According to the CDC, more than 58.5 million Americans are living with some form of arthritis, and that number is expected to climb to 78 million by 2040. Of those affected, about 1.5 million people have a specific and serious type known as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) — making it a significant health concern. In Australia, rheumatoid arthritis affects an estimated 458,000 people, or around 1.9% of the population, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Unlike more common forms of arthritis, RA is an autoimmune disease with no known cause or cure. With autoimmune conditions, the body’s defence system gets confused and turns on its own healthy tissue instead of protecting it. In RA, that misdirected response zeroes in on the joint lining first. Left untreated for long enough, it can start affecting internal organs too.
What Are the Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis?
The hallmark of RA is ongoing joint inflammation, which leads to swelling, pain, and stiffness. Over time, this inflammation can cause bone erosion and joint deformities. People with RA often experience joint, back, and muscle pain, along with redness and swelling. Many people also deal with tiredness that doesn’t lift, low iron levels, small nodules under the skin, and odd tingling or pins-and-needles sensations.
Can Chiropractic Care Help with Rheumatoid Arthritis?
While chiropractic care cannot cure rheumatoid arthritis, it can play a helpful role in managing symptoms. Many RA patients find chiropractic care improves flexibility, strength, and overall joint and muscle comfort.
How Chiropractic Adjustments May Support RA Symptoms
RA doesn’t just hurt the joints it targets directly. When one joint is inflamed, the body often shifts weight and posture to avoid the pain, and that compensation puts extra strain elsewhere in the spine and surrounding muscles. Chiropractic adjustments focus on this second layer of the problem.
By gently restoring joint mobility and spinal alignment, a chiropractor can ease some of the mechanical strain that builds up around inflamed areas. This is a key distinction worth understanding: not all RA-related pain is due to inflammation itself. Some of it comes from the body compensating for that inflammation, and that mechanical pain is what chiropractic care is best placed to help with.
What Does the Research Say?
Research supports this approach. A case study published in the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association reported immediate pain relief in a female RA patient following carefully targeted chiropractic care. Other individual case reports describe similar patterns — noticeable improvement in comfort and mobility after a focused course of adjustments.
Results like these vary widely from person to person, and they shouldn’t be read as a reason to stop or change any medication without your doctor’s guidance. A more recent 2023 case report in Cureus followed a woman with longstanding RA and scoliosis over eight years of conservative chiropractic management, adding to a small but growing body of clinical evidence on RA-related spinal care.
Is Chiropractic Care Safe During an RA Flare-Up?
This is where timing matters. Chiropractic manipulation is generally not recommended on joints that are actively and acutely inflamed. Adjusting a joint mid-flare can add stress to tissue that’s already under attack from the immune system, so most chiropractors will hold off until things settle down.
The neck is worth flagging specifically. RA can affect the upper cervical spine, and the World Health Organisation has previously cautioned against joint manipulation in areas directly affected by RA. Newer research suggests that chiropractic care can still offer benefits during periods of chronic, stable inflammation, but not during acute flares.
The safest approach is simple: talk to your GP or rheumatologist before starting chiropractic care, and keep them in the loop as your treatment continues. A good chiropractor will want that conversation too.
Chiropractic Care vs Osteoarthritis Treatment
RA and osteoarthritis (OA) are often lumped together, but they’re not the same condition, and they’re not treated the same way. OA is a mechanical, wear-and-tear condition that develops as cartilage breaks down over time. RA is autoimmune, meaning the immune system is attacking the joint lining itself.
Because of this, chiropractic care for OA tends to focus on general joint relief and improving range of motion. Care for RA needs a gentler touch, closer attention to flare activity, and a plan that’s built around what your immune system is doing that week, not a fixed routine.
Chiropractic Care Is Always Individualised
Because RA affects everyone differently, treatment is always individualised. A good chiropractor will start by getting to know your health history and how your RA is currently behaving. That groundwork helps them build a care plan that fits you specifically, and often uncovers other factors, like posture, old injuries, or muscle imbalances, that may be adding to what you’re feeling. If you’re living with RA, chiropractic care may be a valuable addition to your overall management plan. It’s non-invasive, safe, and natural.
Finding a Chiropractor Experienced in RA Care in Melbourne
Not every chiropractor has experience working with autoimmune conditions, so it’s worth asking a few questions before you book. Check that they’re AHPRA registered, ask whether they’ve worked with inflammatory arthritis before, and make sure they’re happy to stay in touch with your GP or rheumatologist as your care progresses.
At My Chiropractic Place, our Richmond and Caroline Springs clinics use the Gonstead method alongside in-house X-ray, so any adjustment plan is based on a clear picture of what’s happening in your spine and joints, not guesswork. You’ll also have direct access to your treating chiropractor, which matters when a condition like RA can change from one week to the next.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can chiropractic care help with rheumatoid arthritis pain?
It may help with the mechanical pain and stiffness that build up around RA-affected joints, though it isn’t a treatment for the underlying autoimmune disease itself.
Is chiropractic treatment safe for people with RA?
It can be safe during stable, chronic periods, but manipulation is generally avoided during active flares. Check with your rheumatologist first.
How is chiropractic care for RA different from physiotherapy or massage?
Chiropractic care focuses on joint and spinal alignment, while physiotherapy builds strength and function and massage targets soft tissue. Many people use a mix of all three.
Should I see a rheumatologist before starting chiropractic care?
Yes. A rheumatologist can confirm whether your RA is stable enough for manipulation and flag any areas, like the neck, that need extra caution.
Wrap Up
If you’re living with RA in Melbourne and want to explore whether chiropractic care fits into your management plan, our team at My Chiropractic Place can talk you through a safe, personalised approach.
Sources:
J Can Chiropr Assoc. 2015 Jun; 59(2): 143–149. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Rheumatoid arthritis data. Chu EC, Cheng HY, Huang K, Yao K, Zhao J. Conservative Management of Low Back Pain and Scoliosis in a Patient With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Eight Years Follow-Up. Cureus. 2023 Mar 12;15(3):e36036.
