Chiropractic Care for Degenerative Joint Disease

Are you considering chiropractic care for your arthritis? Here’s what you need to know!

Chiropractic treatment is a non-invasive, drug-free option that can play a significant role in managing DJD. Chiropractors focus on spinal and joint alignment, which helps improve movement patterns, reduce pain, and support overall joint function.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care for DJD Include:

• Pain Relief: Gentle adjustments can help reduce joint pressure and nerve irritation, easing discomfort.
• Improved Joint Mobility: Restoring proper joint alignment enhances range of motion and flexibility.
• Decreased Inflammation: Chiropractic care may help lower inflammation in and around the joints.
• Enhanced Posture and Balance: Proper alignment supports better biomechanics, helping to reduce wear on affected joints.

Learn more in our latest article.

Start Feeling Better with an Ann Arbor Chiropractor

Chiropractic work can help you manage degenerative disc disease, as well as many other secondary conditions. To get started with an Ann Arbor Chiropractor, schedule a no-commitment consultation by calling 734-221-0362 or submitting a contact form here.

Causes of Degenerative Joint Disease

Did you know that arthritis is actually Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD)?

Degenerative Joint Disease can develop due to a combination of factors, including:

• Aging: Cartilage naturally deteriorates with age.
• Joint Overuse: Repetitive motion or long-term physical stress on joints, such as from manual labor or sports, can accelerate cartilage breakdown.
• Injury: Previous joint injuries or trauma (e.g. fractures or ligament tears) increase the risk of DJD.
• Obesity: Excess body weight puts added stress on weight-bearing joints like the knees, hips, and spine.
• Genetics: A family history of osteoarthritis can increase susceptibility.
• Poor Posture or Biomechanics: Misaligned joints and abnormal movement patterns can hasten joint wear.

Learn more in our latest article.

Start Feeling Better with an Ann Arbor Chiropractor

Chiropractic work can help you manage degenerative disc disease, as well as many other secondary conditions. To get started with an Ann Arbor Chiropractor, schedule a no-commitment consultation by calling 734-221-0362 or submitting a contact form here.

Don't immobilize a torn ligament.

Do you have a torn ligament?

Too often, a person injures a ligament and their healthcare provider tells them to wear a brace, or wraps the area to immobilize it. Research shows that “immobilization causes ligament physiology to progressively change from anabolic to a more catabolic state.” This means that the ligament tissue breaks down and is much weaker when it is immobilized. On the other hand, when the tissue is exercised, research shows that there is a direct correlation between the number of collagen fibrils, their arrangement, and their average thickness with the ligament. “In a systematic review, early mobilization was found to decrease pain, swelling and stiffness, to preserve more of the ligament’s range of motion, and to result in a quicker return to work.” This means that with movement, the ligament tissue heals faster and stronger. In the case of a major ligament rupture, surgery along with casting may be necessary in the beginning stages, but a guided exercise routine will be necessary to ensure adequate healing as time progresses. 

Learn more in our latest article.

An Ann Arbor Chiropractor Can Help You Recover

Along with physical rehabilitation, your Ann Arbor chiropractor can work in collaboration with your other doctors to be part of a treatment plan for ligament injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, adjustments to improve stability, mobility, reduce pain, and improved healing can be an important part of ligament damage recovery.

To get started or ask a question, call (734) 221-0362 or submit a contact form here.

Source: Hauser, R., Dolan, E., Phillips, H., Newlin, A., R., & Woldin, B. (2013). Ligament Injury and Healing: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics [Abstract]. The Open Rehabilitation Journal, 6(1), 20th ser. doi:10.2174/1874943701306010001

Did I tear a ligament, or is it just a pulled muscle?

Unsure if the pain is a torn ligament or pulled muscle?

A trained chiropractor or medical provider can assess if an injury resulted in a pulled muscle or sprain/tear of a ligament. This is determined through a comprehensive evaluation of the injured area. Generally, when a ligament is damaged, you will notice pain, swelling, and sometimes bruising. If the ligament is torn or ruptured, in addition to extreme pain, it may also feel loose or weak, like the joint will give out. Depending on the severity of the injury, a proper course of treatment is essential to ensuring adequate healing.

Most minor ligament sprains will heal on their own if they’re taken care of properly. In the case of a ruptured or torn ligament, surgery may be required to fix the damage along with physical therapy to regain strength and range of motion.

If a ligament injury is minor then there are a few things you can do on your own to ensure proper healing. Check them out in our latest article.

An Ann Arbor Chiropractor Can Help You Recover

Along with physical rehabilitation, your Ann Arbor chiropractor can work in collaboration with your other doctors to be part of a treatment plan for ligament injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, adjustments to improve stability, mobility, reduce pain, and improved healing can be an important part of ligament damage recovery.

To get started or ask a question, call (734) 221-0362 or submit a contact form here.

Source: Hauser, R., Dolan, E., Phillips, H., Newlin, A., R., & Woldin, B. (2013). Ligament Injury and Healing: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics [Abstract]. The Open Rehabilitation Journal, 6(1), 20th ser. doi:10.2174/1874943701306010001

Intro to Healing Ligaments

When a ligament is injured, how does it heal?

There is much knowledge on the structure and function of normal ligament tissue, but there is still limited research on ligament injuries and the complicated nature of ligament healing. 

Healing within an injured ligament is a complex dance of cellular processes, which “cause alterations in the biology and biomechanics of the injured ligament, leading to inadequate healing and tissue formation that is inferior to the tissue it has replaced” according to the Open Rehabilitation Journal. “The incomplete healing and lower integrity of the new ligament tissue results in ligament laxity, predisposing the joint to further injury.  The cycle of injury and laxity causes joint instability which, leads to chronic pain, diminished function, and ultimately, to osteoarthritis (OA) of the affected joint.”

Ligaments take a long time to fully heal, and this occurs in three phases: the acute inflammatory phase, the proliferative or regenerative/repair phase, and the tissue-remodeling phase.

Read more in our latest article.

How can an Ann Arbor Can Chiropractor Help with Ligament Injuries?

Along with physical rehabilitation, your Ann Arbor chiropractor can work in collaboration with your other doctors to be part of a treatment plan for ligament injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, adjustments to improve stability, mobility, reduce pain, and improved healing can be an important part of ligament damage recovery.

To get started or ask a question, call (734) 221-0362 or submit a contact form here.

Source: Hauser, R., Dolan, E., Phillips, H., Newlin, A., R., & Woldin, B. (2013). Ligament Injury and Healing: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics [Abstract]. The Open Rehabilitation Journal, 6(1), 20th ser. doi:10.2174/1874943701306010001

Intro to Ligaments and Ligament Injuries

What are ligaments?

What happens when they’re injured?

Ligaments are made up of dense connective tissue that hold bones together, supporting every joint in your body. They act to stabilize your joints while at rest and during normal range of motion. Ligaments are important for both stability and mobility in a joint. When a ligament is injured, it disrupts the balance between those two qualities.  

This imbalance will lead to an abnormal transmission of forces, which can lead to injury in other tissues around the joint.  The most common joints that suffer from ligament injuries are the shoulder, hip, knee, ankle, elbow, and wrist.  Research has shown that spinal ligament injuries account for a majority of auto accident injuries, and just like other major joints in the body, they are susceptible to similar outcomes when injured.    

Just like muscles, ligaments can stretch, however, they’re not as forgiving as muscles.  When you stretch a muscle, it’s like stretching a pair of yoga pants – they expand then contract back to their normal size.  Ligaments, on the other hand, are like a pair of denim jeans – it takes much more force to stretch them, but when it does happen, you notice tears or fraying in the fibers.

When a ligament is stretched past its physical limitations, the fibers will tear. If the trauma is severe enough, the ligament can rupture all the way through.  Damage to the ligament causes a permanent change in the ligamentous fibers. 

Read more in our latest article.

How can an Ann Arbor Can Chiropractor Help with Ligament Injuries?

Along with physical rehabilitation, your Ann Arbor chiropractor can work in collaboration with your other doctors to be part of a treatment plan for ligament injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, adjustments to improve stability, mobility, reduce pain, and improved healing can be an important part of ligament damage recovery.

To get started or ask a question, call (734) 221-0362 or submit a contact form here.

Source: Hauser, R., Dolan, E., Phillips, H., Newlin, A., R., & Woldin, B. (2013). Ligament Injury and Healing: A Review of Current Clinical Diagnostics and Therapeutics [Abstract]. The Open Rehabilitation Journal, 6(1), 20th ser. doi:10.2174/1874943701306010001

Causes of Cervicogenic Dizziness

In our last blog, we defined cervicogenic dizziness. But what causes it?

Several conditions and factors can contribute to cervicogenic dizziness, including:

• Neck Injuries: Trauma to the neck, such as whiplash from a car accident or a sports injury, can disrupt the normal function of the cervical spine and lead to dizziness.
• Poor Posture: Prolonged poor posture, such as forward head posture from excessive screen time, can strain the neck muscles and joints, contributing to dizziness.
• Cervical Degeneration: Conditions like osteoarthritis or degenerative disc disease in the cervical spine can impact nerves and blood flow, leading to dizziness.
• Muscle Tension & Spasms: Tight or strained neck muscles can interfere with proper nerve signaling and blood circulation, causing dizziness.

Managing and Treating Cervicogenic Dizziness

Treatment for cervicogenic dizziness focuses on addressing the underlying cervical spine dysfunction. Common approaches include:

• Chiropractic Care & Physical Therapy: Gentle spinal adjustments, mobilization techniques, and specific exercises can help restore proper neck alignment and function.
• Postural Corrections: Improving posture through ergonomic adjustments and strengthening exercises can reduce strain on the cervical spine.
• Massage Therapy: Soft tissue techniques can help alleviate muscle tension and improve circulation.
• Lifestyle Modifications: Stress management, hydration, and maintaining an active lifestyle can help prevent flare-ups of dizziness.

Learn more in our latest article.

Talk with an Ann Arbor-Based Chiropractor

Cervicogenic dizziness is a condition that a structural chiropractor can help address by correcting spinal alignment, which assists with balance and equilibrium. For more information, call our Ann Arbor chiropractor’s office at (734) 221-0362 or submit a contact form. Remember, talking to Dr. Gessert is never a commitment!