Are You Suffering From Arthritis In Greenville SC?

Arthritis pain can be managed. Our Greenville SC chiropractic clinic is at the forefront of cutting-edge natural medicine treatments, like plasma therapy for all-natural pain relief in the treatment of arthritis.

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Understanding Arthritis In Greenville SC

The term arthritis covers many different conditions (over 100 of them), which can fall into two categories: osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory arthritis (IA). Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and occurs when the cartilage between bones wears down, causing bones to become less protected. This type of arthritis is usually caused by wear and tear, sports injuries, falls, or trauma.

Inflammatory arthritis, in contrast, occurs when joint inflammation is caused by the immune system, rather than the mechanical wearing down of the cartilage and the joint. Common types of Inflammatory arthritis include Rheumatoid arthritis – A disease that occurs when the immune system attacks its own tissues, including membranes that are found in the joints. Most common causing inflammation, pain, stiffness, and disfigurement of the fingers, hands, wrists, and knees.

• Ankylosing Spondylitis: Arthritis of the spine that can cause spinal bones to fuse.
• Gout: Is a condition where extra uric acid (a bodily waste product) turns into hard crystals that accumulate in the joints causing pain and inflammation (usually in the joint of the big toe). But can also be seen in other joints including the ankle, foot, and even into the hands.
• Psoriatic Arthritis: A disease that causes inflammation of both the joints and skin. With visible skin lesions at times.

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Arthritis Symptoms

People with arthritis typically experience discomfort and pain, stiffness, and swelling in their hips, knees, hands, shoulders, and/or spine, although other parts of the body can also be affected. Other symptoms to watch out for include:

• Joint Pain That Gets Worse With Movement
• Swelling And Joint Enlargement
• Pain That Travels From Your Hip To Your Groin
• Pain That Runs Down The Thighs
• Aching Or Stabbing Pain In The Knees
• Painful Joints That Get Worse With Cold Weather
• Painful Joints While Jogging Or Running
• Morning Stiffness And Feeling Stiff After Prolonged Inactivity

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Causes Of Arthritis

Arthritis can be caused by repetition, wear and tear, sports, trauma, and falls. Degeneration and cartilage wear down, and joint changes occur in the joints of every human being over time.

A very common way of evaluating the amount of degeneration is through the Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grading scale. As visualized below. X-rays and imaging can show exactly what is occurring in the degenerative process and help us determine not only what grade of degeneration but the best course of treatment.

The interesting thing with arthritis is that sometimes these structural changes are not predictors of pain. Sometimes people will have advanced osteoarthritis and have little to no pain, while others have mild osteoarthritis, but suffer from extreme joint pain.

The same is true for inflammatory arthritis: some people with Inflammatory arthritis experience little-to-no pain, while others experience extreme pain. Furthermore, people with inflammatory arthritis may experience bouts of increased inflammation, their pain may continue long after the inflammation has subsided.

We treat all types of arthritis, and we focus on regenerative medicine to help reduce and oftentimes slow down the aging process. To learn more reach out and call us for a consultation and evaluation.

The above list is only an example, and further evaluation must be performed. Many other factors need to be considered to make a final decision about which treatment method is to be used for the patient. Thus a thorough evaluation and even examination are performed.

Things that need to be checked and ruled out include if the patient has swelling or inflammation and or possible ligament or meniscal damage. In our office, we assess the entire body. Imbalances and problems in one area can affect another area. Lifestyle also plays an important role. If a person is overweight, diabetic, or has other issues, those can also affect the overall treatment method.

In our office, we have several services that are covered by most insurance, and then we have services that are not covered by any insurance. Many of our patients prefer a hybrid of treatments, meaning some are covered by insurance and paying for several that are not covered to get the best options.