Arthritis is generally divided into two basic conditions:
OSTEOARTHRITIS, or 'degenerative arthritis' is the most common type and is linked with ‘wear and tear’ of the joints resulting from excessive stress and strain put on an area through poor posture, heavy manual work and old injuries. The joints involved become worn, painful, and stiff. This type of arthritis is commonly seen and treated effectively by Osteopaths.
Inflammatory arthritis such as RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS not only produces painful, swollen, and stiff joints, but affects the whole body including a breakdown in the immune system. Whilst this type of arthritis is more difficult to treat, Osteopathic approaches are able to relieve the musculo-skeletal symptoms.
Osteoarthritis is principally associated with old age. Most cases of Primary Osteoarthritis develops in previously healthy joints in people over 50. At least half of the UK population over the age of 65 will have some Osteoarthritis in some joint(s). Most cases are mild, but about 1 in 10 people over 65 have a major disability due to Osteoarthritis, usually when it affects the hip or knee.
Secondary Osteoarthritis develops in joints previously abnormal for a variety of reasons. For example, it may develop in injured or deformed joints. This can occur in younger people.
Many arthritis sufferers are told that their condition is untreatable and that they must learn to live with their condition by using pain killers or anti-inflammatory drugs. Osteopathy doesn't aim to reverse the damage already done to the joints but professional treatment can certainly ease the pain, improve stiffness, reduce the swelling, and restore some joint mobility. This can usually lead to less of a reliance on medication and consequently less problems with the complicated side effects of the drugs, such as digestive and blood disorders.
Osteopathy aims to optimise the mobility of arthritic joints as far as possible. Neighbouring joints and tissues may also benefit from treatment to ensure that they are functioning well enough to take the extra strain and compensate for the damaged joint(s), thus maintaining an improved mobility.
In chronic cases, the cause of pain not be the arthritic joints themselves. The body often naturally tries to protect the joint by 'splinting' it with muscle spasm and it is the muscles and soft tissues that are the source of the aches and pains. Osteopathic treatment can reduce this excessive muscle tension, ease the pain and improve movement.