At Central Oxford Osteopathy we treat many patients with arthritis, a common condition causing pain, swelling, inflammation and often stiffness in your joints.
The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis but there are many other types including ankylosing spondylitis, gout, psoriatic arthritis and reactive arthritis.
Osteoarthritis is a result of wear and tear of the joints in the body, particularly the joints of the knees, hips, neck and back, base of the toes and hands. This and most other forms of arthritis are most common in people over 50 but certain types of arthritis can also affect children.
Sometimes x-rays, scans and other tests are required to make a full diagnosis. If we feel our osteopathy treatment cannot completely heal or discover the cause of your pain, we will refer to your GP or a specialist for any additional investigation.
We’re here to help
At our Oxford clinic your osteopath will identify the source of your pain and tailor a treatment plan to meet your individual needs. We can’t cure the arthritis and it depends on the severity of the wear and tear but our treatment and advice can often help ease your symptoms. Our experience tells us that gentle manipulative and massage techniques by an osteopath can help some arthritis sufferers.
We can use range of these techniques depending on your age, fitness and diagnosis. Your osteopath may gently move and stretch an arthritic joint and massage surrounding muscles and tissues, which can help ease some of the discomfort. Sometimes your osteopath may work on general mobility of the other joints and muscles in the body to help the mechanics of the body work better.
Your long term recovery is important to us. Once we have treated your immediate pain at the clinic, we will help you maintain your recovery by recommending gentle exercise and stretches you can do at home. We may offer advice on your lifestyle and on your posture and provide advice on diet and exercise.
If you think we can help you, then book to see an osteopath at our pain clinic Oxford.
Acknowledgement: with thanks to Institute of Osteopathy for data and sources.
