Brought to you by the healthcare professionals at San Juan Regional Medical Center.

Everyone has achy muscles and joints from time to time.  Many times aches and pains have nothing to do with arthritis.

Q. So what is arthritis?
A. The word arthritis comes from the Greek root word arthron (joint), and the suffix it is (inflammation of any joint. So literally arthritis means inflammation of any joint.

Q. How do I know if my joint pain is arthritis or something more?
A. If you twisted your knee over the weekend or your wrist is painful after a weekend of gardening, your healthcare provider may recommend an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen, a cortisone injection in the joint or in extreme instances, surgery might be suggested. Is this arthritis? No it’s an injury to the joint. In most cases, this injury will eventually heal and cause you no further problems. However, in some cases, the damage to that joint can alter the mechanics of the joint. Over time, this can lead to abnormal wear and damage of the cartilage, eventually exposing the bone beneath. This is a form of arthritis known as osteoarthritis.

Q. What is osteoarthritis?
A. Osteoarthritis is damage to cartilage from mechanical wear. Sometimes it is from chronic injury, in most cases it is simply related to our age.

Q. Is there a cure for osteoarthritis?
A. There is no cure for osteoarthritis because it is not really a disease. It is a natural consequence of time on a moving part. Some parts wear down sooner that others.

Q. What is the treatment?
A. Treatment consists of physical therapy to correct the abnormal mechanics of the worn joint, exercise to improve the strength of surrounding muscle and soft tissue, and analgesics to relieve pain. In some cases where the damage is severe enough to cause crippling pain or disability, your doctor may recommend replacing that joint with an artificial one (e.g. knee replacement surgery).

Q. What is inflammatory arthritis?
A. This is a group of various diseases that cause the immune system to generate chronic or recurrent inflammation inside one or more joints.

So how do you know if your joint pain is from an injury, osteoarthritis, or a disease? The first step is usually to wait and see. If your pain and swelling go away after a few days or even a week or two, this usually suggests an injury. If your symptoms do not improve, or if you have multiple joints that are swollen at once, that usually suggests something more.

Attend our free community Arthritis and Joint Health Class to learn more. Learn more about Arthritis and Other Rheumatic Diseases, click the topics below:

About arthritis and other rheumatic diseases

Find out if you are at risk for osteoporosis