Arthritis and Chiropractic

Keeping the joints moving can reduce the pain of arthritis

The old adage of MOVE it or LOSE it is never more true when it comes to osteoarthritis.  There are many kinds of arthritis, but most common types include osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis   (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), fibromyalgia and gout.  All of them cause pain in different ways.  For the purpose of this discussion we will focus on osteoarthritis.

Recurrent joint pain in OA does not need to be accompanied by swelling or redness.  That is the pseudo hallmark that you may have some early symptoms.  Most people describe it as a stiffness, soreness or just feeling tight.  From the picture above you can see that it can occur in any of the joints in the body.  X-rays can confirm if there are degenerative changes in the painful joint.  However, don’t feel as though it is a overwhelming diagnosis and now you are aging too fast.

The reality that I share with my patients is that osteoarthritis is not a diagnosis of doom but a rite of passage.Just the same way the hair eventually turns to gray or white, or the reading glasses come into play by the 4th or 5th decade- arthritis does too.  Specifically osteoarthritis.  Everyone has a slightly different potential for the onset based on factors such as previous trauma, broken bones, surgery and how active you have been through out life.  Many people ignore increasing aches and pains with age because it seems like a natural part of the process.  As that may  be true you can still fight it along the way.  Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) are quite effective in reducing pain.  However, they do not promote of maintain the mobility of the joint.  Clearly from  a chiropractic stand point my objective is to strongly suggest that you stretch, move and exercise gently on a continuous basis even if you do take NSAIDs.  Joint manipulation by a chiropractor, physical therapist or massage therapist all vary in technique but give you an edge to slowing the degenerative process.

If you would like more information on osteoarthritis click the like here.http://www.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/treatments/natural/other-therapies/chiropractic-medic…

 

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