How Chiropractors Can Help
Arthritis Pain
Do
you suddenly feel pain, discomfort, or swelling in your joints? Are you overweight?
Does
this usually happen in the mornings right after you wake up?
If
you do, then you might have arthritis. These symptoms might get worse and cause
permanent joint damage eventually if not treated correctly and promptly.
The disease might get in the
way of a person’s daily activities. It is not only painful but also really
frustrating since normal daily activities like walking or climbing up a stair
that a person can efficiently perform before are quite tricky or so sometimes
really impossible to carry out as arthritis progresses.
There is a lot of different
over-the-counter medicine available that claim to relieve joint pains or
discomfort easily. However, there is the ever-present threat of side effects that
can be the result of taking such medications. Thus, some patients who have
arthritis are looking for new ways of dealing with the disease minus synthetic
medicines. With the popularity of natural healing, many people are now consulting
with chiropractors and naturopaths or herbalists to help them battle arthritis.
The question, however, is, is
it useful? Can seek the expertise of
chiropractors help? Is it safe or will
it only worsen the situation?
Chiropractic care is a natural,
drugless, and non-invasive approach so, generally, it is a safe and effective
treatment for especially for arthritis pain.
How can chiropractic care help reduce pain from arthritis?
Chiropractors are specialists
who earned a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. They spent four years of
chiropractic programs studying before obtaining a license or board
certification in areas such as physical rehabilitation, clinical nutrition,
pediatrics, orthopedics, neurology, sports/athletic injury, and acupuncture.
Chiropractors are uniquely trained to evaluate the entire muscular/skeletal
system. They are uniquely prepared to assess the whole of the muscular/skeletal
system. They deliver a gentle, non-invasive, non-addictive therapy, known as chiropractic
adjustment.
Chiropractic adjustments reduce
joint restrictions or misalignments in the spine and other joints in the body
in an effort. They improve low back pain, neck pain, scoliosis, acid reflux,
blood pressure, headaches, arthritis, asthma, sciatica, healthy pregnancy,
athletic performance, and surgery prevention. Correcting the cause of the
problem will then relieve symptoms.
At first, chiropractors
evaluate the family and personal history of the patient. It can help produce a
broader assessment of the patient’s health to back up the information provided
upon the initial health history assessment.
After evaluating the patient’s
health history, Chiropractors will perform a careful physical examination. They
will check on the patient’s spinal range of motion. Even the patient does not
complain about any form of spinal pain, because the spine is the center of all
movement in our body. Other tests performed are for the posture and reflexes
analysis. It includes reflexes, orthopedic tests, and neurological tests.
When the chiropractors finished
with the patient’s examination and evaluation, the next is to determine the
source of the pain; they will create a personalized treatment plan for
chiropractic adjustments. Programs include the following; posture advice,
exercise therapy, massage, stretching,
coordination with other health practitioners, and more. Treatments aim
to reduce inflammation, relax any existing muscle spasms, strengthen weakened
muscles, and improve the mobility of the joint.
What else do
chiropractors do besides spinal manipulation?
Chiropractors can
also apply techniques that reduce inflammation in the hands and wrists. It is
helpful for some conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome or arthritis. They
use the following adjunctive therapies such as:
● Ultrasound.
Many think of ultrasound as imaging technology, but when applied to joints
and soft tissues, the sound waves can produce a massaging effect that helps
reduce swelling and decrease pain and stiffness.
● Electrotherapy. Chiropractors treat joints and
soft tissue injuries by stimulating nerves and muscles. These tiny electric
pulses are not painful.
● Low-level
laser or “cold laser.”
This technique uses light that penetrates deep into the tissue or a
non-heat-producing laser that reduces the inflammation of the joints.
● Infrared
sauna. The rooms
use controlled amounts of heat to relieve pain and increase circulation.
As the inflammation
subsides, there will be less stiffness and tension in the hands, and the range
of motion will also improve. Once there is no longer any inflammation, chiropractors
will teach the patients the proper way of doing hand exercises and stretches.
These activities in treatment sessions explicitly designed by professionals
keep the tendons, joints, and bones relaxed and in appropriate positions.
What are the risks factors of chiropractic care?
Before engaging in therapy, patients are advised to consult their doctors for their safety. Some patients are not allowed to go on chiropractic care due to some other health conditions. They are the following:
ü
People
who have osteoporosis, spinal cord
compression, or inflammatory arthritis,
ü
People
who take blood-thinning
ü
Patients
with cancer of the spine or if they have a history of the disease should get a
clearance from the doctor before undergoing the treatment
ü
loss
of strength in a leg or arm
ü People who have increased risks of strokes. People suffering from
diabetes, heart disease or common heart disorder, high blood pressure, sickle cell disease or
blood disorder, and common medical conditions increase the chances of having a
stroke.
·
Excessive
motion in the spine (instability)
·
Patient
has joints that have active swelling
The difficulties of living with
arthritis typically drag us to an unfavorable impact on the quality of life.
The ability to sleep, work, participate in physical activities and the ability
to perform household activities are affected. Relieving arthritis pain includes
improving the body’s condition to deal with the inflammation of the
disease. The natural healing power is
intended to help relax the muscles, increase motion range, and improve joint
coordination, among other things.
Although there is no evidence suggests that
chiropractors can stop joint damage or offers a long-term change in arthritis,
still, patients engaged in chiropractic care, traditional medicine that serves
as an alternative option for treatment.
Regular chiropractic care can
help keep sufferers in top condition; it can help avoid injuries, prevent
spinal degeneration, and maintain good health.
Don't wait until small aches
and pains become serious. Patients choose to overcome this condition and take
all the steps they can to live the best life possible.
So, if anyone in your family
experience back pain, Chiropractors are there to care for you.
