By: Adam Renelt, DC
Updated 7/23/24
One of the most common symptoms that our Sioux Falls chiropractors see patients for is joint pain. Joint pain is general term that can have many causes and the best treatment will depend on what caused the joint to have pain and what structures are involved. A joint is formed wherever two or more bones meet and allow the body to perform movement at that location. Typically, adults have 206 bones and almost every bone in the body forms a joint with other bones in the body. There are different types of joints in the body. Some, such as the shoulder or hip, allow a large range of movement. Other joints, such as where the skull bones meet, are considered to be sutured together and very little movement can take place. For the rest of this article, we will discuss joints that allow movement.
Structures and Joint Variations
Freely moveable joints contain many structures such as bones, ligaments, cartilage, synovial fluid (fluid inside the joint), and bursas (a sac filled with fluid that helps to lubricate joints). The human body is complex and is considered to have 6 different types of moveable joints. Due to these variations a health care provider must take the joint location and its various structures into account when trying to help a patient with joint pain.
Causes of Joint Pain
Due to the variety of joints and the structures that help form them joint pain can be caused by many different factors. Trauma, such as from a rolled ankle, can cause a joint’s ligaments to stretch and result in swelling and pain. Wear and tear over time can cause osteoarthritis to develop and result in joint pain. In some cases, a patient may have an autoimmune disease, such as rheumatoid or psoriatic arthritis, in which their body attacks itself and causes joint pain. In other cases, a condition like gout causes crystals to form in a joint which causes pain.
Chiropractic Care in Sioux Falls May Help Joint Pain
When a patient has the complaint of joint pain in our Sioux Falls chiropractic office, we will typically start an appointment by asking questions about the pain. Common questions will include when the pain started, activities that improve or worsen the pain or if a trauma occurred, and the location of the pain. Depending on the case there may be many other questions our chiropractors may ask to help gather more information. We will then perform our chiropractic examination that includes running a Nervoscope and palpating the spine or affected joints. Orthopedic/neurologic exams or x-ray imaging may also be used to give us more information. We then use this data to determine what treatment may best help the patient. If you are suffering from joint pain or are looking for a chiropractor in the Sioux Falls area, we would welcome the opportunity to try to help you. Please contact our office to schedule your appointment today!