Safe, gentle chiropractic care is a great option to treat, manage, and relieve the pain and unwanted associated symptoms caused by arthritis. Chiropractors are highly trained experts in the diagnosis and effective treatment protocols of osteoarthritis (OA), commonly referred to as “arthritis”! There are many non-invasive treatment choices that a chiropractor can offer that can alleviate the painful symptoms of arthritis without the use of addictive drugs that have side-effects or invasive painful surgical procedures. Chiropractic adjustments have been shown to be extremely effective in helping with osteoarthritis by reducing joint restrictions or misalignments, commonly referred to as “subluxations”, in the spine as well as other joints in the body in an effort to reduce inflammation and improve function between the affected area and nervous system. Chiropractic care is not only a great treatment option to reduce the pain and symptoms associated with arthritis, but it can greatly enhance your quality of life!
Let us first understand what osteoarthritis, or arthritis is, the common symptoms, causes, and treatment options both in a chiropractor’s office and out. Arthritis is actually the leading cause of disability in people aged over fifty-five and accounts for millions of doctor visits per year. Unfortunately, arthritis can also develop in children, teens, and younger adults for a host of reasons such as accidents, injuries, falls, postural imbalances and subluxations. Arthritis is a naturally occurring progressive degenerative disease that usually develops over time, but may also appear suddenly. Arthritis can affect any joint in the body, but, is most often seen in the spine where it can produce the worst symptoms and most amount of pain. Typical symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, reduced range of motion and lack of flexibility. Many people with arthritis notice their symptoms are worse in the morning, during colder weather, or with periods of inactivity or sedentary lifestyles. Everyday, normal “wear and tear” causes osteoarthritis (OA) along with long term repetitive job tasking duties such as sitting at a desk in front of a computer hours on end with tension and stress on the neck, or continuous bending, lifting, and twisting in the lower back as in what a contractor or construction worker would perform.
So, what can you do to help prevent or treat your arthritic condition at home? As with any disease or disorder it starts with the proper mindset which includes a positive mental attitude, commitment, and lifestyle modifications. This does not have to be hard or overwhelming, just a few simple additions and adjustments in your everyday routine can make a huge difference. Here are some practical suggestions to incorporate in addition to chiropractic care:
- Always work on maintaining a good proper supportive posture, this will help prevent a premature arthritic degenerative process from occurring or at the very least slow the progression. Postural imbalances promote unhealthy, abnormal tension and pressure on the spine, joints, discs and cartilage which can cause abnormal and excessive wear and tear leading towards arthritis.
- Weight loss and maintaining a healthy weight reduce the risk of developing arthritis and can reduce symptoms if you already have OA. Carrying a few extra pounds over a long period of time can put extra tension and stress on your spine, hips, knees and other joints, prematurely wearing them down.
- Eating a healthy diet is important not only for weight loss, but in maintaining proper weight balance. Choosing a balanced healthy diet will promote normal soft tissue development (muscle, ligaments, tendons, cartilage) and can help reduce inflammation. Incorporate antioxidant rich foods into your daily diet such as fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs and nuts. Add more inflammation-reducing foods like fish and chicken and avoid such things as fried foods, processed foods, enriched products, dairy products, and high intakes of red meat.
- Vitamins and supplementation with fish oils (omega-3 fatty acids), turmeric, glucosamine, and vitamin D3 to name but a few are very helpful but should only be recommended and followed closely by a knowledgeable physician with nutritional expertise like a chiropractor.
- A regular and regimented exercise program at least four days per week can be very helpful in the prevention and treatment of arthritis. Some types of movements or exercises can actually worsen and accelerate a degenerative arthritic condition, so it’s best to be under the supervision of an expert in the field of joint mechanics like a chiropractor. Specific prescribed exercises can help prevent and/or treat arthritis that has affected different parts of the body. Staying active is important in maintaining a general healthy lifestyle and walking on a daily basis is typically the best and safest way to do so. General stretching is a great way to increase flexibility of the muscles and joints and help reduce pain and stiffness. Swimming is another great option for people afflicted with arthritis because it doesn’t put undue pressure on the joints the way running does or even walking may do in advanced OA cases.
- Buying a good supportive bed and pillow are helpful not to just reduce the symptoms of arthritis but allow for much needed restful sleep. If your bed is old, uncomfortable, or has lost its support, than your body is not able to get into REM (rapid eye movement) sleep patterns and restore itself. Plus, you’ll spend the entire night tossing and turning which could irritate joints and muscles.
So, what is the long-term outlook for people with arthritis? It mainly depends on your treatment of choice as there’s NO CURE for osteoarthritis. Drugs typically only give short-term relief from the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis, plus they can have terrible side effects and can become addictive! Epidural steroid injections can be unpleasant, have side effects, and usually don’t provide any long-term results. Physical therapy can be somewhat helpful, but tends to be very time consuming with appointments lasting 1.5-2 hrs, 3 days per week, expensive, and most patients don’t follow through with a home regimen after released. Then there’s the surgery question, any type of surgical intervention should be a last resort due to potential complications and the long arduous recovery. Plus, very rarely is surgery performed on general osteoarthritis. This leads us to the number one proven, most effective, least invasive treatment option which is chiropractic care.
Chiropractors can accurately, properly and promptly diagnose any arthritic condition that be the cause of your symptoms and pain as well as recommend a multi-faceted effective treatment protocol. Chiropractors perform adjustments to the spine as well as other affected joints to relieve pain, stiffness, and inflammation as well as enhancing flexibility and restoring range of motion. Chiropractic treatments many also include in- office physiotherapy modalities such as ultrasound, electro-muscular stimulation, cold laser therapy, myofascial release techniques, massage trigger point therapy, traction therapy, passive stretching techniques, assisted exercise programs, heat, and ice to name but a few.
