SPONSORED: Arthritis Treatment Available at Spine and Extremities Center

We are treating joint pain caused by degenerative arthritis at Spine & Extremities Center with a combination of Shockwave,

Osteopathic Manipulation (OMT), and Class IV (high intensity) medical laser. Our treatment protocol addresses the pain, inflammation, and immobility that patient who suffer from osteoarthritis experience. To explain how we do this, a brief explanation of the disease is needed.

Osteoarthritis, or “OA” is the typical degenerative joint disease that most people think of when they think of joint pain from “wear and tear”. It is a chronic problem and causes countless patients to have significant limitations in their lives. It ranges from minor aches and pains, to debilitating disease that can affect their ability to care for themselves or their loved ones. Larger joints such as the hip or knee may ultimately need replaced after decades of pain and inflammation. Smaller joints such as in the hand, wrist, or foot don’t typically have this option. Most patients just take oral medications and sometimes get a steroid injection. But these treatments don’t address the underlying problem, they just temporarily mask the symptoms.

X-rays will demonstrate that the joint space between two bones has narrowed, or in more severe cases is completely lost, indicating loss of the shock absorbing cartilage in the joint. The surfaces of the bones become extra dense as the joint becomes “bone on bone” and the friction results in the joint surfaces becoming denser, which is brighter white on an x-ray.

(X-ray showing Arthritis at the base of the thumb)

Bone spurs form at the margin of joints as the body attempts to naturally resolve the joint pain by immobilizing the joint. Which, if you think about it, makes sense. The arthritic joint hurts the most when it moves. So, the body has adapted a mechanism to deal with this chronic pain by restricting the joint’s motion and is trying to fuse the joint by growing bridging bone around the joint, just like a splint. However, having joints fuse and limiting mobility is not in the patient’s best interest. In addition, loss of mobility in one joint results in abnormal biomechanics of other joints as they start dealing with stress patterns that aren’t normal. This then leads to arthritis in other joints.

The joint capsule is the ligamentous structure that surrounds and supports the joint. It is meant to be strong and durable, but also needs to move freely without adhesions or restrictions. The joints also have a membrane inside the capsule, called the synovium. The synovium produces the fluid that lubricates the joint and results in smoother motion.

The pain coming from an arthritic joint is often actually in large part the result of pain receptors in the joint capsule and synovium. This is why arthritic joints often have “flare-ups” but then seem to get better. However, over the years the joint is in fact becoming stiffer, the pain fibers are becoming increasingly abnormally hypersensitive, and the synovium is not functioning properly to produce the lubricating joint fluid.

Our protocol therefore is aimed at the joint capsule and synovium. Shockwave has also been shown to have effects on the cartilage and the bone immediately under the cartilage (subchondral bone). Depending on the current level of inflammation a patient is experiencing we usually start out with a medical laser treatment to reduce the acute flare-up. Our medical lasers are Class IV high intensity lasers, and are not to be confused with the so-called “cold” lasers. Follow-up visits are then set to use our combination therapy.

The typical combination session then uses Shockwave to target the joint capsule to break up adhesions and scars that are forming as the body has tried to restrict motion. The Shockwave will also help reduce (inhibit) the hypersensitive pain signals coming from the joint capsule which often results in significant pain relief early in the course of therapy. This treatment takes approximately 6-8 minutes as the joint capsule and key ligaments around the joint are targeted. We then will take this opportunity to gently mobilize the joint using soft tissue osteopathic and chiropractic techniques to further release the adhesions and increase the range of motion. Lastly, the medical laser is applied to reduce inflammation, accelerate healing, increase oxygen delivery, and restore proper function of the synovium to lubricate the joint with nutrient rich fluid.

The initial program includes five sessions of Shockwave and laser combined, and two additional laser sessions usually used between the first two combination therapy sessions. The treatment time is around 5-6 weeks. Following this, patients can often maintain their current level of pain relief with just medical laser applications from time to time and maintaining their joint mobility through normal activities.

Patients who would like a consultation for this service can schedule a “new patient visit” for $75 which includes the medical intake, history and physical exam, imaging review, and first medical laser treatment. Since we are an osteopathic/chiropractic office we also offer patients a complete spinal manipulative treatment as part of the new patient encounter if the patient desires. At no point, however, does any patient have to receive spinal manipulation if they choose not to. In these patients we offer either another laser treatment or an infrared sauna session.

The arthritis/joint pain treatment packages are priced based on the size of the region being treated and include both Shockwave Therapy and Class IV medical laser. A large area would be considered a large or medium joint such as a hip, knee, or shoulder. Smaller areas such as the hand, wrist, ankle, or foot are considered standard areas. The complete treatment price for a large area is $695 and for a standard area is $595.

Forms of accepted payment include cash, check, credit card and Care Credit. View Care Credit here: https://www.carecredit.com/apply/.

To book an appointment call or text 814-227-5855 or download their app here:

Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/spine-extremities-center/id1590117359?ign-itsct=apps_box_link&ign-itscg=30200

Google Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fitnessmobileapps.spineandextremetiescenter&hl=en

More information can be found on their website at www.spineandextremitiescenter.com.