Arthritis Pain

Overview

Physicians diagnose millions of people of all ages with arthritis every year. If you experience pain and stiffness in your joints, you may have one of over 100 types of arthritis. Indiana University Health Pain Management physicians collaborate closely with orthopedic and rheumatology experts to treat arthritis pain using the latest scientific innovation.

Arthritis Types

The most common types of arthritis include:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis: When your body’s immune system attacks the lining of your joints, you have Rheumatoid arthritis. This causes swelling and pain.
• Juvenile arthritis: Juvenile arthritis refers to arthritis in children, under age 16. Unlike adults, children may outgrow symptoms of arthritis. Sometimes, juvenile arthritis does not go away with age. Congenital defects or autoimmune disorders can cause juvenile arthritis.

Conditions such as gout or lupus may also cause arthritis.

Physicians at IU Health will use simple blood tests, joint pain assessments and imaging procedures, such as X-rays, to diagnose your arthritis.

Arthritis Pain Symptoms

Your arthritis pain can feel debilitating and keep you from working and enjoying your favorite activities or even walking. When you cannot get surgery or when it does not provide relief, your fellowship-trained physicians will offer other advanced therapies aimed at reducing your pain such as physical therapy, exercise, pain medicines, or steroid injections to restore your function.

Treatment

IU Health physicians develop personalized treatment plans to help you overcome arthritis pain that may include one or more of the following services:

• Pain medicines. Non-narcotic pain medicines, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), often reduce pain associated with arthritis. Narcotic pain medicines do not effectively control arthritis pain. You can purchase non-narcotic pain relievers over-the-counter or by prescription.
• Physical therapy
• Steroid injections
• Intrathecal pain pump