Arthritis is a prevalent reality as we age. But did you know, a vast difference exists between organic type arthritis (ex, rheumatoid), age-related arthritis, and arthritis related to trauma and injury. Bottom line: If you have been told to "just live with it" or "it's just age", get a second opinion. Your doctor of chiropractic knows how to differentiate between age-related and trauma-related arthritis and provide appropriate treatment. When you loosen tight joints with a spinal adjustment, relief is often immediate. Combined with other recommendations like exercise and diet modification, you simply do not have to live with the pain and disability of arthritis, or the side affects on chronic drugs use.

Many forms of arthritis exist, but by far "osteoarthritis" is the type afflicting the most people in this country. "Osteo" means bone. "Arthro" means joint. And "itis" means inflammation. So osteoarthritis pertains to joint related inflammation and basically affects joints, which do not move well. What causes joints to dysfunction or not move well? There are three primary causes; major trauma (ex, car accident or work injury), minor trauma (poor posture or repetitive use injury), or stress. While stress will not cause the arthritis, it can definitely make an existing problem worse. If joint "dysfunction" is left untreated, and the joint remains tight and stiff, arthritis can set in, causing you pain for years to come. The worst part, premature degenerative is usually is preventable if you maintain good joint mobility after an injury.

You would never allow the front end of your car to remain "miss-aligned" for a long period of time. You know the result: tire wear and tear. Why allow the joints of your spine to remain tight and miss-aligned when we know it could cause arthritis after an injury? Exercise is important, but often not adequate to loosen tight spinal joints.