What Causes Joint Pain, and How May Chiropractic Therapy Help?

If you are suffering from joint pain, you may be wondering how you are ever going to get better. Even though you may feel like you have to take prescription medications or undergo surgery, this is not always the case. There are many joint pain causes, and if you are looking to relieve joint pain, chiropractic care can help. What are some of the ways that chiropractic care can help you with joint pain? Take a look at a few examples below. 

Quality of Life Issues with Joint Pain

If you are suffering from arthritis in the knees, hips, or shoulders, you understand the quality of life issues this can create. Joint pain can make it hard to:

• Walk up and down the stairs
• Go for a run 
• Hang out with family members and friends
• Play a musical instrument 
• Drive a car 

These are just a few of the many quality-of-life issues that joint pain can create. Therefore, it is important to take a closer look at what causes joint pain, and how chiropractic care can help. 

What Causes Joint Pain?

There are many joint pain causes. Some of them are acute, meaning they develop immediately following an injury. Other causes of joint pain or chronic, meaning they develop slowly over time. Joint pain takes place when two bones come together. Joints are made up of bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. If any of these structures are damaged, this can lead to joint pain. A few common causes include: 

• Osteoarthritis, which is the gradual degradation of cartilage that usually exists between joints 
• Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition in which the body’s immune system attacks its joints 
• Psoriatic arthritis, another autoimmune condition that can present with skin problems as well as joint pain 

In addition to these chronic immune conditions, joint pain can also develop following acute injuries. For example, you may suffer a ligament sprain or develop tendonitis, which can also lead to joint pain. Fortunately, chiropractic care can help. 

Chiropractic Care Can Relieve Joint Pain

Even though you may think you have to undergo surgery, this is not always the case. Chiropractic care can help you treat joint pain. A few treatment options include: 

• High velocity, low amplitude spinal manipulation therapy (HVLA SMT), which refers to quick, low-amplitude thrusts that are used to gradually move the body’s bones back into proper alignment
• Joint mobilization therapy, which is designed to gradually increase the range of motion of the joints, restoring their flexibility
• Stretching and massage therapy, which can target knots and lactic acid buildup, alleviating inflammation
• Heat and cold therapy, which can quell inflammation throughout the body 
• Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), which uses low-amplitude electrical signals to reset the body's nerves, treating areas of chronic pain 
• Ultrasound therapy uses sound waves to stimulate cells beneath the surface, activating the body's natural healing processes 
• Low-level laser therapy, which uses a low-energy laser to stimulate certain parts of the body, triggering healing 

Ultimately, these are just a few of the many treatment options that chiropractors may be able to use to help you recover from joint pain. There are lots of causes of joint pain, and a chiropractor can work with you individually to customize your treatment plan to meet your specific needs. One of the major benefits of this type of treatment is that it will limit complications and side effects. Finally, a chiropractor will also target the root cause of your joint pain. That way, you can not only target the symptoms on the surface but also the underlying cause, preventing the pain from coming back. 

Call Zaker Chiropractic for Help with Joint Pain in Torrance

Pain in the knees, hips, and shoulders can be difficult to deal with. Fortunately, there are treatment options available, including chiropractic care. At Zaker Chiropractic, we provide treatment for arthritic knees, hips, shoulders, and more. We understand that there are lots of people who are suffering from arthritis in their knees. It would be our pleasure to help you. We provide massage therapy, cryotherapy, physiotherapy, and general chiropractic therapy as well. Contact us today at 424-235-1562 to make an appointment.