Arthritis can affect any joint in the hand, wrist, and elbow. Generally, it's grouped into inflammatory and osteoarthritis. Inflammatory arthritis include conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthrits, lupus, etc. Osteoarthritis results from wear and tear. The location of inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis differs and the treatment options are different. Many times, there are medications that can reverse some of the symptoms and damage done by inflammatory arthritis. New drugs, called disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), have revolutionized the conditions and have made surgery much less common compared to 20-30 years ago. However, we haver not found a way to reverse osteoarthritis. While some people say that regenerative medicine can reverse arthritis, the field is in its infancy and there is simply not enough evidence to suggests its effectiveness. There are good surgical options which can give long lasting relief. These include fusions, reconstructions, and joint replacements. A detailed evaluation will help decide the type of arthritis you have, and the correct treatment algorithm.
for more information on arthritis, visit: https://www.nature.com/articles/boneres201540
