Like tooth decay, degeneration of your joints begins without you knowing. The general wear and tear of a lifetime results in the laying down of extra areas of bone, by the body, in an attempt to support the damaged area. Generally our bodies compensate for this and we feel little or no pain, however loss of proper movement in a worn joint may cause nerve irritation and inflammation which may lead to pain.

Arthritis and Spondylitis are names normally given to the pain and stiffness resulting from wear and tear to your joints. They can occur in any joint in your body, including your spinal vertebrae, but chiropractic may often relieve the pain.

There are some types of arthritis- such as rheumatoid arthritis- that involves periods of inflammation and destruction of the joints causing severe pain. Although chiropractors cannot treat the cause of this kind of arthritis, they may be able to help relieve the disability that results from it once the inflammatory phase is over.

Other joint problems, caused by repeated trauma, that chiropractors treat include:
• Shoulder pain
• Tennis elbow
• Golfer’s elbow
• Knee pain
• Repetitive strain injury (RSI) as a result, for example of working at computer keyboards.

Degenerated joints are sometimes the result of the surrounding joints not doing their share of the work, so the load is not managed equally. Degeneration of your joints cannot be reversed, but your chiropractor can help to improve function in both the joints and muscles, which in turn will help reduce any nerve irritation.