Chiropractic Care on Arthritis Management

Arthritis is a term that is used to refer to “arthro”, meaning joints-related inflammation. Osteoarthritis is the most common form, also known as degenerative joint disease. This condition tends to either one joint or several joints, wearing down the protective cartilage sitting between the bones.

While osteoarthritis is the most common, there are other types, such as rheumatoid arthritis, all of which are accompanied by painful symptoms affecting millions of people globally. It is amongst the leading causes of disability. The question that then arises is; can chiropractic care alleviate these symptoms, manage the disease and even reduce the risk of developing it?

Adopting Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic treatment leans on the theory that the nervous system performs at its optimal levels when the spinal bones are correctly aligned. This is why this treatment is used to address musculoskeletal issues. Given that this treatment is more of manual therapy, an experienced chiropractor can use special equipment such as laser & dry needling and their hands to relieve you of arthritis symptoms.

Note, arthritis develops as a result of the imbalance of how the body moves. The imbalance can then disorient spinal alignment. The spine and the core are the sole determinants of how other movements happen within the body. When there is poor communication from the spinal cord and the brain, the right sequencing can be compromised.

This then interferes with the nerve energy, ultimately leading to poor muscle coordination, leaving joints feeling stiff and in the end triggering awkward movement and the un-coordination of joints. Here are some of the ways in which chiropractic treatment can impact arthritis.

Release of Muscle Tension

A misaligned spine causes the muscles to hold pressure, thereby introducing inflammation. Expert chiropractic treatment releases the gathered tension within the muscles. It does so through aligning the spine correctly and treating muscular tension.

Pain Relief

Various techniques can be applied to align the spine correctly. Once the spine is adjusted, the spinal cord nerves are able to signal the brain to balance the production of chemicals. In turn, the body receive output  from the brain to reduce pain.

Increased Motion

The motion of the hips, shoulders and the spine is increased once the correct spinal alignment is achieved. The increased motion then loosens the adjoining joints, reducing stiffness within the body.

There are several techniques chiropractors employ to handle the joints and the soft tissues, some of which may include:

• Joint mobilisation: This is whereby the joints are worked on with gentle manipulation, with the chiropractor looking to determine the points of movement restriction.
• High-velocity low-amplitude spinal manipulation therapy: This is a technique is which the spinal joints are pushed beyond their limit using forceful thrusts. It is one of the most applied in chiropractic care.
• Ultrasound: Here, sound waves are used to release swelling joints, soft tissues and alleviate pain.
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation: This is a device used to release electrical pulses in moderation in order to stimulate the nerves and the muscles.

While arthritis can be painful and uncomfortable, chiropractic care can reduce its effects on any patient. If you are suffering from pain resulting from this ailment or are looking for ways of preventing it from occurring, chiropractic treatment should be the relief to seek.

For further information, please call us on (03) 9303 9952 or (03) 9746-3977 or email us at drdan@chattychiro.com.au or book on line.

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