Can Osteopathy ease the discomfort of joint inflammation?

Joint inflammation, AKA, Arthritis is a condition that happens as our bodies start to get older. Some of us can feel the effects more than others of our bodies starting to slow down usually, this can happen around middle age. One of the most usual reasons for us starting to feel less motivation to move are from the degenerative effects that are occurring within our joints, otherwise known as arthritis. Joint inflammation happens as a result of the degeneration within the joint and is an issue which triggers pain during movement deep with the joints and muscles.

What is joint inflammation?

Simply put, joint inflammation is arthritis, which is a degeneration condition. One of the most common sorts of joint inflammation is osteoarthritis, closely followed by rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis can affect one or more joints in the body but most usually presents within the large joints such as the hips, knees, neck and also lumbar spine, osteoarthritis most commonly presents on just one side of the body. Rheumatoid arthritis usually affects the smaller joints such as the hands and feet and can present on both sides of the body.Anatomically, joint consists of both bones joining together with a joint capsule, which is further supported by tendons around the joint. Muscles, as well as ligaments, cover the capsule and help with movement of the joint. To preserve the health and wellness of the joint inside the capsule, the bones are bathed in a sticky fluid called synovial fluid. This synovial fluid lubricates and nourishes the joint and the cartilage inside functions as a shock absorber. As the joints become worn through prolonged usage, the structures which maintain the joint slowly begin to thin and wear away, as anything would over time. The synovial fluid is often the first part of the joint to suffer as the fluid leaks from the joint, the bones which reside inside the capsule rub with each other causing a chain of reactions which can lead to discomfort, swelling, and inflammation.Arthritis can seriously affect a person's health and lifestyle due to recurring discomfort which can then spiral from a physical condition to a mental condition. But, do not fear! Osteopathy can assist you to give you some relief!

Can osteopathy aid the symptoms of joint inflammation?

The simple answer is yes, it can! At Kennington Osteopathic practice, we offer patients an initial consultation where we review your previous medical history, analyse your existing mobility as well as pain and come up with a tailored treatment in relation to your diagnosis. Osteopathy uses mild mobilstion, soft tissue, and manipulation which can assist to soothe some of the discomforts that come with joint inflammation. Osteopathy can help to encourage movement within the joints with the help of joint mobilisation and can help to reduce muscle tightness and improve blood circulation, all of which are carried out within the patients comfort levels. Using osteopathy can enable us to also work indirectly to the joint with arthritis if the pain levels are too excessive, which means that we can work on other areas to indirectly work on the affected joint/ joints.

As osteopaths we treat the whole body as a unit, we don't just treat the areas with the symptoms. This means that we can additionally tailor advice on posture and lifestyle changes to help you manage your condition long-term with just occasional osteopathy maintenance sessions. We provide you with a specific treatment plan using the latest exercise software to enable us to continue working on the areas in between treatment sessions, this ensures that the sessions are most beneficial and help you to improve faster.If you are suffering from pain from arthritis, or perhaps you just have aches and pains, call Sophie today on 07787 404419 for further details on how we can help you reduce your pain.