If a joint is suffering from wear and tear, it is termed degenerative, and is diagnosed as ‘osteoarthritis’.
The symptoms of osteoarthritis include: Joint pain, stiffness, swelling, deformity and eventual loss of function. The tender joints may even be unstable, (giving an audible cracking sound on movement). Bone spurs may be present, (extra bone) which is laid down over a period of time, as the body tries to compensate for lack of stability.
The causes of osteoarthritis include: age, trauma, obesity, repetitive stress, (sporting or profession), limb mis-alignment, (where the angle of the limbs is not optimal, creating an uneven distribution of force on musculoskeletal structures; genetics, bone deformity (from birth) and even psychological stress.
Osteopathy can help by utilising an array of safe, non-invasive techniques to increase joint space, articulate tissues and relieve pain with regards to associated muscular tightness. The patient typically finds that suddenly the range of motion in a particular joint has increased, relieving pain, swelling, discomfort and stiffness. The patient is guided through an effective tailor made program, including exercise, diet and pain management advice to achieve optimal improvements.
Unfortunately, some individuals believe that nothing can be done for degenerative joints, except damage limitation, i.e. painkillers. We strongly believe to the contrary – Osteopathy can make a huge difference to the quality of life, and can allow some activities to be restored that the patient had previously needed to abandon due to pain.
Treatment is usually gentle and may require multiple sessions to get effective results. Remember that osteopaths are joint specialists and they treat patients daily suffering from arthritic symptoms.
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