Conditions We Treat
Joint and Arthritis Pain Treatment in Utah
Stiff, swollen, or aching joints are not something you just have to live with. Find out what is behind the pain in your knees, hips, shoulders, or hands, and which treatment fits it.
What Joint Pain Is
Why Joints Wear, Ache, and Stiffen
A healthy joint is two bone ends capped with smooth cartilage, cushioned by fluid, and held together by ligaments and tendons. Joint pain starts when any part of that system is worn, inflamed, or injured.
Osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear kind, is the most common form of arthritis. The cartilage thins over years, the bone underneath reacts, and the joint gets stiff in the morning and sore by the end of the day. Old injuries, overuse from work or sport, and tendon and bursa inflammation cause joint pain too, and an exam helps tell these apart from inflammatory arthritis, which is managed differently. Knees, hips, shoulders, and hands are common trouble spots.
The usual path is anti-inflammatories, a cortisone shot, and eventually a conversation about joint replacement. Those have their place, but there is a wide middle ground between a pill and surgery, and it is not always part of the conversation.
Don't Wait It Out
Signs It's Time to Get Your Joints Evaluated
- Morning stiffness that takes a while to loosen up
- Swelling, grinding, or clicking in a knee, hip, shoulder, or hand
- Pain that gets in the way of walking, stairs, sleep, or your grip
- Anti-inflammatories or cortisone shots that help less than they used to
- You have been told you will eventually need a joint replacement and want to know your options first
Joints generally do better when they are kept moving and supported than when they are rested into stiffness, so earlier care may leave more options open. A joint that suddenly becomes very painful, hot, red, or swollen, especially with a fever, or a joint that looks deformed, cannot bear weight, or cannot be used after an injury, needs urgent medical care right away.
The Full Toolbox
Joint Pain Treatment, From Conservative to Advanced
At Integrated Pain Specialists, medical providers, chiropractors, and physical therapists work under one roof, so your plan is built from the whole toolbox rather than one specialty’s answer.
Rebuild support. Physical therapy strengthens the muscles around the joint and restores range of motion, which helps take load off the joint itself.
Restore motion. Chiropractic care, joint mobilization, and soft tissue therapy can ease stiffness and free up the tissue around the joint.
Calm pain and inflammation. Laser therapy, targeted injections, and nerve blocks such as genicular blocks can quiet an inflamed joint or an irritated nerve so you can stay active.
Options that may last longer. For chronic arthritis pain, radiofrequency ablation interrupts pain signals from the nerves that serve the joint, and for knee osteoarthritis, genicular artery embolization (GAE) targets the abnormal blood vessels that feed inflammation in the knee.
Regenerative options. For appropriate candidates, regenerative treatments such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) may support the body’s own repair process.
Our Joint Pain Program
Treat the Joint You Have
Every plan starts with a thorough exam and a look at any imaging, to find whether the pain is coming from the joint itself, the tissue around it, or a nerve. From there we combine physical therapy, hands-on care, and medical treatments into a schedule built around your joint and your goals, whether that is walking the dog, getting through a workday, or understanding your options before a joint replacement.
Care is delivered at our Bountiful and South Jordan clinics, and your progress is measured at each stage in range of motion, strength, and how far you can go before the joint complains. If your knee is the problem, see our knee pain treatment. For hands and wrists, see carpal tunnel and hand pain, and for feet, foot and heel pain. The goal is lasting relief without relying on surgery or daily medication.
The Integrated Difference
One Team, One Plan, Every Option
You do not have to piece together a physical therapist, a pain doctor, and a chiropractor across three offices. Our integrated team evaluates your joint together and builds one plan, whether that is physical therapy, hands-on care, injections, an advanced procedure, or a combination. The first step is a free consultation.
Common Questions
Joint Pain FAQs
What causes joint pain?
Osteoarthritis, the gradual wear of the cartilage that cushions a joint, is one of the most common causes, especially in the hands, knees, and hips, and it can also affect the shoulders. Old injuries, overuse, tendon or bursa inflammation, and inflammatory arthritis can also cause it. An exam, and imaging when needed, sorts out which one you are dealing with.
Can arthritis pain be treated without surgery?
Often, yes. Physical therapy, hands-on care, targeted injections, laser therapy, and procedures such as radiofrequency ablation or, for the knee, genicular artery embolization can reduce pain and improve function for many people. Joint replacement is usually considered when these no longer help enough.
Should I rest an arthritic joint or keep moving it?
For osteoarthritis, the right kind of movement generally helps more than rest. Stronger muscles take load off the joint, and motion keeps it from stiffening. A physical therapist can show you which activities to lean into and which to modify while the joint calms down.
Do you treat joints other than the knee?
Yes. We treat pain in the hips, shoulders, and hands as well as the knees, and we also see wrist and foot problems such as carpal tunnel and plantar fasciitis. The treatments that fit depend on the joint and the cause, and some procedures, such as GAE, are specific to the knee.
Do you take insurance for joint pain treatment?
Most of our care is covered by many insurance plans, including Medicare. Coverage varies by insurer and individual policy, and our team verifies your benefits before any care begins.
Take the Next Step
Talk to Our Team About Your Joint Pain
Start with a free consultation. Talk through your pain and your options, and decide whether our practice is a good fit, with no sales pitch. Bountiful or South Jordan.