Why should you get your arthritis treated?

Arthritis is a progressive condition that causes joint inflammation, stiffness and pain. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. If you are dealing with recurring joint pain, swelling and stiffness it’s important that you see a doctor right away. The sooner arthritis is diagnosed the sooner our team can provide you with medications that can slow the progression of joint damage. If left untreated, arthritis can cause severe and irreversible joint damage. While there is no cure, the team at Eden Internal Medicine can help you get your arthritis under control.

More Than Just Pain Relief

While the goal is to help you manage your joint pain, this isn’t the only thing that a comprehensive treatment plan should offer you. Our medical team will create a customized treatment that will help you ease pain, reduce swelling, slow joint damage and improve day-to-day activities and quality of life.

Your Symptoms Can Go into Remission

While it’s true that arthritis is a lifelong condition, it is possible that patients who seek treatment right away and follow their doctor’s treatment plan and medications experience high remission rates. Remission simply means that someone with arthritis experiences little to no symptoms.

Your Lifestyle Impacts Your Arthritis

While seeing a doctor to get the proper medication is important for slowing the progression of this inflammatory disease, it’s also just as important that you are leading a healthy lifestyle. Your lifestyle and habits greatly impact your health, as well. Some ways to ease pain and inflammation include,

• Losing weight, if overweight or obese
• Getting regular exercise
• Quitting smoking
• Getting high cholesterol and blood pressure under control
• Limiting alcohol
• Eating a healthy, low-inflammatory diet

Stick with the Plan

Once our medical team prescribes your arthritis medication it is important that you continue to take it, exactly as directed. Yes, you will definitely see an improvement in your symptoms but it’s important that you don’t stop taking the medication just because you’re feeling better. If you’re noticing unpleasant side effects or aren’t noticing an improvement in your symptoms, you should also talk with your doctor first before stopping the medication.

If you are concerned that you might have arthritis, or you’re looking for a doctor that can provide you with the treatment you need, simply call Eden Internal Medicine at (336) 627-4896 to schedule an evaluation.