Arthritis
Arthritis is defined medically as inflammation of a joint. The diagnosis is much more narrowly used in describing damage to joint or multiple joints. There are two primary types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and we all will have this type if we live long enough. Inflammatory arthritis is the other category and is typically more involved than osteoarthritis. Both types of arthritis cause pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. Both types can also cause alterations to your normal lifestyle which can range from avoiding certain activities to serious disability.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative joint disease. It is not a disease process that we typically think of but process of wear and tear. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects the hands, knees, hips and spine. This wear and tear process affects the hard protective cartilage covering the ends of bones. This cartilage wears away and eventually allows the bone itself to contact the other bone in the joint. Injuries to the joints accelerate the wear and tear. Heavy or repetitive work also speeds the arthritic changes. There is a familial tendency toward earlier osteoarthritis. Once the process has begun and the cartilage is thinning other findings occur such as bone spurs, small cysts and loss of flexibility. The early symptoms of osteoarthritis are typically morning stiffness and aching quality pain. This usually improves after moving around for a while. The pain will typically increase again late in the day or after increased activity. The symptoms of osteoarthritis tend to get progressively worse over time. There is currently nothing that will allow us to grow new cartilage in our joints but there are treatments to lessen the effects and improve our quality of life. Inflammatory Arthritis
Inflammatory arthritis is a disease process. The inflammatory arthritis group includes rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, psoriatic arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and others. These diseases are thought to be autoimmune in nature. This means that your immune system begins to attack your own tissues and damage or destroy them. The symptoms begin the same as osteoarthritis but typically become more severe and also include symptoms from tissues outside the joints. Inflammatory arthritis can affect other connective tissue, the kidneys, eyes, liver and other organs. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most frequently seen inflammatory arthritis in our practice and leads to more joint destruction and deformity than osteoarthritis. These diseases can become quite debilitating and require a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. Maintaining the most active lifestyle possible and improving the quality of life requires the skills and talents of multiple physicians and the determination and discipline of the person afflicted with the disease. |
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Treatment
Treating arthritis is different than treating many other conditions. There is no "cure" for arthritis. We work to increase the activity of lifestyle and to improve the quality of life. Pain management is one of the primary goals of treatment. Pain from arthritis is decreased by reducing inflammation and irritations of the joints. The treatment of osteoarthritis which is not a disease process is less complicated than treating one of the inflammatory arthritis conditions. We work to restore full motion within the joint to remove irritation. This is done with Chiropractic adjustments to involved joints. We work to reduce inflammation in the joints with physiotherapy modalities including ice application, electrical muscle stimulation, myofascial release and low intensity laser. Consultation on improving standing posture, seated posture, work posture, work station ergonomics and changes in the way activities of daily living are performed is an important part of the overall treatment process. Home treatment can include stretching, exercising, massage, over the counter anti inflammatory medications and ice or heat applications. Treatment with your general practitioner which can include prescription medications for inflammation and muscle relaxation is commonly included in the management of osteoarthritis. Treating the inflammatory arthritic diseases is more involved and is a team approach. A Rheumatologist, General Practitioner, Chiropractor and Physical Therapist are commonly all involved. The restoration of motion is important in treatment. Decreasing the inflammatory process is usually more difficult than with osteoarthritis. Treatment for other systems is involved. Proper nutrition in the treatment process is becoming more recognized. There is ongoing research in the treatment of auto immune disease and new therapies are being developed. There are approaches being researched and tested for growing new cartilage in joints. There is some promise in microfracture procedures, stem cell injections and other new technologies. Joint replacement surgeries have been used for quite some time and are improving constantly.
Treating arthritis is different than treating many other conditions. There is no "cure" for arthritis. We work to increase the activity of lifestyle and to improve the quality of life. Pain management is one of the primary goals of treatment. Pain from arthritis is decreased by reducing inflammation and irritations of the joints. The treatment of osteoarthritis which is not a disease process is less complicated than treating one of the inflammatory arthritis conditions. We work to restore full motion within the joint to remove irritation. This is done with Chiropractic adjustments to involved joints. We work to reduce inflammation in the joints with physiotherapy modalities including ice application, electrical muscle stimulation, myofascial release and low intensity laser. Consultation on improving standing posture, seated posture, work posture, work station ergonomics and changes in the way activities of daily living are performed is an important part of the overall treatment process. Home treatment can include stretching, exercising, massage, over the counter anti inflammatory medications and ice or heat applications. Treatment with your general practitioner which can include prescription medications for inflammation and muscle relaxation is commonly included in the management of osteoarthritis. Treating the inflammatory arthritic diseases is more involved and is a team approach. A Rheumatologist, General Practitioner, Chiropractor and Physical Therapist are commonly all involved. The restoration of motion is important in treatment. Decreasing the inflammatory process is usually more difficult than with osteoarthritis. Treatment for other systems is involved. Proper nutrition in the treatment process is becoming more recognized. There is ongoing research in the treatment of auto immune disease and new therapies are being developed. There are approaches being researched and tested for growing new cartilage in joints. There is some promise in microfracture procedures, stem cell injections and other new technologies. Joint replacement surgeries have been used for quite some time and are improving constantly.