Arthritis & Osteoarthritis

Arthritis is one of the leading causes of chronic pain and disability in the United States, affecting more than 54 million adults. At Global Pain Management, we help patients throughout Maryland live more active, comfortable lives by targeting the specific joints responsible for their pain with interventional treatments that go beyond what oral medications alone can offer.

What is arthritis & osteoarthritis?

Arthritis is an umbrella term for more than 100 conditions involving joint inflammation, but the two most common forms seen in a pain management practice are osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis). Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease caused by the progressive breakdown of articular cartilage — the smooth cushioning tissue that lines the ends of bones within a joint. As cartilage erodes, bone rubs against bone, producing pain, stiffness, and eventual deformity. OA most commonly affects the knees, hips, hands, and spine, where it manifests as facet joint arthropathy or sacroiliac joint degeneration. Risk factors include age, obesity, prior joint injury, and repetitive mechanical stress. Inflammatory arthritis involves immune-mediated attack on joint tissue and is characterized by warmth, swelling, and systemic symptoms in addition to pain. Both forms can be progressive, and effective management requires an individualized approach that addresses the type, severity, and functional impact of the arthritis.

Common symptoms

• Aching joint pain that worsens with activity and improves with rest
• Morning stiffness lasting more than thirty minutes
• Swelling, warmth, or tenderness around a joint
• Crepitus (grinding or clicking sensation) during joint movement
• Decreased range of motion and joint flexibility
• Joint deformity in advanced stages
• Low back or buttock pain from spinal or sacroiliac joint arthritis

How we treat arthritis & osteoarthritis

Our interventional pain management approach to arthritis focuses on providing meaningful relief at the joint level while supporting overall function. Intra-articular corticosteroid injections reduce joint inflammation and are highly effective for acute flares in the knee, hip, shoulder, and sacroiliac joints. Viscosupplementation with hyaluronic acid can restore lubrication to the osteoarthritic knee and provide extended relief between flares. For spinal arthritis affecting the facet joints, medial branch blocks confirm the diagnosis and radiofrequency ablation of the medial branch nerves can provide six to eighteen months of significant pain relief. Sacroiliac joint injections and radiofrequency ablation address SI joint arthritis, a frequently missed source of low back and buttock pain. We complement these procedures with medication management and coordinate with rheumatologists and orthopedic surgeons when indicated.

Treatment options we may use