Hey guys, this is Dr. Pat. And today we’re going to be talking treatment for arthritis. This month, the month of May is arthritis Awareness Month. So it’s really, really important that we address this very, very common musculoskeletal condition. Arthritis is one of the most common things that we see in the office, it’s estimated that one in five Americans suffer with some form of arthritis, whether it’s degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic, there’s lots of different types, the most common is probably osteoarthritis.
Chiropractic Arthritis Assessment In Springfield, IL
Arthritis is when the cartilage around the joints begins to break down. And so what that results in is a decrease in that joint space. And so there’s, there’s inflammation that’s created in there, and it’s painful to move.Over time, these things tend to get worse and worse, especially with age.
So here we have a single motion segment, which has two vertebrae in the joints that are in between them. As you can see here, this is a normal disc, it’s nice and fold, there’s a good space between the two bones, there’s a lot of hydration in this disc, which makes them you know, shock absorption and movement very, very easy here in the spine. Over here, you can see what an osteoarthritic spine would look like, you can see that the disk space is smaller, here, the disc is a little bit more dehydrated, it’s not able to move as well. And we can also see some bony formations forming on the sides along here. And especially over here, we actually have what’s called a bone spur, basically. And what can happen is, as these layers of cartilage have broken down, it’s causing inflammation, you know, discomfort, and stuff. And so it makes it really, really hard to want to move those joints because of while they make people feel.
Chiropractic Treatment & Prevention For Arthritis In Springfield, IL
But the thing is, is that motion is really what’s most important for preventing or not necessarily preventing but delaying the onset of these degenerative processes. degeneration is something that happens to everybody, but the rate at which it happens is something that we can actually control. You know, if you exercise move, you know, regular chiropractic care is great for maintaining motion in the spine, that with that we can keep those joints moving, keep everything in alignment, you know, and over time, the benefits really speak for themselves. So people are able to, you know, maintain movement for longer periods of time, have a little bit more independence as they age. And so it really becomes a matter of of moving as much as we can, because that’s really what feeds joints and allows them to to function as well as possible.
Hopefully this video gives you a little bit information about arthritis and some of the changes that can occur in the joints. And if you have any questions, you know, feel free to call our office at 217-726-0422. If you’d like we can get you set up with a consultation. We can talk about these things more. So hope you guys have a great day.
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