Arthritis Workshop: Getting in Motion

Presented By: Dr. Jeff Needham of Needham Family Chiropractic Clinic
Wednesday, November 5th 2003 at 7pm in the Zehrs Community Room

Millions of people suffer from some form of arthritis. Because arthritis is commonly believed to be incurable, the standard medical response has been simply to prescribe medication to reduce the symptoms. However, masking the signs and symptoms neglects the causes that are in place and can even prevent a favourable outcome. Substantial evidence now shows that the pain and disability caused by arthritis can be alleviated, and even prevented through diet, nutritional supplementation, stress reduction and chiropractic care.

"The future depends on what we do in the present." Mahatma Gandhi

• Over 4 million Canadians are currently battling arthritis today nationwide.
• More than 1.4 million Ontarians are afflicted with some form of arthritis.
• Arthritis is Canada's #1 chronic illness
• With Canada's aging population, arthritis will become one of the biggest health issues of the new century.

Arthritis is a disease of the whole body (a systemic disease) that is most dramatically seen in the joints. Arthritis can range from relatively mild forms of joint irritation such as tendonitis (ie: tennis elbow) and bursitis, to crippling systematic forms such as Rheumatoid Arthritis. There are forms of the disease, such as gout, which almost nobody connects with arthritis, and there are other conditions like Osteoarthritis, that a good number of people think is the only form of the disease. Although many older people are affected by arthritis, it is not just a disease of the elderly. Some forms of arthritis affect children while they are very young, while thousands are stricken in the prime of their lives. Many arthritics suffer for years without diagnosis.

You may have arthritis and not even know it!

A Warning Sign: Inflammation

There are several different types of arthritis, common to all conditions is joint pain from the inflammation in the joints. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury. Indicators of inflammation include: redness, swelling, heat and pain.

The Two Most Common Forms of Arthritis

1. Osteoarthritis (OA):

• affects 3,000,000 (1 in 10) Canadians (the most common form of Arthritis)
• affects men and women in equal numbers
• can occur at any age, though is most common after the age of 45
• the most common sites of OA are the spine and knee

Symptoms

Mild early morning stiffness, stiffness following rest, pain that worsens on joint use, loss of joint function, tenderness, swelling and creaking/cracking of the joints with movement, and decreased mobility are all symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Cause

The exact cause of OA is unknown, but we do know that the chances of being affected by osteoarthritis increase with age. Researchers now think that there are several factors that may increase your risk of getting osteoarthritis:

1. Heredity
2. Excess Weight
3. Injury
4. Complications of Other Types of Arthritis

Warning Signs

Symptoms of OA usually come on slowly and involve the area around the joints. If you have joint pain, stiffness, or swelling for more than a two-week period you should consult your doctor.

Treatment

Although there is no cure for osteoarthritis, there are a number of steps you can take to help you manage your pain and lead an active life. These include: medicine, exercise, applying heat or cold, lifestyle management to protect your joints, relaxation or surgery.

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA):

• affects 300,000 (1 in 100) Canadians
• women are twice as likely to develop Rheumatoid Arthritis
• most people develop RA between the ages of 25 and 50, however this disease can affect people of all ages from toddlers to senior

Symptoms

Rheumatoid Arthritis causes redness, pain, swelling or a hot (or warm) feeling in the lining of a joint (inflammation). The inflammation may also affect other internal organs such as the eyes, lungs or heart. RA can affect any joint but the most common places are the hands and feet. Other symptoms include fatigue, low-grade fever and weakness.

Cause

Researchers believe that inflammation is triggered by the body's immune system failing to recognize body tissue as "normal," therefore attacking it and bringing about joint damage. The damage gets worse because the immune system's attack does not stop and results in the destruction of cartilage, bone tendons, and ligaments that can lead to permanent deformity and disability.

• Warning Signs
• pain, swelling, tenderness, heat or redness in a joint (inflammation)
• the joints most often affected are those of the hands and feet
• morning stiffness that lasts for more than 30 minutes
• pain in 3 or more joints at the same time
• pain in a joint all night long
• pain in the same joints on both sides of the body (symmetry of symptoms)
• low energy and fatigue
• possible fever & weight loss
• inflammation may start gradually or with a sudden severe attack

RA symptoms vary from person to person. In some people, the disease will be mild with periods of activity or joint inflammation (flare-ups) and inactivity (remissions). In other cases, the disease will be continuously active and appear to get worse or progress over time.

Treatment

If your doctor has diagnosed you with rheumatoid arthritis, many different treatments are available to help you manage your pain and other symptoms. These include medicine, exercise, heat, lifestyle management to protect your joints, relaxation, and in some cases surgery.

Previous Research

In the past, medical research has indicated a connection between several factors and arthritis. Some of these factors, or possible causes, include:

1. Joint instability
2. Age-related changes
3. Altered biochemistry
4. Hormonal factors
5. Genetic predisposition

The Chiropractic Approach

If you have arthritis, you must have your spine checked for vertebral subluxations (misalignments) by a chiropractor. Subluxations weaken your spine and nervous system, stress the immune system, put the body in a weakened state and can set the stage for sickness and disease, including arthritis! Chiropractors are trained to locate and free the body of subluxations.

Chiropractic is not only about the well being of your spine, but of your entire body--your overall wellness.

Chiropractic care is a commitment to yourself!
It is a commitment to getting and staying healthy!

Steps to Take

If you are suffering with arthritis, it is time to take control of your pain.

Learn more about your condition and treatments available to you. Come in for a complementary consultation with Dr Jeff Needham and discuss your future!

References

Burton Goldberg Group. (1995). Alternative Medicine: Arthritis. (pp137, 406, 530-39). Fife, Washington: Future Medicine Publishing, Inc.

Arthritis Foundation. (2004). Take Action: 11 Steps to Limit the Impact of Arthritis. Retrieved from: www.arthrits.org/resources/nam/nam_04_into.asp.

Chirofind.com. (2004). Arthritis Patients Choose Chiropractic Care. Retrieved from: http://www.chiroweb.com/find/archives/musculoskeletal/other/arthritis.html.

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeltal and Skin Diseases. (2001). Retrieved from: http://www.niams.nih.gov/hi/topics/arthritis/tengo/english.htm

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