Pain in the hips, knees, ankles and toe joints can indicate any one of hundreds of musculoskeletal conditions, ranging from simple overuse and strain to bursitis or the onset of osteoarthritis. When lower extremity joint pain is not relieved by rest, cold compresses or ibuprofen, you may need to seek joint pain treatment in NYC.

Types of Joint Pain Treatment for Specific Joint Disorders

Osteoarthritis of the Lower Extremity Joints

In addition to making lifestyle changes, such as losing weight and performing balance/agility and range-of-motion exercises, a doctor specializing in joint pain treatment in Staten Island may also prescribe anti-inflammatory medications or stronger prescription pain relievers. Corticosteroid injections may also provide pain relief when osteoarthritis affects lower extremity joints.

Topical medications absorbed by the skin for joint pain relief offer ingredients that deplete tissues of substance P (a neurotransmitter facilitating transmission of pain messages to the brain) or block prostaglandins responsible for producing inflammation and pain. Your joint pain treatment in Jersey City may also include viscosupplements, or hyaluronic acid substitutes formulated to replace deteriorated joint cartilage and lack of fluid.

Arthroscopy Treatment for the Lower Extremity Joints

Osteoarthritis is a progressive disease with no cure. When severe pain and disability caused by osteooarthritis reduces quality of life significantly, arthroscopy may be recommended by your joint pain doctor. Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure that involves your doctor making a cut over the damaged joint and using state-of-the-art medical instruments to do the following:

• Removing loose pieces of cartilage, bone or bone spurs that may be causing buckling and locking of the joint. This joint pain treatment is called arthroscopic debridement.

The decision to replace lower extremity joints severely affected by osteoarthritis or other degenerative joint disease depends on the age of the patient, how much longer the patient needs to work until retirement, range of disability and pain level. Joint pain treatment in Staten Island may ultimately result in replacing a joint with an artificial joint.