Finding effective relief of arthritis is a real challenge. Your general practitioner may prescribe painkillers, but may not offer much other relief. You’ve thought about chiropractic care but wonder if it’s really safe.
In most cases, chiropractic care is a safe and effective form of treatment for arthritis. However, there are some cases in which arthritis needs more treatment. The providers at Beeson Wellness Center explain more about chiropractic care and arthritis.
What type of arthritis you have
The type of arthritis that you have is one of the biggest determining factors in how effective chiropractic care will be for you. Osteoarthritis is by far the most common type of arthritis, increasing in frequency with age. An estimated 32 million adults live with osteoarthritis.
Other types of arthritis have an autoimmune component, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. Many of these conditions can also benefit from chiropractic care, but you may need complementary treatment from a traditional doctor as well.
Benefits of chiropractic care for arthritis
Chiropractic care is generally safe for arthritis. Some of the benefits we see for patients with arthritis include:
Improved range of motion
Chiropractic care improves the range of motion for all types of arthritis, including the inflammatory or autoimmune types. However, you should use caution about getting certain types of chiropractic care if you have autoimmune arthritis and are currently in the middle of a flare-up. Make sure to tell your chiropractor if this is the case.
Reduced swelling
Osteoarthritis often comes with swelling around your joints. Chiropractic care can reduce this swelling, which can ultimately make your joints much more comfortable.
Decreased pain levels
One of the biggest benefits of chiropractic care is that it can significantly decrease your pain levels. One way that we achieve this is by reducing your stress, which is itself directly linked to your pain level. Another way that we achieve this is by introducing exercises that you can do that can counterbalance ways that you may be adjusting your body to adapt to the arthritis.
More than just adjustments
You may think of chiropractic care as adjusting your spine and neck, which is certainly part of what we offer. However, many of our other treatments are also helpful in treating arthritis, including the following:
Ultrasound
The sound waves produced by ultrasound therapy provide a soothing effect for your aching joints and soft tissues. This often reduces your pain, swelling, and stiffness.
Cold laser
Cold laser treatments target the painful areas on your body without heat and can reduce pain and swelling.
Infrared sauna
This treatment modality uses infrared technology to heal your body from the inside out. Infrared sauna technology improves arthritis symptoms by stimulating circulation at the affected areas.
Electrotherapy
This type of treatment uses painless electrical impulses to stimulate the nerves and muscles in the affected areas of your body. These electrical impulses encourage healing of the soft tissues.
Lifestyle modifications
Because chiropractic care treats your whole body as an integrated system, your chiropractic provider will recommend lifestyle modifications when applicable. This may be physical therapy exercises, nutrition counseling, or even weight loss assistance.
If you have arthritis, the providers at Beeson Wellness Center can help restore you to wellness. Contact us today, or request an appointment online.
