Services / Arthritis

Arthritis is a common cause of joint pain and disability. Getting treatment for your arthritis during the early stages may prevent or delay the pain that leads to disability. At Cascade Orthopaedics, the team offers many treatment options for arthritis, including medical and surgical options. For help with your arthritis, call the office in Auburn and Bonney Lake or schedule an appointment online today.

What is arthritis?

Though often thought of as a diagnosis, arthritis is a medical term for joint inflammation. There are many conditions that cause arthritis.

With arthritis, you have pain, inflammation, and stiffness in the joint. These symptoms may affect mobility and quality of life. Arthritis may affect any joint in the body, but most often occurs in the:

• Hands
• Fingers and thumb
• Shoulders
• Knees
• Hips
• Feet
• Lower back

Arthritis is a progressive condition that can lead to permanent joint damage. Getting help for your arthritis at Cascade Orthopaedics may delay or prevent the worsening of your joint condition.

What are the common types of arthritis?

There are more than 100 types of arthritis. However, some types are more common than others, including:

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the wear-and-tear arthritis that occurs from the degeneration of the cartilage in the joint over time. This is the most common type.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

RA is an autoimmune disease. With RA, the immune system mistakenly attacks the lining of the joint, causing inflammation and pain.

Juvenile arthritis

Juvenile arthritis is an autoimmune condition that affects children 16 years of age and younger. 

Post-traumatic arthritis

Old joint injuries increase your risk of developing post-traumatic arthritis. 

What happens during an arthritis evaluation?

You can expect a patient-focused exam when you visit Cascade Orthopaedics, for help managing your arthritis. The team asks detailed questions about your symptoms and how they affect your quality of life.

They review your daily routine and medical history and examine the joints responsible for your pain. Your doctor may perform on-site imaging to assess the severity of your arthritis.

What does treatment for arthritis include?

The team takes an individualized approach to arthritis based on the joint where you have the pain and inflammation. For example, with thumb arthritis or shoulder arthritis, they may recommend bracing, joint injections, or surgery. 

However, the practice offers a wide range of treatment options to manage any type of arthritis in any joint. Treatments may include:

• Activity modification
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Bracing or splinting
• Joint injections
• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy
• Bone marrow concentrate (BMC) therapy
• Physical therapy

The skilled orthopaedic surgeons at Cascade Orthopaedics can also perform total joint replacement procedures for patients with severe arthritis that no longer responds to medical interventions.

Don’t wait for your arthritis to get worse, call Cascade Orthopaedics, or schedule an appointment online today.