Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease and occurs as a result of wear and tear, it can affect men and women but is more common when we get older. It is a painful and degenerative condition, and there are no known cures. It affects the weight-bearing joints like the spine, hips, knees, and ankles. In the case of hips, often the most severe cases lead to hip replacement. Before OA gets to that severe stage, chiropractic treatment can help improve symptoms and slow down the process.
A chiropractic treatment programme for OA is not limited to adjustments only. The aim is to reduce the joint inflammation and increase the range of movement (ROM) in the hip by relaxing the painful and tight muscles in that area and balancing out the weak and, overused muscles.
Chiropractic care can also help:
- With pain reduction, aligning the spine will allow the spinal cord to send signals to the brain more easily, it helps balance chemical production, which decreases how the body relays pain.
- Muscle relaxation, treatment releases tension in muscles. When the body is properly aligned, it can alleviate tension and pressure on the joints
- Increased range of motion, proper alignment will increase the motion range of the spine, hips, and shoulders, which can make the patient more comfortable.
An exercise programme will also be prescribed in combination with adjustments, and your Chiropractor will monitor your progress to ensure that you are doing the exercises too. Research shows that supervised exercise programmes are more effective than non-supervised.
We will also address lifestyle changes, which may need to be made. This could simply be changing the way you do something, rather than stopping you from doing an activity. This may help you to continue doing the things that you love for longer.
Finally, a good diet and nutrition will be a core part of the treatment, after all, prevention is better than cure!