Dr. Jeffrey Stark at Back & Neck Care Center of North County provides treatment for many different conditions in Florissant, MO, and the Greater St. Louis area, including arthritis. You may not have thought about chiropractic treatment for arthritis, but when you want a non-invasive personalized treatment plan to help you live pain-free without taking a lot of drugs, chiropractic can help make this a reality. A chiropractor treats the whole person and the approach is to get to the root cause of your pain and correct it.
Chiropractic adjustments
Chiropractic adjustments are the cornerstone of chiropractic care. By adjusting the spine, chiropractors can correct misalignments and the messages from the brain can get through unimpeded. When the spine is aligned, the body can function at optimal efficiency. The body works together and when one part of it is in pain, it affects the rest. If a patient has an active rheumatic flare-up, they may not be a good candidate for an adjustment, but if osteoarthritis, the deterioration of joint cartilage, is affecting their spinal joints, adjustments may take off some of the pressure. Arthritis in other areas of the body can also benefit from an adjustment.
Cryotherapy
When arthritis pain is throbbing in joints, the use of ice can greatly reduce the pain and inflammation. Cold packs should not be applied directly to the skin or for longer than fifteen minutes, and there should be a fifteen-minute gap between applications.
Therapeutic exercise
Therapeutic exercise stretches and strengthens the parts of the body that have been adjusted and treated with other therapies. To maintain the progress that you and your chiropractor have made, you must keep your soft tissues strong and flexible. Dr. Stark in Florissant, MO, designs specific exercise programs for each patient’s condition. It will help you to be stronger, more mobile, and better balanced. You will be able to continue your recovery at home with your exercise.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound therapy vibrates and heats the tissues deep beneath the skin affected by arthritis. Benefits of this therapy include pain reduction, improved flexibility, enhanced tissue healing, and preventing joint degeneration. It works very well in conjunction with targeted therapeutic exercise to help improve mobility in the arthritic joint.
Spinal decompression
Spinal decompression is another option for treating arthritis. The gentle stretching that it provides can be used on the spine even if there is inflammation. Spinal decompression increases the space between the vertebrae. This can help with flexibility in the spine and help to keep it working despite osteoarthritis. It may take several treatments to get the desired results.
Dr. Stark at Back & Neck Care Center of North County in Florissant, MO, offers chiropractic care for a variety of conditions including arthritis. To schedule an appointment, give the office a call at 314-838-2220.