ARTHRITIS
What is arthritis?
Degenerative arthritis is a condition that slowly wears away
joints (the link where bones meet and move) causing ache and
stiffness in joints. What causes Arthritis? Arthritis is caused
by the joint lining (cartilage) breaking down, making the
bones rub against each other, therefore, causing pain and
swelling. Bone spurs develop causing a limited range of motion.
Movement doesn’t have to cause pain. The effects of
arthritis can be reduced. Which joints are affected? Arthritis
often appears in the big toe joint along with a bunion (a
bony bump at the side of the joint) and it also most communally
appears in the hand, and spine and many other parts of the
body. In your Spine it can pinch a nerve affecting your health
and can cause severe pain.
What your chiropractor can do? To help find the cause of your
pain and stiffness, you and your chiropractor discuss your
symptoms, any prior injuries, your health history, and your
lifestyle, including work and leisure activities. Physical,
orthopedic and neurological tests can help reveal the condition
of a joint. Static motion palpation tests check for tenderness,
pain, swelling and restricted range of motion. If needed,
other tests, such as x-rays may be done to show detailed images
of muscles, ligaments and other soft tissue. Accurate diagnosis
requires a medical history and examination along with a course
of treatment. Your Chiropractor can detect irregular movement
of each joint. The range of motion in any joint affected by
arthritis may be tested as well. Imaging tests are taking
as well to show damage to bone and the joint lining. When
arthritis is discovered in a joint in your body it acts like
a rusty hinge. Your Chiropractor will normalize the motion
in these joints by joint mobilization and exercises. It will
be like getting the rusty hinge moving again and oiling it,
it can be very powerful and can make you feels great again.
