Even though chiropractic excels in wellness care, it is becoming more common for people to visit chiropractors to treat a variety of different kinds of pain. Because of this, chiropractic adjustments provide many benefits to people and patients who suffer from a wide variety of conditions like arthritis.
What a Chiropractor Does
A Doctor of Chiropractic, also known as a chiropractor, is a health professional that focuses primarily on wellness care instead of sickness care. Their specialty focuses on adjusting the spine to correct misalignments that impinge on nerves.
Regular visits to a chiropractor can not only restore health throughout the body but also help alleviate back pain and other symptoms associated with an improperly aligned spinal column. Most insurance carriers cover visits to a chiropractor on at least some level. We also provide cost effective visit plans and memberships to further help reduce your costs.
What Is Arthritis?
Put simply, arthritis is inflammation in the joints which result in joint pain, stiffness and limited range of movement. There are over 200 different varieties of the ailment. It is generally associated with age, it can also affect young people. It can strike almost any area of the body, with each region having a different cause and name. In some cases, it can cause damage to soft tissues and muscles, like the heart and lungs.
Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis. It results from repeated trauma to the joint and becomes more common in the elderly.
Other common forms of arthritis helped by chiropractic care include:
- Rheumatoid arthritis, the second most common form in which the body’s immune system attacks the joint.
- Psoriatic arthritis, another autoimmune form of arthritis.
- Ankylosing spondylitis, also a type of arthritis where the body attacks itself.
- Septic arthritis, is caused by a viral or bacterial infection of the joint.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis involves a complete and thorough examination. If a chiropractor feels the need to co-manage the case, a medical work-up by a rheumatologist may be recommended. This can include radiology (x-ray) or an MRI, urine and blood analysis and physical examinations.
It is important to have your condition properly diagnosed so you can more effectively treat the symptoms of the disease.
Chiropractors and Arthritis
While medications work, they have long-term health risks such as impairing healing, damage to the stomach lining and internal bleeding.
By visiting a chiropractor you’ll reduce your reliance upon medications while managing your pain and symptoms naturally. A chiropractor:
- Improves your range of motion
- Improves endurance and flexibility
- Increases your strength and muscle tone
- Helps you develop a dietary and nutritional plan to reduce inflammation naturally
- Improves nerve flow to muscles and joints
- Teaches you how to avoid situations that will cause further damage
Treating the Symptoms
At this time, there is no cure for this ailment. Chiropractors help to alleviate the symptoms and slow the progression of the illness. Early detection of degenerative processes is also vital. Be sure to receive subluxation check-ups from us for prevention and early detection of degenerative conditions like arthritis.
The Best Results
With an inflammatory disease like arthritis, the best results are achieved from attacking it at all angles. This means working with your chiropractor and rheumatologist to combine treatments, if necessary. In addition to their care, a healthy diet and active exercise regime will help move you in the right direction toward a healthier outcome.
If you or a loved one are suffering with arthritis, don’t hesitate to give us a call today. We’re here to help in any way we can!
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