The Boca Health and Wellness Center in Boca Raton, Florida, is under the direction of Dr. Ernest Caruso and offers an array of services that lead to pain relief and healing. Arthritis treatment is available at our office. You can learn more about arthritis by reading the following.
What Is Arthritis?
Arthritis is inflammation in the joints, causing pain, stiffness, swelling, and limited range of motion. It's more common in those 60 and up, but can strike anyone. There are over 100 types of arthritis, but the two most of us are familiar with are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. There is no cure for either, and the symptoms may limit daily activities. Fortunately, there are treatments that can offer improvement and a better quality of life.
Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a mechanical wear-and-tear problem that occurs usually in the older population after years of use. Cartilage can be thought of as pillows cushioning the joints. Overuse causes the cartilage to erode away, and the pain of bone rubbing bone begins. Joints usually affected by osteoarthritis are knees, hips, neck, lower back, and hands. Symptoms include joint pain, tenderness, stiffness, loss of flexibility, or joint deformity. Chiropractic adjustments, massage, physical therapy, and at-home strengthening-and-stretching exercises may be implemented to make patients more comfortable.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system wrongfully attacks the synovium, the protective fluid surrounding the joint, and can lead to both joint and bone destruction. The joints most often affected by rheumatoid arthritis are the wrists, hands, fingers, ankles, toes, and knees. Symptoms may include joint stiffness, pain, swelling, decreased range of motion, joint deformity; and constitutionally, fatigue, fever, or unexplained weight loss. Although it can't be cured, RA can be bettered with chiropractic intervention designed to improve range of motion and limit the associated pain. Other forms of therapy may include acupuncture, massage, and physical therapy.
How Does Arthritis Affect Daily Function?
With arthritis, you are likely to experience back and leg stiffness when getting up from bed or prolonged sitting. If it is in your hands, it may be difficult to bend your fingers to grasp objects like pencils, boxes of food, a computer mouse, the car's steering wheel. If it's in your legs, simply walking or climbing stairs can be a painful chore.
We Can Help!
Some people think the pain they suffer from arthritis is inevitable, so they do nothing about it. The truth is the earlier it is diagnosed and treated, the less the pain.
Let The Boca Health and Wellness Center ease the debilitating pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis by calling (561) 447-2228 today.
We are located at 3350 N.W. Boca Raton Blvd. Ste. A-24 , Boca Raton, FL 33431