What Should I Do if I Have Osteoarthritis in New Jersey?

Osteoarthritis is a major and painful medical condition that has many people asking, “What should I do if I have osteoarthritis in New Jersey?” There are several options you can take to reduce pain caused by osteoarthritis, but it’s important to be as informed as possible. Fortunately, the specialists at Northeast Spine and Wellness Center are standing by to answer any questions you may have, so reach out to them today – and read on to learn more about osteoarthritis and how a chiropractor can help you.

What is osteoarthritis?

At its most simple definition, osteoarthritis is the loss of cartilage in your joints. Our cartilage acts as a cushioning layer that prevents bone-on-bone contact, and when the cartilage is worn away, the results are painful. Osteoarthritis can cause serious pain, but it can also restrict your range of motion and your ability to carry out ordinary day-to-day activities.

What can I do about my osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is relatively widespread, and many people seek some kind of pain management for their symptoms. Fortunately, there are many resources available for people with osteoarthritis. Medication and physical therapy can help, and so can seeing a chiropractor.

A chiropractor? I thought osteoarthritis affected joints?

While osteoarthritis mainly affects joints, it’s important to remember that anywhere there is cartilage between your bones is a potential hot spot of osteoarthritis-related pain. This includes the spine. Osteoarthritis of the spine has two main forms, cervical (which affects your upper back and neck) and lumbar (which affects your lower back). In either case, osteoarthritis of the spine can be debilitating and painful.

Additionally, a chiropractor can help even if your osteoarthritis is elsewhere. The right chiropractor can examine how your spine affects the surrounding tissue, and how your spinal position can affect the way your joints interact with each other. Everything is connected to the spine, so it’s important to consider how it can affect your joints.

My osteoarthritis is already painful. How would cracking and popping my back help?

Contrary to popular belief, a chiropractor isn’t all about pops and cracks and making noise with your back. While many people think that a chiropractor focuses solely on aggressive joint-popping and flashy techniques, their practice actually depends on the patient. In the case of osteoarthritis, a chiropractor will instead focus on more gentle techniques.

When you contact a chiropractor for your osteoarthritis, they’ll typically ask you a wide range of questions to get a better picture of your health history. They’ll may also perform a physical exam to see how they can best help with your symptoms.

When it comes time to apply chiropractic techniques, your chiropractor will slowly extend your joints and gently manipulate tissue in the affected area. They may even use ultrasound or a cold laser. Unlike what we see in the movies and the internet, a chiropractor can use a variety of gentle techniques to help you with your osteoarthritis – it all depends on the patient.

Contact a chiropractor in New Jersey today

If you’re struggling with osteoarthritis, it might be time to reach out to a chiropractor. Get in touch with Northeast Spine and Wellness Center today, and see how we can help.