Arthritis and those summertime thunderstorms.....

I often say that people who suffer from arthritis would make the best meteorologists. Every week in my office, I will hear an arthritis patient say, "It's going to rain". Although the weather radar is clear, sure enough, a pop up thunderstorm comes a couple house later.

So, how do these patients know it's going to rain? Do they have some secret, high tech weather instrumentation that no one else has? The answer is, when the atmospheric pressure drops outside, arthritic joints cannot adjust to the sudden drop the same way that healthy joints can. The sensation is an achy, throbbing sensation. Regardless of where the arthritis is at, when it's about to rain, most people who have arthritis can definitely feel it. Depending on which joint you have the arthritis, there are treatments available to help. Knees seem to be the most common joint that people struggle with. The good news is, there are multiple treatment options available, other than a knee replacement. Now that summer is winding down and fall is setting in, I hope those rainy day aches are subsiding :)

Woodward Medical Center

Benefits of combining Chiropractic care and Physical Therapy

Over the past year, millions of American's have been treated by both chiropractors and physical therapists. However, you don't often hear of patients receiving treatment from both, simultaneously.

Chiropractic care's primary focus is on the musculoskeletal and nervous system while Physical Therapy's focus is on muscle strength and mobility. Many patients strictly need Chiropractic care only and visa versa. For example, if you are someone who occasionally wakes up with a pinched nerve in your neck, seeing a chiropractor may suit you just fine. On the other hand, if you are an athlete who doesn't want to worsen an old sports injury, physical therapy may be ideal.

So, what kind of patient would be a good candidate for integrating Physical Therapy and Chiro? Really it can be anyone who is suffering from any kind of joint pain, along with weakness from muscles loss. There are plenty of people who suffer from back pain who get great results by incorporating PT and strengthening the muscles around the joint. Knee arthritis patients are also good candidates that are often accompanied with low back pain. The Chiro will treat the low back while the PT focuses on the muscles around the lumbar and around the knee.

Physical Therapy and Chiropractic are two different types of therapies. Although they have a common goal to of easing pain and enhancing the quality of life, each is very different by nature. Ask your doctor if combining the two would benefit you.

Woodward Medical Center