Musculoskeletal Pain

Chronic pain in your joints, such as your knees, back, or shoulders, seriously interferes with your ability to work and play. Pain affects your mood and quality of life. At the office of family medicine physician Alexander Owens, DO, in Naples, Florida, you can receive comprehensive evaluation and treatment of musculoskeletal pain. Through osteopathic manipulations, medications, injections, and physical therapy, Dr. Owens helps you find relief, so you walk out of his office feeling better than when you walked in. Call today or go online to request an appointment.

Musculoskeletal Pain Q & A

What is musculoskeletal and joint pain?

Your joints are places in your body where two bones come together. These joints usually move smoothly due to the presence of cartilage—a connective tissue that cushions the juncture.

Musculoskeletal pain is associated with injury, overuse, or disease. You may feel pain in your joints due to tendon, muscle, or other connective tissue problems.

Musculoskeletal pain can be due to several conditions, including:

• Osteoarthritis
• Gout
• Bursitis
• Tendonitis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sports injury

Musculoskeletal pain can occur in areas such as your elbows, knees, and ankles, as well as your back, neck, and hips.

How is musculoskeletal pain evaluated?

Dr. Owens assesses your musculoskeletal pain by looking at the function and condition of your bones, joints, connective tissue, and muscles. He’ll observe your range of motion, your posture, and signs of swelling. This exam forms an accurate picture of any problems.

Dr. Owens may evaluate your gait, rotation in your shoulders, movement in your hips, and any points of joint tenderness. He’ll also look at the alignment of your spine and neck. Following your evaluation of your musculoskeletal system, Dr. Owens has a better understanding of what’s causing your pain and can create an effective treatment plan.

How is musculoskeletal pain treated?

Dr. Owens offers nonsurgical treatments for musculoskeletal pain depending upon the findings of your exam. He may provide osteopathic manipulation to gently help your spine and joints move back into alignment so movement is more functional and nerves are released.

You may also be a candidate for physical therapy to help retrain joint movement and alleviate pain. Joint injections that help lubricate areas where cartilage has broken down, or Supartz viscosupplementation, are especially helpful for knee pain due to osteoarthritis.

Dr. Owens may also use a trigger point injections to release tight bundles or knots, causing distress in your muscles. The injections contain saline and an anesthetic, such as lidocaine, to release the muscles. Following a trigger point injection, the knot relaxes, and pain is released.

If you’re tired of living with pain in your musculoskeletal system, call Alexander Owens, DO, or request a consultation online.