20% Suffer with Arthritis

Arthritis limits mobility, causes pain, affects more than 20 percent of the population and costs the U.S., and costs $128 billion annually.  Data from a recent government survey found that from 2007 through 2009, close to 50 million people had been diagnosed with arthritis by their doctor. Those most at risk were individuals who are obese, those who exercised less, those who smoke, and those who have lower levels of education. Arthritis is injury and inflammation of the joints. Arthritis is typically associated with pain, swelling, stiffness and limited motion. 

The medical approach to treating arthritis is primarily limited to pain medication. Severe cases are treated surgically through joint replacement procedures.  The medical treatment of arthritis with medications such as Tylenol, Motrin, Advil, Aleve, Celebrex, and Viox comes at a significant cost to the patient, and I am not talking simply financial. Liver disease, heart attacks, ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding, and strokes are just some of the conditions that are linked to taking these pain medications. Some speculate that these drugs actually accelerate degenerative changes (arthritis) within joints. Surgical joint replacement offers not guarantee, and like any surgical procedure, puts the patient at risk of infection, stroke, and even death.


Doctors of chiropractic are experts at treating the many joints of the body in order to restore motion and nutrition to the joints, thereby reducing inflammation, stiffness and pain. One of the most common forms of treatment utilized by the chiropractor is the adjustment or manipulation of the joints. If you are suffering from pain, stiffness or swelling of one or more joints, schedule a consultation or examination from your local chiropractor today to see of chiropractic can help. 

Keith Biggs, DC
www.eastmesachiropractor.com
www.therapeuticfoods.com
biggschiropractic@gmail.com

Study Shows Chiropractic Beneficial

A recent review showed that chiropractic care was beneficial for the treatment of lower back pain, but said that "the review found no evidence that chiropractic works significantly better than care provided by other clinicians."(see the article "Chiropractic Treatment Offers Some Relief for Early Low Back Pain")

This is probably true, since the "care provided by other clinicians" in the study included that of "massage, heat and cold, exercise, physiotherapy, analgesics, lumbar support, spinal manipulation and education." I might have lost my mind, but other than the "analgesics"(pain medications), that sounds a lot like what I do every single day in my office. Could it be that the "other clinicians" are finally coming around to the realization that back pain is best treated non-surgically and through manipulation, massage, and therapy?

The problem with this simple review is that the author never addresses the long negative effects of the therapies involved. Lets say, for argument sake, that the pain medication is just as beneficial as chiropractic adjustments for the treatment of back pain. What about the long term effects of medication vs manipulation?

It makes since to choose what works, and what doesn't harm. Chiropractic is safe. Good chiropractors will combine manipulation with massage, therapy, education, exercise training, and wellness care. All can be safely done without the negative long and short term effects of a medication.