Discover effective techniques in functional wellness for rheumatoid arthritis for better mobility and reduced discomfort in daily activities.
Table of Contents
The chronic ailment known as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects millions of individuals worldwide. It’s not just joint discomfort; it’s an autoimmune illness in which your body’s defenses attack its own tissues, leading to swelling, inflammation, and even joint damage. If you have RA, you are aware of the disruption it may cause to everyday life. On bad days, even basic activities like walking or carrying a cup might seem hard. But there is still hope. By combining functional health with chiropractic treatment, RA symptoms can be managed holistically without relying solely on medication or surgery. This blog article delves further into the clinical explanations for why this combination is effective, examines the origins of joint pain, the effects RA has on your upper and lower limbs, the involvement of environmental variables, and a number of non-surgical methods and tips to reduce your suffering. Additionally, we’ll highlight observations made by Dr. Alexander Jimenez, a prominent authority in this area.
You may take charge of your health by being aware of these factors, regardless of how long you’ve had RA or how recently you were diagnosed. In order to understand why a natural, comprehensive approach, such as chiropractic and functional health, may really make a difference, let’s first go over the fundamentals of RA.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that primarily targets the synovium—the lining of the membranes that surround your joints. This leads to painful swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is often due to wear and tear, RA involves the immune system mistakenly attacking healthy tissue. According to research, RA affects about 1% of the global population, with women being more commonly affected than men. The disease doesn’t just stay in the joints; it can also cause systemic issues that affect the whole body. This includes fatigue, fever, and even complications in organs like the heart and lungs. Early diagnosis is key because starting treatment soon can prevent long-term damage. Diagnostic tools such as blood tests for rheumatoid factor and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies, along with imaging, help confirm RA. But why does RA happen? It’s a mix of genetics, environment, and chance. Genetic factors make some people more susceptible, but triggers like infections or smoking can kickstart the disease process.
Joint pain is a common complaint, and it can stem from many sources beyond RA. Understanding these causes helps put RA into perspective and shows why managing it requires a targeted approach. First, injury or trauma is a big culprit. Sprains, strains, or fractures can damage joint structures like ligaments, tendons, or cartilage, leading to pain. Overuse from repetitive motions, common in jobs or sports, wears down joints over time. Inflammation is another key cause. Conditions like bursitis (inflammation of fluid-filled sacs that cushion joints) or tendinitis (tendon inflammation) can cause swelling and discomfort. Infections, such as septic arthritis caused by bacteria entering the joint, can lead to severe pain and require immediate medical attention. Metabolic issues also play a role. Gout, caused by uric acid crystals building up in joints, results in sudden, intense pain, often in the big toe. Hormonal changes, especially in women during menopause, can contribute to joint issues due to shifts in estrogen levels, which affect joint health. Aging naturally causes joint pain as cartilage thins and joints lose flexibility. Obesity adds extra stress on weight-bearing joints like knees and hips, accelerating wear. Finally, autoimmune diseases like RA turn the body’s defense system against itself, causing chronic inflammation and pain. This differs from mechanical causes because it’s not just about physical stress—it’s an internal battle. Recognizing these causes is crucial because treatments vary. For RA-specific pain, addressing the autoimmune aspect is essential, which is where chiropractic care and functional wellness shine by supporting overall body balance.
RA doesn’t discriminate—it can affect any joint, but it often starts in smaller joints like the fingers and toes before spreading. Let’s look at how it impacts the upper and lower extremities. In the upper extremities, RA commonly affects hands, wrists, and elbows. The synovium swells, causing stiffness, especially in the morning. Over time, this leads to “swan-neck” or “boutonniere” deformities in fingers, where joints bend abnormally. Wrists may fuse, limiting movement, and elbows can develop nodules—hard lumps under the skin. Pain here makes gripping or lifting difficult, affecting daily activities like writing or cooking. In the lower extremities, feet, ankles, and knees bear the brunt. Toes might develop hammertoes or bunions due to inflammation, shifting bones. Ankles swell, making walking painful, and knees can become unstable, leading to a limp. RA in the hips, though less common early on, causes deep groin pain and reduced mobility. The damage comes from chronic inflammation eroding cartilage and bone. Cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6 fuel this process, leading to pannus formation—a thickened synovial tissue that invades joints. In extremities, this can lead to reduced range of motion, muscle weakness from disuse, and potential nerve compression, resulting in numbness. RA’s effects aren’t symmetrical always, but often both sides are involved. Managing this requires reducing inflammation to preserve joint function.
By generating overlapping risk profiles, your surroundings may aggravate RA and significantly impact joint health. These variables, along with genetics, increase susceptibility in some individuals. A major environmental trigger is smoking. It raises the risk of RA by 1.5 to 3.5 times, particularly in those who have genetic predispositions such as HLA-DRB1. Smoke irritates the lungs, which may lead to an inflammatory reaction that affects the joints. RA is associated with a higher incidence of air pollution, including fine particles from industry and transportation. Pollutants like silica dust from construction projects may alter the lungs in ways that resemble RA symptoms, leading to joint inflammation. Dietary considerations also contribute. A Mediterranean diet rich in fish, vegetables, and olive oil protects joints, whereas high red meat intake and low omega-3 fatty acid intake stimulate inflammation. Fat tissue produces inflammatory chemicals and mechanical stress when people are obese due to poor eating habits. Infections may serve as catalysts. To replicate the autoimmune target of RA, bacteria that cause gum disease, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, produce enzymes that citrullinate proteins. In vulnerable people, viral infections may potentially initiate the condition. Risk is increased by hormonal conditions, such as low estrogen in postmenopausal women, since estrogen protects joints. Both physical and emotional stress increase cortisol levels, which, over time, disrupt immune function and aggravate symptoms. These are compounded risks arising from occupational hazards, such as repetitive strain in manual tasks. Because of these characteristics, “overlapping risk profiles” are created; for instance, a smoker who also has a poor diet and high levels of stress has numerous paths that lead to RA. A component of functional well-being is addressing them via lifestyle modifications.
The effects of RA on joints are complex and gradual. Immune dysregulation, in which autoreactive T and B cells target synovial tissue, is one of the important reasons. Autoantibodies targeting proteins, such as ACPA and rheumatoid factor, can increase inflammation. Tenderness, swelling, and warmth in the joints are the first symptoms. It’s typical to feel stiff for more than half an hour in the morning. As it progresses, joints deform, resulting in knee valgus (knock-knees) or ulnar deviation of the hands (fingers moving toward the pinky). A throbbing or painful pain that becomes worse as you move. Systemic involvement is indicated by low-grade fever and sleepiness. Lung fibrosis, rheumatoid nodules, and eye dryness (Sjogren’s overlap) are examples of extra-articular symptoms. When RANKL activates osteoclasts, bone is eroded, leading to joint deterioration. X-rays show that joint gaps shrink as a result of cartilage degradation caused by enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinases. Things that make this worse: Inflammation speeds up damage if left untreated. The cause of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease is persistent inflammation. Depression is one psychological aspect that increases the perception of pain. Joint integrity is preserved by early intervention, which stops this cascade.
To promote mobility, reduce discomfort, and improve nervous system function, chiropractic therapy focuses on spinal and joint alignment. Gentle adjustments may reduce inflammation by improving blood flow, reducing joint tension, and increasing range of motion in people with RA. By addressing the underlying causes through lifestyle changes, stress reduction, exercise, and diet, functional wellness can be enhanced. Collectively, they address the autoimmune aspect of RA. Clinically, this reduces cytokine levels, as seen in studies showing that lifestyle interventions lower IL-6 and TNF-α. Chiropractic care offers mechanical assistance: Joint inflammation may be made worse by misalignments or subluxations. By restoring alignment, adjustments relieve tense muscles and nerve strain. It helps to modulate the immune system when combined with functional wellness approaches, such as anti-inflammatory foods. Research demonstrates that physical exercise, a cornerstone of wellbeing, improves RA outcomes by reducing joint pain and swelling. Inflammation is reduced by vagus nerve stimulation, another noninvasive technique. This combination minimizes medication-related adverse effects while encouraging patient-centered self-management.
Non-surgical options are vital for RA management. From medications to natural remedies, here’s a comprehensive list.
Tricks: Use splints for support, practice good posture, and manage weight to lessen joint load. Mind-body techniques like meditation reduce stress-induced flares.
Always consult a doctor before starting new treatments.
Dr. Alexander Jimenez has more than 30 years of expertise and is a well-known specialist in functional medicine and chiropractic therapy. Licensed as a Family Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified (FNP-BC), Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), and Doctor of Chiropractic (DC), he is based in El Paso, Texas. His approach combines functional nutrition, chiropractic adjustments, and rehabilitation to treat injuries, autoimmune diseases, and chronic pain. Dr. Jimenez promotes holistic treatment for diseases like RA, focusing on underlying factors such as the immune system, gut health, and inflammation. He develops individualized regimens using functional medicine that include dietary adjustments, supplements, and lifestyle modifications to lower joint pain and regulate immunological responses. In linking patient injuries with diagnoses, Dr. Jimenez applies modern imaging, such as digital motion X-rays to examine dynamic joint function, nerve conduction testing to assess neurological effects, and metabolic assessments to reveal imbalances. Dual-scope operations combine his knowledge of nursing and chiropractic care: medical for weight control and hormone optimization, and chiropractic for alignment and decompression. In order to provide complete therapy for RA-like symptoms, he connects injuries (such as those caused by trauma that exacerbates inflammation) to these instruments. His autoimmunity and inflammatory seminars and podcasts emphasize non-pharmacological options that support functional wellbeing. Through evidence-based guidelines, his interdisciplinary team helps patients avoid surgery.
To enhance quality of life, rheumatoid arthritis can be effectively managed non-invasively by combining chiropractic therapy with functional health, which addresses both systemic and mechanical factors. Empowerment comes from knowledge and action, from recognizing causes and consequences to using natural remedies.
Note and Disclaimer: This material should be taken seriously as part of your health education, but it is simply meant to be informative. It cannot be used in place of expert medical advice, diagnosis, or care. A skilled healthcare professional should always be consulted before starting any new therapy, particularly for a serious illness such as rheumatoid arthritis. Although the material is derived from credible sources, individual findings may differ, and results are not guaranteed. Get medical help right away if your symptoms are severe.
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The information on this blog site is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional.
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Welcome to El Paso's Premier Wellness and Injury Care Clinic & Wellness Blog, where Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, FNP-C, a board-certified Family Practice Nurse Practitioner (FNP-BC) and Chiropractor (DC), presents insights on how our team is dedicated to holistic healing and personalized care. Our practice aligns with evidence-based treatment protocols inspired by integrative medicine principles, similar to those found on this site and our family practice-based chiromed.com site, focusing on restoring health naturally for patients of all ages.
Our areas of chiropractic practice include Wellness & Nutrition, Chronic Pain, Personal Injury, Auto Accident Care, Work Injuries, Back Injury, Low Back Pain, Neck Pain, Migraine Headaches, Sports Injuries, Severe Sciatica, Scoliosis, Complex Herniated Discs, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Pain, Complex Injuries, Stress Management, Functional Medicine Treatments, and in-scope care protocols.
Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicine, wellness, contributing etiological viscerosomatic disturbances within clinical presentations, associated somato-visceral reflex clinical dynamics, subluxation complexes, sensitive health issues, and functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions.
We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
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Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, APRN, FNP-BC*, CCST, IFMCP, CFMP, ATN
email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com
Licensed as a Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) in Texas & New Mexico*
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Graduate with Honors: ICHS: MSN-FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner Program)
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Dr. Alex Jimenez, DC, APRN, FNP-BC*, CFMP, IFMCP, ATN, CCST
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