3 ways chiropractic can help with bursitis

If you work in a job or engage in a hobby that is tough on your joints, you may already know about bursitis and its detrimental effects on one’s quality of life. Known colloquially as the “working man’s disease,” bursitis occurs when the fluid filled sacs (called bursae) that cushion your joints become inflamed from repetitive movement. Bursitis can also occur when you bump a joint such as your knee or elbow, causing irritation to the joint’s bursae. Bursitis is painful but is a treatable and preventable condition.

Relief from bursitis can come in many forms, depending on the nature and severity of the condition and other health factors. Prescription-strength pain medication is one option, though these medications can have adverse side effects and may be troublesome for individuals with histories of addiction or drug abuse. In some instances, minor surgery may be recommended, although the costs and healing process may be significant – even prohibitive – for some people.

Chiropractic care is a noninvasive treatment method that many individuals have turned to for intervention and prevention of bursitis. If you have suffered from bursitis in the past or you are currently dealing with this condition, continue reading to discover how chiropractic treatment can help.

3 ways chiropractic can help with bursitis:

Reduced inflammation. The primary function of chiropractic treatment is to address misalignment of the vertebrae of your spine. Misalignment of spinal vertebrae causes pressure on the nerves, which disrupts the normal functioning of your nervous system.

When the spine is misaligned the body produces neuropeptides, small proteins involved in the body’s pain response and induction of inflammation. When your spine is realigned through chiropractic treatment, the body’s production of neuropeptides is reduced and pain and inflammation lessen significantly.

With ongoing chiropractic treatment, the body’s ability to moderate the production of neuropeptides may be further enhanced, allowing an individual to engage in their work or hobby for longer without experiencing bursitis. In other words, chiropractic care can not only reduce inflammation, but help prevent it in the future.

Improved flexibility. Having access to a healthy range of motion is critical for maintaining joint health and preventing bursitis. The interventions that chiropractors perform on your spine extend to your limbs and joints, which improve overall mobility and allow you to move more freely and with less pain.

The bursae help cushion and protect your joints from friction caused by the movement of bones, tendons, and muscles. Inflammation is the body’s natural response to overexertion, and the pain that typically accompanies inflammation is the body’s way of telling you to stop performing a particular motion. Improved mobility and flexibility resulting from chiropractic treatment will allow you to more easily perform movements that once resulted in inflammation of the bursae.

Lifestyle consultation. There are many lifestyle habits that we engage in that may contribute to increased inflammation and related conditions like bursitis. Diets high in sugar and salt, poor posture, lack of movement, and poor form when engaging in high-impact exercises like running and lifting weights can all cause inflammation.

Licensed chiropractors obtain much of the same classroom medical training as physicians.  Therefore, a chiropractor’s knowledge of anatomy, biology, chemistry, and immunology is advanced enough to understand how these systems interact with the spine and nervous system, and how lifestyle choices can help or hurt the efficiency of a body’s operations. In addition to reducing inflammation and increasing flexibility through adjustments, chiropractors can offer lifestyle advice to help prevent inflammation and conditions such as bursitis.

If you suffer from inflammatory conditions such as bursitis, chiropractic can help. Always talk to your doctor before beginning a treatment regimen, but let them know that you’d like to explore the benefits of non-medication intervention that chiropractic can offer. Your joints will thank you!

Dr. Corinne Kennedy provides chiropractic care and pain management for individuals of all ages in Wauwatosa, Brookfield, Milwaukee, Waukesha, and surrounding communities. Whether you are looking for pain relief, a lifestyle reset, or to prevent future conditions, give Kennedy Chiropractic a call today.