Arthritis Treatment in Fargo, ND

Arthritis and Spinal Degeneration Treatment Near You in Fargo, ND

You’ve been told it’s arthritis, and that it comes with age. Take something for the pain, keep moving if you can, and expect it to get worse.

Half of that is true. Degenerative change is real, and we can’t undo it. But saying that this is simply what happens when you get older, and nothing can change the trajectory doesn’t hold up. If aging alone caused arthritis, it would show up evenly throughout your spine. It doesn’t. It shows up at specific segments, in specific patterns, and those patterns follow mechanical load with striking consistency.

That’s the part you can actually influence through structural correction.

Why Arthritis Shows Up Where It Shows Up

Osteoarthritis in the spine is also called spondylosis, degenerative joint disease, or facet arthropathy is fundamentally a wear pattern. Cartilage in the facet joins thins, discs lose height, and the body responds by laying down extra bone at the margins. Those are the bone spurs, or osteophytes, on your report.

The mechanical driver is uneven load. When your spinal curves are normal, force distributes across the vertebral bodies and discs the way the structure was designed to handle it. When a curve flattens, reverses, or the head drifts forward compared to the shoulders, load concentrates onto a small number of joints. Those joints wear faster.

Research has documented an increased incidence of degenerative change in the cervical spine specifically in the presence of segmental or regional kyphotic alignment which is a loss of the normal forward curve. Degeneration also correlates with neck pain intensity, with more levels involved corresponding to greater pain.

So, the practical question isn’t “do I have arthritis.” It’s “what is the load pattern that produced it, and can we change it going forward.”

Common Signs of Spinal Arthritis

• Stiffness that’s worst in the morning and eases with movement
• Deep, achy pain that worsens with prolonged standing or at the end of the day
• Reduced range of motion including difficulty turning your head to check a blind spot
• Grinding or crunching sensations with movement
• Pain that flares with weather changes
• Radiating symptoms if bone spurs narrow the nerve exits – see pinched nerve
• Gradual loss of height, or a more forward head position in photos

What Care Can and Can’t Do

We’re going to be straightforward with you, because you’ve probably been promised things before.

We cannot reverse existing degeneration. Cartilage that’s worn and bone spurs that have formed don’t go back to their original state. Any clinic telling you otherwise is overselling.

What we can do is address the mechanics driving the wear. Restoring lost curve, reducing forward head posture, decompressing loaded joints, restoring motion to segments that have stopped moving, and building the muscular support that offloads those joints. All of that changes the forces acting on your spine every day going forward. That affects how you feel now, and it affects how fast things progress from here.

There’s also a motion component people underestimate. Cartilage has no blood supply and is nourished by joint movement pushing fluid through it. A joint that stops moving stops feeding itself, and degenerates faster. Restoring motion to restricted segments isn’t just about comfort.

Our Approach to Arthritis Care At Peak Spine + Wellness

Measuring Your Actual Structure

Digital X-rays let us see and quantify where degeneration is present, how much disc height has been lost, and what your alignment looks like. We measure your curves in degrees. This tells us which joints are overloaded ang gives us a baseline to measure progress against.

Gentle, Specific Adjustments

Arthritic spines require a different touch. We adjust the segments that have restricted motion, using techniques selected for your specific presentation. These often include lower-force instrument-assisted or drop-table methods rather than manual thrust. Restoring motion to stiff segments takes load off adjacent ones that have been compensating.

Traction To Reduce Joint Load

[Spinal remodeling traction] is where the structural work happens. By working the spine toward a more normal curve, we redistribute weight-bearing away from the joints carrying too much. Controlled trials on cervical extension traction and have demonstrated measurable improvement in lordosis and reduction in forward head posture, and trials focused on reducing thoracic hyperkyphosis have shown improved pain and disability outcomes in patients with chronic neck pain.

Movement, Strength, and Inflammation

Therapeutic exercise is non-negotiable with arthritis. Motion feeds cartilage and strength protects joints. We’ll also talk about the inflammatory side and importance of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, adequate protein for muscle maintenance, and reducing the dietary drivers of systemic inflammation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Arthritis

Is it safe to see a chiropractor if I have arthritis?

Yes, and technique is adapted to your presentation. Arthritic joints need gentler, more specific care, which is exactly why we take images first. Certain conditions such as advanced osteoporosis, inflammatory arthritis in an active flare, and spinal instability will change our approach or allow us to send out for co-management.

Can chiropractic care reverse arthritis?
No, and we won’t tell you otherwise. Degeneration that has already occurred is permanent. What we can do is improve the mechanics driving further wear, restore motion, reduce pain, and improve function. Many patients feel substantially better without their X-ray findings changing because the joint isn’t what hurts nearly as much as how it’s being loaded.

I have rheumatoid arthritis, not osteoarthritis. Can you help?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition that requires medical management by a rheumatologist, and we won’t replace that care. We can often help with the mechanical and postural consequences, and with the compensatory patterns that develop. This requires careful evaluation, particularly of the upper cervical spine, where RA can cause ligamentous instability. We’d want your rheumatologist involved.

Will arthritis keep getting worse no matter what I do?

Progression isn’t fixed. It depends heavily on load, motion, and how well the supporting musculature is doing its job. People who address alignment and stay strong and mobile generally do better over decades than people who don’t.

Should I keep exercising?

Yes, with the right kind of exercise. Motion is one of the best things for arthritic joints. High-impact loading and end-range compression are usually not. We’ll give you specific guidance rather than a generic “stay active”.

Start With Real Information About Your Spine

Call (701) 532-0823 or schedule online.

References – Moustafa IM, et al. Reduction of thoracic hyper-kyphosis improves short and long term outcomes in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Med. 2022;11(20):6028. – Oakley PA, Ehsani NN, Moustafa IM, Harrison DE. Restoring cervical lordosis by cervical extension traction methods in the treatment of cervical spine disorders: a systemic review of controlled trials. J Phys Ther Sci. 2021;33(10):784-794. – Oakley PA, Harrison DD, Harrison DE, et al. Evidence-based protocol for structural rehabilitation of the spine and posture: review of Clinical Biomechanics of Posture (CBP) Publications. J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2025;49(4):270-296.