The basic meaning of arthritis is inflammation of the joints. Other than wear and tear, arthritis in its many forms is also one of the most common causes of joint inflammation.
Arthritis covers more than 100 rheumatic diseases as well as a wide range of other conditions related to joint pain.
People suffering from joint pain should ideally visit a certified chiropractor for pain relief. Chiropractors are experts at determining the cause of joint pain and then providing solutions for this pain.
The treatment provided is as professional as it comes. At Back In Balance Chiropractic in Redmond, we perform a whole background check performed on the patient and only then is a suitable treatment provided.
While some cases of arthritis can be resolved by seeking the help of a chiropractor, others cannot. For people that experience swelling, pain, and redness around a joint that has not been physically damaged, it is recommended they visit a doctor.
However, this also holds true for people that have joint pain combined with fever or rashes as such symptoms are a form of arthritis and should therefore be treated with the proper medication.
In addition, if these symptoms are left untreated there can be serious and life threatening consequences.
Below are some of the common types of arthritis:
Osteoarthritis (OA)
The most common type of arthritis, osteoarthritis is also referred to as degenerative joint disease. The disease occurs as a result of wear and tear of the major joints of the body, such as the hips, knees, and spine.
Other causes of this disease are obesity, over use of the joints and physical trauma. Osteoarthritis is gradual in how it affects a person, with the risk of the disease increasing as people age.
The earlier symptoms of the disease are stiffness of the joints, an increased amount of pain when a person rests, and decreased amounts of pain when a person relaxes.
The disease can be avoided by having the joints properly aligned through chiropractic treatment. This alignment should be combined with the correct movement of the joints.
It is necessary, therefore, to have the joints checked regularly to see if they are properly aligned or not.
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
Although rheumatoid arthritis is also one of the more common types of arthritis, it is quite different from osteoarthritis. The disease occurs as a result of the body producing an incorrect response against its own tissues.
This means that the disease is an autoimmune disease and can be attributed to the presence of the rheumatoid factor. In addition, whereas osteoarthritis affects the larger joints, rheumatoid arthritis affects the smaller joints.
Other than joint pain, other symptoms for the disease are low fever, loss of appetite, and fatigue.
Rheumatoid arthritis mainly affects people belonging to the 30 to 50 year age group. Unlike osteoarthritis, the disease is quick to act, and therefore, leads to a greater degree of disability in its hosts.
In addition, people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis cannot seek the help of a chiropractor as the disease affects the neck ligaments too.
Psoriatic Arthritis (PA)
Similar in its type to rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis differs from the former in a number of ways.
Firstly, psoriatic arthritis affects only one side of the body.
Secondly, the disease is associated with a skin condition called psoriasis.
Lastly, where as rheumatic arthritis affects the smaller joints, psoriatic arthritis affects the larger joints situated in the lower region of the body.
The damage done by the disease is progressive and should therefore be treated with medication at the earliest stages of the disease.
Gout
One of the more painful forms of arthritis, gout is severe in nature. The disease causes redness, swelling in areas like the big toe, knee, ankle, foot, elbow, hand, and wrist.
The pain occurs as a result of uric acid crystals that make their way out of the blood and enter the joints. The disease affects only one joint.
Due to the severity of the pain that gout causes, patients are recommended by NSAID to take pain and inflammation relieving medication, as well as curb on the foods that lead to these conditions.
In addition, medication to curb the production of uric acid is also recommended.
Arthritis, once contracted, can be really painful for its hosts. The key, therefore, is to avoid the disease by taking care of the joints.
Apart from chiropractic treatment, the maintenance of a healthy lifestyle can go a long way in ensuring that people stay free from the many forms of arthritis.
At Back In Balance Chiropractic, we have patients from Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Seattle and more seeking us for arthritis pain relief. Contact us today to see how we can help you.
