‘It’s just your age!’
Does this sound familiar? Osteopaths take a different view!
Yes, age does play a part in the wear and tear process, but it doesn’t mean that nothing can be done about it.
The aging process is inevitable for all of us but this shouldn’t mean having to give up the things you enjoy.
If anything, this is a time when you should maintain a good level of fitness and general strength, flexibility and mobility.Osteopaths may help by improving movement and easing stiffness and muscle tightness.
With age we are more prone to problems such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder pain, neck stiffness, arthritic knees and arthritic hips. Using careful, gentle and accurate methods, the osteopath restores flexibility and health to parts of the body that have become stiff.
As a result the chances of a person needing medication, injections or surgery may be significantly reduced.
In many patients, arthritis is the cause of joint swelling, pain and stiffness. Many arthritis sufferers are told that ‘nothing can be done, you just have to live with it’ or ‘it’s a part of getting older’.
Osteopathy cannot cure arthritis, but treatment may certainly ease the pain, reduce swelling and stiffness and restore some joint mobility.
There are two main types of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form and is linked with ‘wear and tear’ of the joints from excessive stress put on an area through poor posture, heavy manual work and old injuries. The joints involved become worn, painful, and stiff. These symptoms may be helped using safe, gentle osteopathic treatment.
- Inflammatory arthritis such as Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) causes painful, swollen, and stiff joints and also affects the whole body including a breakdown in the immune system. This type of arthritis is more difficult to treat, but symptoms may be relieved by gentle osteopathic treatment.