Arthritis

Approximately 54 million people in the United States are living with arthritis, and this number is expected to climb to 78 million by 2040, thanks to an aging population. If your joints are plagued by arthritis, John Lochemes, MD, at Titan Orthopedics can provide you with much-needed relief. As a specialist in arthritis, Dr. Lochemes offers a number of solutions to his Memphis, Tennessee, area patients that allow them to maintain active lives in the face of arthritis.

What causes arthritis?

Most cases of arthritis are osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative disease that comes after years of wear and tear on your joints. There are a few factors that may put you more at risk of developing osteoarthritis, including:

Heredity
Carrying extra weight
Inactivity
Previous injury

The causes of other forms of arthritis are varied and include infection, toxins, genetics, and more. As an orthopedist, Dr. Lochemes largely concentrates on the effects of osteoarthritis on your joints.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most common forms of arthritis?

Arthritis is a catchall term for more than 100 diseases that cause inflammation and pain in your joints. The most common forms of arthritis include:

Osteoarthritis

Of the 54 million people in the United States with arthritis, 31 million suffer from osteoarthritis, which is a degenerative form of the disease that causes the cartilage in your joints to break down. Since your cartilage is responsible for helping your bones to slide together smoothly, its loss leads to pain and inflammation within the joint.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This form of arthritis is an autoimmune disorder in which your body mistakenly attacks your joints, causing pain and inflammation.

Psoriatic arthritis

This is an inflammatory disease wherein your body’s immune system attacks the connective tissue within your joints. There are many other forms of arthritis, but these three make up the lion’s share of all diagnoses.

How is arthritis treated?

It’s helpful to understand that there’s no cure for osteoarthritis, but there’s much that Dr. Lochemes can do to slow its progression to help you maintain an active life. To do this, he tailors a treatment plan to your lifestyle and goals, which may include one, or more, of the following:

Prescription medications
Anti-inflammatory medications
Physical therapy
Regenerative medicine
Lifestyle changes

With most cases of osteoarthritis, the goal is to safeguard your mobility and to relieve your pain, which Dr. Lochemes can accomplish with your help. For example, while medications can address the immediate discomfort, any work you do to strengthen your joints through targeted exercises is critical. If your arthritis is advanced, Dr. Lochemes may recommend a surgical solution to clear out damaged tissue or to replace your joint entirely.