Osteoarthritis Treatment In Atlanta

Dr. Erik T. Bendiks Atlanta | Orthopedic Surgeon | Spine Treatment Atlanta

Monday 28 August 2017

Combination of Lifestyle Changes Might Improve One’s Condition

While at present there is no proven Spinal Osteoarthritis Treatment to either slow or stop the progression of this disease, there are treatment options available for alleviating the pain and discomfort along with other related symptoms, and for most patients suffering from it, the condition will not become debilitating. While some people suffering from osteoarthritis of the spine might experience no or minimal pain, others might experience severe pain and need immediate treatment. It varies from patient to patient.

Most people who need treatment for this condition might benefit from a combination of changes in lifestyle such as smoking cessation, weight reduction and exercise. Also, in some cases, orthopedic surgeons recommend therapies and medication and steroids.

Most treatment options for this condition focus on improving the ability of the patient to function and controlling the pain and discomfort. Medication is prescribed for reducing the inflammation that in turn helps in reducing the stiffness, discomfort and pain. It is only in severe cases that the need for surgery might arise to treat the disability and pain consequential to osteoarthritis.

Spinal Osteoarthritis and Disc Degeneration

Medical practitioners and healthcare professionals often refer to spinal osteoarthritis arthritis of the facet joints or degenerative joint disease. It is a common condition that mostly strikes the people over fifty years of age. It represents an ongoing process of degeneration in the spine and might be related to the number of several other degenerative spinal conditions. Particularly, osteoarthritis is related with degenerative discs in the spine.

Osteoarthritis and degenerative discs often occur simultaneously because the facet joints and disc are both part of the same three-joint complex. It is thought the disc degeneration can put unnecessary stress on facet joints thus leading to degeneration and formation of osteoarthritis in the facet joints. Thus Tilley Spinal Osteoarthritis Treatment Atlanta can improve the condition of a patient to a great extent.

Monday 21 August 2017

Spinal Osteoarthritis Treatment – What are the Causes?

Most people know that arthritis is the most common cause of pain in lower back, especially people who are above 50 years of age. The lower back comprises of five sets of facet joints, one on the right and one on the left side of each spinal bone. Like joint in other parts of the body, the lower back facet joints can be either inflamed or injured. In either situation, you should seek the advice of the orthopedic surgeon for Spinal Osteoarthritis Treatment. It is a form of degenerative arthritis in the lower back that leads to inflammation, pain and stiffness.

Understanding Spinal Osteoarthritis

Arthritis refers to a general term that means swelling of a joint. The word arthritis is derived from a Greek word “arthros” meaning a joint and “itis” which means inflammation. The only joints in the spine are the facets. Thus, Osteoarthritis in the Spine means inflammation of the spinal facet joints.

What are the causes of arthritis in the lower back?

The condition occurs because of the internal damage to the facet joints. The surfaces of the facet joints are lined with smooth cartilage for easy movement as the two sides of the joints rub against each another. However, it is important to note that the joints can become painful through the following procedure:
  1. When the cartilage located on the one side of the joint get damaged, chipped or torn then as the spine moves, the injured cartilage gouges its neighbor causing further pain and injury.
  2. This damage or injury to the joints results in friction which ultimately causes inflammation
  3. The swollen and injured facet joints transmit this pain signal through a single nerve originating from the facet joint
  4. It is this signal that causes the back muscles to experience spasm
  5. It is the combination of the inflammation and muscle spasms that triggers pain in the lower back
Osteoarthritis of the Spine can be treated in an effective way if the right cause is diagnosed.

Monday 14 August 2017

Spinal Osteoarthritis Treatment Depends on Symptoms!

Have you heard of the Osteoarthritis of the Spine? Given that a large number of people are suffering from this condition, it is important to understand what it is and what its symptoms are before initiating with the Spinal Osteoarthritis Treatment.

Spinal Osteoarthritis – What it is?

Osteoarthritis refers to degenerative joint disease that affects a large number of people in their forties and fifties. The disease is consequential to the deterioration of cartilage. It is a smooth, elastic tissue that acts as a shield for joints providing lubrication necessary for normal functioning of the joints.

This condition can affect different body parts such as knees, hands, spine and hips. As far as osteoarthritis of the spine is considered, it especially affects the facet joints, the ligaments in the spine and the cartilage between the bones that make up the spine.

With the natural process of ageing, the cartilage coating of the facet joints slowly starts wearing away. Invertebral discs are made of water. The disc starts dehydrating as you start growing older. This, in turn, can cause the spinal discs to narrow and place more pressure on facet joints.

Symptoms of OA of the Spine

There are different symptoms of this condition. The most commonly prevalent condition is the pain in back. In early stages of the spinal osteoarthritis, you might only experience pain in morning because of hours of inactivity. It is a progressive disease thus symptoms become worsen over the period of time. Tenderness and stiffness in joints, limited range of movement and numbness or weakness in the arms of legs or tingling in the legs are some other symptoms.

The treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Spine is initiated on the basis of the symptoms that a patient is experiencing. Make sure you share all that you feel with the orthopedic surgeon to get the right treatment.

Thursday 6 July 2017

Osteoarthritis of The Spine – Important Things You Need To Know!

Before learning about Osteoarthritis of the Spine, it is important to know what osteoarthritis is. It is a degenerative disease, a condition in which the protective cartilage that cushions the bone tops start to degenerate or wears down. This, in turn, triggers pain and swelling. In addition, it might also be the cause for the development of bone spurs or osteophytes.

What Is Osteoarthritis of The Spine?

It is a condition in which a breakdown of the cartilages of the discs and joints located in the lower back and neck occur. In some cases, it produces spurs that place pressure on the nerve leaving the spinal column. Consequential this is the pain and weakness in the legs or arms.

Who Suffers From This Condition?

There are many people who suffer from the Osteoarthritis of the Spine in Atlanta. However, generally, older people develop this condition. Younger people might suffer from it because of one of the several causes:

•    A genetic defect involving cartilage
•    Trauma or injury to a joint

For people who are younger than 45 years of age, it is common among men. After age of 45, spinal osteoarthritis is highly common among women. It occurs commonly in people who are overweight. In addition, people who are in involved in jobs or sports activities that put pressure on some joints can also develop this condition.

This condition may cause pain or stiffness in the back or neck. It can also lead to numbness or weakness in the arms or legs if it is severe enough to affect the spinal cord or the spinal nerve itself. In most cases, people experience relief when they lie down. Spine surgeon recommends Spinal Osteoarthritis Treatment in Atlanta after carefully examining a patient. Right and effective spinal osteoarthritis treatment can help you live normal life.

Thursday 29 June 2017

Osteoarthritis of The Spine – Causes

It is a commonly known fact that arthritis is the main cause of pain in lower back, especially among people more than fifty years of age. The lower back comprises of five sets of facet joints, one on the right and one of the left side of each spinal bone. Like joints in other part of the body, the facet joints in lower back can be either inflamed or injured.

Osteoarthritis of the spine – What is it?

Arthritis is a general term which means swelling of a joint. The word arthritis is derived from a combination of the Greek – arthros meaning a joint and it is meaning inflammation. The facets are the only joints located in the spine. Spinal arthritis thus means inflammation of the spinal facet joints.

Causes of the Spinal Arthritis

As far as Spinal Osteoarthritis Treatment in Atlanta is considered, it depends on the causes and symptoms that a patient experiences. Osteoarthritis occurs mainly because of the internal damage to the facet joints. The surfaces of these joints are lined with smooth cartilage to allow easy movement as two sides of the joints rub against each other. However, listed below are the processes which can make joint painful.
  1. The combination of the inflammation of the joints and the muscle spasms causes pain in lower back
  2. When the cartilage on one side get damaged, torn or chipped then the spinal movement moves injured cartilage gouges its neighbor causing further damage or injury
  3. This injury to the joints causes friction and ultimately inflammation
  4. The swollen facet joints transmit this pain through a single nerve coming from the facet joint
  5. It is this signal which causes the back muscles to go into spasm.
The spinal facet joints in lower back are prone to develop Osteoarthritis of the Spine. If you are suffering from Osteoarthritis of the Spine in Atlanta then consult an experienced spine surgeon for the right treatment.

Tuesday 10 January 2017

Cervical Herniated disc– Consult an Orthopedic Surgeon for Effective Treatment

The arm pain resulting from a Cervical Herniated Disc Treatment happens when the herniated disc material presses or pinches on a cervical spine leading to pain which radiates down the arm. Given the fact that an increasing number of people are suffering from this condition, it is important to seek the right and effective treatment. The more you delay, higher the chances that your condition might deteriorate.

This condition is diagnosed when the inner core of a disc located in the neck leaks or herniates out of the disc, and presses on a neighbor nerve root. Usually it affects the people between thirty and fifty years of age. While the condition might originate from some type of neck injury or trauma, the symptoms start without any warning. As slated above, the arm pain resulting from this condition occurs because of the herniated disc material which presses or pinches on a cervical nerve, causing pain to radiate down the arm. In addition to the pain in arm, tingling and numbness might also be experienced down the arm into the fingertips. Also, chances are that muscle weakness might be present as well.

The discs located in the cervical spine are not large; however, also there is not much space available for the nerves. This, in turn means, that even a small cervical disc herniation might impinge on the nerve causing significant pain. One of the main reasons why arm pain is severe is that the nerve is the pinching of nerve. A herniated disc can trigger different types of symptoms in the fingers, arm, and neck and in some parts of the shoulder. The neurological deficits and pain patterns are usually determined by the location of the damaged herniated disc.

If you are suffering from this condition then seeking advice of an experienced and expert orthopedic surgeon can help you resume normal activities. Cervical Herniated Disc Atlanta treatment can be most effective if it is done timely.

Tuesday 3 January 2017

Spinal Stenosis Relief–Reason For The Occurrence Of Spinal Stenosis

The spine, perhaps, is one of the most important and sensitive groups of the bone in human body, owing to the fact that it homes and protects the spinal cord which is extremely essential for living a normal life. Any kind of injury or damage which occurs to the spine can have serious repercussions. For example, back pain which extends from the lower back and neck down to the legs, tingling, numbness and weakness occurring in the lower extremities and even death. Spinal stenosis is one of the most serious problems with the spinal cord and the spine. There are different treatments available for Spinal Stenosis Relief.

Spinal stenosis refers to the condition in which narrowing of the spinal occurs resulting in the impingement of the spinal cord and the several nerve roots, bonny spurs from other soft tissues or fractures just like it happens in the case of herniated discs. Although spinal stenosis can happen in any part of the spine, the lower back or lumbar region is the most vulnerable to spinal stenosis that is also known as lumbar spinal stenosis.

Usually, there are several factors which can trigger this condition. However, degenerative arthritis is the most common reason for the occurrence of this condition. Just like other joints in the body, degenerative arthritis manifests with the natural process of ageing. This, turn, can cause of formation of bone spurs, loss of cartilage in the joints and occurrence of degenerative disc disease which is all about the overgrowth of the ligaments structures and deterioration of the spinal discs. Some other factors which trigger spinal stenosis are infections, several metabolic bone disorders and tumors.

Spine surgeon initiates the treatment with medication and therapies. It is only when a patient fails to show any signs of improvement that they recommend Spinal Stenosis Surgery in Atlanta. The results of this surgery are excellent as patients experience Spinal Stenosis Relief Atlanta after recovery.