Most arthritis is osteoarthritis, which, in simplest terms, means extension of the bone into a joint or excessive bone growth and calcification of ligaments.  Minor injuries and mechanical stress of the joints, along with age, sex, and heredity make people more prone to osteoarthritis of the body, including the spine.

Minor displacement of the joints, resulting in misalignment of extremity and spinal bones, lead to this painful and disfiguring condition.  Chiropractic treats and corrects these misalignment.  In fact, preventative chiropractic measures can greatly reduce the chances of certain forms of arthritis occurring.

Unfortunately, when we think of arthritis, we envision an elderly person.  But in my years of experience, I have noticed arthritic changes in people's spines that were in their early to mid-20s.

So what can be done?  Since arthritis at an early age usually provides little or no pain, how do I know if I have it?  If you have noticed a lessening in movement, at certain parts of your body: neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, etc. even without pain, you could be in the early stages of arthritis.  Along with a general chiropractic exam, the only way to analyze the condition would be with x-rays.

I have found in cases of arthritis of the spine that restricted movement between two vertebrae has been up degenerative changes and allowed arthritic degeneration to occur.  Chiropractic can have excellent results in preventing these problems by restoring normal movement back to the joints in your spine, and not only the spine, but shoulders, elbows, knees, etc.

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Last modified: 09/27/06