September is arthritis month. So for this month’s blog, we are going to be talking about Osteoarthritis (OA). OA is the most common type of arthritis that affects the joints. It develops when the protective cartilage that cushions the ends of bones gradually wears down. This leads to pain, stiffness, swelling, and reduced mobility. As the cartilage continues to thin, bones may rub against each other, causing more damage and pain. At times, bone spurs can form as a result.
OA can affect any joint, but oftenly occurs in the knees, hips, hands, and spine. It progresses slowly over time, and is common with age and through various factors such as joint injuries, repetitive stress, genetics, obesity, and muscle weakness. OA is often considered a wear-and-tear degenerative joint disease, though it can have low-grade inflammation as well. It is a chronic condition, which often means that there is no cure, and the focus turns to symptom management.
When treating patients with OA, I often recommend supplements to support joint health, strengthening exercises, and photobiomodulation. Strengthening the muscles around the affected joint is important for providing strength and stability of the joint. The exercise depends on what stabilizing muscles need support, and I will refer to Manual Osteopathic Therapy and Chiropactors to help with realignment of the body and to provide more targeted exercises.
Photobiomodulation (PBM) is a great tool to have for OA. It uses various light frequencies to penetrate the tissues and stimulate cellular processes. These wavelengths are red and near-infrared light specifically. Multiple randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses show that PBM can provide a reduction in pain and improvements in function in those with OA. It is able to do this by reducing inflammation in the area being treated, promoting chondrocyte proliferation, which allows for the growth of cartilage.
Patients are encouraged to come in for weekly sessions for the first 5 weeks for 30 minutes per area. Then the sessions start to spread out as the pain continues to improve. Afterwards, we do maintenance sessions depending on the pain in the area. If this is something you are interested in, book an appointment with me using one of the links below.
~Dr. Charmagne