Joint pain that develops over time and gradually worsens is likely due to arthritis, but injuries and overuse can also result in painful joints. If you’re looking for an effective way of tackling your joint pain, Dr. Barry F. Faust, Jr. can help. At his practice, Faust Interventional Pain in Metairie, Louisiana, Dr. Faust uses treatments like steroid injections into affected joints and radiofrequency ablation in the knees to relieve pain that isn’t improving with conservative methods. To find a treatment that works for your joint pain, check their website or call the office today to book an appointment. The practice serves the communities of New Orleans, Slidell, Metairie, and the surrounding areas.
(504) 350-8700
Faust Interventional Pain
Barry F. Faust Jr., MD
Interventional Pain Medicine located in Metairie, LA
Joint Pain Q & A
What causes joint pain?
There are three causes of joint pain:
Acute injuries
Acute injuries happen suddenly when excessive stress on the joint causes one or more of the structures within it to stretch, tear, or rupture completely. This can happen when playing sports or as a result of a fall or other accident.
Injuries that you might sustain include anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in the knee or damage to the other three knee ligaments, rotator cuff tears in your shoulder, and cartilage injuries such as meniscal tears in the knee and labral tears in the hip or shoulder. You could also fracture or dislocate a joint.
Chronic diseases
The most widespread chronic joint disease is arthritis, which takes multiple forms. The one that causes the most cases of joint pain is osteoarthritis, a condition where the bones in your joints lose their protective layers of cartilage due to years of wear and tear. Other common forms of arthritis include psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis and gout.
Overuse injuries
Overuse injuries develop when you subject your joints to the same movements for prolonged periods. This can cause irritation and multiple tiny tears in a tendon, resulting in tendinitis, or inflammation of fluid-filled protective sacs (bursae) in the joint, causing bursitis.
What treatments can help with joint pain?
Acute joint pain from a damaged ligament or other injury requires rest to give the tissues time to heal. You might need to keep your leg raised or your arm on a cushion, depending on which joint is affected, and apply gentle heat and ice to reduce pain and swelling.
Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain-relief medication can alleviate most types of mild to moderate joint pain. You might also need to apply a compression bandage or use a splint, sling, or brace to support the damaged joint.
Physical therapy and therapeutic massage can help your injuries to heal and your joints to stay flexible, as well as prevent weakness and connective tissue shortening. These treatments are also invaluable for chronic joint pain.
What can I do if joint pain doesn’t improve?
If you aren’t getting sufficient relief from joint pain with your initial treatments, Dr. Faust offers a selection of interventional therapies to help. These can also be useful for patients who have chronic diseases like arthritis, which has no cure.
In the early stages, arthritis is controllable with medication and physical therapy, but as your condition progresses, these approaches may become less effective. Dr. Faust might then recommend joint injections containing a steroid medication that reduces inflammation in the joint and relieves pain.
These injections can provide long-lasting relief. If you still aren’t managing your joint pain, another possibility is radiofrequency ablation, which uses radio wave energy to disable the nerves in joints like your knees.
To find relief from your joint pain, call Faust Interventional Pain today or book an appointment online.