At May’s Dine and Discuss, with over 80 attendees, Dr. Jordan Pearce, a fellowship-trained Orthopedic Surgeon at the Central Peninsula Bone & Joint Center, presented ‘Hands That Hurt: Exploring Causes & Treatments for Hand Arthritis.’ Arthritis is a term for the loss of protective cartilage, which results in damage to the joint.
According to Pearce, Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, usually affecting older individuals, as it increases.
He says multiple factors are involved in developing arthritis, such as genetics and the environment.
In the early stages of hand arthritis, pain may be mild and intermittent. Symptoms can include swelling, stiffness, a joint that is warm to the touch, difficulty completing tasks, or crepitus.
To prevent arthritis, Dr. Pearce says, “I think that having a healthy and active lifestyle helps, and trying your best to avoid certain ergonomics and being kind of mindful of what you’re doing with your hands and how they are.”
He then stated that treatment options for arthritis can include: medications, bracing, activity modifications, injections, ice/heat, and therapy.
Dine and Discuss is an almost 20-year-old event that offers Kenai Peninsula residents the opportunity to enjoy a delicious meal while gaining valuable health insights from local medical professionals in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere.
“I think Dine and Discuss has been really embraced by the community because it gives people an opportunity to connect with doctors when they might not normally, even if they should be pursuing an avenue to fix a problem that they have. ” Shanon Davis, Marketing Manager at Central Peninsula Hospital, says. “It’s just a really easy introduction for people to our doctors and really we can’t have too many opportunities for our community to learn about healthcare opportunities.”
Each Dine & Discuss session features a Central Peninsula Hospital provider presenting on a health topic of community interest, followed by a Q&A session.
This unique community event is free to attend. However, dinner is available for purchase at $15. Space is limited, and pre-registration is required.
People are also welcome to come and participate without eating. However, the hospital asks everyone who attends to register whether or not they will be eating so that there is enough seating.
Next month’s Dine and Discuss will feature topics on ‘Alzheimer’s and Diseases of the Brain’ presented by Dr. Eric J Ashman, a board-certified Neurologist.
For more information, visit www.cpgh.org/discuss/.