Although chiropractic thrives in wellness care, it’s becoming a top choice for treating various types of pain. Due to this, chiropractic care in Greenville provides many benefits for people that suffer from different conditions like chronic arthritis. Arthritis is associated with pain, reduced range of motion, and swelling in the affected area.
Apart from affecting your overall health, living with arthritis is challenging. Luckily, chiropractors can manipulate the spine to improve mobility in the back and neck, but its benefits go beyond that. Chiropractors can also enhance the relationship between the nervous system and the spine.
This connection affects all the organs and systems in the body and could provide significant relief from arthritis. This article will explore what a chiropractor can do for someone with chronic arthritis.
Types of Arthritis That Can Benefit From Chiropractic Care
A mistake most people make is thinking arthritis is a single disease. On the contrary, there are over 100 types of the disease, which also determines its severity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in every 4 adults in the US has doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
However, patients with these two main types of arthritis can significantly benefit from routine chiropractic care in Greenville.
Osteoarthritis
This type of arthritis is degenerative and therefore wears down the joints over time because of age. As we grow older, our joints begin to experience wear and tear, and this usually results in this form of degenerative arthritis.
The cartilage found between our joints usually absorbs shock as we move. However, when we grow older, we have less cartilage, and this causes our joints to rub together. This friction usually results in swelling, pain, and stiffness.
Since this problem lies in the joint, chiropractic care can restore the alignment in the spine and other joints. It also helps to solve the lubricant and cartilage deficiency caused by central nervous system problems.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Many people also have rheumatoid arthritis. This type isn’t degenerative. Instead, it comes from the inflammation of the joints and tissues surrounding them. Reduction in joint tissue or fluid could also result in friction which results in the inflammation and pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis.
Another cause of inflammation in the joints is the misalignment of the spine. Gentle adjustments through chiropractic care in Greenville can restore nerve communication, helping the body to function properly. In turn, this would eliminate inflammation and reduce the symptoms of this painful arthritis.
What to Expect When You Seek Chiropractic Care in Greenville
Medication is a standard treatment for arthritis. It reduces swelling, pain, and inflammation. Although medication works, it has long-term health risks, like damage to the stomach lining, internal bleeding, etc. Chiropractic care is a means of treating arthritis without medication. Chiropractors are gentle in their process and therefore use several techniques to adjust the joints, muscles, and spine.
Chiropractors can be helpful when managing chronic arthritis. The care provided is tailored to your specific needs and arthritis type. When you seek chiropractic care in Greenville, your chiropractor gently manipulates your soft tissue to relieve tenderness while stopping muscle spasms. A chiropractor could also recommend active exercises that help stretch the joints and increase your range of motion.
Gentle, Non-Invasive Treatment
Again, routine chiropractic care is a safe and non-invasive alternative to over-the-counter pain medications common with arthritis patients. In addition, chiropractic adjustment is gentle and non-addictive.
It will reduce joint restrictions to improve function in the affected joints and nervous systems. By enhancing mobility and the nervous system function, your body can manage chronic arthritis symptoms better.
A visit to a chiropractor provides the following benefits:
- Improved range of motion by aligning your spine
- Increased strength and muscle tone
- Improved flexibility and endurance
- Reduced inflammation through unique dietary plans
On your first visit, your chiropractor would look at your detailed medical history and perform a physical exam of every joint. This procedure will determine the proper treatment for you. The chiropractor may also take an x-ray of your spine.
How Chiropractors Treat Chronic Arthritis Symptoms
A chiropractor cannot cure chronic arthritis. This is because there’s no cure for arthritis. However, routine chiropractic care in Greenville can help eliminate arthritis symptoms and significantly slow down the progression of the illness.
Chiropractors use spinal adjustment and several other treatments to address the ailment. Some of the treatment options available include the following:
- Physical Rehabilitation: Sometimes, tense muscle pinches the nerves in and around the spine, resulting in intense pain. A chiropractor helps relax the muscles in the back through physical rehabilitation.
- Hot and Cold Therapy: This requires using a non-heat-producing laser or light, which effectively penetrates the tissue and reduces inflammation.
- Massage: Targeted massage can help to loosen ligaments and tendons, which makes the joints painful and stiff. It also reduces overall muscle soreness, treats muscle spasms, and improves circulation throughout the body.
- Ultrasound Treatments: When people hear ultrasound, imaging technology comes to mind. However, when applied to soft tissues and joints, sound waves also provide a massaging effect that significantly reduces swelling, pain, and stiffness.
- Electronic Muscle Stimulation: This comes with tiny electric pulses that are not painful. Chiropractors use electronic muscle stimulation to stimulate the nerves and muscles and treat soft tissue injuries.
- Kyphoplasty: The spine features 33 vertebrae, and damage to the spine usually results in fractures to the vertebrae. Kyphoplasty is a spinal procedure that uses fluoroscopy guidance. It is a minimally-invasive procedure where special bone cement is injected into the fractured vertebra through a small hole in the skin to relieve the pain caused by the fracture.
Is Chiropractic Care Safe for Treating Arthritis?
If you have back or neck pain from arthritis, chiropractic care in Greenville is one of the safest therapies to alleviate the symptoms. A chiropractor offers several adjunctive therapies that could help with arthritis. Even if they don’t touch your arthritic joint, treating the surrounding tissue could significantly reduce the pain.
Seek Chiropractic Care in Greenville Today!
Since chronic arthritis is an inflammatory disease, you can only achieve the best result by attacking it from all angles. A chiropractor can combine various treatments to alleviate the symptoms and improve your quality of life. In addition to chiropractic care, an active exercise regime and a healthy diet will improve your symptoms and set you on the path to a healthier outcome.
So, if you or a loved one has chronic arthritis, chiropractic care can help. At Carolina Spine and Pain Center, you will receive a comprehensive evaluation to determine the right solutions for your condition. Our treatment plans are tailored to your needs and include pain management techniques and lifestyle recommendations.
Furthermore, our highly trained staff are skilled and experienced in helping our patients who suffer from arthritis and several other health problems. Contact us to speak with experienced chiropractors for pain in Greenville today.
