Arthritis is a common condition which causes pain, swelling and inflammation and often stiffness in the joints of the body.
The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis but there are many other types including ankylosing spondylitis, gout, psoriatic arthritis and reactive arthritis. Certain types of arthritis can also affect children.
Osteoarthritis is a result of wear and tear of the joints in the body. It is common in people over 50 and most commonly affects the joints of the knees, hips, neck and back, base of the toes and hands.
How can osteopaths help?
The gentle manipulative and massage techniques from osteopaths can help ease the pain in some arthritis sufferers. Treatment is individual, gently moving and stretching an arthritic joint and massaging surrounding muscles and tissues can help ease some of the discomfort. Sometimes an osteopath may work on general mobility of the other joints and muscles in the body to help the mechanics of the body work better. Osteopaths may also give advice on exercises, diet, posture and changes to lifestyle. X-rays, scans or other tests may be required and your osteopath may refer you to your GP for any additional investigations and treatment.
Osteoarthrithis
Osteoarthritis is a condition that causes the joints to become painful and stiff. It is the most common type of arthritis in the UK.
The severity of osteoarthritis symptoms can vary greatly from person to person, and between different affected joints. For some people, the symptoms may be mild and may come and go, whereas others can experience more continuous and severe problems.
Almost any joint can be affected by osteoarthritis, but the condition most often causes problems in the knees, hips, and small joints of the hands.
The pain and stiffness in the joints can make carrying out everyday activities difficult for some people with the condition.
Osteopathy can help with the symptoms of osteoarthritis by promoting a good blood supply to the struggling muscles and articulating and encouraging movement to the effected joint and the other joints around that are supporting this joint.
There is no cure for osteoarthritis.
It is not possible to prevent osteoarthritis altogether, however you may be able to minimise your risk of developing this condition of developing the condition by avoiding injury and staying as healthy as possible. It would not be unreasonable to suggest that treatment to seemingly minor injuries earlier on in life would help to minimise your chances of developing this condition.