internist

Top Arthritis Symptoms Treated in Wellington

Arthritis is a common condition, yet it is frequently underestimated and misunderstood. Many people tend to shrug it off as “just a bit of wear and tear” or chalk it up to aging. In reality, arthritis is far from the usual aches and pains, and it is not an inevitable part of getting old—it has no cure and, without proper medical care, it can lead to permanent disability.

Contrary to popular belief, arthritis is not just one disease: it is an umbrella term for 100 different joint conditions, each with its own set of challenges. Despite their differences, many types of arthritis share common warning signs. It is important to pay attention when your body starts dropping clues and take action right away. The sooner you get treatment, the better your chances of avoiding irreversible joint damage and preserving your mobility and overall quality of life.

Below, you will learn about the common symptoms of arthritis and where to find treatment for it in Wellington, FL.

Joint Pain

Joint pain, also known as arthralgia, is the most common symptom of arthritis. Depending on the type you have, you may experience either a dull ache that is gradual and persistent, or sharp, severe pain out of nowhere. You might feel it in your hands, shoulders, knees, hips, or even your feet, and it can manifest after periods of rest and exercise.

If you are finding yourself constantly reaching for painkillers or skipping activities because of sudden or recurrent attacks of joint pain, it is definitely worth getting checked.

Swelling

Swelling is another hallmark sign of arthritis, and its cause depends on the type of arthritis you are dealing with.

With wear-and-tear arthritis (osteoarthritis), swelling occurs due to friction, which happens when the cushion (cartilage) lining your joints wears down and your bones grind against each other.

With inflammatory types of arthritis like gout and rheumatoid arthritis, your immune system goes into overdrive, mistakenly attacking the tissues in your joints. This triggers an inflammatory response, which is essentially part of your body’s healing mechanism. Inflammation causes the lining of your joints to swell up and produce excess fluid. This buildup of fluid leads to visible swelling around the joint.

Unlike swelling caused by minor injuries, arthritis-related swelling tends to linger or ebb and flow. If the area around a joint looks visibly enlarged or feels puffy for more than three days, and rest and ice do not bring relief, see your healthcare provider to find out its underlying cause.

Stiffness

Stiffness, particularly in the morning or after a long period of inactivity, is another common sign of arthritis.

Like swelling, stiffness related to osteoarthritis (OA) is a result of cartilage damage, while stiffness in inflammatory types of arthritis is due to swelling of the joint lining and excess fluid buildup.

If you find yourself struggling to move a joint, or needing time to loosen it up before you can function normally, it could be a sign that arthritis is at play.

Fatigue

Fatigue is another common symptom of arthritis, albeit lesser-known. Arthritis-related fatigue has a number of potential causes, namely:

  • Sleep deprivation: The nagging pain related to the condition can make restful sleep elusive, leaving you feeling spent the next day.

 

  • Stress: Unrelenting arthritis symptoms can lead to stress, which triggers the release of cortisol and adrenaline. While helpful in short bursts, constant elevation of these hormones can disrupt your natural energy cycle. This results in physical burnout.

 

  • Inflammation: The inflammatory response is an energy-intensive process in itself. Your body requires energy to ward off what it perceives as a potential threat.

 

  • Inactivity: The pain and stiffness associated with arthritis can make movement seem like a tall order. However, without it, your energy levels can take a hit. When you are sedentary, your blood flow slows down. Reduced blood flow deprives your cells of oxygen, which drives your metabolism, a process in which your body turns food into energy.

 

Treatment for Arthritis in Wellington, FL

Arthritis is one of those conditions that you are never meant to tackle alone. You need an expert by your side to help you rein in your symptoms, slow its progression, and maintain your independence.

For top-tier treatment for arthritis in Wellington, FL, partner with us here at Advanced Medical Clinic. Our providers specialize in chronic disease management and have helped countless men and women feel, move, and live better despite their conditions—they can help you, too.

To request an appointment with Dr. Ishan Gunawardene, our board-certified internist, or Shariffa Gunawardene, our board-certified family nurse practitioner, call us at (561) 434-1935. You may also fill out this secure online form.

 

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The Difference between an Internist and a Primary Care Provider

To understand the difference between an internist and a primary care provider, it is important to realize that one is a specialty, and the other is a role. An internist is a provider who specializes in internal medicine, and is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of adult diseases. While an internist can function as a primary care provider, he or she may also focus their practice on hospital medicine, medical education and/or research. On the other hand, a primary care provider may be an internist, a pediatrician, a geriatrician, a family practitioner, a gynecologist or an obstetrician, because primary care involves the practice of promoting overall health for the entire individual within the specific population (geriatrics, pediatrics, etc.) of the provider’s specialty. Let’s first look at the specialty of internal medicine, and then examine how these and other providers practice in the primary care environment.

The Internist: The Internal Medicine Specialist 

Internists are providers who have specialized training in the diagnosis and management of illness in adult patients. This means that they are capable of helping their patients stay healthy and prevent illness, but are also able to diagnose and treat both acute and chronic illnesses. Just a few of the many illnesses an internist would treat include hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, kidney disease, asthma, heart disease, arthritis, bronchitis, ear infections, back pain and the common cold. The list is exhaustive but basically includes any illness than can affect adults.

Internists are particularly skilled in reviewing the symptoms of patients with complex problems, performing physical exams, ordering diagnostic tests, and using this information to identify both common and rare illnesses. They are basically the detectives and problem-solvers of adult medicine; and they are also experts in treating extremely ill adults.  This is why internists are found in a variety of roles and settings. You may have an internist as your primary care provider, treating you in an office or clinic. However, some internists, known as hospitalists, care for acutely ill patients in the hospital. And some do both. Because of their specialized education and training, internists are exceptionally suited for treating patients with multiple medical problems, understanding how these illnesses, their medications, and their treatments interact, and adjusting the plan of care to best suit the individual patient’s needs.

The Primary Care Provider

A primary care provider (PCP) is basically the provider that you’ve always known as “your family medicine provider.” They are responsible for the ongoing health and wellbeing of their patients, by promoting healthy behavior, helping you prevent illness, and quickly diagnosing and treating any new or potential health problems. He or she is the family medicine provider who knows you the best and who you can turn to for any health concerns. The primary care provider is usually your first contact with the health care system, and they are skilled in providing a comprehensive assessment of health care needs, as well as continuous monitoring of chronic illnesses and treatment of new problems. They will also know when a referral to another specialist is warranted.

The central person in primary care is the patient, and the primary care family medicine provider will focus on you as a whole individual. They work hard to maintain a trusting relationship with their patients and will partner with you to come up with the best plan for your good health. This plan will usually include age-appropriate health maintenance, routine monitoring, immunizations, counseling, patient education, and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses. To realize the real benefit of having a primary care provider, you should look at them as your focal point of all your health care needs. By turning to your primary care provider first, you will make sure that the family medicine provider treating you knows and understands you; and you will avoid unnecessary tests or trips to specialists.

The role of primary care provider is performed by more than one type of provider, and each provides care to the population that they have specialized in. Internists are experts in the care of adults, or those 18 years and older. Geriatricians, on the other hand, are internists that have additional training for the medical needs of adults 65 and older. Family Practice providers are qualified to provide primary care for patients of all ages, from newborns to the elderly, while pediatricians see patients from infancy through adolescence. Specialists in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) can provide primary care for women, including reproductive health and family planning. While we often think of primary care practices as those in outpatient offices and clinic, in reality, primary care can be performed in a number of settings. This includes long-term care settings such as nursing homes, home care, day-care and even in the hospital. Whichever the setting, the primary care provider carefully tailors the healthcare plan to meet the individual needs of each patient, with the goal of helping their patients achieve their highest level of health.

When your family medicine provider knows and understands you, and is carefully monitoring your health needs, the results are bound to be of benefit to you. With the focus on prevention and early action when an illness arises, the primary care provider can often help patients avoid severe illness, the need for specialists and hospitalizations. Experts agree that primary care increases everyone’s access to healthcare and improves the quality of health care. On a more personal level, patients and providers are given the opportunity to form trusting and lasting relationships.

We would be happy to answer any questions you may have about internal medicine or primary care. At Advanced Medical, PA, we pride ourselves in providing quality health care in both internal medicine and primary care. To learn more about us and the services we offer, or to schedule a visit, call us at (561) 434-1935 to request an appointment, or request one online.