Osteoarthritis is a normal part of growing older. Most of us will develop it to some degree, possibly as young as 40 years old. It is caused by the degeneration of cartilage, which then leads to the formation of bone spurs, causing stiffness and pain in the joints.
Some people try to alleviate the pain associated with sore joints with prescription drugs. This gets a lot of individuals into a spiral of addiction and unpleasant side effects.
For osteoarthritis in the spine, chiropractic manipulation can offer relief by forcing to joints in the spine to move (keeping moving is important for arthritis sufferers, as long as not too much strain is put on joints). Non-surgical spinal decompression can sometimes help arthritis, although it is more commonly recommended for sciatica and disc herniations. Traction massage may also be helpful, as might heat and cold therapies.
Most chiropractors recommend that their clients evaluate their lifestyles and improve their eating and exercise habits. Joints suffer when too much weight is put on them, so losing excess pounds can be beneficial. Occasionally vitamin supplements will be suggested to make sure the affected individual is getting the maximum nutrition possible. Exercise increases strength and can help with weight reduction, which in turn decreases stress on aging joints.
Even with stringent diet and exercise, osteoarthritis will probably not completely disappear. It can be managed however with a healthy lifestyle and occasional visits to a chiropractic office for supervised pain management sessions.
The biggest mistake most seniors make is to stop moving. It usually makes arthritis worse and can also lead to depression.
Some people try to alleviate the pain associated with sore joints with prescription drugs. This gets a lot of individuals into a spiral of addiction and unpleasant side effects.
For osteoarthritis in the spine, chiropractic manipulation can offer relief by forcing to joints in the spine to move (keeping moving is important for arthritis sufferers, as long as not too much strain is put on joints). Non-surgical spinal decompression can sometimes help arthritis, although it is more commonly recommended for sciatica and disc herniations. Traction massage may also be helpful, as might heat and cold therapies.
Most chiropractors recommend that their clients evaluate their lifestyles and improve their eating and exercise habits. Joints suffer when too much weight is put on them, so losing excess pounds can be beneficial. Occasionally vitamin supplements will be suggested to make sure the affected individual is getting the maximum nutrition possible. Exercise increases strength and can help with weight reduction, which in turn decreases stress on aging joints.
Even with stringent diet and exercise, osteoarthritis will probably not completely disappear. It can be managed however with a healthy lifestyle and occasional visits to a chiropractic office for supervised pain management sessions.
The biggest mistake most seniors make is to stop moving. It usually makes arthritis worse and can also lead to depression.
About the Author:
Find out how a Stockbridge GA chiropractor helps patients with osteoarthritis using non-invasive therapies. To make an appointment with this physician, visit the following website at http://www.thepaulkclinic.com.
