Exercise in warm water or salt baths may also be recommended. Facebook-f Instagram. By Dr. What Is Arthritis? Symptoms of Arthritis Arthritis may be hereditary but is generally caused by poor posture, heavy manual work and previous injury. Arthritis , Osteopathy. Share on facebook Facebook. Share on twitter Twitter. In osteoarthritis, pain and inflammation can result from the thinning of discs or cartilage between the bony surfaces of joints.
When this occurs, the soft tissues surrounding the joint shorten, making the joint stiffer and less likely to be used. While this is a protective mechanism the body has devised to protect the joint, using the joint less results in less joint lubrication, drainage and delivery of nutrients to the joint. Additionally, muscles in the affected area can become weaker due to the reduced use. The goal of osteopathic treatment of arthritis is to reduce the imbalances in the body that are contributing to the symptoms.
I use a hands-on technique called osteopathic palpation to identify and assess areas of weakness or excessive tension in the body. Once these imbalances are identified, I will use gentle manual techniques on the joints and the soft tissues of the body to help the body regain its structural balance.
Often, these manual treatments will involve gently encouraging the affected joint s to move. There is a fine balance between using and aggravating an arthritic joint, which is why the manual treatments are always gentle in nature. Osteopathic treatment of arthritis has been shown to help to reduce pain and inflammation.
It is important to understand what arthritis is, how it is affecting you as a person and what you can do to manage your symptoms in order to improve your quality of life.
Arthritis is an umbrella term used to describe more than conditions affecting the joints of the body, with pain and stiffness being the main symptoms. Arthritis can affect any joint in the body ranging from weight bearing joints eg. Hips to smaller joints eg. There are many different types of arthritis, including: Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Gout, Lupus, Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis to name a few. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis and known as degenerative arthritis and will be explored below.
Although more common as we age, arthritis can affect people of any age, with three in 1, Canadian children being diagnosed with childhood arthritis. Symptoms vary dramatically between people and depending on the type of arthritis they have. Due to the chronic, ongoing nature it can be debilitating and prevent people from achieving simple tasks and activities of daily living.
In Osteoarthritis the cartilage, which provides lubrication and prevents bone rubbing on bone, is progressively worn away due to abnormal load bearing and repetitive movements. Eventually the joint starts to enlarge as chemicals accumulate in the joint to try and repair the tissue damage; this can stimulate new bone, cartilage and other tissue growth. The new bone formations can overgrow the edges of the joint osteophytes — which can be seen and felt. This decreases the space you joint has to move, it causes pain and restriction of movement over time.
How can osteopathy help? Can you help with osteoarthritis in any joint? Share this Post:. Please add a comment. You must be logged in to leave a reply. Tag List arthritis 1.
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