Is Chiropractic Care a Good Option for Rheumatoid Arthritis?

If you know someone with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), or suffer from the condition yourself, you have first-hand knowledge of how devastating this ailment can be. RA causes severe damage to many joints of the body, often leading to a misalignment of said joints and crippling pain. Many RA sufferers will even have a tough time getting out of bed on some days. 

Researchers have searched for a cure for RA for decades, to no avail. Interestingly, chiropractors have been able to provide relief for patients with RA. Could chiropractic care be the go-to solution for this condition? Let’s take a look.

 

What Is Rheumatoid Arthritis?

To start, let’s break down the two words contained within RA.

Arthritis” refers to a general group of conditions that cause joint irritation. There are many different types of arthritis. Some of the main versions of arthritis include osteoarthritis, gouty arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and, of course, rheumatoid arthritis

“Rheumatoid” refers to an autoimmune issue. This means that a person’s own immune system attacks healthy tissues due to miscommunication and inappropriate action by said immune system.

Therefore, rheumatoid arthritis is a condition in which a person’s own immune system attacks healthy joint tissue.

 

What are the Main Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

There are a number of symptoms one might experience when suffering from RA.

RA cases can vary in severity, but many people will demonstrate one or more of the following symptoms.

  1. Swollen, misshapen, tender joints.
  2. Joint stiffness that gets worse with lack of activity and after sleep.
  3. General fatigue, higher-than-average temperature, and decreased hunger.

Naturally, patients with RA can suffer from many other symptoms as well. But the ones listed above are some of the major ones. 

 

How Does Rheumatoid Arthritis Differ from Osteoarthritis?

As discussed previously, RA and OA are two distinct conditions.

While they both cause joint pain and dysfunction, there are major differences between the two disorders. 

For one thing, RA tends to result in worse symptoms with rest and in the mornings, after a long night of sleep. In contrast, because OA is caused by wear and tear on the joints over the course of many years, the condition often gets worse after activity and is relieved by rest.

Furthermore, RA is an autoimmune condition, while OA has little to do with the immune system. 

 

Chiropractic Care for RA

So, why would chiropractic care be a good choice for RA?

The nervous system is involved with every process and structure in the body. The brain receives signals and sends out signals constantly, and it uses the spine as a conduit for these messages.

When the spine is in poor alignment, these messages can be disrupted. If a message is not received properly, this can often result in pain or other issues throughout the body.

Therefore, by realigning the spine, chiropractors serve to improve the communication between the nervous system and the rest of the body. 

When it comes to autoimmune conditions, chiropractic manipulations help the spine interact with the immune system and other tissues. In the case of RA specifically, spinal manipulations may, directly and indirectly, lead to improved immune system recognition of healthy tissues. This could potentially lead to a decrease in the degradation of joints that patients with RA suffer from.

Are you or a loved one struggling with an RA diagnosis? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of people have to deal with this dreadful condition and will look for relief anywhere they can. Luckily, your Noblesville chiropractors at Anchor Health Chiropractic are experts in the treatment of RA and related conditions. Schedule your appointment with our compassionate and caring team today!

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