Osteoarthritis (OA) also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is a group of mechanical abnormalities involving degradation of joints, including articular cartilage and subchondral bone. DJD or osteoarthritis in the spine, is usually caused by one or more bones in the spine that are out of alignment. If your car was out of alignment, these parts will wear out quicker than the rest of the car. Your spine is no different. If you have misalignments in your spine, the discs and bones surrounding that joint will develop arthritis faster than other areas of your body. The typical changes seen on X-ray include: joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis (increased bony formation around the joint), subchondral cyst formation, and osteophytes. The body reacts this way in an attempt to stabilize your spine. Over time, this process will cause fusion. Usually, the problem is not noticed until the disc is completely diminished and the spurs (or osteophytes) are pressing on nerves, causing pain.

The typical medical approach to dealing with this type of arthritis is self-medication with over-the-counter painkillers or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like Tylenol, Advil, etc. If not resolved, you can end up on steroids or prescription painkillers that can lead to addiction. The eventual medical solution is surgery, sometimes very risky surgery with long-term consequences.

The other kind of arthritis, called rheumatoid arthritis, is an inflammatory autoimmune condition that causes pain, swelling and disfiguration, usually easily seen in the hands. As with most autoimmune conditions, the cause is unknown. Yet, treatments start with over-the-counter painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, then prescription painkillers, then immunosuppressant drugs. The mandatory warnings on these drugs warn you of infection, disease and even death. These drugs are often very addictive.

There are two ways chiropractic can help those with arthritis: biomechanically and neurologically. If you do, indeed, have spinal misalignments (subluxations) that can cause the discs to wear down more rapidly, we can help correct those misalignments with gentle, specific adjustments. As your body stays in its proper alignment, pressure is taken off the nerves and your nervous system. When that happens, your symptoms tend to clear up. If you maintain that proper alignment of the spine, there will be less nerve pressure therefore less likely for your symptoms to come back. Biomechanically, chiropractic care can increase your mobility and flexibility because of a proper aligned spine allowing more movements. Neurologically , chiropractic adjustments can help take stress off your nervous system, allowing your body to rest, relax, and heal naturally.

Learn more about chiropractors in San Diego. Request a free video where you can discover all about arthritis spinal decompression and what it can do for you.

There are many things that can cause osteoarthritis. Although age is a factor, research has shown that osteoarthritis can be prevented even with age. There Are Many Causes for osteoarthritis including: 1. Obesity – May lead to osteoarthritis of the knees due to excesses weight. 2. Joint Injuries – Sports, work- related activities or accidents may be put you at increased risk of developing Osteoarthritis. 3. Genetics – Plays a role in the development of Osteoarthritis particularly in the hands. Some people may be born with defective cartilage or with problems in the way that joints fit together. People with genetic disadvantages may develop early cartilage breakdown in the joint which could cause inflammation, a release of enzymes, and more cartilage damage. What if I told you arthritis has an explanation most doctors and scientists have completely overlooked? It may be possible to slow down the progression of arthritis and ease the pain? Would you be interested if I told you I have scientific proof to back it up?

If you’re not interested yet after you read these chilling statistics, I’m sure you will be. Osteoarthritis affects an estimated 20.7 million Americans. They are mostly after age 45. Eighty percent of people with osteoarthritis report some form of limitation in movement or activities. Knee osteoarthritis can be as disabling as any cardiovascular disease except stroke. Women are more commonly affected than men. Osteoarthritis is responsible for more than 7 million physician visits per year. As many as half the people who have osteoarthritis do not know what type of arthritis they have and cannot make informed decisions about their care because treatment options vary among the more than 100 forms of arthritis. Musculoskeletal conditions such as osteoarthritis cost the U.S. economy nearly $65 billion per year in direct expenses and lost wages and production.

Enough of all the boring stuff. Let’s talk about an actual cause of osteoarthritis and a logical solution. First let me ask you a simple question: What happens to the wheels on your automobile if the front end is out of alignment? They wear out of course. And they not only wear out, they wear out faster than they would if the front end was in correct alignment.

So what do you do when the front end of your car is out of alignment? You bring your car in and the mechanic lines it up. As soon as he does this, the abnormal stress on your tires is stopped and your tires stop wearing out abnormally. The same is true with your spine and the other joints of your body. The delicate joints in your spine can misalign causing them to either move unnaturally or get “stuck” and not move at all. Either way, this causes abnormal stress and strain or just like the tires on your car when the front end is out of alignment your joints wear out. This is osteoarthritis or degenerative arthritis!

There was a doctor that did extensive arthritis research and found that when he caused a joint to not work right, microscopic damage was detected within 24 hours. PERMANENT degenerative changes took place within 3 weeks! This means that when your joints misalign and get “stuck,” arthritic changes begin to occur almost immediately and permanent. IRRIVERSABLE damage may be present within just 3 weeks. So how Do You Fix This Problem?

Think about it, when your car’s alignment was off you took it into a specialist who knew what to do to fix it. Your mechanic wouldn’t fill up your gas tank or oil to try to “chemically” realign your wheels. That wouldn’t make sense. He simply realigned the wheels. The same goes for your body. What makes you think taking a drug or rubbing on a lotion will realign your joints? It’s like trying to chemically align your car. Painkillers may take care of the problem for a while…but…what happens when they wear off?

The bottom line is: If your joints are misaligned, they will continue to degenerate and, Chiropractic Helps Align Misaligned Joints! This happens in Your Hands, Knees, Ankles, Feet, Neck, Low Back, & Your Entire Spinal Column! By making your joints function properly, you will live a life with less stiffness and pain.

With what you’ve just read, doesn’t it make sense that routine Chiropractic care will also slow down…if not…halt much of the degenerative process and arthritis? Don’t Wait Until You Have Joint Pain, Before Seeking Chiropractic Care! Come IN Today And Discover How Much Better You Can Feel And Move With Chiropractic! And don’t forget, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your health, talk to us. Contact us with your, questions. We’re here to help, and don’t enjoy anything more than participating in your life long good health!

Want to find out more about arthritis, then visit Dr. Michael Pritsker, DC’s site on how to choose the best chiropractor for your needs.