What is arthritis?

Arthritis refers to a wide range of inflammatory conditions that cause pain, stiffness, swelling and redness in the affected joint. Over time, arthritis can cause permanent joint changes. Some are easily seen (like knobbly fingers) while others can only be seen on an X-ray. 

Arthritis conditions are common, affecting nearly 10% of Australians but there’s a lot that we’re still learning. 

We do know that arthritis can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Think about how often you use your hands, for example, and how difficult it would be to type, open doors, cook dinner or hold the phone if you had limited movement or strength in your fingers. Think about how often you use your knees – every time you walk, climb stairs, squat down to load the washing machine or help a toddler. Arthritis in your knees makes those things very difficult.

Risk factors for arthritis

You’re at greater risk of developing arthritis if you:

• Have close relatives with arthritis

• Are overweight as this put more pressure on your joints

• Smoke

• Are getting older

• Are female (women account for 60% of all arthritis cases)

• Have injured that joint in the past, either through repetitive strain (such as tennis elbow) or through a traumatic injury (like breaking your ankle). 

Arthritis is an umbrella term for over 100 different conditions that affect your joints. That means it’s important to receive a proper diagnosis of your arthritis so you know which type you have and how best to treat it. 

Here, we’ll focus on two of the most common types: rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. 

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition. 

Your immune system is there to defend you against different pathogens that cause disease. Sometimes, though, your immune system becomes confused and attacks its own healthy tissues, creating autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis. 

Rheumatoid arthritis causes chronic inflammation, which, in 40% of cases, can damage many areas of your body, including your skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels. It also affects the lining of your joints, causing swelling and deformity. 

 What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?

If you’ve developed rheumatoid arthritis, you may experience symptoms such as:

• Swollen joints that feel tender and warm when touched – often this starts in smaller joints like your fingers but can progress to larger joints like the hips or shoulder

• Stiff joints – often worse after inactivity

• Fever

• Loss of appetite

• Tiredness. 

How is rheumatoid arthritis treated?

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis but the condition can be managed in various ways. Your doctor will oversee your rheumatoid arthritis treatment and may prescribe a number of medications or even surgery if other treatments have not worked. 

Chiropractic care may assist with managing rheumatoid arthritis by:

• Improving function

• Increasing mobility

• Reducing pain. 

At Nurture Chiropractic, we assess you carefully before recommending a treatment plan. We use many different techniques and approaches to ensure you are getting the best care for you and your condition:

• Sacro-occipital technique

• Activator/instrument adjusting

• Soft tissue therapy

• Mobility exercises and stretching

As well as referring you to another health care provider such as your GP should it be necessary.  

What is osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis involves the gradual breakdown of the cartilage within your joints. We used to think of osteoarthritis as a ‘wear and tear’ disease and inflammation of the area can be associated.

Cartilage is a strong, spongy, connective tissue that sits between the ends of two bones where they meet in a joint. Cartilage absorbs shock and enables the bones to move smoothly when you move your joints. 

As your cartilage breaks down and you lose its cushioning, movement becomes more difficult and painful.  

What are the symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Symptoms of osteoarthritis include:

• Painful, stiff joints

• Difficulty moving your joints

• A clicking sound or grating sensation when you move your joint

• Limited movements in your joints. 

How is osteoarthritis treated?

There is no cure for osteoarthritis but there are many ways to manage it. One of the most effective treatments is a wonderful activity called exercise! Regular exercise helps keep your joints and muscles in good shape. However, you do want to make sure you are not exercising on a dysfunctional joint or pre-existing injury and that the type of exercise is appropriate for you and your condition.

Exercise treatment may include:

• Muscle stretches or yoga to increase flexibility

• Light weights or resistance training to increase muscle strength, which, in turn, relieves pressure on sore joints. It can also help maintain strong healthy bone density into older life. 

• Cardiovascular exercise like walking, swimming or cycling to improve your overall fitness. 

Chiropractic treatment for osteoarthritis may include:

• Joint mobilisation

• Soft tissue therapies – damaged joints can lead to tightness and spasms in surrounding muscles and ligaments so we work to relieve that pressure.  

How Nurture Chiropractic can help 

At Nurture Chiropractic, your care begins with a thorough initial consultation. During this appointment, we’ll assess your current complaint, health history and perform a thorough examination including chiropractic, orthopaedic and neurological tests. 

We may refer you for xrays and/or your GP for further examinations and testing.

We use a holistic, natural approach to allow your body to adapt and function better. Chiropractic may help with pain relief of some affected areas so that arthritis is impacting your life as minimally as possible and you regain confidence in your body. 

Your treatment options might include: 

• Chiropractic techniques determined by your chiropractor

• Soft tissue therapy

• Ultrasound to reduce swelling and stiffness

• Electrotherapy to stimulate nerves and muscles

• Low level laser therapy (cold laser) to reduce inflammation

• Infrared sauna to reduce pain and improve circulation.

• Supplements

All of these techniques may not be available with your chiropractor. Your chiropractor will refer you where and when needed, helping you find the best and thorough course of care, should you require additional therapies, to your chiropractic care plan.

We care for people from all walks of life

If you’re living in the beautiful Northern Rivers, Tweed coast or southern Gold Coast areas, we invite you to take action and investigate how chiropractic care for arthritis may help you. 

Please get in touch with us so we can assist you in the steps on your road to recovery.

We understand how debilitating arthritis can be and we’re eager to help you move beyond it.