The month of October makes most people think of pumpkin spice lattes, vibrant leaves, and Halloween costumes. But here at Premier Orthopaedics, we have something else we keep an eye out for, too, because it's also the time of year known as National Spine Health...
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September is National Vascular Disease Awareness Month
As September starts, it's National Vascular Disease Awareness Month. This is a great time to learn about the health of our veins and arteries. Vascular diseases include problems like deep vein thrombosis and peripheral arterial disease. Read on to learn how to keep...
Causes & Treatment Options for Sciatica
Pain that starts in the lower back and radiates down the back of the leg is what is commonly referred to as sciatica. The pain follows the path of the sciatic nerve down the leg which means that typically, only one side of the body is affected. The sensation that...
Lyme disease – How can it affect my joints?
As the weather increases in temperature, so do the number of tick bites and cases of Lyme disease – an illness caused by a bacteria, Borrelia burgdorferi, which is transmitted by a deer tick bite. Typically, early symptoms of Lyme disease include fever, fatigue, and at times, a bullseye rash, called erythema migrans.
If an early infection is missed or is asymptomatic and left untreated, the disease can spread to the heart, nerves, brain, and even the joints, causing Lyme arthritis – inflammation in the joint tissue.
“Lyme arthritis most commonly affects one joint, typically the knee, and presents as pain and swelling without any injury or trauma,” explains Shawn Potteiger, D.O., sports medicine physician at Premier.
Additionally, when Lyme disease spreads, “Patients experience warm, swollen joints with increased pain when the knee or joint is fully straightened or bent,” states Itai Gans, M.D., sports medicine surgeon at Premier. “Joint swelling can increase and decrease, move between different joints and become quite painful, which can limit the ability to walk, at times,” says Gans.
Diagnosis for Lyme disease is done through lab testing. Luckily, the illness can successfully be treated with antibiotics. If joint swelling progresses, patients may need to seek orthopaedic care to treat fluid buildup.
It’s important to routinely check your body from head to toe when being in a common area for exposure (i.e. wooded or tall grassy landscapes). Early recognition and treatment are essential to minimize the risk of long-term degenerative changes of the joints. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of these symptoms or find a tick on your body. If possible, save the tick for evaluation by your provider.
If you need orthopaedic care, Drs. Gans and Potteiger see patients in Collegeville, Exton and Malvern. To schedule an appointment, please call the office at 610-644-6900.