Arthritis is a disease that causes the joints to swell, resulting in pain, stiffness, and loss of function, particularly in the hands, knees, feet, hips, and spine.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of the disease and is a degenerative disorder of the joints.  It occurs primarily as people ag and the joints “wear out”; it sometimes occurs due to physical injuries that permanently damaged the joints.  Chiropractic has been proven remarkably effective in treating arthritis and its symptoms, both genetic and non-genetic related forms of arthritis.
Chiropractic for arthritis approaches the practical issue of getting the body to move more freely.  Once the body is aligned to move with fewer restrictions, the need for pain relieving medications lessens, or disappears altogether.
On going chiropractic care will also help prevent arthritis, or at least its damaging effects.  This form of prevention is probably the most crucial benefit in treating the disease.  The basis for Chiropractic care is centered in the body’s ability to heal itself.  By correcting Vertebral Subluxation, a chiropractor helps increase range of motion in the body, which assists in movement.  Chiropractic and its complementary treatments, which include nutrition and lifestyle choices such as exercise, can be used as a preventive measure in developing arthritis or to help relieve the serious mobility issues.  Because Chiropractic focuses on adjustments, joint can be directly in order to reduce pain.  In general, the stiffness and pain that can result from various forms of arthritis can be alleviated with chiropractic care.
Once arthritis occurs, chiropractic’s use of spinal adjustments can result in the diminishing of pain by assisting the overall physical health, resulting in greater ease of movement and decreased fluid buildup in the joints that often accompanies arthritic conditions.
Using chiropractic instead of prescription medicines for pain relief can reduce the chances of experiencing harmful side effects from long term use.  It offers a non invasive method of maintain physical health and addresses such conditions as arthritis in a way that will offer freedom of movement without the deteriorating effects that might come with medications.
The best management of arthritis is of course prevention and involves taking care of one’s joints at an early age:

• One should always make sure that all injuries to joints are properly managed to insure proper healing to avoid future disability.
• People involved in occupations that require standing or walking should wear proper shoes that provide good support and shock absorption.
• Excess body weight can cause increase stress upon the weight bearing joints of the body
• Avoid kneeling on hard surfaces to do housework as this can put strain on the sensitive structures of the knee.
• Eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables as they contain natural vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which are essential for the health of the joints as well as the rest of the body.
• Nutritional supplement Glucosamine can help with arthritis and can possible help rebuild joint cartilage.
• Exercise such as stretching, yoga, tai chi and other gentle mobilizing activities is also helpful to maintain arthritic joints.
• Chiropractic adjustments are safe and effective for arthritis and can help restore proper mobility and function to the spinal joints.

original article posted by Dr. Mike Frias, of http://www.friaschiropractic.com/ on Oct 28, 2009