Let’s talk about osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is an inflammatory condition that begins when the protective cartilage that surrounds certain joints start to break down. When you have osteoarthritis you may start to experience morning stiffness in your joints, with pain that worsens with increased joint usage throughout the day. Another common symptom you may experience is “cracking” and/or “creaking” withing those joints, perhaps in your knuckles or knees.
So what’s causing all of this pain? If you take a look at osteoarthritis on an x-ray, you will see joint space narrowing. This spacing represents a loss of cartilage within the joint. You may also have bone spurs, calcifications, morning stiffness and other changes.
How Western Medicine Explains Osteoarthritis
Today, osteoarthritis is believed to be a result of wear and tear on the joints. It is theorized that increased age, previous joint damage, repetitive stress, genetics and obesity can increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis. Currently, the condition is said to be incurable, as well as unpreventable. It is managed with anti-inflammatory drugs, steroid injections and eventually joint replacement if applicable.
How Naturopathic Medicine Explains Osteoarthritis
We have found that osteoarthritis is likely caused by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to systemic inflammation that develops within specific joints. In the patients we see living with osteoarthritis there is a specific underlying cause to their inflammatory process, one that is both identifiable and reversible. By helping to identify the root cause of their inflammation, they can begin to reverse symptoms and see a significant reduction in pain. While a genetic predisposition can be a factor in osteoarthritis, we have seen that environmental influences, such as diet, play a key role in symptom relief.
Most people do not realize that they have a specific food intolerance due to the lack of immediate concerning symptoms like hives, swelling, or diarrhea that may be associated with food sensitives or food allergies. Food intolerances can go visibly unnoticed for years until they manifest in other ways, like osteoarthritis, due to the chronic inflammation they are causing on the inside of our bodies. Because of this most people continue to eat the same foods that they always have without thinking twice.
When you identify your food intolerance and remove it from your diet, you are able to stop the inflammatory process occurring within your body. Once the inflammatory food group is identified, a trial removal period of 4 weeks is recommended to allow the body time to begin healing. However, most individuals notice a significant reduction in osteoarthritis symptoms, like joint pain, in just the first two weeks.
We believe there is a way to heal from osteoarthritis and live pain-free. By reversing the underlying causes of inflammation in your body, you can start the process of healing. You can improve your quality of life with a few simple steps.
Give us a call today to request your free 15-minute consult to find out if we can help you.
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