Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the United States, affecting over 50 million people. Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints in the body and can cause pain and stiffness throughout joints in the body. This will wear down the protective cartilage in the joints. Common symptoms of arthritis and joint inflammation include swelling, joint pain, stiffness, and decreased range of motion, typically worsening with age.
There are multiple types of arthritis:
• Osteoarthritis is the typical wear and tear type and the most common type of arthritis which worsens with age if no treatment is done.
• Rheumatoid arthritis and other types of inflammatory arthritis like psoriatic, ankylosis spondylitis, and gout, are caused by an over-reactive immune system that attacks your joints.
Chiropractic care can be a great way to manage and relieve pain caused by arthritis. Routine chiropractic care provides arthritis patients with a safe, non-invasive alternative to prescription opioids or over-the-counter pain medications (OTCs), which are commonly prescribed to patients to help them manage their pain.
Chiropractic adjustments reduce joint restrictions or misalignments in the spine and other joints in the body to reduce inflammation and improve function of both the affected joint and nervous system. By improving your joint mobility, it will improve hydration to the joints and help feed the cartilage the nutrients that they need. That will help to slow the process of continual degeneration of the cartilage and joints for people with osteoarthritis.
How do you know if you have arthritis? At Davis Chiropractic, we will perform a consultation, examination and we can take x-rays to assess for any arthritis. Based on the type and severity of the arthritis, we will put together a treatment plan based on your specific needs, which may include chiropractic adjustments, ice/heat therapy, electrical stimulation, mechanical traction, myofascial release, and massage. We may also add dietary changes/supplementation, stretches, and exercises.
Arthritis doesn’t always cause pain, which is why you should get your spine checked now! There are many times that we take x-rays of patients with severe arthritis and they’ve never had pain in the area. If the arthritis goes unchecked, it can continue to cause permanent damage to the discs, joints, and nerves. This can cause permanent disability and damage to the nerves. Even if you don’t have arthritis, it’s best to prevent any future arthritis with chiropractic care as soon as possible. Keeping your spine healthy and mobile will keep it from degenerating. To sum it all up, chiropractic is a very safe and beneficial treatment for arthritis.