Tendinitis vs. Arthritis: Which Do I Have?

When you have pain, especially involving a joint, it’s easy to assume it’s due to arthritis. However, a joint has several components, ranging from bones and cartilage to tendons, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. And any of these structures can lead to pain.

At Integrated Spine And Pain Care in Farmingdale and Deer Park, New York, Dr. Mikael Sarij and his team take a holistic approach to pain management and offer state-of-the-art treatment for joint problems. Two common causes of this discomfort include tendinitis and arthritis. In this blog, we offer insights into how these problems differ and how to find relief.

Getting to the source of your joint pain

Tendinitis and arthritis share several symptoms, including pain, swelling, or limited movement in your joints. What sets them apart involves where the inflammation causes these symptoms.

A joint forms wherever at least two bones meet in your body. Most joints can move, which creates flexibility and mobility in your skeleton. This comes from their complex structure that includes:

• Cartilage: protective tissue covering the ends of your joint to reduce friction
• Synovial membrane: tissue lining your joint that secretes fluid to lubricate it
• Ligaments: tough elastic bands wrapped around your joint for support and movement control
• Tendons: strong tissue attaching your muscles to the side of your joint
• Bursas: fluid-filled pouches between joint structures that act as cushioning
• Synovial fluid: lubrication secreted by the synovial membrane

When you have tendinitis, your joint pain develops in a tendon attached to your joint. Arthritis, on the other hand, involves the cartilage between the bones in your joint.

Understanding tendinitis

Tendinitis is a common problem that occurs when the elastic tissue connecting your muscle to a bone becomes irritated and inflamed. The most common causes of this joint pain involve overuse, aging, injury, or disease.

In most cases, we see tendinitis problems in specific parts of the body, including the:

• Elbow
• Shoulder
• Knee
• Lower leg and heel

We also see tendinitis most often in people over age 40 and in athletes, which is why many types of tendinitis have sports names, like golfer’s elbow, pitcher’s shoulder, jumper’s knee.

Spotting the signs of arthritis

When you have arthritis, the cartilage between your bones deteriorates. Without this protective cushion, the bones rub together, leading to more damage as well as inflammation, pain, and swelling.

There are more than 100 types of arthritis, but osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common forms we see at Integrated Spine And Pain Care. OA develops in response to joint injury, overuse, age, or disease.

Osteoarthritis usually strikes in the hands, spine, hips, and knees, Symptoms can come and go and range from mild to disabling.

Treating joint pain

To find relief for joint pain, you need an accurate diagnosis.

During a joint pain consultation, Dr. Sarij performs a comprehensive exam to learn more about your symptoms, medical history, current medications or supplements, and how your symptoms impact your daily life. He also conducts a physical exam that often includes digital imaging, like X-rays, ultrasounds, or CT scans, to evaluate your joint structures.

After reaching a diagnosis, Dr. Sarij could recommend a variety of treatments. For example, tendinitis often improves with conservative therapies, like rest, ice, splinting, anti-inflammatory medications, or steroid injections. However, if arthritis is to blame for your joint pain, Dr. Sarij makes suggestions based on the extent of your joint damage and symptoms.

In most cases, anti-inflammatory and pain medications are the first step in dealing with arthritis pain and inflammation. For severe symptoms, Dr. Sarij could recommend steroid injections or even joint replacement surgery. Arthritis pain and swelling also respond to gentle physical movement that doesn’t put added stress on your joints, like yoga, tai chi, and walking.

Do you have joint pain? Dr. Sarij can treat your symptoms at the source. Contact Integrated Spine And Pain Care to schedule a consultation by calling our office most convenient to you or booking an appointment online today.