By Dr. Christina Schoer
As our product of the month is a joint pain relief cream, let’s talk about joint health!
Did you know, there are 360 joints in the human body? A joint is the point at which two or more bones are joined together. Joints can be rigid, like the joints between the bones in our skull, or joints can be movable, like the joints in our knees, hips, shoulders, and spine. Some joints in our body have cartilage, a hard slippery surface, that covers the ends of the bones where they meet, allowing the bones to glide against one another to create motion.
Arthritis
Arthritis is a term used to describe any disorder that affects the joints. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is seen especially in older individuals. With osteoarthritis, the cartilage within the joint wears away, allowing the bones to rub together. This can lead to pain, swelling, and loss of motion in the joint. Other forms of arthritis include gout, rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile arthritis, and arthritis associated with other diseases and infections.
How to Keep Your Joints Healthy
Physical activity is one of the most important things you can do to keep your joints healthy! Being physically active keeps the muscles surrounding your joints strong and maintains your joint’s range of motion. According to the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, adults aged 18-64 years should perform 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic activity per week and perform muscle strengthening activities at least twice per week.
While there is no specific diet to prevent or cure arthritis, evidence shows that excess weight puts more stress on your joints, especially weight-bearing joints, which may lead to osteoarthritis later in life. Consuming a healthy and balanced diet will help you manage and maintain a healthy body weight!
Chiropractors are highly skilled in diagnosing and treating joint issues within our scope of practice, but we will refer back to your medical doctor for further investigations if the issue requires medical imaging and/or interventions. Specifically, chiropractors can provide highly effective treatment for osteoarthritis! Some therapies include active exercises, joint mobilizations/adjustments, and patient advice for joint pain relief.
Joint Pain Relief
Pain is a common symptom associated with arthritis and there are many effective forms of joint pain relief that the clinic offers, in addition to chiropractic care. The clinic offers topical creams and sprays, chondroitin and glucosamine supplements, ice packs, and more. Specifically, our Orange Naturals Joint Pain Homeopathic Cream (our product of the month!) is an arnica-based topical cream that effectively relieves pain, swelling, and stiffness due to osteoarthritis. If you are experiencing joint pain, speak to your chiropractor to learn what pain relief options are available and best for you!
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