An Integrative Approach to

JOINT PAIN

at Absolute Health and Wellness

A joint is the meeting of two bones; the joint surfaces are covered by a special type of cartilage called hyaline cartilage. Joints are held together by joint capsules, ligaments, muscles and tendons, and fascia.

A healthy joint has smooth bony surfaces, intact tissues, healthy blood supply, and synovial fluid for lubrication.

A painful joint can affect one or more joints at the same time and can be caused by local changes to the joint, or systemic changes in the body, such as infection, inflammation, or autoimmune diseases. Osteoarthritis is the most common cause of joint pain and affects 40% of people over the age of 65.

If you have experienced any of the following as a result of your joint pain, we can help!

Decreased strength or range of motion
Decreased endurance
Obesity
Changes in joint alignment and feelings of instability

The Naturopath's Approach to Joint Pain

ASSESSMENT: Your naturopath will carefully assess your joint health, with a systems-based approach. We will discuss the following:

Exercise: physical impact placed on the joints may affect their health
Diet: the foods we eat make up the anatomical structures of the joints. Food also affects inflammation throughout the body
Inflammation: the amount of inflammation in our body affects our joint health
Hormones: hormones play a huge role in bone and joint health, especially as we age
Healthy Aging: bone and joint health changes as we age, many of these changes can be addressed and minimized
Specialized Lab Testing: some conditions associated with joint health, will have biological markers which can be tested.

TREATMENT: our naturopath uses several options to treat joint pain, and any other contributing factors

Herbs: research shows certain herbs can be helpful for the bones, joints, connective tissue, blood flow and immune system. Acupuncture and Dry Needling: acupuncture has been proven to be effective in both pain management as well as increasing tissue repair in various forms of joint pain.
Vitamins/Minerals: certain key nutrients make up the structural components of joints (bones, ligaments, cartilage). Supplementing these nutrients can benefit joint health
Weight Management and Lifestyle Change: various modifiable lifestyle factors (such as weight, smoking, sleep, exercise, diet, and motivation) have important roles to play
Prevention: certain aspects of joint pain are avoidable; we can discuss how to preserve your joints in the future

Click here to learn more about Naturopathy.

The Phyiotherapist's Approach to Joint Pain

ASSESSMENT: Our physiotherapists will get to the root cause of your joint pain by assessing the following:

Patient History: to determine any causative factors
Observation: for any signs of joint irritation, inflammation, or changes in joint alignment
Gait and Functional Tests: to assess your body mechanics and determine if that is contributing to or affected by your pain
Range of Motion: noting any joint restrictions and comparing your range of motion to normative values
Strength: looking for any areas of weakness
Soft Tissues: to test the integrity of the ligaments, muscles, and cartilage
Palpation: touching around the painful area to help determine what structures may be causing your pain

TREATMENT: Our physiotherapists use a variety of treatment techniques to help you manage your joint pain:

Manual Therapy: joint mobilizations, soft tissue release, and stretching to help improve range of motion
Acupuncture and Dry Needling: acupuncture has been proven to be effective in both pain management as well as increasing tissue repair in various forms of joint pain.
Therapeutic Modalities: ultrasound, hot/cold therapy, and electrostimulation can help with pain management and promoting healing
Exercise: current clinical practice guidelines recommend exercise as an integral role in joint pain management. We have access to various types of equipment to help you build strength and endurance
Education: we will discuss topics such as weight management, exercise, and pain management techniques for self-management

Click here to learn more about Physiotherapy.

The Chiropractor's Approach to Joint Pain

ASSESSMENT: Our chiropractors use thorough subjective and physical assessments to determine the best course of action:

Head to toe assessment: chiropractors can help with back and spine related pain, but also peripheral joints too
Health History: learning about your past helps us better understand your current state of joint health
Movement: observing how you move tells us a lot about how your joint health, muscle imbalances and posture
Functional Testing: looking at range of motion
Strength: looking for weakness and imbalance

TREATMENT: Our chiropractors use a variety of treatment techniques to help you manage your joint pain:

Manual Therapy: joint mobilizations, soft tissue release, and stretching to help improve range of motion
Therapeutic Modalities: ultrasound, hot/cold therapy, and electrostimulation may help with pain and/or tissue repair
Exercise: exercise plays a crucial role in joint pain

Click here to learn more about Chiropractic.

The Massage Therapist's Approach to Joint Pain

ASSESSMENT: Massage therapists can assess your joint pain to fully tailor your massage

Our massage therapists will use the following information to help improve the effectiveness of your massage:

Patient History: to determine any causative factors
Observation: for any signs of joint irritation, inflammation, or changes in joint alignment

TREATMENT: Our massage therapists use a variety of manual techniques for soft tissues and joints that can improve: