Understanding the Different Treatments for Your Chronic Joint Pain

Lasting joint pain gets in the way. Whether you deal with shoulder pain that makes it hard to put groceries away or knee pain that makes walking uncomfortable, you’ve probably already tried changing your habits to decrease your pain. But all too often, untreated joint pain will only limit you more and more as time passes.

Fortunately, here at Hawai’i Pain and Spine, on the Windward side of Oʻahu in Kailua, Dr. Jonathan D. Carlson can help. With an impressive array of treatments for chronic joint pain, our team can come alongside you to find what brings you relief. 

To help you understand your options for putting a stop to your joint pain, let’s look at some of the treatment categories Dr. Carlson offers:

Conservative treatments

Dr. Carlson always starts with the most conservative treatments first. That way, if you find relief with lifestyle changes, you can move forward without reliance on medications or other treatments.

Depending on the location, severity, and cause of your joint pain, Dr. Carlson might first recommend conservative treatments like:

• Massage therapy
• Hydrotherapy 
• Acupuncture
• Physical therapy
• Lifestyle modifications like a low-impact exercise regimen

With drug-free options like these, some people find significant relief from their joint pain.

If your joint doesn’t respond to conservative treatments, Dr. Carlson can scale up your treatment plan. 

Joint injections

Joint injections give Dr. Carlson a minimally invasive way to address the root cause of your joint pain. This can help people with problems like arthritis, sacroiliac (SI) joint dysfunction, and bursitis. 

Many people get significant relief with steroid injections because of the powerful antiinflammatory effects of the steroid. 

Dr. Carlson can also apply a nerve block to numb the nerves sending pain signals from your joint to your brain. 

Radiofrequency treatment

Depending on your joint and the severity of your pain, Dr. Carlson may recommend a radiofrequency-based treatment. With nerve radiofrequency lesioning, he can apply heat energy to temporarily turn off certain nerves’ ability to send pain signals. Many patients find they get relief for 6-12 months.

Regenerative medicine

In some cases, your body may have the ability to heal the affected joint, provided it has ample support. Enter regenerative medicine treatments: stem cell and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapies. These minimally invasive treatments deliver components to your joint to stimulate healing and support your body’s natural restorative processes.

All told, you have a variety of joint pain treatment options that don’t require surgery or significant downtime. To learn more about which might be best for you and your specific chronic joint pain, call our office to schedule your appointment with Dr. Carlson today.