One in six people in the UK suffer from Arthritis, and it is the leading cause of pain in the UK!
Types of Arthritis
There are many types of arthritis, with the two most common being osteoarthritis (OA), which is the wear of joint cartilage, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an inflammatory autoimmune condition. Other forms of arthritis include ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia, lupus, gout, psoriatic arthritis, enteropathic arthritis, reactive arthritis, secondary arthritis, and polymyalgia rheumatica.
Understanding Arthritis
All our joints are lined with cartilage, which acts as a protective cushion for our bones. When this begins to wear down, we start to develop bony spurs along our joints. These changes, which cause arthritis, can occur as an accumulative effect over time, which is why age is one of the main causes of OA. Arthritis can also be triggered by an autoimmune response, as in RA and other forms of arthritis.
Who Suffers from Arthritis?
Arthritis can affect people of all ages but is most common in those over the age of 65.
Which Joints Are Affected by Arthritis?
Arthritis can be present in any joint but most commonly occurs in the fingers, spine, hips, and knees.
What Are the Symptoms of Arthritis?
You can experience joint stiffness, pain, joint swelling and redness, restriction of movement, and weakness in your muscles.
Diagnosing Arthritis
Arthritis is typically diagnosed by a doctor and may involve physical examination, review of your medical history, blood tests, and imaging tests.
How Is Arthritis Treated?
Although there is no cure for arthritis, it can be treated with painkillers, manual therapy such as osteopathy and physiotherapy, and, as a last resort, surgery.
Managing Your Arthritis
Lifestyle changes can help manage arthritic symptoms, including having a healthy diet, weight loss, and regular exercise. Activities such as cycling, swimming, Pilates, yoga, and walking are good for maintaining joint mobility, strengthening muscles, and easing pain. Always ensure you have good supportive footwear for walking and any exercise.
How Can Osteopathy Help with Arthritis?
An osteopath will take a detailed case history to understand the cause and contributing factors to your arthritic pain. They will then assess your posture and the mobility of the area you are experiencing symptoms in, as well as your entire body, to identify the cause of your symptoms. Often, arthritis can result from compensating for another joint or other joints having to compensate.
An osteopath will always explain to you what they have found and what their working diagnosis for your pain is before providing treatment or advice.
An osteopath may use a variety of hands-on techniques addressing your whole body to get your body working together as one unit. Techniques may include joint articulation, manipulation, and soft tissue work, which increase joint mobility, relieve muscle tension, enhance blood and nerve supply to tissues, and aid the body’s own healing mechanisms.
An osteopath may also give self-management advice, including gentle exercises to help build strength and stability around your joints. They may refer you to other healthcare professionals where appropriate.