Osteoarthritis and Chiropractic Care

Osteoarthritis and Chiropractic Care - Health Council

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, where tissue at the end of bones wear down. The symptoms are pain and stiffness and treatment is needed for relief. A recent study done by Giles and Muller compared the many different types of treatment and outcomes for this condition. Among acupuncture, medication, and spinal manipulation on spinal pain syndromes, they found:

“Only spinal manipulation led to significant improvement. One report states that 73% of the patients who sought pain relief treatment from both a rheumatologist and an alternative form of medicine found chiropractic care to be helpful. It may be reasonably concluded that chiropractic care is a successful treatment for lower back pain.”

The study also found that chiropractic treatments with the use of moist heat showed an increased improvement in patients:

  • “Chiropractic was significantly more effective in reducing pain than moist heat alone, even though both treatments reduced pain to some degree.”
  • “The study examined right and left lateral flexion, average flexion, and average extension. “Chiropractic care plus moist heat is more effective than moist heat alone for improving ROM, as measured by these particular tests.”
  • “Chiropractic care was also more effective in improving daily activities, while moist heat alone did not improve activities of daily living.”

Read the full article: Osteoarthritis and Chiropractic Care