Think chiropractic care can't do anything for arthritis pain? Think again. Chiropractic care is one of the best ways to manage chronic arthritis pain and minimize the amount of medicine required to control pain. How does it work? It works naturally by optimizing joint function and maximizing joint flexibility. Chiropractic manipulation helps to restore proper function to joints. The better the body works, the less it hurts.
We will use an example of neck pain caused by arthritis. Arthritis pain will restrict joint mobility. Arthritis pain will further inhibit movement by reflexively decreasing the muscle strength around those joints. Muscles become tight and weak. Over time the range of motion becomes severely limited, when the actual limitation due to arthritis is much less. Moderate to severe limitation of neck movement makes looking up, driving a car, reading and many other activities difficult and painful. This continued pain caused by daily keeps the area inflamed and worsens the restrictions and the arthritis over time.
Chiropractic care can help to increase joint motion, relax tight muscles and re-activate the muscles that have been "turned off" due to pain. Manipulation also helps reduce inflammation in the area. This can not only reduce pain but prevent the arthritis from continuing to worsen. Imagine suddenly being able to look over your shoulder while driving after years of having to turn your whole body! I see it happen all the time.
Even though arthritis creates permanent changes, the pain does not have to be permanent. If you optimize movement and combine that with the right exercise, stretching and a few well chosen supplements, you can live a relatively normal and minimally painful life.
Friday, December 30, 2011
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