Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent type of arthritis, and affects 1/10 Canadian adults. Over 3 million Canadians deal with this degenerative pain every day.
This type of arthritis occurs when the cartilage (the material that protects the bones that form a joint) begin to wear away. Not only is the cartilage a shock absorber of a joint, it also enables the joint to move smoothly through its range of motion.
In the process of OA, the cartilage degenerates, which exposes nerve endings and blood vessels of the bone and causes pain, inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and bone-on-bone grinding. This is typically felt as painful, stiff, swollen joints and is often worse in the morning.
There is currently no cure for OA, but taking control of this disease as soon as possible and starting treatment at an early stage can delay and avoid serious damage to your joints, and can significantly reduce the symptoms of pain, swelling and stiffness.
A 2012 study, published in the Journal of Internal Medicine, showed that Acupuncture and specific exercise programs are the gold standard for managing osteoarthritis.
Our Integrative Chiropractors are certified for Medical Acupuncture and are specialists in manual therapies and designing exercise programs. They are also experts at detecting and diagnosing OA even in the earliest of stages.
Countless Canadians have regained independence and freedom of movement with these treatment options, but early diagnosis and treatment is crucial!
If you have been diagnosed with osteoarthritis or suspect that you may have it, call or book an appointment for an evaluation and discussion of your treatment options.