Arthritis Care

Arthritis can make it difficult to walk, clean your house, or even enjoy fun activities with loved ones. At Virtua Orthopedics & Spine, we deliver personalized, expert care for every major joint of the body. Together, we can help manage symptoms, minimize joint damage, and improve your quality of life.

Signs and Symptoms of Arthritis

When you have arthritis, your joints become inflamed and swollen. Beyond being painful, arthritis can make it difficult to move, stay active, or even get a good night's sleep.

While there are more than 100 different types of arthritis—each with unique signs—common symptoms include:

• Persistent pain
• Redness
• Stiffness
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• Warmth in the affected area
• Limited range of motion

Types of Arthritis

• Osteoarthritis: The most common form of arthritis, this happens when joint cartilage breaks down over time. It's often referred to as "wear-and-tear" arthritis.
• Rheumatoid arthritis: This is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease. It occurs when your immune system attacks healthy cells in your joints by mistake. 
• Psoriatic arthritis: Also an autoimmune disease, it typically affects some people who have the skin condition psoriasis, causing pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints. 
• Ankylosing spondylitis: This is a type of arthritis that causes pain and stiffness in the joints and ligaments of the spine.
• Gout: A common form of arthritis that often affects the joint in your big toe. It's often characterized by sudden and intense episodes of pain in the affected area.

Arthritis Diagnosis at Virtua

At Virtua Orthopedics & Spine, we know how frustrating arthritis can be. That's why our orthopedic specialists and rheumatologists work together to understand your symptoms and develop the best possible plan to ensure your needs are met.

Here's what you can expect by connecting with our team:

• Setting the foundation: In your initial consultation, we'll talk through your symptoms, medical history, and goals. We'll ask if you have a family history of arthritis or experienced any illnesses or injuries that might explain your pain. Ultimately, our mission is to understand your story and what you're going through.
• Complete evaluation: Our specialists will conduct a thorough assessment of the joints causing you pain. This might include feeling for tenderness or swelling and testing for motion and mobility.
• Additional testing: Depending on your exam, we might recommend additional testing like an X-ray, ultrasound, or MRI to confirm or detect any issues causing your joint pain. We might also request blood work if we suspect you have gout or rheumatoid arthritis.

Arthritis Treatment at Virtua

While there is no cure for arthritis, our team will develop a personalized treatment plan curated to your lifestyle and goals. This could include:

• Medication, like anti-inflammatory medications, to help reduce pain and swelling. We'll also work with you to manage and modify prescriptions when necessary.
• Injections, like corticosteroids, which can temporarily reduce inflammation and help with pain.
• Physical Therapy and rehabilitation featuring a team of therapists who can help improve mobility and slow arthritis progression.
• Joint replacement surgery to treat damaged joints. Our board-certified surgeons perform thousands of joint replacements each year. This includes knee replacements, hip replacements, shoulder replacements, and more.

Here to deliver the care you need

If you've been dealing with joint pain in the following areas, discover how our team can help:

• Hip pain
• Knee pain
• Shoulder pain
• Hand, wrist, and elbow pain
• Foot and ankle pain
• Back and spine pain