Stiffness and pain in your joints can affect your daily life. Maybe you struggle to type on the computer without pain. Or maybe arthritic inflammation in your knees makes it too painful to exercise or play with your kids.

The number of Americans diagnosed with arthritis is projected to reach 78.4 million (that's 26 percent of the population) by 2040, according to the United States Bone and Joint Initiative. Talking to your doctor will help you determine the cause of your arthritis, which type you suffer from, and what to do about it. Arthritis symptoms can range from mildly annoying to debilitating. Proper diagnosis is essential to finding the best treatment option for you.

Every step is agony when you have pain and swelling in the big toe. It’s very demoralizing to lose the ability to walk comfortably. Many people don’t realize how hard the big toe works, bearing the weight of our body when we stand and maintaining our balance, until it starts to ache and becomes difficult to move. It’s a joint that most people take for granted until it starts to cause problems.

Everyone stubs their big toe occasionally, causing temporary pain and swelling, but when the symptoms do not go away, it is time for an appointment with the orthopedist to see what’s wrong.  

Big toe arthritis is one possible diagnosis. The pressure of holding your weight can wear down the big toe joint’s cartilage, leading to painful arthritis and the inability to move the toe. It’s a type of osteoarthritis, so the symptoms worsen over time as the cartilage further degrades.  

Big toe arthritis is a relatively common affliction, affecting one in 40 people older than 50. However, for many years, there haven’t been many options to treat it except fusion surgery (which fuses the bones together and eliminates movement in the big toe), pain medication and physical therapy.  

Perhaps you thought you just strained or stubbed your toe and the pain and swelling would go away. But as it persists, you suspect it’s something more. A trip to the orthopedics office confirms your fears: you have arthritis in your toe joint.

Your doctor explains that the cartilage on the ends of your toe’s bones has worn down and is no longer letting them slide against each other comfortably. That pain and stiffness you’re experiencing is friction in the joint. No wonder it hurts! And worst of all, there’s no cure.

Arthritis in your big toe doesn’t sound like a big deal, but you soon realize how debilitating it can be. The pain and stiffness in your toe can make it difficult to walk comfortably, which prevents you from enjoying your daily activities. 

Orthopedic pain can get in the way of living your fullest life—from playing outside with the kids, to walking the dog, to getting to and from work. In the road to recovery, it’s important to find an orthopedic leader that makes you feel completely comfortable and cared for.

Arthritis pain can be downright debilitating. In the search for treatment options, you may have heard about ultrasound-guided injections and wondered what makes them different. Does ultrasound guidance matter? Does it make the injection more effective? What are the benefits?

One-stop shop for arthritis treatment

If arthritis pain is getting in the way of your everyday life, it can be a relief to know that treatment is available. An orthopedic specialist can help you evaluate the cause of your arthritis, discuss your treatment options, and provide you with complete orthopedic care under one roof.

Painful joints, stiffness, swelling — arthritis pain can be serious and debilitating. If you are experiencing pain that is preventing you from living your life to the fullest, it helps to understand what arthritis pain looks like and determine what might be the cause of your condition.

If you're wondering how to treat arthritis pain, you've probably been kept awake at night due or prevented from doing daily activities or beloved hobbies.

If the pain and stiffness of arthritis are affecting your daily life, you might be wondering about the range of treatments available, including natural remedies. In many cases, it may be possible to treat arthritis pain naturally.

If arthritis is compromising your quality of life, it's helpful to understand arthritis pain medication. This blog describes some of the different arthritis pain medications that are available by prescription or over the counter.