Lots of people experience pain on a frequent basis due to arthritis. It can range from a mildly irritating experience to a chronic problem.
There are three primary types of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis: The most common type of arthritis; common in the hands, hips, and knees; cartilage between joints breaks down and the bones beneath begin to change
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: RA is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease; it usually attacks the joints and commonly affects the hands, wrists, and knees; joint lining becomes inflamed and causes damage to the joint tissue. According to the Arthritis Foundation, chiropractic care isn't ideal for treating rheumatoid arthritis. patients with this type of arthritis should talk to their doctor about whether chiropractic care, including massage therapy, would be helpful.
- Post-Traumatic Arthritis: Develops after an injury; a form of osteoarthritis
Common Symptoms of Osteoarthritis
Arthritis usually shows itself as pain in joints that wasn't caused by a recent injury. It will usually get worse over time, and may only flare up now and then. A lack of cartilage to cushion the joint's movement can lead to an inflamed joint which causes the pain. For some the inflammation, and resulting pain, will come and go. For others it becomes pretty consistent.
Some common symptoms of arthritis include:
- Pain
- Stiffness, especially when you first start walking or using the joint
- Decreased flexibility/range of motion
- Swelling in the joint area
A Chiropractor May Be Able to Help With Your Arthritis Pain
The good news is that chiropractic care can help reduce inflammation in your joints and improve your range of motion. This results in reduced joint pain.
The less exciting news is that our bodies do not automatically rebuild cartilage after it has worn away. Visiting a chiropractor can help bring you some relief using some specific treatment tactics including:
Non-Surgical Knee Traction
Since arthritis is so common in the knees, chiropractors developed the Knee on Trac technique to help patients experiencing knee pain. It does not require injections or surgery. Here's how this traction system works:
- The patient is seated comfortably in a special chair and the knee is made so that it can't move (immobilized)
- Slowly and carefully the Knee on Trac system will stretch out the knee joint, increasing the space in the joint to relief pressure.
- The knee is held in position for a few minutes during each session. Typically several sessions are needed so that the knee isn't pulled too much, too quickly.
Patients report improved mobility and less arthritis pain after going through several treatments.
Cold Laser Therapy for Arthritis Pain
Cold laser therapy is another excellent way to promote arthritis pain relief.
A low-level laser that doesn't produce heat is focused on the joints and the surrounding tissue by the chiropractor and left to focus on the area for several minutes. This helps kickstart circulation in that region, which can reduce pain-causing inflammation.
Usually, patients see results from cold laser therapy after just a few visits.
Manual Therapy to Relieve Arthritis Pain
There are a few different ways that the chiropractor can help you with reducing arthritis pain without medication using manual therapies. This includes:
- Chiropractic adjustment to promote mobility (depending on your type of arthritis)
- Massage to promote higher blood flow; massage also helps bring relief to some parts of the body; it may reduce the production levels of cortisol, which is a hormone that causes stress
- Stretching and exercise techniques to improve flexibility and strengthen the muscles around joints (the chiropractor will give you some techniques and you can choose from many low-impact activities)
While nothing can cure arthritis, these types of non-surgical treatments can help patients avoid using as much medication to get relief.
Find Out How We Can Help You With Your Arthritis Pain
At Village Chiropractic, we're committed to offering our patients relief from the aches and pains of daily life, including arthritis. Request an appointment to see what can be done to help relieve your arthritis pain.
