Looking for a more holistic method for caring for those painful, swollen joints? You’re not alone. 1 in 6 Canadians have reported bouts of arthritis. The good news is that you don’t need pharmaceuticals for arthritis—not when you have chiropractic.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is an inflammation of the joint, causing pain, discomfort, and stiffness throughout the body. The most common symptoms of arthritis are joint pain, swelling, and decreased range of motion. These problems tend to get worse with age.
There are also over 100 types of arthritis, making it one of the leading causes of disability in North America. The two types the benefit most from a visit to the chiropractor are:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis – a chronic inflammatory disorder in the joints,
- Osteoarthritis – a degenerative disorder than affects flexible joint cartilage.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help?
There’s more than 150 techniques that chiropractors can use to help your spine, joints, and muscles. For arthritis, routine chiropractic visits provide a non-invasive way to manage your pain. Chiropractors help with arthritis by delivering gentle chiropractic adjustment. These adjustments help with restrictions and misalignment in joints caused by inflammation. By increasing the mobility of joints, your body will be able to manage the pain caused by arthritis.
Some benefits of chiropractic care for those with arthritis include:
- Reduced discomfort and joint pain
- Reduced inflammation
- Enhanced range of motion
- Better flexibility in joints and spine
- Chance to return to activities that you enjoy
What Are Other Ways To Manage Arthritis?
While visiting the local chiropractor is a great idea for assisting with arthritis, there are things you can do to help your body fight off the chronic inflammation and get you back on your feet. One way to limit the discomfort caused by arthritis is to include anti-inflammatory foods in your diet, such as fresh whole fruits, leafy green vegetables, and omega 3 fatty acids. Some examples include apples, bananas, spinach, kale, flaxseeds, walnuts, and extra virgin olive oil.
Other things to add to your diet include:
- Green tea and herbal tea
- Garlic
- Herbs, such as ginger, turmeric, red pepper, parsley, rosemary, and thyme
- Fortified cereals with vitamin D
- Glucosamine and chondroitin supplements
Eliminate items that are known to cause inflammation, such as foods high in saturated fat, like fried foods, salty foods, and baked goods. Try to eat as clean as possible and avoid any chemicals that are unnatural. Similarly, any simple carbohydrates and too much sugar can cause inflammation, so be careful about your food selection.
Although arthritis has no cure, there are things you can do to keep the pain manageable. Visit a chiropractor to have mobility restored to your joints. Chiropractors can help with the misalignments that cause pain. Meanwhile, stick to an anti-inflammatory diet, so you can reduce the flare ups. With that, you should be able to get moving in no time.