Osteopathy for Arthritis

Over the last ten years, one thing that I have realised from treating patients in my Kennington is that I spend a relatively large amount of time treating degenerative conditions. Yes, this may be due to being located in a village with a sizeable elderly population, which means that I probably do see more patients with more degenerative and life-limiting conditions than perhaps a city centre clinic would see. So, one of the most common ailments that fall into the 'incurable category' is arthritis. There are a couple of common misconceptions about arthritis:

1; It only affects people of a certain age. Wrong! Although it is more prevalent over 45, this is not the starting point.

2. I'll have to suffer through the pain and deal with it, like it or not. Again, this is complete and utter nonsense.

As an Osteopath, I spend much of my time helping people alleviate the pain caused by arthritis, and, thankfully, for my patients, there is much I can do to help! But before we continue, let's highlight what I'm talking about. 

What Is Arthritis? There are two types of arthritis: inflammatory and degenerative. Degenerative arthritis, also known as 'Osteoarthritis', is one that I see most frequently at the practice, and many people chalk it up as general 'wear and tear', assuming that it is just something, as mentioned above, they have to deal with. It can rear its ugly head in just about any joint; however, the neck, lower back, hands, hips, and knees are the most common joints affected. Arthritis symptoms present as pain at the joint, swelling and stiffness, leading to increasingly reduced mobility. You will surely know someone who is suffering from Osteoarthritis. 

On the inflammatory side, things are a little different. Inflammatory arthritis, like Rheumatoid arthritis, for instance, is less common and has the uncanny knack of affecting people at a much earlier age. As a result, the pain and reduced mobility hit earlier and became severe more quickly. I know a handful of people in their 20s or 30s who suffer terribly from inflammatory arthritis, and it can be utterly debilitating as these types of arthritis are more systemic and can affect the body as a whole. 

Symptoms of Arthritis

Osteoarthritis is relatively misunderstood; although it can be hereditary, it is generally caused by slack posture, previous injury, poor lifting technique, and repetitive or heavy manual labour, among other things. Thankfully, osteopathy is an effective way to control the symptoms of arthritis and can help to maintain good mobility levels for longer. The most common signs and symptoms of arthritis are early morning stiffness, joint pain, swelling, referred muscle pain and lack of mobility. Suppose you are experiencing persistent pain in these areas. There are ways that I can help. 

How can an Osteopath help? 

Currently, there is no cure for arthritis other than replacing the degenerated joints. Still, the NHS guidelines recommend that less invasive treatment options, such as manual therapy, are received before surgery. Osteopathic treatment involves gentle manual osteopathic techniques on joints, muscles, and ligaments; this helps to release tight muscles, decrease swelling and increase mobility and traction within the joint. 

I treat lots of people in the clinic who are suffering from all types of arthritis; we may not be able to reverse the effects of arthritis; however, we can reduce and manage symptoms to prevent a faster decline. If you feel you may be suffering but have to deal with it by chalking it off as wear and tear, then now is your time to act. Feel free to contact me, and I can tailor a plan to your circumstance before it becomes a real problem. 

My aim as an osteopath is to provide you with the confidence and the tools to enable you to manage your ailments at home, with irregular maintenance sessions in the clinic to keep you running smoothly. An early diagnosis of arthritis means treatment can commence quicker, enabling movement and therapy to be applied to the joints sooner, which can manage your pain more effectively. 

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to call me.

Until next time! Sophie x

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