Arthritis Pain Management with our Grand Rapids Chiropractor

Arthritis is a common cause of joint pain, especially among older people. However, there is more than one form of arthritis and some do affect younger individuals. Our chiropractor in Grand Rapids can help provide pain management for many of the various forms of arthritis pain.

Arthritis Overview

Arthritis is the name of a group of conditions that are characterized by joint inflammation, often causing swelling, pain, and reduced functionality. There are currently over 100 types of arthritis recognized, some of which only affect the joints and some of which affect the entire body. Certain types of arthritis are non-threatening to your overall health but can lead to pain and suffering. Others may affect your general well-being through the involvement of the various organs.

Types of Arthritis

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis. This is the type of arthritis that many people think of when they hear the term, and it is most common in older people. Osteoarthritis is caused by wear on the cartilage in the joint, which often occurs simply because of the stresses of aging but can also result from injury to the joint. Osteoarthritis can be painful and debilitating, but it is not dangerous. Other types of arthritis include rheumatoid arthritis, which is caused by an overactive immune system, and various conditions such as gout and Celiac disease.

Symptoms of Arthritis

The main symptom of arthritis is joint pain. Technically, arthritis may present with or without pain, because the inflammation need not be painful to be called arthritis. However, most people complaining of arthritis are referring to arthritis pain.

Other symptoms of the condition include swelling, redness, warmth, and tenderness of the joint. Arthritis may present in only one joint, a few joints, or many joints in the body. Osteoarthritis usually has no symptoms that extend beyond the joint, but other types of arthritis may have additional symptoms such as fever, weight loss, and fatigue.

Chiropractic Care for Arthritis

Chiropractic care for arthritis involves gentle manipulation, stretching, and exercising of affected joints and other parts of the body in order to achieve better functionality and provide pain management. Although most chiropractors will not work on a joint that is actively inflamed, our Grand Rapids chiropractor can still help. Once the inflammation is under control, hands-on work on that particular joint can start. While the joint is inflamed, we can help through lifestyle counseling, nutritional counseling, adjustments to other parts of the body affected by the painful joint, and more.

Arthritis Care from The Chiropractic Doctors

The Chiropractic Doctors offers assistance to people with arthritis through our chiropractor in Grand Rapids. We are able to test for, diagnose, and treat many types of arthritis. Because every case is different, we offer an individualized plan for every patient, custom-designed by our Grand Rapids chiropractor. 

To make an appointment, call us today at (616) 432-3103.