Joint Pain Specialist

Joint Pain Services Offered in Brooklyn, NY

Joint pain can result in painful joints and achiness. While many conditions can contribute to joint pain, more than 54 million people — one in four American adults — experience joint pain, often caused by arthritis. Joint pain treatment in Brooklyn, specifically in the Sheepshead Bay area, is offered by Brooklyn Pain Doctors, led by Vladimir Alhov, MD. The team at Brooklyn Pain Doctors diagnoses and treats joint pain in patients of all ages. Use our online scheduling tool or call our Brooklyn pain management clinic to book an appointment today.

Joint Pain Q & A

What is Joint Pain?

Joint pain is discomfort and pain in the hands, feet, knees, hips, or spine. It may feel stiff, sore, throbbing, burning, or like the bones are grating against each other. The pain may come and go or be constant. Symptoms of joint pain often feel worse in the morning after sleep but improve as you move around and participate in your daily activities. However, too much activity can increase joint pain.

In addition to limiting the functioning of the joint, joint pain can also affect your ability to complete basic tasks and severely impact your quality of life. At Brooklyn Pain Doctors, we focus on both the level of pain you experience and how it affects your daily life when considering treatment options.

What Causes Joint Pain?

Chronic joint pain has a variety of potential causes, including:

• Arthritis: Osteoarthritis is a common form of arthritis that gradually occurs when the cartilage between the bones wears away. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease causing pain and swelling in the joints, often leading to deformity.

• Bursitis: Most commonly experienced in the hip, knee, shoulder, or elbow, bursitis is an overuse injury.

• Gout: Most often experienced in the big toe, gout is a painful condition where uric acid crystallizes and collects in the joint, causing swelling.

• Injuries: Joint pain may result from broken bones or sprains. You should always schedule an appointment with your Brooklyn pain doctor after an injury.

• Tendinitis: Tendons, flexible bands connecting bone and muscle, can become inflamed, typically in the shoulder, heel, or elbow, due to overuse.

• Viral Infections: Some viral illnesses, such as chikungunya, can cause joint pain along with fever or rash.

How is Joint Pain Treated?

You can often treat joint pain at home using a combination of:

• Ice: Apply ice to painful joints to relieve pain and swelling. Use ice several times a day for up to 15 minutes per session.

• Rest: During the first day of joint pain, avoid activities that exacerbate pain to help reduce inflammation. Once inflammation reduces, exercise helps restore strength around the joint.

• Heat: After a couple of days, apply heat to reduce muscle spasms around the joint. Heat is especially effective after exercise.

• Exercise: Try low-impact aerobic exercises like walking or swimming. If you typically engage in strenuous activities or workouts, consider reducing your activity while the joint heals.

• Weight Loss: If you are overweight, losing weight can help reduce strain on your joints. This is a long-term strategy for preventing recurring joint pain.

If your home treatment efforts don’t resolve joint pain, schedule an appointment with the team at Brooklyn Pain Doctors. After reviewing your symptoms and X-rays, the team may recommend physical therapy, supportive aids, steroid injections, or pain medications for short-term relief.