Orthopedic Health Specialists Offer Advice On Dealing With Arthritis

DANBURY — Staying well by exercising, eating a well-balanced diet, taking vitamins, and watching your weight is the best prescription against osteoarthritis, the common form of the painful disease.

“Maintaining mobility by using an exercise bike, walking, or swimming helps eliminate stiffness and joint problems,” said orthopedic surgeon Ronald Tietjen, MD, at Danbury Hospital’s recent Medical Town Meeting, “No Bones About It: A Discussion of Knee, Hip and Total Joint Replacement.” Dr Tietjen, a resident of Newtown, spoke along with orthopedic surgeon Robert Deveney, MD; physical therapist Dana Bottali; and orthopedic clinical case coordinator Lisa Sohonyay, RN.

But even when people do everything right, arthritis still affects 25 million people in this country. It occurs when the articular cartilage in the joints gradually wears down due to aging.

Treatment of arthritis can be as simple as using ice to reduce inflammation, warmth to promote mobility, and taking aspirin or ibuprofen for pain and swelling, according to Dr Tietjen. Over-the-counter medicines work just as well as the expensive prescription medications in some cases, he added. “The safest is Tylenol; ice and Tylenol can be an effective treatment of knee arthritis.”

“Try non-medical treatments first,” he said, then resort to medications. Non-medical treatments can include alternative and complementary medicine approaches, such as using magnetic therapy or taking glucosamine, chondroitin, or MSM to promote cartilage growth. Acupuncture is also said to help, as do the newer medications, including Celebrex and Vioxx.

“I enjoy listening to people talking about arthritis,” said Dr Tietjen, “I learn a lot from them. There are a lot of remedies out there and if something works for you, keep doing it.”

When treatment isn’t enough to ease pain and a person begins to avoid exercise and walking, it might be time to consider joint replacement, according to the doctors. This surgery replaces a worn-out joint with a metal and plastic prosthesis.

“Surgery is often an alternative to having pain,” said Dr Deveney. “Patients can then return to activities and exercise that they once enjoyed.”

The miraculous thing about joint replacement surgery, he said, is that pain is gone almost immediately after the operation. Recovery usually takes about a month, with some physical therapy, and a person is back to a good part of their normal routine.

What does the future hold for joint replacement surgery? The doctors predict that improved materials will be found to replace joints that will be more long-lasting. Research is also exploring ways to promote cartilage regrowth, which may wipe out arthritis in the future.

If you’re suffering from arthritic pain, the doctors suggest seeing your doctor and discussing treatment options.