Arthritis Treatment Winthrop

A person with arthritis massaging inflamed knee

Despite what popular opinion may suggest, arthritis is a condition that can affect people from all walks of life. Although it most commonly affects older adults aged 50 and over, children and adolescents are still susceptible to the discomfort that comes with the condition.

While there is no hard and fast cure for arthritis, there are several chiropractic treatments that aim to provide pain relief and minimise extended damage to the joints.

At Winthrop Chiropractic Care, our experienced team uses gentle chiropractic treatments which target both muscle and joint pain. We consider your entire well-being in identifying what is causing your arthritic pain, designing a treatment plan that suits your unique situation.

We provide customised and planned arthritis treatments to minimise physical discomfort and to maximise quality of life.

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is an umbrella term used to describe over a hundred conditions affecting the joints. Given the scope of the condition, early detection is vital in determining the right treatment for you.

The most common types of arthritis are:

Osteoarthritis
- Occurs when the cartilage that cushions the joints breaks down, resulting in bone rubbing against bone. It commonly affects the joints in the hands, spine, hips, and knees.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
- When the immune system attacks healthy joints, leading to discomfort and swelling.

Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are more common in women than in men, and often develop amongst middle-aged and older adults.

Some other types of arthritis include:

Ankylosing spondylitis
- This type of arthritis occurs mainly around the joints of the spine.
Psoriatic arthritis
- As the name suggests, this type of arthritis usually affects people with psoriasis.
Gout
- This type of arthritis is experienced by people with too much uric acid in the body.
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)
- Also known as childhood arthritis. This type of arthritis may be due to immune system problems. JIA can cause irreversible damage to the joints.

Symptoms of Arthritis

The signs and symptoms that you develop will of course depend on the type of arthritis that you have. If you suspect that you may have arthritis, keep an eye out for the following symptoms:

Joint pain
Swelling
Redness
Stiffness
Difficulty or decreased ability to move a joint

Other arthritis symptoms can include popping or clicking sounds when bending or moving a joint, fatigue, sleep disturbance due to pain, difficulty walking, fever, eye inflammation, and/or a rash.

It is always best to check with your Chiropractor if you believe you may be showing symptoms of arthritis. Call Winthrop Chiropractic Care at (08) 9332 0122 or book an appointment online.

Causes of Arthritis Joint Pain

Just as the symptoms you present with are dependent on the type of arthritis you have, so too are its causes. As a whole, arthritis tends to develop gradually over time rather than all at once. This is often why arthritis presents in older adults. As such, it is important to monitor and take notes of changes to any symptoms you may have.

Osteoarthritis happens as a result of the wear and tear in the cartilage that cushions the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system, our body’s natural defence system, mistakenly attacks the body’s healthy tissues (eg. the joints).

Outside of overuse and immune defences, arthritis can also be exacerbated by:

An unhealthy diet and/or lifestyle
Injury
Family history of Arthritis

Arthritis Treatments

Most people experience body and joint pain from time to time, but this does not mean it should be ignored.

To best look after your muscles and joints, it is vital that you get unusual or sudden discomfort checked by your Chiropractor.

Based on how your discomfort began, your Chiropractor will run a series of tests and develop personalised treatments specific to your injury. Where necessary, your Chiropractor may recommend joint chiropractic therapy with physiotherapy or personalised physical therapy.

The goal of arthritis treatment is to manage the pain, ease swelling, improve discomfort, and to minimise further damage to the joint.

Pain Relief for Arthritis

The Chiropractic approach is to identify the cause of your arthritic pain, rather than just provide a band-aid solution to the symptoms. Chiropractors provide a natural form of treatment that can offer long term relief. In a New Zealand government study, chiropractic care has been found to be 10,000 times safer than surgery and more than 1,000 times safer than Panadol.

It can be tempting to rely on pain killers and anti-inflammatory medication when you suffer from arthritis. But these drugs ultimately mask the underlying problem. They can potentially cause more harm than good.

While there is no direct correlation between diet and arthritis, some patients find limiting highly processed food, red meats, sugary drinks, and alcohol beneficial in keeping muscle and joint inflammation down.

In addition to watching what you eat, engaging in light and easy physical activities like low-impact aerobics, swimming, yoga, Pilates, and tai chi can be beneficial to people with arthritis. High-impact sports such as netball or hockey can exacerbate symptoms if not monitored.

Be sure to talk to our Chiropractors to find out how we can help you and to know what physical activities you can and cannot do while in treatment.

Can A Chiropractor Help With Osteoarthritis?

Dr Luke and Dr Raymond both have more than 20 years in helping people who suffer from arthritic pain. We perform a thorough exam to determine the exact source of the pain and tailor treatment to suit your condition.

We can use certain chiropractic treatments, such as joint mobilisation or soft-tissue therapy, which may help in relieving the joint pains caused by osteoarthritis.

The purpose of joint mobilisation is to improve joint range of motion and pain by applying targeted pressure on the joint. This should only be done by a trained healthcare professional.

Soft tissue therapy is performed to relieve pain and inflammation in the affected area.

How Can I Prepare For My Arthritis Treatment With My Chiropractor?

A chiropractor will ask about your medical history and conduct some testing to identify the underlying cause of your pain and determine if chiropractic care is for you.

To make the most out of your visit to a chiropractor, prepare your questions ahead of time. Take notes on when you started experiencing joint pain and physical movements that worsen your symptoms.

At Winthrop Chiropractic Care, we provide treatments for the whole family. Contact us now to learn what we can do for relieving and managing your arthritis.

We’re also pleased to offer complimentary consultations. Book your appointment with our professional and friendly team online, or give us a ring on (08) 9332 0122.