The ABCs Of Arthritis And How We Can Help!

There are over 100 types of arthritis which means there is a wide variety of causes and presentations. With that said, one characteristic which is similar across all types of arthritis is joint pain. Usually joint pain is accompanied with swelling, redness, and a loss of normal range of motion. Arthritis is a huge healthcare burden with huge costs to society while musculoskeletal pain (joint pain) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. The more common types of arthropathies seen in practice are: osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Causes of most arthropathies can be generalised to:

trauma/stress – result from old injury (car accident, fall)

overuse – micro stress over time due to poor use

poor posture – sitting and sleeping poorly

autoimmune

pathology/disease

A confident diagnosis should always be made with rheumatic conditions so appropriate management can be performed. By far the most common type of arthritis is DJD or osteoarthritis which affects many joints of the body, but commonly weight bearing joints such as the lower limb (hips, knees) and the spine.

Poor posture is the general culprit when it comes to DJD, as loss of normal balance in structure leads to altered mechanical pressures on a joint. Over time, loss of normal joint use and shifted pressure can lead to wear and tear on the joint structures which in turn can cause pain and dysfunction.

The great news is at Kirsh Chiropractic we are improving the function and health of bodies with arthritic conditions everyday! This means for most, aches and pains can be a thing of the past. Ask your Chiropractor to learn more.