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Arthritis
Managing joint pain and inflammation — spine, knees, hips, and shoulders — to keep you moving.
In short — Arthritis is inflammation or wear-related breakdown of a joint's cartilage, commonly affecting the knees, hips, shoulders, hands, and spinal facet joints. While there's no cure, the pain is very treatable with image-guided corticosteroid injections, viscosupplementation for knee osteoarthritis, and radiofrequency ablation of the small nerves that carry pain from an arthritic joint.
What is arthritis?
Arthritis is inflammation or degeneration of a joint. Osteoarthritis — the wear-related breakdown of cartilage — is by far the most common form and frequently affects the knees, hips, shoulders, hands, and the facet joints of the spine. Symptoms include aching pain, stiffness that's worst after rest, swelling, and gradually shrinking range of motion.
How can a pain specialist help my arthritis?
While there's no cure for osteoarthritis, the pain it causes is very treatable. Interventional options act directly at the painful joint rather than relying on systemic medication alone — an important advantage for patients who can't tolerate long-term anti-inflammatory drugs.
What treatments are available?
Depending on the joint and severity, Dr. Eaddy may recommend image-guided corticosteroid injections, viscosupplementation (gel injections) for knee osteoarthritis, and radiofrequency ablation of the small sensory nerves that carry pain from a joint — including genicular nerve ablation for knees and medial branch ablation for spinal facet arthritis. These can provide months of relief and are repeatable. The goal is always the same: less pain, more function, and staying active, since movement itself protects arthritic joints.
How long does relief from arthritis injections last?
It varies with the joint, the severity of arthritis, and the treatment used. Corticosteroid injections often provide weeks to months of relief, and radiofrequency ablation of a joint's sensory nerves typically lasts longer — often six months to a year — and can be repeated when the nerves regrow. Dr. Eaddy will discuss what to expect based on your diagnosis and medical history.
Trusted resources
Learn more about arthritis from these independent medical sources:
- CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) — Arthritis
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine) — Osteoarthritis
- American College of Rheumatology — Osteoarthritis
Related care
Conditions and treatments connected to this page, all provided by Dr. Eaddy:
- Radiofrequency Ablation — longer-lasting relief for facet, sacroiliac, and knee arthritis pain
- Back Pain — targeted diagnosis and treatment for low back pain
- Neck Pain — relief for cervical pain, stiffness, and nerve symptoms
Ready to talk about your pain?
Call the office for an appointment, or send a question online — office staff will respond by phone during business hours.
Call (904) 453-7976 Send a questionMessages only / callback line: (813) 397-3047
Reviewed by Kenneth J. Eaddy, MD · Updated July 2026