Osteoarthritis is the reason people stop doing things. Not dramatically — they simply take the elevator, park closer, decline the hike. At Remix Medical in Houston, our pain management physicians treat osteoarthritis as a joint problem with real interventional options, not an inevitability to be endured.
What is Osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis is the progressive breakdown of articular cartilage, the smooth tissue capping the ends of bones inside a joint. As cartilage thins, the underlying bone remodels, the joint lining inflames, and bone spurs form at the margins.
It was long described as "wear and tear." That framing is incomplete. Osteoarthritis involves active inflammation and metabolic change within the joint, which is precisely why anti-inflammatory injections work.
It is the most common form of arthritis and one of the leading causes of disability in adults.
Common Causes and Risk Factors
1. Age
Cartilage repairs itself poorly, and the deficit accumulates.
2. Prior Joint Injury
A torn meniscus, a ligament rupture, or an intra-articular fracture substantially raises lifetime risk in that joint, often decades later.
3. Mechanical Load
Excess body weight multiplies force across the knee and hip with every step. Occupational kneeling, squatting, and lifting concentrate it further.
4. Joint Alignment
Bowed or knock-kneed alignment loads one compartment preferentially.
5. Genetics and Sex
Family history matters. Women are affected more often, particularly after menopause.
Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
- Deep, aching joint pain that worsens with activity and improves with rest
- Morning stiffness that resolves within about thirty minutes
- Stiffness after prolonged sitting — the "gel phenomenon"
- Grinding, clicking, or catching within the joint
- Reduced range of motion
- Visible enlargement of the joint
- Pain at night in advanced disease
How Remix Medical Can Help
Diagnosis is clinical, supported by weight-bearing X-rays. Notably, radiographic severity correlates only loosely with pain — some patients with dramatic X-rays have modest symptoms, and vice versa. We treat the patient, not the film.
Our treatment options include:
- Image-guided joint injections delivering corticosteroid directly into the affected joint
- Viscosupplementation — hyaluronic acid injection to restore the joint's lubricating properties, most established in the knee
- Radiofrequency ablation of the sensory nerves supplying the knee or hip, for durable relief in patients who are not surgical candidates or who wish to delay replacement
- Medication management with attention to kidney and cardiovascular safety, coordinated with your Remix nephrologist or internist where relevant
- Physical therapy referral for periarticular strengthening
- Chiropractic and exercise therapy through our in-house team
- Referral for arthroplasty consultation when joint replacement is the right next step
Relief from Osteoarthritis at Remix Medical
Joint pain is common. Accepting it is optional. Book a visit with a Houston pain specialist and find out which interventions fit your joint and your goals.