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Understanding and Treating Joint Pain
Joint pain is a common complaint that can significantly impact your ability to perform daily activities. It can affect any joint in the body but is particularly common in the major joints that bear weight and are used frequently, such as the shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees. Pain can arise from the bones, cartilage, ligaments, or tendons that make up the joint and can be caused by everything from overuse and acute injuries to chronic conditions like arthritis.
At the Shashikanth Orthopedic Hospital, we provide a comprehensive evaluation to diagnose the specific cause of your joint pain and create a personalized therapy plan to restore your mobility and improve your quality of life.
Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain is any discomfort felt in or around the shoulder joint. Your shoulder is the most movable joint in your body, a complex ball-and-socket structure held in place by a group of four muscles and tendons called the rotator cuff. This wide range of motion makes it vulnerable to various injuries and conditions.
What are the Symptoms?
Shoulder pain can feel like a dull ache or a sharp, stabbing sensation. Other common symptoms include:
- Pain when lifting your arm overhead or reaching behind you
- Stiffness or a limited range of motion
- A feeling of weakness in the arm
- A sensation that the shoulder might pop out of its socket
- Popping, catching, or grinding feelings with movement
- Pain at night, especially when lying on the affected side
What Causes It?
The most common causes of shoulder pain stem from overuse, damage, or age-related wear and tear.
- Rotator Cuff Injuries: This is the most frequent cause and includes inflammation of the tendons (tendonitis), pinching of the tendons (impingement), or a partial or complete tear of a tendon.
- Bursitis: The bursa, a fluid-filled sac that provides cushioning in the joint, can become inflamed due to repetitive motions.
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear) and rheumatoid arthritis can cause the protective cartilage in the joint to break down, leading to pain and stiffness.
- Instability and Dislocation: A traumatic injury can force the “ball” of the upper arm bone out of its socket, damaging the surrounding cartilage (labrum) and ligaments.
- Fractures: A fall or direct blow can cause a crack or break in the collarbone, shoulder blade, or upper arm bone.
How We Diagnose and Treat Your Pain
Diagnosis begins with a physical exam to assess your range of motion, strength, and stability. Imaging tests like X-rays or an MRI may be used to get a detailed view of the bones and soft tissues.
Treatment is tailored to your specific condition and may include:
- Non-Surgical Options: Rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen are often the first line of treatment. Physical therapy is crucial for strengthening the shoulder muscles and improving posture.
- Minimally Invasive Surgery: For persistent issues like rotator cuff tears or labral tears, Dr. Shashikanth can perform arthroscopic (“key hole”) surgery to repair the damage through small incisions.
Elbow Pain
Elbow pain is any discomfort in or around the elbow joint, which allows you to bend, straighten, and rotate your arm. Most elbow pain is not serious and is often caused by overuse or repetitive strain on the muscles and tendons.
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What are the Symptoms?
Elbow pain can range from a dull ache to a sharp, shooting pain. You might also experience:
- Pain on the inside or outside of the elbow, which may worsen when bending or straightening the arm
- Tenderness to the touch
- Swelling and redness
- Weakness in your grip or difficulty holding objects
- Numbness or tingling that radiates into the forearm and fingers
What Causes It?
Repetitive strain is the most common culprit behind elbow pain.
- Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis): This is an overuse injury causing pain on the surface of the elbow. It affects the tendons that connect your forearm muscles to the bone and is common not just in tennis players, but also in painters, plumbers, and people who use computer mice frequently.
- Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis): Similar to tennis elbow, this condition causes pain on the inside of the elbow due to repeated stress from activities that involve wrist and finger activities.
- Bursitis: Inflammation of the bursa at the bony tip of the elbow, often from repetitive pressure or trauma.
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can cause the elbow joint’s cartilage to wear down, leading to pain, swelling, and stiffness.
- Nerve Compression: Nerves can become pinched or trapped in the elbow, causing pain, numbness, and tingling. Cubital tunnel syndrome is a common example.
- Trauma: A direct blow or fall can lead to fractures, dislocations, or sprains.
How We Diagnose and Treat Your Pain
A physical examination helps pinpoint the location of the pain and assess your range of motion. In some cases, imaging tests like an X-ray or an EMG (to check for nerve problems) may be needed.
Our treatment approach focuses on relieving pain and restoring function:
- Non-Surgical Options: The first step is often rest and avoiding activities that cause pain. Ice, anti-inflammatory medications, and physical therapy exercises are highly effective. A brace or splint may also be recommended to rest the muscles and tendons.
- Injections: For persistent pain, corticosteroid or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections can help decrease inflammation and promote healing.
- Surgery: Surgery is rarely needed but may be an option if symptoms do not respond after 6 to 12 months of conservative treatment.
Hip Pain
Hip pain is any discomfort in or around the hip joint, one of the body's largest weight-bearing joints. Pain from the hip joint itself is often felt in the groin or the front of the thigh, not just on the outside of the hip.
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What are the Symptoms?
Hip pain can manifest in several ways:
- Pain in the groin, thigh, or buttock
- Stiffness, especially when bending down to put on shoes and socks
- A limp when walking
- Swelling or tenderness in the hip area
- A clicking, catching, or locking sensation in the joint
What Causes It?
Hip pain can be caused by a wide range of conditions, from gradual wear and tear to acute injuries.
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of chronic hip pain, occurring when the protective cartilage wears away, leading to “bone-on-bone” grinding.
- Bursitis: Inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that cushion the hip joint, often causing pain on the outer side of the hip.
- Tendonitis: Inflammation or irritation of the tendons that connect muscles to the hip bones, typically from overuse.
- Hip Fractures: A break in the upper part of the femur, most common in older adults, causing sudden and severe pain.
- Labral Tears: A tear in the ring of cartilage (labrum) that lines the hip socket, which can cause a catching sensation.
Avascular Necrosis: A condition where the blood supply to the “ball” part of the hip joint is cut off, driving the bone tissue to die.
How We Diagnose and Treat Your Pain
Diagnosis involves a thorough physical exam and a discussion of your symptoms. X-rays are typically used to check for arthritis or fractures, while an MRI may be needed to see soft tissues like the labrum.
We offer a full spectrum of treatments to get you moving again:
- Non-Surgical Options: Many cases of hip pain can be managed with rest, activity modification, over-the-counter pain relievers, and physical therapy.
- Surgery: For severe conditions like a hip fracture or advanced arthritis, surgery may be necessary. Options range from minimally invasive arthroscopy to repair a labral tear to total hip replacement.
Knee Pain
Knee pain is discomfort felt in or around the knee, the largest and one of the most commonly injured joints in the body. It can be a temporary issue or a chronic problem that requires expert diagnosis and treatment.
What are the Symptoms?
Knee pain can be accompanied by a variety of symptoms:
- Swelling and stiffness
- Redness and warmth to the touch
- A feeling of weakness or instability, as if the knee might “give out”
- Popping, crunching, or grinding noises with movement
- Inability to fully straighten the knee, or a feeling of it locking or catching
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What Causes It?
Knee pain can result from acute injuries, overuse, or underlying medical conditions.
- Arthritis: Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of chronic knee pain, where the cartilage gradually wears away. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause inflammation and damage to the knee joint.
- Overuse Injuries: Repetitive activities can lead to conditions like tendonitis (inflammation of a tendon) or bursitis (inflammation of the cushioning sacs).
- Acute Injuries: Common in sports and accidents, these include ligament tears (such as the ACL), meniscus tears (torn cartilage), and fractures.
- Mechanical Problems: Issues like a dislocated kneecap or altered walking patterns due to hip or foot pain can place extra stress on a knee joint.
How We Diagnose and Treat Your Pain
A diagnosis is made through a physical examination and a review of your symptoms and activity level. Imaging tests like X-rays or an MRI are often used to confirm the diagnosis.
Our treatment plans are designed to address the specific cause of your pain:
- Non-Surgical Options: Many knee problems respond well to rest, ice, physical therapy, bracing, and anti-inflammatory medications. Injections of corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) can also provide relief.
- Minimally Invasive Surgery: For injuries like meniscus tears or ACL tears, we specialize in Knee Arthroscopy (“key hole surgery”) to repair the damage with minimal incisions and faster recovery.
- Joint Replacement: For severe, end-stage arthritis, we offer both Partial and Total Knee Replacement surgery to eliminate pain and restore function.
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Shashikanth Orthopedic Hospital
Advanced pain management, sports injury care, and minimally invasive orthopedic surgery in Karimnagar.