Arthritis of the Peripheral Joints

Arthritis literally means joint (“arth”) inflammation (“itis”). This can occur in any area of the body where there are joints. The majority of time, this refers to the joints of the hips or knees. Treatment of arthritis in these areas typically involves anti-inflammatory medications but when these fail and/or give bad side effects such as kidney problems and/or ulcers in the stomach, medical providers turn to steroid injections to help alleviate the pain from the inflammation of the joints.