Welcome to the Central West Dr. Adam,
I have severe arthritis. I did have several chiropractic treatments on my back whilst living in Sydney. However, that was some years ago in early/mid 2000 & also in the 1990’s.
I would like to come and see you at your practice for evaluation and general check up re present condition and to see if you can help after same evaluation.
Sincerely,
Pat.
Hi Pat,
Thank you for your enquiry, arthritis is a very interesting topic. Please correct me if I am wrong but I have to make an assumption that you are talking about osteoarthritis (OA) or degenerative joint disease. Interestingly it is the most common form of arthritis and with more than 1.6 million people in Australia suffering from this problem, you are not alone. In 2000-2001 we spent a staggering $1.2 billion treating osteoarthritis. For our other readers, the main symptoms of OA include;
– – Pain
– -Joint Stiffness
– -Psychological distress
– -Poorer quality of life
This health problem is often mistakenly referred as being caused by ‘age’ which I believe to be a massive disservice to the people suffering from this issue as it says that 1) There is nothing that people can do about it, and 2) ignores other important factors so people can manage these things or educate themselves to take proactive steps to avoid or minimise arthritis. Main factors to be aware of include:
– Maintaining an ideal weight to minimise excessive forces going through your joints
– Try to avoid joint injury as this can lead to damage and increase degeneration
– Repetitive movements can cause joint injury and lead to more osteoarthritis. For example kneeling, heavy lifting etc. If you do any repetitive movement it would be wise to consult a Chiropractor, occupational therapist or physiotherapist for strategies to minimise strain caused by them
-Things to do at home:
– -Heat packs can increase blood flow and help with stiffness, pain and healing
– -Exercise is very important in managing osteoarthritis. It serves to strengthen muscles and bones and also acts like a self-cleaning mechanism that smooths joint surfaces, kind of like sand paper for your joints. You should see your Chiropractor or physiotherapist to discuss what exercises will be beneficial and which ones you must avoid.
– -Reduce low grade inflammation by removing/minimising foods in your diet which cause inflammation. Such foods are those that are acidic or are high in Omega 6 such as grains and foods made from grains (bread, pasta, wheat etc), eating only grass fed meat and taking a high quality Omega 3 supplement
Chiropractors see people with osteoarthritis every single day and usually get great results treating it. If Chiropractors were measured by how well they can reverse OA by x-ray it may not look so good, but if positive results are measured by how much more comfortable people feel, being able to participate in things they want to do like playing with the grand kids or gardening, not being limited by pain or stiffness, improved quality of life and getting sound advice on how to look after themselves better at home, Chiropractic can be extremely successful.
I hope this helps you Pat and all our other readers. I will have one of our staff members from the Phoenix get in contact with you to obtain a phone number to discuss your case and organise an appointment for you if it is something I believe I can help you with. Have a great day!