Arthritis

Arthritis generally affects the older person. As we age the human body undergoes inevitable physical change and some of this may unfortunately be degenerative, the “wear and tear” a lot of our patients mention to us. There tends to be an increase in stiffness and a general loss of flexibility that may be associated with painful joints and muscle tension, arthr-itis literally means joint inflammation and in its different forms it affects around 10 million people in the UK.

More about Arthritis

Arthritis cannot be cured but the painful symptoms and joint stiffness can be alleviated by physical therapy. At Osteo and Physio in Cullompton, Tiverton and Ottery we aim to understand your condition and how it is effecting your life. Our practitioners have undertaken postgraduate courses in the care of the older patient as part of their annual 30 hours of continual professional development. We believe that good communication between the patient and practitioner is key to enable us to make a sound diagnosis and formulate an effective treatment plan to alleviate your discomfort.

On your first visit to either our Cullompton or Tiverton osteopathy or physiotherapy clinics, a case history is taken focusing not just on your presenting complaint but more broadly on your general health as well, this is to understand as much as possible about any other lifestyle factors that may be exacerbating your arthritic symptoms. By taking this holistic approach the treatment is unique to each patient.

Your treatment

The general goals of treatment for people suffering with arthritic pain are:

To reduce joint stiffness
To increase joint mobility
To relax tense muscles
To stimulate circulation
To ensure the rest of the body is functioning wellto support the arthritic area and prevent compensatory change

By achieving these therapeutic benefits, pain is reduced and comfort restored allowing you to lead as full a life as possible. The techniques we use to relieve arthritic pain are gentle.

Again, communication is vital and we will explain what we feel the problem is and how the techniques we use will benefit you. Our patients are often surprised at how relaxing treatment can be and how quickly their symptoms reduce.

In addition to the treatment we may give you advice on your posture or some useful tips to aid you in your daily activities we normally prescribe exercises to complement the efficacy of the treatment.

We always work alongside GP’s and and any other medical treatment you may be having. We will correspond with your Doctor to inform them how treatment is progressing if you wish or refer you back to them if we think that treatment with us will not be effective.

Book an appointment

To book an appointment, please give us a call on 03455577788 or use our online booking tool.