wont necessarily worsen arthritis. We recommend cycling, swimming or the elliptical trainer as a low-impact alternative.
Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight, even a 5- to 10-pound weight loss can have a tremendous impact on reducing joint pain.
When it comes to managing pain, gentle stretching, yoga and tai chi may also improve flexibility and reduce stiffness and pain. Options for pain include acetaminophen or an anti-inflammatory pain reliever such as ibuprofen, but there isnt enough evidence to support taking supplements, such as glucosamine, to treat arthritis. There is some evidence that following an anti-inflammatory diet may reduce symptoms of arthritis.
Can I Claim Benefits If I Have Arthritis
There are a number of benefits and grants you may be able to claim if you have arthritis.
Benefits for mobility problems
If youre over State Pension age and you need help with your personal care, such as washing, dressing and going to the toilet, because of your symptoms of arthritis, you may be able to claim Attendance Allowance.
If youre under State Pension age, you may be able to claim Personal Independence Payment, and if your ability to work is limited due to your symptoms you could claim Employment and Support Allowance.
Disabled Facilities Grants
You may be eligible for financial support for home adaptations to help you manage better. This could include installing ramps and handrails, and getting specialist equipment to help you in the kitchen or bathroom.
Carers Allowance
If you have a friend or family member who looks after you for at least 35 hours a week, they may be able to claim Carers Allowance.
Also Check: What To Do Arthritis Flare Up
Fight Back Against Arthritis
So what can you do? The good news is that there are risk factors for osteoarthritis that women can target for arthritis prevention. Start with these important steps.
What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune and inflammatory condition. This causes your immune system to incorrectly attack healthy cells in the body which may then lead to inflammation, pain and/or swelling in the affected body parts. RA usually affects the knee, hand and wrist joints. It may also affect other body tissues and cause complications in crucial organs such as the heart, eyes and lungs.
Don’t Miss: What Age Can Arthritis Start
Gout And Calcium Crystal Diseases
Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that can cause painful swelling in joints. It typically affects the big toe, but it can also affect other joints in the body.
Joints affected by gout can become red and hot. The skin may also look shiny and can peel.
Its caused by having too much urate, otherwise known as uric acid, in the body. We all have a certain amount of urate in our body.
However, being overweight or eating and drinking too much of certain types of food and alcoholic drinks can cause some people to have more urate in their bodies. The genes you inherit can make you more likely to develop gout.
If it reaches a high level, urate can form into crystals that remain in and around the joint. They can be there for a while without causing any problems and even without the person realising they are there.
A knock to a part of the body or having a fever can lead to the crystals falling into the soft part of the joint. This will cause pain and swelling.
There are drugs that can reduce the amount of urate in the body and prevent gout attacks. Examples are allopurinol and . If youre having a gout attack, youll also need short-term pain relief. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as well as paracetamol can be good drugs to try first.
Men can get gout from their mid-20s, and in women its more common after the menopause. Taking water tablets can increase the risk of gout.
There are also conditions that cause calcium crystals to form in and around joints.
How Can I Protect My Sore Hands
Here are some ways to protect the joints in your hands:
- Take notice of pain it can serve as a warning that your joints are being overworked. Rather than giving up an activity altogether, try taking regular rests during the activity and learning ways to manage pain. You will usually find you can still do the things you enjoy without discomfort.
- Use larger, stronger joints for example, carry your shopping bags over your shoulder rather than in your hands.
- Spread the load over several joints try carrying things with two hands.
- Reduce the effort you have to put in there is a wide range of labour-saving tools and equipment available. Buy pre-cut vegetables and meat to make cooking easier.
- Avoid gripping things tightly find out about gadgets that can make gripping and holding objects easier.
- See an occupational therapist to learn more ways to make daily tasks easier and take pressure off your joints.
- Visit an Independent Living Centre. These centres have a wide range of tools and equipment on display. You can get advice, including where to purchase equipment, in person or over the phone. Occupational therapists are also available at the centres to provide advice about equipment. Although you can drop in at anytime, it is preferred that you call the telephone enquiry service beforehand.
Also Check: How To Treat Arthritis In Hands And Fingers Naturally
What Is Arthritis And What Can You Do To Prevent It
Chitra MalolanChitra is a Health Communicator and Wellness Coach based in India. She has a Masters in Professional and Technical Communication from New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Chitra MalolanChitra is a Health Communicator and Wellness Coach based in India. She has a Masters in Professional and Technical Communication from New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Arthritis is a painful condition that affects our joints and the tissues surrounding them. Pain, immobility, restricted movement and difficulty in doing day-to-day activities make it a huge challenge. Arthritis has a worldwide prevalence. In the US, arthritis is a leading cause of disability. Arthritis-related consultations made up 11.4% of doctor office visits in 2018. A little understanding of this condition can go a long way in evolving a plan to manage it successfully.
Let us decode the basics.
Causes | Types | Diagnosis | Treatment | Prevention
What Are The Symptoms Of Arthritis
The symptoms of your arthritis will vary widely depending on which type of arthritis you have. The patterns will likely be quite different, as will the location and the severity of the pain and the other symptoms that may accompany the pain.
Despite the great potential for diversity in symptoms, however, there are four main symptoms present in almost every variety of arthritis.
Also Check: How To Pronounce Rheumatoid Arthritis
Why Is Exercise Important To Prevent Arthritis
Regular exercise is one of the most important strategies to try to prevent arthritis. Exercise can help keep your weight down, which reduces stress on your joints. The Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center reports being only ten pounds overweight increases the force on the knee by 30- 60 pounds with each step.
Exercise also strengthens the muscles around joints, helping to reduce wear on the muscles and joints. Regular physical activity also stretches our tendons and ligaments to maintain flexibility. Cartilage is like a rubbery cushion in a joint, and it gets lubricated when we move that joint. Regular exercise keeps components of our joints lubricated and flexible, helping to reduce pain.
Your exercise routine can include the following low-impact aerobic activities:
All of these activities can boost your heart rate while avoiding the stress on your joints caused by high-impact exercises that involve running and jumping.
We Care About You And Your Pain
At Desert Care Network, we know how hard it can be for people with arthritis to carry out day-to-day tasks such as walking up the stairs or doing moderate to high-intensity exercises. If youre suffering from this condition, the good thing is, our orthopedic physicians in Palm Springs and the Coachella Valley area are experienced in arthritis pain management, treatment and prevention. We are eager to help you get back the life you deserve.
Don’t Miss: What Foods Are Good To Eat For Arthritis
Stop Fearing Medications That May Help
Arthritis patients sometimes avoid painkillers because they’re afraid they’ll become addicted to them, or they choose not to use biologic drugs because they fear potential serious side effects. Remember that your healthcare provider would never prescribe something that might hurt you or that you could become dependent on as long as you take it as directed.
Make sure you understand when and how much of your medication you should take, and how you should take it and your arthritis meds should do nothing more than make it easier for you to live comfortably.
When Is A Medical Examination Necessary
Although early stages of arthritis can be treated naturally, in advanced cases, it is beneficial to visit a qualified health professional to help manage pain and other symptoms associated with arthritis. Not to say that advanced arthritis cannot be reversed or benefited by natural treatments for arthritis, but if you are in extreme pain or have a greatly reduced range of motion, a combination of natural and medical treatments can help improve your quality of life faster.
If you have any of the following symptoms, consult with a qualified health professional:
- Extreme fatigue that lasts more than a week.
- Easy bleeding and bruising.
You May Like: Throat Arthritis Treatment
Read Also: What Is An Arthritis Doctor Called
Four Ways To Reduce Your Risk Of Arthritis
02 November 2015
While theres no surefire way to prevent arthritis from affecting you, there are ways you can reduce your risk and delay the potential onset. If youre lucky enough to have healthy joints right now, you should do all you can to avoid the pain that comes with arthritis.
There are some causes of arthritis that you cant change such as aging, family history, and gender . There are over 100 types of arthritis and related conditions, and changing certain behaviors and circumstances can help prevent various types of arthritis.
Continue reading to learn more about what you can do now to reduce your risk of developing arthritis later.
Read Also: What Does Arthritis Rash Look Like
What Can You Do To Prevent Arthritis
While the above involve care by professionals, as individuals, we can plan , prepare and practice certain techniques to avoid or postpone the progression of arthritis. The most crucial factor is lifestyle modification.Lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, excess weight, dietary intake, physical activity, and dental hygiene may play important roles in the development of arthritis.
Inflammation control is key to managing arthritis. Research shows that foods high in saturated fat, omega-6 fats, sugar, and salt could intensify arthritis symptoms. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, omega 3s, whole grains help in combating inflammation.
In my capacity as a health communicator, I work with people to help them decipher the complex instructions that come with medical advice and make them easy to follow. Here is an acronym I use to help people manage their pain. I call it MANAGE mode.
Don’t Miss: How To Treat Knee Arthritis At Home
How To Reduce Your Risk Of Arthritis
Even if you cant prevent it, you might be able to lower your chances of developing some forms of arthritis.
The fact is, there is no sure way to prevent arthritis. But you can help reduce your risk and delay the potential onset of certain types of arthritis. If you have healthy joints right now, do all you can now to maintain mobility and function and avoid the pain and disability associated with arthritis.
There are more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions, and each has associated risk factors, individual features, behaviors and circumstances.
Some risk factors are not modifiable, and there really isnt anything you you can do about them. Being female and having a family history of arthritis are two examples of factors that make people more likely but not certain to get some types of arthritis.
Risk factors that are considered modifiable are the behaviors and circumstances that can be changed in order to reduce risk, delay onset or even prevent arthritis. A few examples of modifiable risk factors for certain types of arthritis and related conditions:
- Osteoarthritis: Maintain a healthy weight.
Why Choose Desert Care Network
Desert Care Network is a healthcare leader for arthritis pain management and total hip and knee replacements in Palm Springs and Coachella Valley. Desert Regional Medical has received specialty certification from the Joint Commission for its program in Hip Replacement and Knee Replacement. But more than being recognized for its commitment to compassionate care and excellence, we are proud of how we genuinely care about our patients.
Youre not meant to live in pain. Were here for you. Call to start get started.
Also Check: What Helps Arthritis In Ankles