Oh, My Aching Joints!

Each of your joints serves an important function. Collectively, they allow you to move, twist, bend, and grip. Functional joints move fluidly without any pain, but you don’t realize how much you take them for granted until you experience persistent joint pain. 

Virtually Urgent Healthcare, located in Dacula, Georgia, specializes in compassionate telehealth care for patients across the state. Physician assistant and medical director Rolandine Vaughan, PA-C, MPAS, is committed to helping you discover lasting solutions for your joint pain that minimize discomfort, improve joint function, or slow the progression of degenerative joint diseases. 

The main causes of joint pain

Rolandine gathers information about your joint pain during your telehealth visit: When it started, other symptoms you have, and its intensity all matter when it comes to planning joint pain treatment. She also looks at your medical history and may refer you for imaging tests to see the inside of your painful joint or joints. 

There are two main categories of joint pain: 

Acute joint pain

Acute causes of joint pain are short-lived injuries that eventually heal on their own, but treatment can ease symptoms and help them heal properly. Many acute joint problems start with injuries to the soft tissues supporting a mobile joint, including tendons and ligaments. These injuries are called strains and sprains respectively. You can also fracture the bones inside a joint or dislocate a joint to cause acute pain. 

Chronic joint pain

Chronic joint pain lasts for a minimum of six months, often leading to a lifetime of dysfunction and discomfort. Many causes of chronic joint pain are degenerative diseases, meaning they get worse over time if you forgo treatment. Proper care for chronic joint pain can improve your quality of life and slow the progression of degenerative damage. 

Roughly 60% of adults ages 50-80 have an arthritis diagnosis. Arthritis accounts for most cases of chronic joint pain, but not all arthritis is the same. The most common types are osteoarthritis, which comes from joint wear-and-tear, and rheumatoid arthritis, which is an autoimmune disease that attacks the linings inside your joints. Chronic joint pain can also come from overuse conditions like tendinitis or bursitis. 

Our solutions

No matter what causes your joint pain, Rolandine’s main objectives at Virtually Urgent Healthcare are to reduce the discomfort and improve or restore your joints’ function. Treatment recommendations vary based on the suspected cause of your joint pain and whether it’s chronic or acute. 

Your personalized recommendations include home care strategies you can easily implement in your day-to-day life. Rolandine may suggest:

• Rest 
• Elevation of the affected joint
• Immobilization with a strap, splint, or brace
• Ice and heat therapies
• Pain medications
• Strengthening and flexibility exercises

Rolandine encourages you to log in for virtual follow-up visits so she can monitor your pain and other symptoms and modify your treatment recommendations if necessary. Virtual visits make it easier than ever to access the care you need for conditions like joint pain despite an on-the-go lifestyle that leaves little room for health visits. 

Find out more about your aching joints and what you can do to feel better by scheduling your next virtual visit online or over the phone at Virtually Urgent Healthcare today.