Conditions We Treat
As a pain and injury doctor in NJ & NY, we treat a range of conditions that cause pain in the joints or orthopedic issues.
Some of the most common conditions we see as joint pain doctors include tennis elbow, pulled muscles, ankle sprains, shoulder injuries, and runner’s knee. We also help patients with dislocations, meniscus tears, other knee injuries, and other muscle injuries.
Treatment Options
As mentioned, the treatment plan that we suggest will depend mainly on your symptoms. We may mean modifying your activities as you heal and letting the injured area rest. We may also give you assistive devices such as braces, canes, or slings to help with mobility and stabilization during healing.
Physical therapy is one of the treatment options, as it can help you heal injuries, reduce pain, and improve mobility and range of motion. Treatment may also include massage, and we may suggest manual adjustments or trigger point therapy in some cases.
Our joint specialists may also suggest medications, including oral medications, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or over-the-counter, depending on the severity of the pain. Other potential medications include skeletal muscle relaxers. There may also be topical medications. Depending on the condition, we may also give you a steroid injection that features a numbing medicine and corticosteroid. This particular type of injection helps with both pain and relief and mobility.
How We Treat Sports Injuries
Our doctor’s treatment for a sports injury will depend on the injury itself, as there is such a variety of potential conditions. That said, our sports injury doctor may suggest a simple RICE method:
- Rest – This step lets your injury rest and heal. You should not continue your sports activity during recovery, and we may suggest other minor modifications to your routine.
- Ice – You can use an ice pack, applying it every two or three hours for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Compression – Applying elastic compression bandages helps keep swelling under control.
- Elevation – Keeping your injury above your heart level can help reduce swelling as well.
A physician may also add a “protection” step of this; we may immobilize your injury by including the use of a brace. This can reduce the risk of further damage, avoid muscle swelling and spasms, and limit your pain.
You can also expect physiotherapy to be part of the treatment for sports injuries in Jersey City. This can include exercises, manipulation, and massage.
Our sports pain doctor in New Jersey and New York may also suggest medication to help relieve the pain. Depending on the injury, we may prescribe an over-the-counter remedy or prescribe an NSAID. He may also recommend corticosteroid injections to reduce pain.
Joint Pain Treatment Methods
The treatment methods our joint pain doctor uses will frequently overlap with those for orthopedics and sports injuries.
Expect medication suggestions. These can include over-the-counter medicines and prescription medicines.
Our joint specialists will also help you develop a fitness plan or work with a physical therapist to do so. This will help you remain active in a way that limits the risk of damage to your joints. We will also show you exercises to do before certain activities.
When working with a rheumatologist in NJ & NY to handle joint pain, expect the focus to be on reducing inflammation. Resolving that issue should also help reduce your pain.