Is There a Cure for Arthritis?

Most people hoping for a cure for arthritis are looking for a way to reverse the joint damage and get their pain to stop for good. The reality is more nuanced. While arthritis itself can’t be cured, current treatment options can slow its progression, reduce pain, and help you maintain function with age.

At Pain Specialists of Frisco, board-certified pain management physician Mahesh Mohan, MD, treats arthritis at our offices in Frisco, Dallas, and Fort Worth, Texas, using a range of approaches that target both pain and the underlying damage driving it.

Arthritis is an umbrella term for many conditions

The term “arthritis” covers more than 100 different conditions that affect the joints. The two most familiar types account for the majority of cases:

Osteoarthritis

As the most common form, osteoarthritis develops when the cartilage cushioning your joints gradually wears down. It’s most often associated with aging and wear-and-tear, though injury, genetics, and lifestyle factors all influence who develops it and how quickly.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This autoimmune condition causes your body’s immune system to mistakenly target joint tissue. It triggers inflammation, pain, and progressive joint damage that affects multiple joints. 

How joints with arthritis break down

Healthy joints rely on smooth, slick cartilage covering the ends of your bones, along with synovial fluid that lubricates your joints and ligaments that hold everything in alignment. Arthritis disrupts this system, though the specific mechanism varies based on type.

In osteoarthritis, cartilage gradually wears down after years of use, injury, or excess load. As cartilage thins, bone starts contacting bone, which causes pain, inflammation, and the formation of bone spurs that further restrict movement.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the synovium (the lining of the joint). This triggers chronic inflammation that erodes cartilage and bone from a completely different direction.

Either way, by the time arthritis causes noticeable symptoms, structural changes have already taken place inside your joint.

Realistic goals of arthritis treatment

Arthritis treatment plans aim to control pain, preserve mobility, and slow further damage over time. Starting treatment earlier tends to produce better long-term results and helps avoid more aggressive options later.

Treatment options at Pain Specialists of Frisco include:

• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy or Regenexx® stem cell therapy to support joint healing
• Anti-inflammatory and pain-relief medications
• Corticosteroid or joint injections for inflammation control
• Physical therapy and rehabilitation to build strength and restore range of motion
• Nerve blocks for targeted pain management

Each treatment has a specific role, and Dr. Mohan tailors the combination to your diagnosis, the joints involved, and the progression of your condition.

Lifestyle decisions affect how fast arthritis progresses

Several daily habits influence how quickly arthritis worsens, including:

• Excess body weight, which accelerates cartilage breakdown in your knees and hips
• Sedentary habits that weaken the supporting muscles around arthritic joints
• Smoking, which reduces blood flow to joint tissue and increases inflammation
• Diets high in processed foods and sugar that drive systemic inflammation
• Repetitive stress on affected joints from certain activities or movements

These changes don’t reverse arthritis, but they affect how aggressively it progresses over months and years.

When surgery is the best option for arthritis

When arthritis reaches the point where medications, injections, and physical therapy aren’t providing enough relief, joint replacement surgery may be the next step. 

Procedures like hip and knee replacements remove the damaged joint and replace it with a prosthetic one, restoring movement and reducing pain that other treatments couldn't address.

A cure for arthritis isn’t currently available, but effective treatment is. If joint pain is interfering with your daily life, call the Pain Specialists of Frisco office nearest you or book your appointment online today.