Condition of the Month - March: Arthritis
Many of you have probably heard the term arthritis and may have even been told that you have it! There are many different forms of arthritis, some are inflammatory and others are non-inflammatory. The most common form is “Osteoarthritis.” This is a non-inflammatory condition and is probably what everyone thinks of when they hear “arthritis.” This is the “wear and tear” of the spine that happens as we age, as well as engage in functions and posture that are incorrect.
Another term for the condition is degenerative disc disease or degenerative joint disease. When a joint in the spine is immobile for an extended period of time, the disc begins to shrink. If it goes long enough without correction, this can also cause bone spurs to develop. While it is certainly more common in the elderly with an aging spine – we have seen it in young adults who played physical contact sports or had poor posture for extended periods of time.
One way to tell the difference between pain from arthritis and other pain is that arthritic pain tends to get better with movement. While osteoarthritis itself cannot be taken away, receiving chiropractic care will prevent it from getting much worse and slow the process by keeping the spine moving and functional.
Chiropractic can also help with the pain associated with osteoarthritis. The other forms of arthritis are inflammatory, which means they invoke an inflammatory response in the body and are more of a systemic condition. Some of these include Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. These are more serious conditions that generally require medical treatment.
If you are interested in trying chiropractic care for arthritis pain relief, contact Village Family Clinic.
