Chiropractic Treatments for Osteoarthritis Pain
Chiropractic medicine is one of the most natural forms of healing. It’s also the most popular form of natural healing, as chiropractors see more patients than osteopathic physicians, naturopathic physicians, nutritionists, acupuncturists, and massage practitioners.
Many insurance companies, including Workers’ Compensation, accept Chiropractic treatments as legitimate and helpful for patients, and are happy that these treatments often cut down the number of doctor visits needed to get well.
8 Ways Chiropractic Treatments Help Arthritis Pain
Will chiropractic treatments help your arthritis pain? If so, how?
There are many ways chiropractic treatment can help people with arthritis:
- It increases your range of motion. Range of motion is limited when there’s deterioration in the joints.
- It helps relieve joint stiffness. With a greater range of motion, joint stiffness is reduced. Different treatment modalities, such as the cold laser treatment, also increase circulation to the joints and relieve joint stiffness.
- Chiropractic treatment decreases swelling in the joints. Chiropractic manipulation re-aligns the joints. A joint out of alignment is always accompanied by swelling. Also, a cold laser treatment, ultrasound therapy or electrotherapy assists in pumping out the fluids that are causing swelling in the joints.
- Chiropractic treatment helps relieve pain in the joints. This pain comes from two worn-out bones wearing against each other. This increases inflammation, which increases the feeling of pain.
- It increases your body’s’ production of endorphins, which are natural painkillers.
- Chiropractors may assist you in your weight loss efforts. Weight loss takes the stress off pained joints. Once you achieve your ideal body weight, your joints will feel better.
- Chiropractors may recommend supplements that can help you rebuild the cartilage around the ends of joints.
- Chiropractors can recommend what type of exercise will be best suited for your condition, and track your progress.
How to Choose a Chiropractor
Like medical doctors, chiropractors may specialize in different branches of medicine. Who should you see? How do you know if you’ve found a doctor who can help you? Here are five guidelines to help steer you in the right direction:
- Choose an experienced chiropractor that has worked with plenty of arthritis patients in their career.
- You want a chiropractor that performs manipulations on all joints, not just the cervical spine. One specialty of chiropractic medicine is called the ‘Nucca’ method, which only adjusts the upper cervical vertebrae. This would not be an appropriate choice for an individual with OA.
- The chiropractor should have the ability to use modalities besides the hands for manipulations. Ask if the office has cold laser, spinal decompression (for pain associated with arthritis of the spine).
- The chiropractor should be personable and one you feel you can confide in. Every great doctor-patient relationship has communication as a foundation.
- The chiropractor’s fees are affordable, if your insurance will not cover it.