Arthritis is when the joint becomes painful and swollen. There are many potential pathways for this to happen. Some are purely based on mechanical issues but some are not. If there is an inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, this can often be successfully treated and managed with the help of a rheumatologist.
Often early on, when someone has arthritic symptoms, they first see an orthopedic surgeon. It is important for the orthopedic surgeon to recognize when a form of arthritis is not purely a mechanical issue so that they can be seen by a rheumatologist and have a discussion as to what medication options exist that can prevent the progression of the arthritis. At this point in time, there is no medication that will predictably reverse arthritic damage, but there are medications that can prevent the progression of an inflammatory arthritis.