By Grant Draeger, D.C., CCSP

Have you ever ridden in a car where all the engine lights are on and you’re just waiting for something to happen that will stop the car dead in its tracks? Typically not, right? That’s because people know the repercussions of letting their engine lights go on, unchecked. Engine failure, transmission problems, brakes going out, etc. Our bodies are a lot more complex than a car, but they also have engine lights that will go off, and if left alone, can develop into chronic, life long problems. One of these is arthritis.

How Osteoarthritis Forms

Last month, we discussed the problems associated with scar tissue. Scar tissue causes the joints to be inflexible, decreases the ability of the region to heal thoroughly, causes more pain in areas that it has grown, and most importantly, if left untreated, will indefinitely lead to the formation of osteoarthritis. This can lead to chronic pain. When scar tissue is left to its own devices, it builds. Once enough builds, it restricts the range of motion of the joint it is surrounding, possibly causing joint pain. When the joint can’t move and stretch that scar tissue, it becomes stagnant. When scar tissue is stagnant for long enough, it starts to calcify and turn to bone. Once that scar tissue completes its transformation to bone, it’s known as osteoarthritis. This condition can lead to chronic pain, causing you to seek a specialist for joint relief.

5 Signs of Osteoarthritis

There are over 100 different types of arthritis. Of these, 90% are osteoarthritis. Here are some of the more common symptoms of osteoarthritis.

1. 1. Stiffness
   2. Reduced Flexibility
   3. Pain in a joint (hips, SIs, knees and hands are all common)
   4. Asymmetry of pain (affects one side but not necessarily the other)
   5. Slow onset of symptoms

If you have a combination of these symptoms, then chances are you have arthritis. It can affect anyone but typically will show up in most people after the age of 60, because it’s the wear and tear type of arthritis.

What to do about Arthritis

While there is no cure for osteoarthritis, there are ways to manage it and more importantly, ways to slow the continued progression of it and manage any chronic pain associated with arthritis.

Staying active produces synovial fluid, which is like the oil of the joints. If the joints are producing this synovial fluid, then they glide against one another, reducing the breakdown of joints, and the possibility of chronic pain.

Seeing a chiropractor helps to keep the scar tissue surrounding joints loose so that the joints can move freely. When the joints are able to move freely, then they can produce synovial fluid.

Maintaining good posture will distribute the weight of the body more evenly, which means it won’t be bearing down on joints that are already starting to break down. This can cause back pain.

Know your limits. Staying active and mobile is important, but if you don’t know your limits, it can be detrimental. So listen to your body, and if you start to ache too much or begin experiencing sharp pain or pains you’re not used to, then back off and rest. Seek out chronic pain relief, too.

CONTACT INTEGRATED PAIN SOLUTIONS TODAY

If you think you might have some of the symptoms that arthritis causes, don’t ignore them. By implementing the steps above, you can decrease the progression of arthritis on your own, as well as chronic pain. If you want to take it to the next level, come see us at Integrated Pain Solutions. The therapies we use here, such as high-intensity laser therapy and hydromassage therapy, help to drastically reduce the progression of arthritis, as well as decrease the chronic pain that comes with it. If you are looking for back pain, joint pain, and other types of pain relief, reach out to our team at our Antigo location today!