Chiropractors Can Help With Arthritis — Here’s How

Finding relief for arthritis is not always an easy journey. Doctors, pain medications, and alternative medicine may not always work. Along this journey, have you ever considered visiting a chiropractor for guidance?

Chiropractors do primarily deal with spinal adjustments, or “popping” the spine back into proper alignment. Through spinal adjustments, and other services, though a Florida chiropractor may just be the answer to your arthritis-related problems.

Joint Manipulation Benefits Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Recent research revealed arthritis is actually the number three cause of pain-related suicides behind back pain and cancer. Finding relief is serious business.

Believe it or not, those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), may indirectly benefit from spinal and joint manipulation by making the condition easier to manage.

If your joints are not aligned properly, the nervous system is unable to communicate clearly which can also exacerbate RA symptoms. A stressed out nervous system can lead to inflammation, which can cause reduced range of motion common with this condition.

A chiropractor’s primary goal is to fix these kinds of issues through spinal manipulation. Chiropractors address joint issues throughout the body, including the shoulders and knees which are often affected by rheumatoid arthritis.

How Chiropractors Help With Osteoarthritis

There are two main types of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is the first. The second is osteoarthritis. Age or frequent use of one or more joints is likely to cause osteoarthritis. Under the “umbrella” of osteoarthritis is degenerative disc disease (DDD).

Spinal discs sit between the vertebrae of the spine. They protect the bones from putting pressure on each other and surrounding tissue. Over time the discs go through the normal processes of aging, typically without pain.

When there is pain associated with degeneration, you may be suffering from DDD. As discs further degenerate, your level of back pain may continue to intensify.

Spinal manipulation and similar treatments help to slow the process and effects of DDD. Chiropractors can help to lengthen a patient’s spine, thus separating the vertebrae from each other.

By giving discs more space to occupy, pressure and pain from contact between vertebrae may be reduced, at least temporarily.

Additional Treatments for Arthritis Pain Relief

Although spinal manipulation is one of the most effective elements, it is not the only chiropractic treatment option. Talk to a local chiropractor about how the following treatments could bring you arthritis relief.

Massage Therapy and Hydromassage

Like spinal manipulation, massage therapy offers pain management solutions for patients with arthritis. This is often a gentler option for patients who are worried about inflammation or bone sensitivity.

Hydromassage is a type of massage that is done fully clothed!

Electric Stim Therapy

Electric stim therapy can treat both pain and muscle spasms. A chiropractor sends electrical signals to a specific muscle, causing the muscle to contract.

This process does not hurt, but it does help to encourage muscle strength and increase overall energy levels.

Ultrasound

If you have been pregnant, this may not be the ultrasound that you are used to receiving. Ultrasounds at a chiropractor’s office use high-frequency sound waves to apply deep heat to joints and tissues throughout the body.

This heat helps reduce inflammation while increasing tissue repair. Like electric stim therapy, many patients use ultrasound to reduce muscle spasms and general pain.

Diet and Nutrition Information

Often, chronic inflammation can also be reduced by making simple changes in your diet and nutritional intake. Talk to your chiropractor about what dietary factors may be contributing to your specific condition and what nutritional options might be best for you.

Talking to Your Chiropractor About Pain Relief

The initial consultation with your chiropractor may be more important than the initial treatment. Some patients with arthritis are at a higher risk for further pain or damage than others. Make sure you disclose the following to your chiropractor:

Medications

The side effects of arthritis medication may affect bone density. Chiropractors should be aware of these risks before they start to work with your bones and joints.

Inflammation

If your joints are inflamed or swollen, adjustments may do more harm than good. Talk to your chiropractor if you have a history of inflammation in specific regions of your body, even if they are not close to your spine.

Your Comprehensive Plan

Disclose any other treatments that you are trying or plan to try in the near future. This includes medications, surgeries, or alternative medicine.

Ultimately, you know more about how much pain impacts your day-to-day life than anyone else. Explore relief with chiropractic care.

Reach out to a Florida chiropractor for more information on what your first visit will look like and what types of treatments are available to help relieve your arthritis pain. Many chiropractors offer a free consultation before your initial appointment.

About the Author:

Dr. Singer has been a practicing chiropractor for more than 20 years, and USA Health & Therapy has been around since 2004. Over the course of his career, Singer has helped tens of thousands of people with all kinds of issues by using a wide variety of treatment strategies. He has extensive knowledge of chiropractic modalities, including Gonstead, Diversified, Thompson Drop Table, and Activator, and in 1997 he earned a special adjunctive Chiropractic Certification in Spinal Trauma (CCST) to better provide care for car crash victims. Dr. Singer is licensed to practice chiropractic medicine in both Florida and New York.