Chiropractors have a full understanding of the working of every joint in the body. Your practitioner will carry out a full examination to find out whether the pain you experience in, for example, your elbow, knee or ankle, may in fact be 'referred' from your spine or another joint. This is because the irritation of the nerve in one area can sometimes lead to pain, known as 'referred' pain, in other parts of the body.

While there is often a spinal component to a problem, your chiropractor will also manipulate your joints to help reduce pain and muscle spasm caused by injury, inflammation, poor posture, wear and tear, or other factors which have led to conditions such as the following:

• Tennis Elbow is an over-use injury, often suffered by players of racquet sports, causing inflammation of the tendon around the elbow joint, but mainly affected by movement of the wrist.

• Golfer's Elbow is similar to tennis elbow, but on the opposite side of the elbow joint.

• Repetitive Strain Injury is an inflammation of the tendons round the hand and wrist usually due to over-use, or incorrect use, of computer keyboards.

• Frozen Shoulder - is inflammation of the shoulder joint which eventually results in severe loss of movement.

Arthritis occurs in several forms and chiropractic treatment is appropriate in most cases. Hip pain may be due to arthritis, but also may be referred from the spine or confused with sacroiliac pain. Knee pain has many causes. Chiropractors commonly see problems with the knee cap due to an imbalance of muscles around the knee.

The joints of the hands, ankles and feet are also susceptible to problems, and in all cases, your chiropractor will make a full examination and diagnosis before treating you in the most appropriate way. You may also be advised to do specific exercises to help you regain strength and flexibility, even if you have arthritis. Until quite recently, patients with pain due to osteoarthritis were advised to rest. However, now it is recognized that movement helps to reduce the pain by relieving pressure on the joints, and by improving flexibility in the surrounding muscles.

Arthritis is the word used to describe pain in the joints; it literally means inflammation of a joint. There are many causes, and some, such as osteoarthritis, are due to the natural ageing process, and most people are likely to get some degeneration, or 'wear and tear', later in their lives. Others, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are less common but can affect children as well as adults.

Anklosing Spondylitis is another rare form of arthritis that mainly attacks young men. Beginning with pain and stiffness in the lower back, thighs and buttocks, it can result in severe inflammation and eventually fusing of some joints of the spine.

Osteoarthritis is caused when the cartilage covering the bones in a joint becomes eroded and roughened. Tendons and ligaments holding the joint together get weaker and the joint itself may become deformed, painful and stiff. Joints which have been injured or subject to unusual stress, perhaps as the result of a sporting career or heavy manual job, are likely to wear faster.

After taking a full case history and conducting an examination which may include X-rays, your chiropractor will make a diagnosis and propose a treatment program. While chiropractic treatment is appropriate for most forms of arthritis, for some it can only give pain relief and you may be referred to your GP for further treatment.

Although the degeneration of joints cannot be reversed, your chiropractor can regularly adjust them to keep them healthy and mobile, reducing pain and helping to slow further degeneration. In addition, chiropractic care can keep your spine free of the nerve irritation which may prevent your body from fighting disease and healing itself properly.

Degenerative changes in themselves need not produce symptoms. They do, however, make the spinal column more susceptible to damage. Regular manipulation by a chiropractor, together with an appropriate rehabilitation and maintenance plan, can improve movement and reduce the stresses that may cause pain in the future.

Any questions?

Call the office at 503-644-8844 today!

or...