Beat Arthritis Pain Now

Seven to ten million Americans suffer from debilitating, chronic pain. Thankfully, new natural treatment methods help many find the relief they have been searching for.

If you think that just because you are older you have to live with joint pain, think again.

Arthritis literally means "joint inflammation". The most common cause of joint inflammation is improper alignment of an uncorrected injury. Wear and tear can lead to progressive damage of the tendons, bones, and cartilage of a joint. Left untreated scar tissue forms around the joint causing degeneration and eventually fusion. Pain pills and steroid injections alone cover up the symptoms, but do little to correct the problem or prevent further damage.

Chronic neck and back pain, hip pain, arthritis and bursitis pain, and other types of joint pain are linked with the aging process.

Poehlman Chiropractic focuses on providing the most effective, non-invasive treatments for arthritis or other musculoskeletal injuries. "We apply our skill and knowledge to make an accurate diagnosis and administer the right treatment that will get the best result for each patient's individual case."

Give us a call today and start enjoying life more.

Tendonitis, Bursitis, and Ligament Injuries

Tendonitis, bursitis, and ligament injuries are common joint injuries that occur when recreational and physical activity is high. Many people believe that they can tough out the pain and it will go away. They are unaware of the long term effects that these injuries can have on the affected joints.

Tendonitis is an inflammation in or around a tendon, the band of fibrous tissue that connects a muscle to a bone and transmits the force the muscle exerts. Bursitis is the inflammation of the bursa sac, the fluid-filled sac that acts as a cushion at the point two tendons contact. Although tendonitis or bursitis can affect any of the joints in the body, it most commonly affects the joints in the shoulders, hips, elbows, and knees.

The most common cause of tendonitis and bursitis injuries is repetitive stress — using the same joints for the same stressful movements again and again. Bowling, golfing, tennis, or occupational repetitive motions are common culprits.

Our care can help provide relief from the pain of these types of injuries while overcoming the underlying cause of the condition. Through physical therapy we can help relieve pain, restore range of motion and function to the affected joint. The goal in treating bursitis and tendonitis is to restore movement to the joint without pain and to maintain strength in surrounding muscles while giving the tissues time to heal.

If left untreated, these conditions can become chronic and lead to the formation of calcium deposits in normally soft tissues, sometimes causing a permanent reduction in movement of the affected joint. The ability to restore mobility is greatly reduced.

If you or a loved one suffers from joint pain we invite you to call Poehlman Chiropractic at 410-788-2225.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

• Do you drop objects because of weakness in your hands?
• Do you still have pain after surgery?
• Do your hands fall asleep at night?

Chances are you have carpal tunnel syndrome, a painful progressive condition caused by compression of the median nerve, tendons, and blood supply in the wrist. What are the symptoms of carpal tunnel? Symptoms include frequent burning, tingling, itching, and numbness in the palm of the hand through the tips of the second and middle finger. As the disease progresses, sufferers have pain from the palm through the wrist and forearm. Prolonged disease can cause a decrease of grip and pinch strength as well as muscle wasting (atrophy) on the thumb side of the palm. Touch or hot and cold sensation to the palm, fingertips, and wrist may be disrupted which can present a safety issue for the person with carpal tunnel syndrome. What are the causes of carpal tunnel and who is at risk?

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is often the result of a combination of factors that increase pressure on the median nerve and tendons in the carpal tunnel, rather than a problem with the nerve itself. People may be physically predisposed; the carpal tunnel is smaller in some people than others. People with diabetes and other metabolic disorders that directly affect the nerves may be more susceptible. There are many other contributing factors.

Diagnosis

Early diagnosis and treatment are important for avoiding permanent damage to the median nerve. Dr. Poehlman examines a patient's hands, arms, shoulders, spine, and neck to determine if the patient's complaints are related to daily activities or an underlying disorder. The wrist is examined for tenderness, swelling, or warmth.

Diagnosis may need to be confirmed with electro-diagnostic tests. Electromyography can be used to test nerve transmission along the median nerve.

Treatment

Non-surgical treatments for carpal tunnel syndrome should begin as early as possible under a doctor's direction. Poehlman Chiropractic offers nonsurgical treatment procedures for people suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome. We also may employ specialized wrist traction for the pain associated with CTS. Our non-surgical treatment program helps to reduce the numbness and/or pain as well as restore hand strength and function.

Arthritis & Rheumatism

A Systemic Disease

Arthritis is a disease of the whole body (a systemic disease) most dramatically affecting the joints. The word "arthritis" may include more than 100 conditions, many that were formerly known as "rheumatism."

Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis or OA, also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common arthritis of all; almost everyone over the age of 50 has a touch of it: "It is almost as inevitable...as graying of the hair." (1) In many people there are no symptoms, others have pain and some can be incapacitated by it.

OA often results from an unbalanced spine creating stress on the joints. Your body grows extra bone material in the joints ("lipping" and "spurring") to help deal with this stress. (2) Sometimes the growths compress nerves, causing pain and affecting internal organs. (3)

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

This is the crippler! RA destroys joints, affects the heart, blood vessels, eyes, skin, muscles and other organs causing fatigue, weight loss and acute pain. It often appears suddenly around ages 30 to 40 and may disappear just as suddenly!

No one knows what causes it. Many researchers believe RA is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself!

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

This is similar to adult RA, but in over half the cases the disease simply disappears. In less than one-sixth of the cases there is severe disability; organs are affected, with fever, rash and pain in the joints. Its cause, cure, treatment, how it comes about or why it disappears is unknown. The rubella vaccine has been discussed as a cause — up to 40% of those vaccinated with rubella suffered joint pain arthralgia with nearly 2% going on to develop arthritis. (4)

There now exists a growing theoretical concern which links immunizations to the huge increase of rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, lupus erythematosus, lymphoma, and leukemia. (5)

The Medical Approach To Arthritis

Medicine offers no cure for arthritis. Since the underlying cause is unknown, symptom treatments including a lifetime of drugs for the pain and inflammation, heat, hot packs or exercises in warm water are suggested. If a joint becomes severely deteriorated, then surgery may be considered.

Aspirin, while it may reduce pain, stiffness and inflammation, may require eight to 24 tablets a day and can cause stomach irritation, bleeding and ulcers. Drugs such as Tylenol™, Indocin™, Advil™ and Naprosyn™ can cause kidney damage and hemorrhage of the esophagus, stomach, duodenum and small intestine. Approximately 10,000 arthritic sufferers die every year from the gastrointestinal complications of various arthritis drugs. (6) Steroids, with prolonged use, may cause thinning and weakening of the bones. Gold salts may cause skin rashes and mouth ulcers. Robert Mendelsohn, MD cautioned people to be wary of new arthritis drugs, claiming that they have not been tested long enough to be assured of safety: "If you rush to take it, do so with [caution].... The longer a drug is on the market, the more will be known about its side effects..." (7) This occurred when Oraflex™ was removed from the market by its manufacturer, Eli Lily, after 73 deaths from the drug were reported.

The Chiropractic Approach

For over a century arthritic patients have benefited from chiropractic care. (8-14) Chiropractic care has even reversed osteoarthritis — something previously considered impossible. (15, 16) And yet chiropractic is not an arthritis treatment. It is a system of health care that improves the function of your entire body by removing or releasing blockages from your spine called vertebral subluxations.

Vertebral subluxations weaken your nervous and immune systems, weakening your body. This can set the stage for sicknesses and diseases of all kinds — arthritis included.

What's In A Name?

Too many doctors spend wasted time naming the patient's rheumatic diseases. More time should be spent on conducting chiropractic analysis to identify subluxations and carefully research a patient's history to uncover personal habits that may have contributed to the development of the condition. (17)

Conclusion

Chiropractic helps turn on your "inner healer," your inner healing ability. When your spine is free of subluxations your body functions better. That is why anyone with arthritis needs a spinal checkup to locate and remove their subluxations. As a general rule it is always wisest to search out the most natural, conservative methods before submitting to more invasive (drug and medical) care. The body has a wisdom that far exceeds our own. It can cure diseases that have no known cure — even arthritis.

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References

1. Robbins SL. Pathologic Basis of Disease. Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co., 1974.
2. Giles LG. The pathophysiology of zygapophyseal joints. In Haldeman S. (Ed.). Principles and Practice of Chiropractic. Norwalk, CT: Appleton & Lange, 1992:203-205.
3. Benhamou CL, Row C, Tourliere A, et al. Pseudovisceral pain referred from costovertebral arthropathies. Spine. 1993;18:790-795.
4. Nathan H. Osteophytes of the spine compressing the sympathetic trunk and splanchnic nerves in the thorax. Spine. 1987;12:527-532.
5. Mendelsohn R. The People's Doctor Newsletter. 1984;8(12).
6. Goldberg P. Questions and answers about arthritis and rheumatism. Today's Chiropractic. July/ August 1995.
7. Newsweek. March 20, 1989:65-66. Regular chiropractic care can help prevent arthritic changes in your spine.
8. Mendelsohn R. The People's Doctor Newsletter. 1984:6(9).
9. Rana NA, Hancock DO, Taylor AR, Hill AGS. Atlantoaxial subluxation and upward translocation of the odontoid in rheumatoid arthritis. Am J Bone Joint Surg. 1973;55A:1304.
10. Mayer JW, et al. Brain stem compression in rheumatoid arthritis. i4MA1976;236(18).
11. Shell RC. Chiropractic management of degenerative joint disease of the spine. Journal of the National College of Chiropractic. 1970.
12. Maigne R. Orthopaedic Medicine: A New Approach to Vertebral Manipulations. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 197.
13. Mennell JMcM. Back Pain: Diagnosis and Treatment Using Manipulative Techniques. Boston: Little Brown, 1960:27.
14. Zusman MA. A theoretical basis for the short-term relief c some types of spinal pain with manipulative therapy. Manual Medicine. 1987;3:54-56.
15. Fiechtner F and Brodeur L. Manual and manipulation techniques for rheumatic disease. Rheumatology Dis Clinic of North America. 2000;26(l):83-96, ix.
16. Ressel Oj. Disc regeneration: reversibility is possible in spinal osteoarthritis. Int'l. Review of Chiropractic. March/April 1989:39-61.
17. Berkson DL. Osteoarthritis, chiropractic, and nutrition: osteoarthritis considered as a natural part of a three stage subluxation complex; its reversibility; its relevance and treatability by chiropractic and nutritional correlates. Med Hypotheses. 1991;36(4):356-367.