About Arthritis

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a term that is defined as inflammation of a joint and used to describe over 100 different conditions that can affect the human body. Arthritis affects millions of Americans each year with symptoms including pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of motion in affected joints.

Bone and Joint Specialists, Arthritis in Hip Photo
Bone and Joint Specialists, Arthritis in Knee Photo
Bone and Joint Specialists, Arthritis in Shoulder Photo

As joint cartilage wears away, the bones begin to make painful bone-on-bone contact. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common causes of joint pain. The early stages of osteoarthritis can be treated with a variety of conservative, non-surgical treatments. However, as the joint cartilage continues to wear away and the symptoms of osteoarthritis become more severe, the increased pain and limited movement can affect many everyday activities such as walking, driving, and sitting. Surgery may be recommended to correct the damaged bone and cartilage.

To diagnose your condition, an orthopedic surgeon will observe your movement and review your health history. An x-ray of the affected joint will show signs of cartilage wear, and the severity of the cartilage destruction can help determine the best course of treatment.

Often the cause of arthritis is unknown, but may develop as a result of injury to the joint, excess body weight, or years of wear and tear on the joint cartilage. There is no known cure. The best that doctors can do for patients is to restore motion and reduce pain. Fortunately, partial and total joint replacements have generally proven quite effective at accomplishing these goals.

Arthritis Symptoms

The joints most commonly affected by osteoarthritis are the knees, hips, fingers, and shoulders. Symptoms of osteoarthritis include, but are not limited to:

  • Joint pain while standing or moving
  • Giving out or locking of joint
  • Near constant pain
  • Decreased activity
  • Abnormal stance or walk

ADDITIONAL ARTHRITIS RESOURCES

Educational Arthritis Links

All patient education materials are provided by OrthoPatientEd.com and have been reviewed by our Advisory Board of leading Orthopedic Surgeons to ensure accuracy. All materials are provided for informational purposes only and are not intended to be a substitute for medical advice from your orthopedic surgeon. Any medical decisions should be made after consulting a qualified physician.

This site includes links to other websites. OrthoPatientEd.com takes no responsibility for the content or information contained in the linked sites.

Orthopaedic Associates of Marlborough

  • Contact: contactus@orthomarlborough.com
    Billing: billingdept@orthomarlborough.com

Monday 8:00am - 7:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am - 8:00pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Friday 7:30am - 11:00am

The office is generally closed for lunch from 12-1 daily.
*Office hours are subject to change without notice.

  • Marlborough Location
    Marlborough Medical Building

    65 Fremont Street | Marlborough, MA 01752
    Telephone: 508-485-3665 | Fax: 508-485-0899

  • Northborough Location
    Carewell Urgent Care Building

    333 Southwest Cutoff | Northborough, MA 01532
    Telephone: 508-485-3665
    Appointments call UMASS scheduling: 855-862-7763

  • Westborough Location
    UMass Memorial Orthopedics

    154 East Main Street | Westborough, MA 01581
    Telephone: 508-485-3665
    Appointments call UMASS scheduling: 855-862-7763

ORTHOPEDIC SERVICES

Make An Appointment

To schedule an appointment, please call (508) 485-3665 OR Make an Appointment Request online.

We are currently accepting new patients and referrals.