Arthritis

Arthritis can be divided into the following types according to their cause:

1. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of joint disease. It involves progressive loss of articular cartilage and reactive changes at joint margins and in subchondral bone. It is a degenerative joint disease that becomes increasingly common with age.

2. Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease of unknown cause with a predilection for joint involvement. Joint inflammation may be remitting, but if it continues, it usually results in joint damage and disability.

3. Other types include Infectious Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, and others.

By location, arthritis most commonly affects the hip joints, knee joints, elbow joints, spine joints, shoulder joints, toe and finger joints, and hand and wrist joints.

Arthritis is characterized by joint pain, inflammation, and a process that can lead to permanent tissue damage or bone deformity. The goal of treatment is to slow down the inflammatory process so that joint cartilage and bone remain intact for as long as possible. Reducing inflammation, relieving pain, and slowing disease progression are the focus of treatment in most types of arthritis. Early treatment brings better outcomes than delayed treatment.

Since arthritis has so many different types and stages, please consult your family doctor or healthcare provider for advice specific to your condition. You may also call us at 233-0498 for self-management guidance.

In general for osteoarthritis, keep your joints mobile while you are young. Practice stretching exercises such as yoga (which can be continued into old age) and avoid impact exercises without a gradual increase in intensity. Avoid repeatedly cracking your knuckles or neck joints. Since osteoarthritis often appears at the site of an old injury, it is important that injuries be treated adequately.

Acupuncture treats arthritis in four ways:

1. Reducing inflammation.
2. Relieving pain.
3. Improving local microcirculation.
4. Regulating systemic imbalance.

When inflammation is controlled, the progression of bone and cartilage damage is slowed.

Since one factor that can reduce the effectiveness of acupuncture is the use of strong drugs, especially long-term use of cortisone, gold, and penicillamine, it is advisable to seek acupuncture treatment early. At that stage, your doctor is most likely to prescribe only a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as aspirin, Celebrex, or ibuprofen. Acupuncture intervention is then more likely to succeed.

Numerous studies conducted over the past several decades suggest that acupuncture stimulation desensitizes or reduces activation in cortical areas believed to be involved with pain signal processing. Acupuncture also regulates hormone, endocrine, and blood vessel activity to reduce pathological inflammation, and it regulates neurotransmitter activity in the brain.

That depends on the reason for the surgery. If it is for pain, acupuncture may be an alternative. If it is for deformity, acupuncture cannot undo the deformity. Acupuncture is a symptomatic treatment, not a structural one. When the pain disappears, many patients and doctors feel that surgery is unnecessary and can be reserved as a last resort.

$95/session, $45 consultation. 30-45 minute initial consultation.

Alberta Health Care does not cover acupuncture. Most company benefits cover acupuncture when treatment is provided through a Registered Acupuncturist. Contact your HR department or insurance company for coverage details.

Acupuncture treatment for pain relief and reducing inflammation has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) as a treatment that may be beneficial. It has helped many patients with arthritis. It is a reasonable natural modality with the potential to help and minimal side effects. “It works for many” does not mean “it works for you.” As for you, there is only one way to find out.