Have you ever had a friend or family member tell you that they were told that they have “Arthritis”? Did you know that there are several different types of Arthritis?
The friend was most likely referring to a condition called Osteoarthritis or “OA” a condition that will affect most people at some point in their lives. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time.
Although osteoarthritis can damage any joint in your body, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, knees, hips and spine. Osteoarthritis often gradually worsens, and no cure exists. But staying active, exercising regularly, maintaining proper joint range of motion and maintaining a healthy weight and other treatments may slow progression of the disease and help improve pain and joint function. Osteoarthritis symptoms often develop slowly and worsen over time.
Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include:
- Pain: Your joint may hurt during or after movement.
- Tenderness: Your joint may feel tender when you apply light pressure to it.
- Stiffness: Joint stiffness may be most noticeable when you wake up in the morning or after a period of inactivity.
- Loss of flexibility: You may not be able to move your joint through its full range of motion.
- Grating sensation: You may hear or feel a grating sensation when you use the joint.
- Bone spurs: These extra bits of bone, which feel like hard lumps, may form around the affected joint.
When to see a Doctor of Chiropractic If you have joint pain or stiffness that lasts for more than a few weeks, make an appointment with your Chiropractor as they specialize in helping their patients maintain active lifestyles, show exercises that help with rehabilitation from pain associated with OA and perform Spinal Adjustments that help maintain healthy ranges of motion within the joint.