While the aches and pains that accompany arthritis can be managed, if it’s not properly taken care of, it will get worse over time. Here’s the thing, though. Our current lifestyles put more of us at risk of developing arthritis earlier than most of the previous generations. Unless we start paying attention to our bodies and properly supporting them, arthritis will eventually weave its way into our lives.
Experts predict that 78 million Americans are expected to have it by 2040. That’s close to 20 million more than the 58.5 million people who currently suffer from arthritis.
No cure for arthritis currently exists. Once it’s taken root, it’s there. If anyone promises you they can reverse it, proceed with caution. The best thing you can do is receive the proper treatment — including seeing a chiropractor, which can help mitigate its effects on your body.
Curious how a chiropractor can help?
Seeing a Chiropractor Can Help Relieve Arthritis Pain
Arthritis is a common condition that causes joint pain or disease. It’s caused by an inflammatory response in the body that occurs from wear and tear, injury, or autoimmune conditions. Lifestyle can contribute too — including things like bad posture, lack of movement, poor diet, and chronic stress.
There are actually three distinct types of arthritis. Each causes joint pain and inflammation, but they’re caused by different things.
- Osteoarthritis: The most common type — manifesting when cartilage between the joints and bones breaks down from wear and tear or injury and causing the bones to rub together.
- Rheumatoid arthritis: An autoimmune inflammatory disease that causes the immune system to accidentally attack joint tissues — typically from chronic stress, environmental triggers, hormone imbalance, or genetics.
- Psoriatic arthritis: An immune system problem that attacks joint tissues and skin of individuals with psoriasis. Aside from pain and inflammation, it also causes red, scaly patches to appear on the skin.
The go-to for relieving arthritis pain isn’t a visit to the chiropractor, but the benefits can be amazing — improving physical comfort and mobility, relieving pain, and reducing inflammation.
4 Ways a Chiropractor Can Help If You Have Arthritis
A chiropractor really can change the way you feel, whether it’s relief from occasional aches and pains or you’re dealing with debilitating symptoms.
1. Pain Reduction
By far, the biggest thing a chiropractor can do for you is help alleviate and manage pain levels. If you have osteoarthritis, a chiropractor will focus directly on issues related to wear and tear or injury.
You’ll probably notice an improvement soon after your visit, whether you suffer from back pain or neck and shoulder pain. Remember that damaged cartilage can’t be restored, though. Meaning you’ll need to go regularly to receive the most benefit.
2. More Flexibility and Increased Mobility
Joint flexibility quickly improves after a chiropractic visit because it improves alignment in the joints, meaning you’ll move more quickly and efficiently with increased comfort.
Ultimately, this can feed into a “success loop” of managing arthritis pain and immobility issues. With improved flexibility, increased mobility, and less pain, you’re likely to move more — improving your posture, walking more, and avoiding the very things that could cause a setback or make arthritis pain worse.
3. Inflammation Management
Inflammation, the root cause of arthritis, is an immune response that’s the body’s way of protecting itself. Acute inflammation is totally natural and typically subsides once the threat is gone. With chronic inflammation (lasting months, weeks, or years), however, the inflammatory response goes into overdrive — manifesting as pain, digestive issues, mood swings, and more.
By using methods specifically designed to reduce inflammation, an experienced, professional chiropractor can help ease arthritis pain. They’ll gently realign the joints and spine, which in turn improves nervous system function. Ultimately, this supports your body’s innate healing ability to balance inflammatory responses.
4. Immunity Boost
While it’s not often discussed, one of the major benefits of chiropractic care is the immunity boost it provides. For people who suffer from rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, a chiropractor can help by boosting immune function.
Few scientific studies actually prove it, but research from 1989 by Dr. Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York’s Preventive Medicine Institute and professor of medicine at New York University, says otherwise.
For three years, Pero observed the immunity in over 100 individuals receiving chiropractic care, comparing them to healthy adults and patients with serious illnesses. He discovered the immunity of chiropractic patients was 200% stronger than the general population and 400% stronger than patients with serious diseases!
Chiropractic Care and Psoriatic Arthritis
The ways a chiropractor can help with arthritis pain are amazing, but it’s super important to keep in mind that psoriatic arthritis requires different treatment and more care. It requires the knowledge that joint pain and skin irritation are happening simultaneously.
Expert chiropractors understand this. They’re aware that distressed areas shouldn’t be addressed when you’re experiencing a flare-up. They also know how to properly handle the session if your psoriasis is being particularly nasty.
Seeing a chiropractor for psoriatic arthritis means they’ll need to create the proper treatment protocol that supports both joint alignment and skin irritation — not just focusing on one issue at the expense of the other.
Support Arthritis Pain Naturally — A Chiropractor Can Help
Getting consistent care from a chiropractor can completely change the way you currently feel. If you’re tired of living with arthritis pain, it’s 100% worth it to check out different chiropractic care services to see how they might help. A chiropractor can’t make arthritis magically disappear, but they can work with you to naturally support arthritis pain — helping you move and live in a whole new way.
*Chiropractic care should always be considered as a complementary treatment for arthritis patients. Seeing a medical professional and taking the proper medication is vital to properly manage your unique arthritic symptoms.