Overview

Chronic joint pain is a life long hardship

Over the course of a lifetime, everyone will, at some point, be affected by spinal or joint pain. Approximately 80% of all people over the age of 50 suffer from some form of arthritis (joint wear). Degenerative changes in the spinal column or joints have historically been untreatable meaning, patients suffering from a degenerative disease would be forced to live with irreversible damage to their musculoskeletal system. For those affected, this means a significant reduction in their quality of life, as sooner or later the illness will progress from something harmless like a tight feeling or stiffness in the joints to more intense, regular pain. Theses symptoms may become chronic and will, for the remainder of the afflicted patients' life, affect them.

There are many causes of degenerative changes in joints or the spinal column such as regular over-extension of the joints either through being overweight, hard physical labour or a birth disorder. The progression of illness tends to be gradual and subtle; normally the symptoms are random, for example only when the affected joint is moved. However, the illness can progress to the extent that the individual experiences constant pain and must either take medication to treat the pain or, in more severe cases, if medication is not sufficient get a prosthesis.

Remain active!

With early detection, the first indications of changes in the joints and spinal column can be identified and precautions taken to prevent the further progression of any serious illnesses or diseases from developing. Often, physical training and muscle strengthening can halt the development of disease and guarantee an individuals' quality of life.

As in most cases, the first step to maintaining healthy joints is routine check-ups. In our practice, with the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes in joints and the spinal column can be diagnosed in the early stages of development. These procedures are non-invasive and uncomplicated. Do not wait until you experience regular, intense pain before getting a check-up because at that point it is usually too late.