Did you know that according to research, about 32.5 million people in the United States are diagnosed with osteoarthritis by their doctor?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis, affecting millions of people worldwide. It can also be referred to as the Degenerative Joint Desease (DJD).
OA occurs when the protective cartilage on the ends of your bones wears down over time. The risk factors for OA include age, obesity, previous joint injury, genetics, and gender (women are more likely to develop OA than men). Osteoarthritis can cause pain, stiffness, swelling and can interfere with daily activities.
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.
How can your chiropractor help?
If you have joint pain or stiffness, make an appointment with a chiropractor at Santa Clara Custom Chiropractic. Our chiropractors specialize in helping their patients reduce pain and maintain active lifestyles. Treatment will consist of chiropractic adjustments to increase joint range of motion, soft tissue therapies including Active Release Technique and trigger point therapy, and rehabilitative exercises. Our office also has massage therapists onsite who can complement chiropractic care for DJD/OA treatments.
How to make an appointment
To schedule an appointment, please call us at 408-248-8700 or visit our website at santaclaracustomchiro.com.
After scheduling your appointment, intake forms will be conveniently emailed to you to complete prior to your initial evaluation. These forms will include questions about your health history so our chiropractors can get a clear picture on how to get you back to your pain-free life again.