Saturday, January 26, 2013

Reflexology for Osteoarthritis


Reflexology was performed in the ancient times by the Egyptians, Chinese and Indians. An American ENT specialist, Dr. William Fitzgerald took this theory to the west. This therapy is based on the fact that the reflex points on the hands and feet are directly connected to all the other organs of the body. Therefore, to provide healing effect to the head, the big toe is treated. Similarly, if one wants to feel the healing effect on the entire body, the entire foot needs to be treated.

The most common treatments of osteoarthritis are medication, surgery, pain relievers, educating the patient and physical exercise. However, in recent times, reflexology is also being increasingly used for treating this disease.

A reflexologist uses only his hands to administer this treatment. He gently massages the strategic points of the foot, applying pressure to these areas. The process is highly individualized. Every patient requires a unique approach. The imbalances in the body are rectified through this method. An expert reflexologist usually finds tiny spots on the feet that can heal the patient.

Through this method, the body is allowed to heal at its own pace. Unlike the other methods of treatment, reflexology is suitable for all age groups of patients. A regular treatment is required to maintain proper balance of the body. The best part about this unconventional mode of treatment is that it is extremely safe and entirely natural.

A good practitioner of reflexology usually begins with a preliminary talk with his or her patient and then tries to find out the problematic areas by pressing parts of the hands or feet. The experience might be a little painful at times but the pain is temporary and aids in identifying the imbalances. The experience on the whole is quite relaxing and soothing.

Osteoarthritis of the Knee - Treatment Options


Treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee can take a variety of forms, from exercise and bracing, to pharmacological and surgical options.

When the disease process is in its early stages and symptoms are mild, treatment usually consists of analgesia and a conservative program of weight loss and physical therapy. As the symptoms grow in severity, the treatment also becomes more serious with a variety of surgical interventions considered. The decision to escalate treatment is dependent on the individual and their pain levels, their knowledge of the condition, and the advice of medical professionals.

In order to provide informed consent, one must first possess sufficient knowledge of the procedure in question, including the intended benefits and potential risks.

The following summarizes the different treatment options:

Pharmacological

Once the pain becomes unmanageable with non-prescription medication, a medical practitioner needs to be consulted as each persons' personal medical history affects which of the higher classes of drugs are suitable and safe to use. Typical medications include non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and low doses of opioids such as codeine.

Exercise

The quadriceps and hamstring muscles cross over the knee joint and provide support. Due to the pain of osteoarthritis, it is typical for sufferers to be less active than previously, and muscle strength decreases. The result is a reduction in support of the knee joint and a vicious cycle is established when more pain occurs. Exercise to increase the strength of these key muscles can stop this cycle and slow the progression of degenerative joint disease. This usually occurs with the help of a physical therapist. Weight loss is also a significant goal of this type of treatment.

Bracing

If only one half of the knee (inside or outside) is affected, orthopaedic bracing can help by offloading the affected side and redistributing the weight. It does not treat the affected area but can provide symptomatic relief and delay the need for more serious options.

Surgery

Surgical management can include relatively minor procedures like arthroscopy (key-hole surgery) and continue to total knee arthroplasty or joint replacement.

An arthroscopy can be both a diagnostic tool and a treatment. Through small incisions, a camera and implements are placed into the joint and the extent of the degeneration observed. Rough surfaces can be made less so, and meniscal tears trimmed. The surfaces remain worn and the benefits vary significantly between patients. Arthroscopy rarely provides long term relief but has a low complication rate.

For unicompartmental arthritis - where only either the inside or outside of the knee are affected - an operation called a High Tibial Osteotomy may be performed. This involves either adding or removing a wedge of bone to offload the affected side and return weight to the underutilized surface. This operation is usually done on patients too young to have a total knee replacement with the aim being to provide some relief from pain while the patient moves closer to a suitable age.

As the majority of the pain in arthritic knees comes from the worn joint surfaces, replacing these joints is an effective treatment. It is also a significant surgical procedure that involves the insertion of a prosthesis. With the increased benefits comes increased risks. There is also a limited life expectancy of the operation itself with the possibility of future revision surgery.

Potential complications include infection, DVT, nerve damage, ongoing pain / failure to improve pain, loosening of the prosthesis and complications from the anaesthetic.

Although these complications are thankfully rare, they should discourage people with mild pain from considering surgical intervention until their pain is having a significantly negative effect on their quality of life.

A sensible approach to the osteoarthritic knee would be to act early on the risk factors you can change such as weight and muscle strength. This can help decrease pain and delay the need for more drastic measures.

When pain no longer responds to analgesia, mobility is significantly decreased, and everyday activities become difficult, it is time to discuss your options with an experienced Orthopaedic Specialist. Even if surgery is required, previous work done in the areas of weight loss and strengthening will make the recovery easier and quicker.

Natural Spinal Arthritis Treatment


Natural spinal arthritis treatment is something that many sufferers of this condition prefer over traditional treatment. For many, the thought of traditional medication or surgery can be a very daunting one. With all the horror stories that people hear about side effects this comes as no surprise. The good news is that for those that do want to try natural remedies and treatments there are options available.

Natural treatment is something that can refer to a number of options or a combination of them. The aim of using natural treatment for arthritis of the spine is to avoid having to take medication or undergo surgery. Many people have enjoyed great success in alleviating the symptoms of arthritis with natural treatment. This means that anyone that is diagnosed with the issue could look at alternative options other than just the traditional treatment route.

Some people combine natural arthritis treatment with traditional ones, which can also be effective. However, some prefer to focus only on natural remedies. If you are concerned about whether you should try the natural approach you can always discuss the issue with a healthcare professional. There are many things that you can try to alleviate the symptoms of arthritis the natural way, and some may prove more effective than others.

Which remedies are natural?

A number of remedies that people use to alleviate the symptoms of spinal arthritis are classed as natural. Natural basically refers to the fact that the condition is not being treated by drugs and surgery. Instead, the patient looks at other remedies, which can involve the consumption of natural products or can be physical changes. Some of the remedies and approaches that people take for a natural approach include:

  • Herbal remedies: Many people take herbal supplements to try and alleviate the symptoms of this condition. If this is something that you are considering you should ensure that they are all natural, and check the ingredients prior to taking them.

  • Change of diet: Your diet can have a profound effect on your arthritis symptoms. Many people look at changing their diet to consume things such as more Omega oils or foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals.

  • Exercise: Being active is important when you are looking to combat the symptoms of arthritis in the spine. There are a number of exercises that can prove highly effective for addressing the symptoms. This includes swimming and water exercise, which can be especially effective. This is because it puts minimal stress on joints yet offers excellent benefits in terms of strengthening the muscles.

Ease your symptoms with stretching

Stretching the muscles around the spinal area is an important part of alleviating the symptoms of this condition. Some gentle stretching is a great way to warm up the muscles for other exercise that you may be trying. It is also a good way to stretch and strengthen your muscles. Stretching can help to relieve tension and improve flexibility too. This makes it an important part of natural spinal arthritis treatment.

Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis - What You Don't Know Could Be Costing You More Than You Think!


Living with rheumatoid arthritis can be really very difficult as it is accompanied by intense pain and discomfort. What are their effective treatment methods and the potential side effects? Find out the expert facts in this article.

Living with rheumatoid arthritis is not a joyful situation as it involves a lot of pain and aches. The pain increases with the severity of the condition. Therefore, it is essential that you have a proper diagnosis well in time, so that you can take the appropriate action and treatment method as early as possible.

Although a cure for rheumatoid arthritis has not been found, there are a number of treatments that are available. They all primarily work to counter inflammation, as it is one of the root causes of rheumatoid arthritis.

Treatment methods

The following types of treatment methods are generally prescribed for those living with rheumatoid arthritis --

1) Prescription based Cox-2 inhibitors -- these work by inhibiting the action of Cox-2 enzyme in our body, which are responsible for creating inflammation and exasperating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Cox-2 inhibitors are known for their fatal side effects.

For example, Vioxx was a popular Cox-2 inhibitors brand manufactured by Merck. It was taken off from the market due to its fatal side effects such as heart attack and stroke, which were reported by tens of thousands of rheumatoid arthritis patients. In fact, thousands of lawsuits are still pending against it till today.

2) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs -- the popular anti-inflammatory over the counter prescription drugs such as aspirin and ibuprofen come in this category. They are effective for the short term management of inflammation, and they provide effective pain relief. But when taken for long periods of time and in high doses, they can cause side effects such as stomach problems, gastrointestinal bleeding and ulcers.

3) Corticosteroids -- they are also an effective means of combating inflammation, but they are prescribed only for short periods of time due to their potential side effects such as weight gain, bruising, eye problems like cataract, high blood pressure, diabetes, thinning of the bones which might lead to osteoporosis, etc.

Due to the serious side effects of the above mentioned treatment methods; they might not be the best alternatives for people living with rheumatoid arthritis. Natural remedies such as that involving the use of omega-3 supplementation in the diet have proven much more effective and safer form of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Omega-3 fatty acids are powerful natural anti-inflammatory. They improve the brain and cardiovascular health, sharpen the memory and boost concentration, and provide many more overall health benefits. Unfortunately, over the recent years the average Western diet has become highly deficient in these essential omega 3 fatty acids.

Here is a word of caution though; Omega 3 fatty acids are also natural blood thinners. So, in case you are taking blood thinner medications such as aspirin, then you should consult your doctor before you use omega-3 supplements for alleviating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

A lot of evidence has been found that omega-3 fatty acids effectively help to overcome the symptoms of those people living with rheumatoid arthritis. They help to reduce the tenderness in joints, reduce inflammation, decrease morning stiffness and also reduce the need of taking prescription based drugs for the purpose of pain relief in rheumatoid arthritis.

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential nutrients that are required by the body anyway for its vital functions, health and well-being. Purified Fish oil and its supplements are among the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA.

The green lipped mussel found in New Zealand is also an amazing source of omega-3 fatty acids. It is very effective in reducing joint stiffness and pain in the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and is used along with fish oil to form the best omega 3 supplements for treatment of people living with rheumatoid arthritis.

Hot and Cold Therapy for Arthritis


Arthritis affects the joints, causing stiffness and pain. While there are a number of treatments you can do at home, hot and cold therapy is one of the easiest and definitely one of the safest arthritis treatments used to relieve the painful symptoms. Doctors often recommend hot and/or cold therapy to reduce inflammation and relieve aching joints. Trying hot and cold therapy is the only way to find out if this treatment will work for you. You can then work with hot and cold to find the particular combination to treat your specific symptoms of arthritis.

This therapy works to improve the body's own healing abilities. Heat allows dilation of the blood vessels. This in turn promotes circulation, resulting to reduced spasm of the muscles and increased oxygenation. Heat also defers the sensation of pain. Dry heat, such as lamps and pads, can be used as well as moist heat through hot baths, or wash cloths soaked in hot water.

According to the American College of Rheumatology, 5 to 10-minute ice massages applied to a painful area within the first 48 hours of pain onset can help relieve pain while heat should be used for pains that last longer than 48 hours.

When using heat therapy, you have to be careful with the heat being applied to prevent burning the skin. You want it hot, but not hot enough to be uncomfortable. You will find the temperature that your body can tolerate by testing gradually starting at lower temperatures and gradually increasing the temperature. Heat therapy can work well if done just before exercising. In between the exercise, heat packs can also be applied. Moist heat therapy can be done to provide additional relief from pain in arthritis. Other types of heat therapy includes heat patches, belts, hot packs, heated pools, moist heating pads, warm baths, showers, whirlpools, hot tubs, and warm towels or cloth that can be heated through the microwave. Also, many people with arthritis find soaking in hot baths and saunas effective relief for arthritis pain. Heat packs applied to arthritic joints at least twice daily has been proven to relieve pain and stiffness.

While heat opens blood vessels, cold constricts the blood vessels. Cold therapy can work on swollen parts of the body by producing a dulling and numbing effect and also reducing the swelling of inflamed joints. Ice packs are most effective during arthritis flares and can be effective when applied over joints. The cooling sensation of the skin above the affected areas lessens spasm of the underlying muscles, which improves the threshold of pain. Cold packs can easily be done by filling zip-lock baggies with water and placing them on the freezer to chill. For some people with arthritis, cold therapy may be enough to completely ease pain. However, many people choose to alternate hot and cold therapy.

Nopal Cactus Juice And Rheumatoid Arthritis - Can This Really Help Relieve Pain For You?


Something that many people need to know about is nopal cactus juice and Rheumatoid. If you suffer from arthritis pain, then you have to be aware of the ways that this juice really will be able to help relieve your pain.

The cactus juice comes from the nopal cactus, which is also referred to as Opuntia ficus-indica and is also known as the prickly pear. This cactus is located in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico and in the southwestern US.

It has been proven to provide many health benefits for anyone that drinks the juice made from it.

It is made with magnesium, vitamin C and calcium. Plus, it also has the amino acid that is known as taurine, it is has antioxidant proteins referred to as betalains and is also rich in flavonoids.

These are all good things to put into your body that will help provide you with many health benefits. One of the biggest benefits is that it will help to reduce inflammation that is being caused by your arthritis.

You will notice a reduction of inflammation in many different areas. Some of those areas include:

- Muscles
- Arterial
- Gastrointestinal
- Bone inflammation
- Cardiovascular

So, if you suffer from inflammation in any of these areas of the body, you can use this juice to help you reduce the pain and the swelling.

There have been a number of ethanol extract studies done on the fruit that this juice is made from that show that ingestion of this fruit can help to inhibit white blood cell migration. This is the key to the development of disease involving inflammation.

If you are suffering from arthritis, then the above information is definitely important to know, but it is also a good idea to try this juice for yourself. Many people have found pain relief from it because of the benefits it provides to your body and because it helps them relieve the pain.

You want to be smart and do your own research about it, so you can be as informed as you possibly can before making the final decision to give it a try. This way you feel comfortable using the juice and understand exactly how it is going to benefit you and relieve your pain.

Now that you are more aware of nopal cactus juice and Rheumatoid arthritis, you just need to decide for yourself if this is something worth trying. Just remember that other people have found relief from their pain using it and this means that if you give it a chance, you can also.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Arthritis - A Common Problem


Arthritis is a disease that affects millions of people. Arthritis is a broad term, which is used to refer to more than 100 conditions that can cause pain in the body's joints. Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease and pain and stiffness develop as a result of wear and tear to the joints involved. It is not just a disease affecting the middle aged and older. It's an equal opportunity disease affecting children as well as adults of all ages.

Arthritis is a condition that occurs in various joints in the body, especially in the knees, hips, and spine. Arthritis is second only to heart disease as a cause of work disability and is one of the leading causes of disability in people over the age of 55. Arthritis is most often a chronic disease, so symptoms may come and go, or persist over time.

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling types, affecting mostly women. Osteoarthritis is caused by the breakdown of protective tissue called cartilage in the joints. Juvenile arthritis is a general term for all types of arthritis that occur in children.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is part of a group of diseases known as autoimmune diseases. The joint lining becomes inflamed as part of the body's immune system activity. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that occurs when the bodies own immune system mistakenly attacks the synovium (cell lining inside the joint). Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most serious and disabling types, affecting mostly women. It causes affected joints to feel tender, stiff and swollen. Rheumatoid arthritis is generally worse in the morning. Initially patients often do not have symptoms following their morning shower. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that warrants treatment as soon as possible to minimize the pain and discomfort.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA), also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease, is the most common type of arthritis. Osteoarthritis usually affects the hips, knees, feet or hands. Osteoarthritis is caused by the breakdown of protective tissue called cartilage in the joints. It causes degeneration of joint cartilage and changes in underlying bone and supporting tissue, which leads to joint pain and stiffness, movement problems and difficulty on a daily basis.

Osteoarthritis usually is diagnosed in people older than 40. It is classically worse at night or following rest. Symptoms include joint pain while standing or moving, giving out or locking of the joint, pretty constant pain, decreased activity and abnormal stance or walk. Osteoarthritis results from wear and tear from playing certain types of sports, being overweight and getting older.

Arthritis is not a new disease it was found in factory workers during the Industrial Revolution. As the population ages, the number of people with arthritis is growing. It is a leading cause of disability and a significant public health concern. Arthritis is a painful condition, and for this reason it should always be taken seriously.

Arthritis Knee Pain - What Can You Do About It?


Arthritis knee pain affects so many Americans over the age of 50. The things you use to enjoy in life all of a sudden have become a chore. Simple things like going up the stairs and squatting are being done gingerly and with careful consideration. You can't remember the last time you danced, golfed, biked, jogged or walked with ease. So lets take a look at arthritis knee pain and in particular arthritis itself and find out what are the possible causes and can something be done to help you enjoy life again.

Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease that causes swelling and pain in the joints. It mostly affects the knee joints because the knee is the joint that we used most often. We stand, sit, walk, squat with the knees so the degeneration of the joint start here most often causing arthritis knee pain. There are several classifications of arthritis but the one that is most familiar is Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects millions of Americans each and every day causing arthritis knee pain . Not only are we talking about arthritis in the knees but also arthritis can affect the hips, hands, spine and legs as well. As osteoarthritis starts its course, degeneration of the cartilage that protects the bones begin to wear down causing the rubbing of the bones against each other. This causes swelling and pain in the joints that are affected. Over time, the pain and swelling become worse causing limited mobility and range of motion. For arthritis knee pain sufferer, flare ups occur with the change in whether, falling barometric pressure, and first thing in the morning upon rising. There is no true consensus as to what causes osteoarthritis but food allergies, poor diet, and mineral deposits have been linked.

So how can we alleviate arthritis knee pain? Let us focus on diet. Diet is an effective way to alleviate arthritis pain if you know which foods to avoid and which foods to consume in adequate quantities. One food that has been found to be essential is cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel. Cold water fish is loaded with essential fatty acids and have anti-inflammatory properties that decreases swelling in arthritis knees. Increasing the amount of fiber intake such as raw fruits and vegetables is another way to decrease arthritis knee pain. Fiber acts as a sweeper that sweeps away excess mineral and acid in the body. To get a double benefit, eat vegetables like cauliflower and broccoli because these vegetables are not only provide fiber for sweeping but also have anti-inflammatory properties as well. Also eat foods high in sulfur such as garlic, asparagus, and onion because sulfur helps repair cartilage and bone which we know is essential for fluid joint mobility. Finally, drink plenty of water especially when you first get up in the morning to help lubricate the knee joints and thus decreasing the arthritis knee pain.

Now that you know what causes arthritis pain start looking at your diet and other risk factors. Start consuming foods loaded with essential fatty acids, fiber and sulfur. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water a day and get plenty of rest. You can take control of arthritis knee pain and start enjoying life once again.

Arthritis and Migraines Are No Match for Acupuncture


Eating healthy, staying fit, sleeping regularly are all great ways to maintain optimum health but many still suffer from illnesses. Without the use of acupuncture, a person suffering from aches and pains will have to rely on medication to bring relief. Therapists have the ability to increase energy and more with just a few treatments.

How Does It Work

Acupuncture is a technique from the Eastern world that uses needles to redirect your Qi, or Chi. This is your life force and when that force gets stuck or weakened, you become ill. Acupuncture removes obstructions and re-balances your system. As your stress levels increase, arthritis will bring more joint pain. These methods can help in many ways and allow a person not to be ruled by their conditions.

Why Acupuncture

The practice of using a needle can be used along with other chiropractic methods such as body manipulation or heat massage to maintain your health naturally. There are no side effects and no need to worry about reactions. Medications administered by physicians often wear off. You also have to worry about whether one medication is compatible with another. If you need your body to realign, body manipulation is the way to go, but then you will need to align your life force.

What It Helps

Patients with migraines, allergies, arthritis are only some symptoms that can be relieved with alternative techniques. Licensed therapists will know how to treat conjunctivitis, nausea, disorders that cause reoccurring pain, and even phobias. Many choose to use an alternative therapy as a way to prevent illness. It is best to use an allergy specialist as well to see if food intolerance causes a headache, even if this technique can detox you. In all reality, there are no limits to the conditions that can ruin the day, or make life harder.

The world can put a lot of stress on a person and without treatment of some kind, you will become less effective at keeping your immune system in check. A chiropractor can be effective in keeping your joints and skeletal system in proper alignment. Eastern medicine has now shown a patient that there is a way to achieve optimum mobility and health. Medicine rarely works effectively on nerves and cannot always control swelling in the joints. Maintaining great posture can help reduce headaches, but frequent use of physiotherapy techniques will decrease your sensitivity to histamine.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment - Seven Steps for Initiating Healing


"For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away." Matthew 13:12

When it comes to health, the last part, "but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away", is painfully true. For instance, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 51 percent of adults with diabetes also have arthritis, 55 percent of adults with heart disease also have arthritis, 48 percent of adults with high blood pressure also have arthritis and 45 percent of adults with high cholesterol also have arthritis.

Once one thing as aspect of our health goes wrong, many other aspect often follow. So if this is you, what can you do? How can become one of the "those who have" and to whom "more will be given"?

The answer is to take small steps to improve your health. Each small step makes you one who has and one to whom more shall be given.

Seven Sensible Steps for Effective Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

1. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, take your joints through their full range of motion each day. That helps you retain the mobility you still have and over time expand your mobility.

2. Working within your daily and your moment by moment limits, do what you can to increase your muscle strength, which will also help protect your joints and make it more possible for you to exercise. If your mobility is limited you might begin by doing isotonic exercises you can do sitting or laying down.

3. Especially if you are already weak, you might need to then do simple weight lifting at home. The book Strong Women Stay Young by Miriam Nelson offers and excellent at home program for both men and women that works wonders for even the frail in nursing homes. An at home weight lifting program can often make a profound difference in your ability to walk and to later on to enjoy other exercise. And if you are still relatively strong, you will also get stronger and better able to function.

4. If you are overweight, lose weight. Even losing only 10 pounds can decrease joint pain significantly. Losing weight and eating a healthy diet can also dramatically cut your risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, which helps stop and even reverse a downward spiraling of your health.

5. If you are experiencing inflammation (everyone with active arthritis has inflammation), take the ALCAT blood test ( http://www.conqueringarthritis.com/alcat/index.htm ) to identify and eliminate dietary and environmental triggers. The specific foods and chemicals that trigger inflammation vary from person to person and can vary over time even for the same person. That is why it is important to be individually tested for what you are reacting against now, not some time in the past. That is also why you can't rely on anyone else's list of what triggers arthritis. You are unique. You must know and eliminate your unique triggers, the ones that are operative right now.

6. If you have a good relationship with your family treasure it and strengthen it. If you don't, do what you can to heal those relationships or create others that are supportive. Healthy relationships support physical health. For example, The American Pain Associated recently released a study showing (not surprisingly) that strong marriages enhance functioning for rheumatoid arthritis patients.

7. Find a spiritual practice that appeals to you and make time for it in your life. The greatest spiritual masters are the greatest healers. For example, the Buddha is called the Great Physician. Jesus is known for his healing. Every spiritual tradition comes with its own healing tradition.

Neck Arthritis - Its Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment


Medicine has many names for neck arthritis. Doctors refer to this condition as cervical spondylosis or degenerative disk disease. But whichever name they have for it, it is very important that the nature of this disease is made known so that the proper way of treating it may be carried out.

Neck arthritis has a lot of causes. Although it is very hard for doctors to tell a patient exactly what made them acquire the disease, they can certainly instruct them what to do whenever the diseases strikes.

The Symptoms of Neck Arthritis

You probably have neck arthritis if you are suffering from severe neck and shoulder pains, as these are the body parts that neck arthritis commonly targets. Although such pains are concentrated in and around these areas, it is not impossible that you are going to suffer from episodes of headaches as well.

Aside from such unbearable pains, it is also common that neck arthritis patients experience a certain level of stiffness around their necks as well. This stiffness is characterized by the person's inability to bend or turn their necks and heads from one side to another.

Since neck arthritis affects the shoulders, the pain may possibly shoot down from the tips of the shoulder down in to a certain part of the arm. Along with that pain, there would also be weakness and numbness in the arm area. These two sensations are caused by neck arthritis. It is not a different type of problem altogether, although the arms are far from the neck. There are also instances that the symptoms are felt on both arms and cause the hands to be clumsy.

Unfortunately, the pain doesn't always end in the arms alone. More often than not, it also goes down into the legs as well. The same type of pain is felt. A decreased level of sensation and vibration will also be experienced around the leg and foot area, whenever neck arthritis attacks.

Another noticeable symptom of neck arthritis would be problems with urination. There are instances that the patients of this disease urinate a little too often than they used to. Some, on the other hand, have the need to urinate immediately. This is the reason why urinary incontinence in patients with neck arthritis is a little too common.

The Causes of Neck Arthritis

Neck arthritis is commonly caused by the changes in a person's cervical spine. A person's body changes as he ages. And this is the main reason why the instances of neck arthritis are rather common to elderly people. Following the same principle, calcium build ups and bony growths can also be the cause of this disease.

When a person's body changes, more particularly in these areas, certain nerves are affected. Some of them are inflamed, compressed, or pinched. These are the main reasons why the symptoms of neck arthritis show. Blood flow may also be affected due to this disease.

Treating Neck Arthritis

The primary treatment for neck arthritis is to restrict the movement of the neck. To do this, a cervical collar may be used. In certain cases that a collar is not sufficient to do the job, a brace has to be fitted around the neck. These devices become necessary to treat the disease.

But if mere treatment is not enough, there might be a need to perform a surgery. Usually, surgery becomes an option to the patients that complain of severe and unbearable pains. And if there are notable neurological deficits, surgery is very likely to be suggested by the doctor as well. Neurological deficits are characterized by difficulty in walking, total weakness of the hands, and problems in the bladder area. Any determined compression in the spinal cord is also enough reason to go for surgery.

These are the basic facts associated with arthritis in the neck. Knowing all of these would cause people to understand the disease better and act accordingly. Neck arthritis really is a very serious disease. Therefore, it has to be addressed the moment it is diagnosed.

Hip Arthritis - Pain Relief


Hip arthritis is without doubt one of the most common forms of arthritis- which can have many different causes. There is one factor in common however- this is loss of cartilage from the hip joint. The loss of cartilage results in the hip bones grinding unnaturally together, resulting in pain. Hip arthritis advances quite quickly once it sets in, and pain and treatment options vary greatly depending on the patient's age, health and lifestyle.

Once hip arthritis has been diagnosed, the doctor will consider both surgical and non-surgical options for treatment. The doctor may recommend combining several treatment methods. Simple non-invasive treatments for hip arthritis include weight loss, anti-inflammatory medication such as Naprosyn and Ibuprofen, and lifestyle changes- such as taking up regular walking. These non-surgical methods assist in reducing the pain, and preventing symptoms re-occurring. Sufferers of hip arthritis should be aware of some claims of the benefits of "Nutraceuticals" such as Glucosamine supplements in treating hip arthritis. There is no strong evidence that links their effectiveness with hip arthritis and they are not FDA regulated in the US.

In terms of surgical treatment options for hip arthritis there are 2: Osteotomy, wherein the surgeon cuts the bone to re-align the hip joint and Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA), which means total hip joint replacement. The latter is obviously more serious.

THA is the most common form of surgery used to treat hip arthritis. The doctor will need to analyze various factors before deciding that THA is the best treatment for hip arthritis. The beauty of THA is that in time it will allow most patient to regain normal use of their hips, so they can resume the activities which may be so dear to them. Another strong reason for pursuing THA as a viable treatment option for hip arthritis, is the fact that the pain will be eased immeasurably- specifically the pain experienced at night, which is the worst. THA is not necessarily the best treatment option for everyone. Many patients will be able to comfortably modify their lifestyles to reduce the need to pursue the THA procedure.

Many sufferers of hip arthritis are pursuing THA, due to recent medical advancements, and the brilliance of surgeons specifically in the US. Further to this the materials used nowadays in THA are totally durable, meaning they will not break down over time. These recent developments have seen a spike in the number of patients been encouraged to pursue THA as a viable and effective treatment option for hip arthritis.

THA is an extremely effective and safe procedure performed under anesthetic, which greatly lowers the risks of surgery-related complications and allows for a faster recovery- and hence less time off from work. Currently in the US, patients undergoing THA do not remain in hospital for longer than 5 days. Hip joint replacement usually has an extremely high success rate with 85 to 95 percent success rate over a period of 20 years. This is re-assuring for sufferers of hip arthritis, as it provides a swift method of dealing with the pain for the long term.

Hot Stone Massages Help to Keep Arthritis Out of Your Joints


Have you ever suffered from arthritis? Many of us often have misconceptions about certain medical conditions. For instance, because elderly people often suffer from arthritis, we may conclude that it cannot affect younger people. That is wrong. Also, arthritis itself is technically not a disease. So what exactly is it? Arthritis is a medical condition that causes people's joints to become swollen and painful.

Just the facts

Here are some interesting facts about arthritis:

- It includes more than 100 unique diseases that impact regions in or surrounding joints

- It affected about 46 Americans (1 in 5 adults) in 2006.

- It is the top cause of disability among Americans (at least 16-years-old)

- It yearly costs the U.S. economy $128 billion.

- It yearly causes over half a million hospitalizations

- It affects almost 300,000 children

Joints, bones, and antagonistic muscles

To better understand arthritis, we need to comprehend how our joints function. The bones of our skeletons work as a group of levers that move around joints, which are points where pivoting takes place. This happens as muscles switch between contracting and relaxing. Meanwhile, the muscles surround the joints in pairs. So each group of muscles directs bones in one particular direction, while a twin "antagonistic" muscle group moves the bones in the converse direction.

Among the numerous types of arthritis, here are some of the most common:

Osteoarthritis: This is the most common type of arthritis. It causes the joints to worsen. Cartilage covering the tips of bones within the join wears down. The result is that as the bone starts to scrape against the bone, one's range of motion is reduced, and pain is created.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: This is a disease in which the body's immune system attacks normal cells. The result of is that the lining of the joint becomes red or swollen. This type of arthritis mainly strikes women, and is one of the most powerful types of arthritis.

Gout: This condition primarily affects males. It usually results from a blemish in the chemistry of the body. In the majority of cases, this condition affects small joints and the big toe in particular. But there is good news for you! Gout can nearly always be totally managed with changes in diet, and certain medication.

Fortunately, you can use several types of treatment s for arthritis:

Medication: Numerous types of drugs can be used to treat arthritis, and they have different purposes. These can include reducing pain, lowering soreness, and attacking the disease itself.

Surgery: The majority of people who experience arthritis could never require surgery. On the other hand, surgery can be very beneficial for those with extremely damaged joints, and when other types of treatments are not effective. Joint replacement is the most popular form of arthritis surgery.

Physiotherapy: This can improve people's strength, flexibility, and mobility. When used with medication, pain can be significantly reduced. Physiotherapists can create a treatment plan especially for you, which could include exercise, hydrotherapy, and pain relief methods.

Massages with hot stones are another type of effective treatment for arthritis sufferers. When we suffer from stress, our bodies produce too many hormones. Thus, the body attacks its own joints, resulting in rheumatoid arthritis. Through massage, the body's muscles, ligaments and tendons are relaxed, thus creating balance within the body.

More specifically, a massage moves the muscle and regions around the joints, increasing the body's circulation of blood and lymph. Thus, the body gets rid of more toxins. The ultimate result is that the movement of the joints is significantly improved. In addition to massages improving the condition of the actual joints, they also relieve the symptoms of arthritis. Massages warn arthritis to stay out of your joint!

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Valgus - What Does This Mean in Osteoarthritis of the Knee?


'Valgus' is a term used by the medical profession to describe joints that form an angle different from the usual. It does not apply only to the knee. Valgus means that the part of the body furthest away from the torso is angled away from the midline position. In simple terms, if the knees are described as valgus, they are 'Knock-kneed.'

Valgus knees indicate that the arthritis is mainly on the outside of the knee. The wearing down of the cartilage lining on the outside of the knee has led to a change in the angle through the joint. The terminology a doctor would use would be to describe being knock-kneed as having a valgus deformity, or the latin phrase 'genu valgum.'

Doctors approximate the angle of deformity to assess the progression of the degenerative joint disease. Please note: there is natural variation between individuals, with some having a larger angle through the knee than others. The change in angle is the important factor.

When a knee becomes so painful that surgery is the only option, the good news is that in most cases the surgeon can correct any angulation. It is not uncommon for patients to have a straighter knee after their operation than they have had for years.

As is common in osteoarthritis, it is important not to focus too much on factors such as joint angle - after all it is just a measurement. Symptoms, particularly pain, generally take priority in the decision making process. It is wise to seek an expert opinion however, as on some occasions, large deformities make surgical intervention more difficult than usual.

Arthritis Natural Cure - Arthritis-Free Foods You Should Know About!


The best way to cure arthritis is by doing two things!

1. Understanding what caused your arthritis.

2. Realizing the best way to treat arthritis is to prevent arthritis.

In this article, we will address both of those topics to help you cure your arthritis. However, did you know that only in recent decades, did researchers begin to believe that there is a cure for arthritis?

Fact! Researchers were dumbfounded after discovering indigenous tribes in undeveloped countries whose members consistently live to be 90-100 years of age. What was even more amazing is how tribesmen would work (hunting, gathering, planting, harvesting) up to their dying day. And the the kicker! These primitive tribes have not one known case of arthritis. How could this be? After years of questions, researchers finally concluded that the tribes' diets are the cause of such a healthy life.

What Causes Arthritis?

Understanding the cause of arthritis can allow you to know how to treat arthritis.

So what causes arthritis? Arthritis is typically caused by the following: poor diet; unbalanced diet; inactive lifestyle; stress; inefficient vitamins; improper breathing; and lack of sleep.

Did you notice that you can control most (if not all) of the arthritis factors. In fact, the biggest cause of arthritis is your diet!

Naturally Treating Arthritis with Your Diet

Did you know that the FDA allows over a thousand additives and preservatives to be added to our food? In fact, thirty-year-old landfills recently opened were found to have hotdogs which still have not decomposed. How disgusting does that sound? Now think of the other foods (with preservatives) our body digests on a daily basis?

So why am I telling you this? Because the resilient tribes who live to be one hundred years of age have never consumed one additive or preservative in their life! And note, these tribes have also not one case of arthritis.

Arthritis-Free Dieting Tips

1. Stop drinking soda! Typically anything in a can is loaded with preservatives and additives.

2. Drink less coffee and more herbal teas.

3. Stop eating white flour. Anything with the words 'enriched' is not a good choice for arthritis.

4. Lower your sugar intake. Most arthritic symptoms are associated with high amounts of sugar.

5. Stay away from dairy products.

6. Eat raw fruits and vegetables. These water-soluble fiber foods are great for arthritis sufferers.

7. Eat protein from any lean meat, eggs, beans, grains and nuts.

8. Drink 8-10 glasses of water each and every day! This is extremely important for curing arthritis.

9. Stay away from fast foods and processed foods.

10. The best foods are always fresh and raw. Eat foods that will spoil after a couple of weeks.

These simple and helpful tips will get you started on the right path for treating your arthritis with no medications and no surgery. However, don't stop with these tips. To discover an array of foods to eat and not eat; various breathing exercises; fitness ideas, natural anti-inflammatory herbs and other tips to naturally cure arthritis; please check out our safe and secured website today.

Naturally Cure Your Arthritis with No Drugs

MBST - Magnetic Resonance Therapy


Did you know there is a treatment for Arthritis and Osteoporosis, a treatment that can repair cartilage and bone? You will most likely not have heard about this relatively new treatment but you will because it works.

The technology is called MBST which stands for Magnetic Resonance Therapy. The technology is based on MRI technology. It was discovered that patients with joint problems after having a scan reported an improvement in mobility and relief from pain.

A German company MedTec Medizintechnik GmbH developed this technology to specifically concentrate on the therapeutic effects of MRI and MBST was developed. Fast forward to today and tens of thousands of patients have been treated across the globe including Europe, Israel, The United States and the United Kingdom.

This technology works by metabolising the bodies natural ability to heal. MBST therapy acts on nuclear spin, it generates an electromagnetic field. This is not to be confused with conventional electromagnetic therapies as this technology specifically works with nuclear spin resonance. Don't worry this is nothing to do with nuclear in the sense you may be used to. In fact this type of treatment has no known harmful side effects.

A typical treatment can take up to an hour and involves sitting or lying with the machine acting on the specific part of the body that need treating. This is a cumulative treatment so up to 9 sessions may be required depending on the condition. The resulting effect is that cartilage re-grows and bone re-grows reducing the pain and limited movement associated with conditions such as osteoarthritis and osteoporosis.

Conventional treatments for such conditions usually entails a ever stronger cocktail of painkillers. Under some circumstances you may require an operation such as a knee replacement operation.

This is still a relatively unknown treatment and in most countries you cannot get this treatment through your health insurance or health system. You can however ask you doctor or physician about MBST. They may not have heard of it but there are several clinical studies carried out by such doctors as Dr. med. M. Krosche, Dr. med. G. Breitgraf, Prof. Dr. I. Frobose, Dr. med Eckey, Prof. Dr. med. Lucker, Prof. Dr. med. C. Melzer and Dr. med. Handschuh who have published clinical studies on the effect of MBST.

You can find a summary of some of these studies at mbst medical which you can print off and show your doctor. This treatment is not suitable for everyone as once cartilage has completely worn you will probably need an operation to replace the affected joint. If you do suffer from osteoarthritis and osteoporosis it is in your interest to seek a treatment that has no side effects rather than waiting for the inevitable on an ever increasing regime of pain medication.

Yoga and Psoriasis: Bend and Breathe Your Way to Better Skin


So what do you know about yoga? For me, yoga evokes an image of rows of people wearing loose-fitting clothes and attempting to balance whilst their bodies are twisted into Tetris shapes. As you can tell, I don't know much about it, which made me even more skeptical when I heard that yoga could improve psoriasis. I didn't have a mat, and I certainly didn't have the right flexibility to swing my foot around my neck and balance on my toe. But, I did have one thing - psoriasis - and a willingness to try anything. Here is what I found out about yoga and psoriasis.

Yoga is a practice that originated in ancient India, in a field that is now called Ayurvedic medicine. Over the thousands of years that people have been twisting and turning under its name, its core principle has remained the same - to heal, integrate and balance the mind, body and spirit.

To achieve this goal, yoga combines breathing exercises, meditation and physical postures. It is a holistic approach to health and wellbeing that calms the nervous system and balances the energy systems of the body. This relates well to psoriasis because it is a condition that is more than skin deep, and thus treating it successfully means that you need to reach further than your tube of steroid cream.

How Does Yoga Help Psoriasis?

YOGA KILLS STRESS!

The first way that yoga helps psoriasis is through stress reduction and relaxation. As you slowly sink from one posture to another, all the while concentrating on slow, controlled breathing, there is no time to think and worry or you'll end up eating your yoga mat. Yoga helps to draw you away from your chaotic, busy day, and puts you into a calm, restful but energizing state. In fact, it is so calming that researchers have actually found that it "switches off" the stress genes. Studies on war veterans with PTSD, emotionally distressed adults and adults suffering from anxiety and panic attacks all confirm that yoga can improve mental health and wellbeing.

This is great news for psoriasis. As many of you will know, stress is a major trigger for the majority of psoriatics. Worrying about all the day-to-day headaches such as hitting that 100-page report deadline at work, preparing a nice dinner, getting through the traffic jam for 9AM... can leave you with a major psoriasis flare-up! Not only does stress exacerbate skin problems, but it means treatments take longer to work. By unrolling the yoga mat for 30 minutes a day and putting your body through a range of poses where you are completely and utterly focused on balancing and breathing, you can really quieten your mind in a beneficial way. I still can't touch my toes, but I have found that after a yoga session I have more peace-of-mind and a better attitude towards psoriasis.

YOGA WORKS YOUR LIMBS!

The second way in which yoga helps psoriasis is through the physical exercise side of it. The most recognizable part of yoga is the asanas, or postures, and they come in a range of colorful names and shapes. From downward-facing dog, to cow face, cockerel and scorpion, there are many postures to bend your body into, and enough of them to cater to every level, from the most wooden of beginners to the ones made from rubber. Practicing these poses is great for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in particular, because the exercises are low-impact, they make you stronger and improve your range-of-motion. Apart from that, doing the poses stimulates the circulatory and excretory systems, helping you to expel toxins in the body, which is of great benefit to psoriasis.

Yoga and psoriasis is often an underexplored treatment that can act as a good complement to the normal array of options that are thrown at psoriasis. With something as simple as yoga, where you only need time and maybe a comfortable yoga mat to start right away, it makes sense to give it a go. Look out for our future article on the top 5 yoga poses for psoriasis - because certain poses can alleviate skin disorders better than other ones!

How to Cure Arthritis


Arthritis can rob an active individual of his or her livelihood. Whether it manifests as a constant pain or an inability to move the joints, this condition is quite life-altering. Whether you have suffered for years or are in the early stages of its onset, finding out how to cure arthritis can be one of the few ways to combat its inevitable onslaught. You may need to eat certain foods or soak in specific minerals, but there are ways that you can retain your livelihood without having to resort to going to a doctor.

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis, simply put, is the inflammation of a joint. It may sound innocuous to those that do not suffer from the affliction, but it can be life-altering for those that do. There are many causes of arthritis, perhaps too many to list. Among them are repetitive strain, genetics, stress, age, diet and even the weather. Those that suffer from the condition often deal with a lack of flexibility and with extreme pain in the joints. This can range from infrequent bouts to near-constant states of pain or rigidity, and may last for many years. As such, many that suffer from the issue are keen to find out how to cure arthritis.

How to Cure Arthritis Through Eating and Drinking

Some of the more common methods of how to cure arthritis involve eating or drinking certain compounds. Flax seed oil (and more specifically, its Omega-3 fats) is incredibly popular, as the substance is considered a natural anti-inflammatory. About one teaspoon of flax seed oil taken three times a day is a common cure, as is eating about a tablespoon of the seed itself three times a day. Another common remedy is cinnamon and honey - the combination of the two should be taken about once a day, and results are thought to show up quite quickly.

How to Cure Arthritis Through Soaking

Of course, not everyone can use these cures. Some are unable to stomach the seeds or oils, while others might be allergic to the ingredients. If you have this problem, you might want to consider a soak. Soaking one's self in Epsom Salts has been popular for many years, and many do swear by it. As the body absorbs the minerals in the salts, it is thought, the general inflammation that causes the arthritis will be lessened, making this a gentle method of how to cure arthritis for many.

If you wish to learn how to cure arthritis, you should always make sure to have an open mind. The condition predates modern medical science, and folk remedies have been used for centuries to keep individuals up and active even during the worst bouts of pain. Soaking may help some, while the various oils and seeds consumed by others may provide relief in different circumstances. No matter what the case, though, those suffering from the ailment should always be willing to try new ways to help to return to their former level of activity.

Arthritis Cure For Four Types of Juvenile Rheumatoid


Children age 16 or younger can develop juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This is the most common form of arthritis in children and affects girls more than boys. Arthritis means inflammation of a joint that can cause pain, swelling and stiffness to the affected area. Damage to the immune system causes inflammation that can damage one or more joints. A child with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis cure can help control pain, reduce swelling and maintain movement of the affect joint or joints.

Even though there is no cause for rheumatoid arthritis, it is an autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune disorder means that the body's immune system attacks it own tissues. Since this condition is chronic, a young child will have this disease a very long time.

Oligoarthritis is the first type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and generally affects the knees, ankles and wrist joints causing pain, swelling and stiffness. It can also affect the eye causing inflammation. Children with this type of arthritis are affected more in girls than boys. However, children can outgrow it by adulthood but then it may spread to other joints in other children.

The second type, polyarthicular arthritis, can begin at any age but affects young girls more than boys. Polyarthricular arthritis can occur in five or more joints that include swelling, pain, and sometimes nodules may appear in the hands, hips, knees, feet, ankles and neck.

Systemic arthritis, called Still's diseases, is the third type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and affects about 20 percent of children who have arthritis. This arthritic disease begins with repeated high fevers accompanied with a pink rash that comes and goes. It causes inflammation of the internal organs and joints as well.

Pauciarticular disease is the fourth type of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and affects fewer joints. These joints include shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. This type of arthritis affects children 8 years and younger and about 50 percent will develop it. If children have this pauciarthicular disease after 8 years old, they will more than likely develop adult arthritis.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis cure is much the same for young children who have arthritis of any kind. Arthritis treatment include exercise, diet, medication, physical and occupational therapy. The goal of an arthritic child is to relieve pain and inflammation by using heat and cold applications, improve mobility, which means the ability to move, and encourage emotional development and social interaction at school and at home.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Improve Your Diet and Be Less Susceptible to Your Arthritis Symptoms


There are around 200 kinds of arthritis, the two most common being osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. If you are overweight you have an increased risk of developing osteoarthritis because of the increased stress on joints such as your hips and knees. Consequently reducing your weight with slimming or a low fat diet can help to reduce your chance of developing osteoarthritis or lessen your symptoms if you already have it. Therefore, maintaining a healthy balanced diet that is low in highly refined and processed foods, saturated animal fats, sugar and salt, but high in wholegrain cereals, fruits and vegetables will aid in minimising the discomfort of osteoarthritis. Unfortunately for slimming, diet alone is never enough and should be combined with sensible, regular, gentle exercise. Exercise will strengthen muscles that protect joints and help to prevent stiffness. Low weight bearing exercise such as swimming and using a cross trainer will help minimise the stress on joints whilst exercising. Be sensible though and respect your body's limits - overdoing it is never a good idea. Remember also that you should consult your doctor or health care practitioner before embarking on a new exercise regime.

Food allergies or intolerance are thought to play a part in causing some people to develop rheumatoid arthritis. As with diagnosis of all food allergies it can be difficult to identify which food is the culprit or indeed if there are more than one causing the problem. Following an elimination diet with subsequent re-introduction of new foods is one way to find out or you could get skin and blood tests done. You may already suspect you have a problem with certain foods and the main offenders are usually dairy products, eggs and cereals.

There is increasing scientific evidence to suggest that fish oils, in particular polyunsaturated fats such as omega-3 fatty acids, can have an anti-inflammatory effect on the joints of rheumatoid and osteoarthritis sufferers. Inflammation is the bodies natural reaction to arthritic diseases and causes the very uncomfortable symptoms of pain, swelling, redness and heat. If you find it difficult to eat fresh oily fish (e.g. salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines or trout) 2 to 3 times a week then fish oils are readily available in capsules or liquid form. Evening primrose oil has been shown to also have a beneficial anti-inflammatory effect - useful if you don't like fish...in fact a vegetarian diet has been shown in studies to reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Several studies have shown that glucosamine sulphate a compound needed to build and maintain cartilage alleviates osteoarthritis.

Helpful foods to include in your diet to alleviate the symptoms of your arthritis:
Salmon and other oily fish supply omega-3 oils - eat 3+ times a week
Greens source of beta-carotene, calcium, folate, iron and vitamin C - eat raw or lightly cooked every few days
Bananas provide a good source of potassium, fibre and vitamin C - eat 3+ times a week
Broccoli source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, folate, iron and potassium - eat raw or lightly cooked every few days
Carrots excellent source of beta-carotene - eat raw or lightly cooked as often as you like
Ginger anti-inflammatory agent - eat 5g incorporated into cooking, twice a week
Celery anti-inflammatory agent and source of potassium - eat raw 3 times weekly

A diet that contains plenty of wholegrain cereals, fresh fruit (especially fruits high in anti-oxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamins C and E e.g. blueberries, cranberries, blackberries, prunes, raspberries, strawberries, apples, sweet cherries, plums and bioflavenoids e.g. lemons, limes, oranges, cherries, and grapes) vegetables and oily fish and is supplemented with anti-inflammatories such as evening primrose oil, ginger or glucosamine phosphate will be beneficial for reducing the chance of developing arthritic conditions or for minimising the painful symptoms once the disease is established. Also, consider reducing your intake of refined and processed foods and those high in sugar, salt and saturated animal fats, as well as investigating the possibility of a food allergy or intolerance.

Canine Arthritis Treatment - A Natural Cure For Your Dog's Arthritis


Have you noticed that as your dog is getting older, it is slowing down and may not be as active as it once was? An aging dog can suffer from arthritis much the same as it's human companions do. Your dog's joints can become stiff and inflamed making life uncomfortable.  As with human arthritis, arthritis in animals cannot be cured. Canine arthritis treatment does not have to be very expensive and there are some quick and easy things you can do to help ease the pain of this condition.

One of the first things you can do is move his bedding to a warm place. A dog that sleeps on the cold, hard ground or on hard flooring will be much more uncomfortable. A soft, fluffy pillow-like bed will ease his pain and you will probably notice a difference right away.

Another step would be to use supplements in his diet that will lessen the inflammation in the joints. One of the best solutions would be to give your dog Omega3 fatty acids or fish oil. These can be found in any store that carries vitamins and are quite readily available. Omega3 lubricates the joints making movement much easier.

The larger breed dogs seem to be more susceptible to canine arthritis than smaller breeds. It is believed that their extra weight puts more pressure on the joints, but that doesn't mean that small dogs cannot have arthritis.

Keeping your dog healthy and active will prolong it's life and regular exercise is essential even for older dogs. A dog with arthritis will not want to move about so keeping the joints in top condition will go a long way in making him happy and comfortable as he gets older.

Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis - Discover How They Are Different in the Next 10 Minutes!


Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are two different diseases that are most often confused with each other due to the similar symptoms. What are their differences and is there a common treatment for both of them? Find out the expert answers in this article.

The research paper that has been released by Terrebonne Gen. Medical centre (TGMC) entitled "osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid arthritis" states that the pain should be evaluated by a doctor.

Even though the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis might be similar, but their long-term effects are quite different. If rheumatoid arthritis is left without treatment, it can lead to substantial damage to the joints and deformities in the other parts of the body.

Another difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is that while osteoarthritis is the result of "wear and tear" of the joints through many years and is usually found in people around the age of 50; rheumatoid arthritis is not caused due to "wear and tear", but it causes "wear and tear" and is also found in children, adults and elderly people.

Rheumatoid arthritis is considered to be an "inflammation autoimmune disorder". It implies that the body becomes incapable to identify itself to the bottom of its cellular level. As the natural response of the body immune system is to attack the foreign bodies that are not part of the body, so the body naturally launches an attack when it doesn't recognize any part of the body as a part of itself.

In case of rheumatoid arthritis, the body misinterprets cartilage, bone or fluid as an invader and sends signal to the immune system to launch an attack. Therefore, white blood cells are sent to the area as a means of fighting infection and inflammatory compounds are produced, even though the fact is that there is no infection in reality. This leads to redness, swelling and pain in the joints.

The immune system is quite complex and this is just a very simplistic explanation to explain the major differences between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis; so that people can opt for professional diagnosis and take necessary action for early treatment.

In the report "osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid arthritis" released by TGMC, the author warns that if left without adequate treatment, rheumatoid arthritis can lead to a serious damage to the joints in just a matter of 2 years. In fact, early diagnosis and effective treatment is required right from the early stages in order to prevent further development of the disease. In many cases, people go into remission period, where the symptoms recede for a temporary period.

Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the most effective, natural and side effect free alternative for treatment of arthritis conditions. There is substantial evidence that they help to reduce arthritis pain, prevent deformities, improve the joint mobility and reduce tenderness in joints and morning stiffness. Fish oil and its purified supplements are one of the best sources of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Similarly, the green lipped mussel found in New Zealand is another wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids. It also helps effectively in reducing pain and joint stiffness, improve joint mobility and grip strength in patients suffering from osteoarthritis.

To sum up, in case you are suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, an inclusion of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet in the form of fish oil supplements can help significantly to reduce inflammation and provide effective pain relief. You should consult your doctor and take the most appropriate action.

What is Rheumatoid Arthritis?


Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease. It is not caused by old age, years of hard work, or injury. In fact, the true cause remains unknown. In this disease, a person's immune system attacks the synovial membranes that cover the joints, causing pain, swelling, heat, and eventual deterioration of the joints.

This disease can onset at any age. When it occurs in children, it is called juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. This form is rarer than adult onset rheumatoid arthritis. When the disease occurs in adults, it occurs more often in women than in men. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that progresses over a person's lifetime. Currently there is no cure. Although the cause is unknown, the disease is known to have a strong hereditary component. Prior infections are also suspected to play a roll in the development of this disease.

Symptoms of this disease include pain, swelling, and stiffness in multiple joints. Usually the smaller joints of the body are affected, including the finger and wrist joints, the foot and ankle joints, and the joints in the cervical spine (the neck). Larger joints can also be affected, especially as the disease progresses. Joints on both sides of the body are usually affected, and multiple joints are affected, not just one or two.

When joint swelling occurs, the joints become enlarged and warm to the touch. They may appear red in color. Stiffness is present in the affected joints, especially in the morning. A person may feel stiffness in the joints for an hour or more after getting out of bed in the morning. This makes movement difficult until the stiffness wears off. Other common symptoms a person may experience include fatigue, dry eyes, and skin lesions.

As rheumatoid arthritis progresses, joint deformities may occur. The knuckles of the fingers may deteriorate, causing the tendons of the finger muscles to pull the fingers toward the little finger side of the hands. This deformity is called ulnar drift. Another deformity that can occur is Boutonniere deformity, in which the small joints of the finger deform in a way to appear that the finger is permanently pushing down on a flat surface. The middle joint is flexed and the far joint is extended. A third deformity that can occur is swan neck deformity, where the joints deform in a way that causes the finger to take the shape of a swan's neck. The middle joint is extended and the far joint is flexed.

This disease is diagnosed through physical examination and blood tests. A positive indicator for rheumatoid arthritis is the presence of the rheumatoid factor in the blood. However, the absence of this factor does not mean that a person does not have rheumatoid arthritis. Other substances in the blood and physical symptoms are also used to diagnose this disease. It can take several months and several rounds of tests before the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is determined, as the early symptoms are similar to several other conditions.

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis includes medications, regular exercise and weight loss, rest, adaptations to protect deteriorating joints, and other interventions such as physical and occupational therapies. Numerous diets and supplements exist to treat this condition as well.

When treating rheumatoid arthritis, a person should work with a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in the treatment of arthritis. If a rheumatologist is not available in a person's area or insurance plan, a person should seek a doctor who has experience in arthritis treatment. A person should always discuss new medications and nutritional supplements with this doctor before trying them, as medication reactions are quite common and treatment setbacks might occur if medications and supplements interact. One example involves nutritional supplements that are designed to remove excess fluid from a person's system. These supplements work well in reducing swelling, but may also remove medications that are designed to build up in a person's system over time. The therapeutic effects of the medication may be reduced or eliminated entirely by the supplement. Therefore, while supplements may be effective and valuable in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, a person should always check with his or her doctor before trying a new one.

The progressive joint changes that occur in rheumatoid arthritis may force a person to make lifestyle changes to compensate for activities they can no longer do the same way. Energy conservation, joint protection, and work simplification techniques can help a person adapt activities so that he or she can still do what needs to be done in a day. Please refer to additional articles in this series for descriptions of these techniques.

Arthritis Treatment: What Are New Developments in the Use of Stem Cells to Treat Osteoarthritis?


Burgeoning interest in the use of regenerative techniques to treat osteoarthritis has caused an explosion in both the clinical application of this treatment as well as the development of new laboratory discoveries.

There are two major types of cartilage. Hyaline cartilage is the tougher of the two and covers the ends of long bones inside joints. The makeup of hyaline cartilage is basically that of chondrocyte (cartilage) cells which sit inside an extracellular matrix. Hyaline cartilage provides shock absorbing properties and also resists the tremendous shear forces that are generated with the activities of daily living. A small amount of synovial fluid secreted by the lining cells of the joint provide lubrication and nourishment to the joint.

The second type of cartilage is fibrocartilage. Examples would be the menisci in the knees and the labrum in the shoulder and hip. This type of cartilage is softer and has less shock absorbing capacity than hyaline cartilage.

The ubiquitous condition what affects most Baby Boomers is osteoarthritis, which is a disease of hyaline cartilage. Essentially, alterations of cartilage metabolism causes premature wearing away of hyaline cartilage. This is accompanied by local inflammation as well as changes in the underlying bone.

Hyaline cartilage injury often results in the formation of fibrocartilage, the weaker of the two types of cartilage. And because cartilage lacks a blood supply, another consequence of cartilage injury is the development of osteoarthritis.

What has intrigued scientists, then, is the possibility that stem cells may be used to regenerate hyaline cartilage.

While direct application of stem cell technology is still controversial, the promise it holds is undoubtedly exciting to researchers.

For example, at Osaka University School of Medicine, scientists have been able to take cells from the skin of mice and by treating these cells with special proteins, transformed these skin cells into chondrocytes- cartilage cells.

Another exciting discovery made by researchers at the University of Oregon Health & Science University is that male mice from a strain called MRL/MpJ have the innate ability to repair their own knee cartilage. Why these mice can do this is still a puzzle but if the secret can be unlocked perhaps this can be applied to humans also.

While human studies are still lagging behind, small studies are showing promising results. Readers who are interested in learning more can read a paper from our center: Wei N, Beard S, Delauter S, Bitner C, Gillis R, Rau L, Miller C, Clark T. Guided Mesenchymal Stem Cell Layering Technique for Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee. J Applied Res. 2011; 11: 44-48

The Causes Of Arthritis - Understanding This Condition Helps You Find Effective Treatment


Arthritis seems to affect so many people, and not always the elderly. A lot of people, both young and old, suffer routinely with bone or joint pain and inflammation. Sometimes this is the result of an injury and soon heals, but for many the prognosis is somewhat more dire.

Nobody wants to be told that they have rheumatoid arthritis. It is seen as an old person's condition and is often debilitating. We imagine inflamed and sore joints, bone deformities, and immobility upon receiving the diagnosis. Without a doubt, arthritis has caused a considerable number of people a considerable amount of discomfort.

Before we continue on with the causes of this very common skeletal condition, we need to define our terms. What most people do not know is that arthritis refers to any type of condition that leads to inflammation, pain, and stiffness of the joints. This means that it is more of a category of conditions than a condition in and of itself.

Further points to ponder:

* There are more than one hundred different conditions that fall under the heading of arthritis.

* The most common conditions include: gout, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

* When a joint is inflamed, stiff, and/or sore this is known as arthritis.

* Other types of arthritic conditions include: infectious arthritis and lupus. These can produce the customary joint problems but also a range of other symptoms such as: rashes, chills, fever, heart complications, and pain.

So what are the causes of arthritis?

Interestingly, the main cause of most of the types of conditions that fall under the heading of arthritis is nutritional in nature. Nutritional deficiencies are a prime cause but this is good news, because nutritional deficiencies can be addressed and rectified.

What can be done?

Your first duty is to review your diet. Make the changes that are necessary such as omitting what should not be part of your diet, and including what should. The quality of the food that we purchase today is not what it should be. Most of us do not get the proper nutrition that our bodies need in order to be healthy and function at its optimum level. This is why dietary supplements should be included in your diet.

Supplements high in fatty acids, fish oils, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants will aid your body so that it is able to heal itself and repair damage where it has occurred. Coupled with enough regular exercise and weight resistance training, your joint pains and stiffness can become a thing of the past.

The fallacy that so many believe.

Remarkable achievements have been made with regards to natural remedies, such as those that contain the New Zealand Mussel, for instance. Discover how this ingredient can greatly benefit anyone suffering with arthritis.

"Nutritional deficiencies are a major cause of joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation".

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

How To Get Relief From Your Arthritis Pain Fast - Naturally


Arthritis sufferers today are still continually seeking relief from their arthritis pain. There is a little-known natural solution to curing oneself of arthritis pain that I discovered several years ago.

Arthritis concentrates in one or several joints where deterioration occurs. To get the arthritis pain relief you're seeking it's helpful to understand how arthritis works. Unlike some other types of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis is not systemic - it does not spread through the entire body.

Cartilage contains chondrocytes, water, proteoglycans and collagen; chondrocytes are the basic cartilage cells and are necessary for balance and function. It's important to learn plenty of facts about joints and arthritis to help you understand how to treat arthritis better. The cartilage is slippery tissue that coats the ends of the bones.

Aging cells may be a factor in the development of arthritis. The cause of arthritis (osteoarthritis) and the factors leading to the deterioration of cartilage in osteoarthritis is still not understood. One possible cause of arthritis is the inflammatory response due to the over-reaction of the immune system to an injury or other assault in the body, like an infection.

For natural treatment for arthritis make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, called a naturopath; ask around for referrals. Studies done on antioxidant vitamins question the value of these supplements; it's clearly better to consume these antioxidants in living foods because they may also need to work with other nutrients present in the foods to work properly. Try avoiding the eight most allergic foods, wheat being the most allergenic; they are wheat, corn, eggs, milk, peanuts, fish, shellfish and some nuts, not all.

Natural treatment for arthritis is usually a better choice because it's non-invasive to the body. Dried Montmorency tart cherries seem to be helpful for arthritis pain also. For snacks, choose raw nuts without salt instead of lifeless roasted nuts.

Some people swear by morning drinks of raw apple cider vinegar and honey for arthritis pain relief. Keep in mind, if you take a joint supplement it should help do three things -- build cartilage, relieve everyday joint pain, and enhance your flexibility and movement.

If your osteoarthritis is affecting your load-bearing joints, keeping your weight within a normal range is important. A study in Great Britain touted the beneficial effects of cod liver oil on osteoarthritis; relieving pain and stiffness, and reversing the destruction of joint cartilage within 24 hours.

Sign up for water aerobics classes at your local community center. If you have pain and swelling in your fingers, try squeezing Thera-putty made for this purpose or exercising with two Chinese chime balls. If weight is an issue, try to use exercises that will help you in losing weight such as walking. Important exercises for arthritis are range-of-motion exercises, isometrics, and some weight bearing exercises.

Don't just sit there, keep moving. At bedtime try putting on a pair of stretch gloves to help reduce the pain and swelling in your fingers for those of you who have arthritic hands. Even the lightest exercise can go a long way to maintaining your joint mobility and overall health.

If you're going to go the conventional treatment route and take medications, ask your pharmacist for drug inserts so you can read up on the drugs and understand any side effects or adverse reactions, before taking them. If you're planning to take any of the non-prescription NSAIDS for arthritis, make sure you understand what bad effects they can have on the stomach, liver and/or kidneys and discuss this with your doctor. Conventional doctors may suggest the standard protocol for your joint pain; they tell you to take over-the-counter NSAIDS or prescribe COX-2 inhibitors, of which all have side effects.

Arthritis pain relief is the ultimate goal - understanding arthritis is a good way to get there. Changing your diet to predominately fruits and raw veggies, like I did, can turn your arthritis pain around almost overnight. Once you understand the facts about arthritis, possible causes and treatment approaches you can take, you'll be on your way to recovery and pain will disappear.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Medications - What Types Are There?


While there is no definite cure for RA or rheumatoid arthritis to date, there are a range of available medications in the market that are designed to alleviate its symptoms and ultimately improve the condition.

In general, medications for rheumatoid arthritis can be classified into distinctive categories, as described below. Physicians will often develop an appropriate treatment plan to manage joint pain and inflammation, as well as prevent cell damage in the joints. Depending on the specific case, effective treatment can be accomplished through a combination of each of the succeeding drugs:

NSAIDs or Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs, commonly known as NSAIDs, are effective in relieving pain and reducing inflammation, but do not serve to prevent further damage to the joints. NSAIDs prevent the human body from producing a substance called prostaglandins, which is primarily responsible for generating inflammation and pain.

Common NSAID examples are naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve) and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). Other examples include ketoprofen (Orudis), etodolac (Lodine), meloxicam (Mobic), Celecoxib (Celebrex), indomethacin, oxaprozin (Daypro), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), piroxicam (Feldene), and nabumetone (Relafen).

NSAIDs are often recommended once a definite diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is made. However, when taken in high dosages for prolonged periods, these drugs can produce severe side effects, including stomach bleeding, gastric ulcers, and even kidney and liver damage.

Corticosteroids

Another group of medication used for rheumatoid arthritis treatment is corticosteroids. These drugs suppress the immune system, thus reducing inflammation.

Cortisone (Cortone), methylprednisolone (SoluMedrol, DepoMedrol), betamethasone (Celestone Soluspan), triamcinolone (Aristocort), dexamethasone (Decadron), prednisolone (Delta-Cortef), and prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), are some examples of corticosteroids.

Although corticosteroids can be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis, they are known to trigger adverse effects when used in extended periods of time. Some of these side effects include easy bruising, glaucoma, cataracts, thinning bones, and excessive weight gain, and diabetes. Because of their potential to develop severe side effects, these medications are often only used as a short-term remedy to manage sudden outbreaks of the disease. On the plus side, a single injection of the drug can inhabit inflammation of a specific joint for a long period of time.

DMARDs or Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs

DMARDs are a group of medications that act to suppress the immune system from attacking the joints, thus retarding the progression of further joint damage. In treating rheumatoid arthritis, DMARDs are frequently taken together with other medications for increased efficiency.

Rheumatoid arthritis commonly causes permanent joint damage, which starts to manifest at the onset. For this reason, most physicians would recommend DMARD therapy immediately upon diagnosis. Patients are most responsive to DMARDs during the early stages of RA. The sooner the medication is taken, the more beneficial it is for the patient.

Some DMARD examples include methotrexate (Rheumatrex), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral), hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), gold salts (Solganal, Ridaura, Myochrysine, Aurolate), cyclophosphamide, azathioprine (Imuran), penicillamine (Cuprimine), minocycline, leflunomide (Arava), and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine).

Though some DMARD products have been proven effective in RA treatment, the potential for severe side effects is enormous. Long-term usage of DMARDs can lead to bone marrow and liver toxicity, susceptibility to infections, skin allergies, and even autoimmunity.

Among the examples of DMARDs previously listed, hydroxychloroquine has the least risk of causing bone marrow and liver toxicity, and is therefore considered to be one of the safest DMARD types. Unfortunately, hydroxychloroquine is not a particularly powerful medication, and is not strong enough on its own to control the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Conversely, methotrexate is considered to be one of the most powerful DMARDs to use in RA treatment due to a number of reasons. It has been known to effectively fight RA without causing bone marrow and liver toxicity like most other DMARDs. In addition, methotrexate works safely and effectively when used alongside biological agents, which are another group of RA drugs discussed below. Thus, it is frequently prescribed in combination with biological agents in cases where the drug fails to adequately treat rheumatoid arthritis on its own. However, it should be noted that although methotrexate is not as risky as others, it still has the potential to suppress the bone marrow or cause hepatitis. In such cases, regular blood tests are always advised to efficiently monitor the patient's condition, as well as to stop treatment at the first indication of trouble.

Biological Agents

Biological agents, also known as biological drugs, serve to reduce inflammation through various ways.

One means through which biological agents work is by blocking TNFs or tumor necrosis factors. Infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira), and etanercept (Enbrel) are some examples of TNF blockers.

Another way with which biological agents alleviate inflammation is by killing B cells. The drug Rituximab (Rituxan), in particular, binds itself to B cells, ultimately destroying them.

Other medications that lessen inflammation in their own distinctive ways are:

- tocilizumab (Actemra, RoActemra), which works by blocking interleukin 6 or IL-6
- anakinra (Kineret), which serves to block interleukin 1 or IL-1
- abatacept (Orencia), which functions by blocking T-cells

One thing to consider is that each of these biological agents has its own potential for specific adverse side effects. Careful consideration should be given to the drug's side effects when prescribing it to a patient.

Salicylates

Salicylates serve to reduce prostaglandins production. Prostaglandins cause the painful and inflammatory symptoms of arthritis. In recent years, salicylates have been widely replaced with NSAIDs, primarily because the former can cause severe side effects, e.g. potentially damaging kidney function.

Pain Relief Medications

Last but not least, a variety of pain relief medications may also be used in rheumatoid arthritis treatment. Examples of medications which have the primary purpose of pain relief include tramadol (Ultram) and acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Although anti-pain medication neither reduces inflammation nor delays joint damage progression, it allows the patient to feel more comfortable and ultimately function better in his/her daily life. For this reason alone, pain relief medications are definitely worth mentioning.

Surgery as a Last Resort

If the medications listed above prove ineffective, doctors may recommend surgery. Surgical procedures used in RA treatment include tendon repair, joint lining removal (synovectomy), and arthroplasty or joint replacement surgery, wherein the damaged parts of the joint are replaced with prosthetics.

Gout Cure Using Herbs and Homeopathy


There are over hundred varieties of arthritis recorded in the history of medical world and gout is one serious type of arthritis among them. Gout is a painful manifestation of the metabolic arthritis and the main cause of the disease is the accumulation of the excess uric acid in the body. The uric acid is the waste substance of the purines present in the food we take and it is dissolved in the blood. The uric acid then is processed by the kidney to get rid the body of it through the system. But when there is too much uric acid builds up in the body the kidneys can't process those to get the body rid of those substances. The uric acid then start to deposit the uric acid crystals in the joints and the tendons which causes the gout attack.

Genetic factors, food and lifestyle habits, taking certain medicines, previous injury all these can be the reasons behind the gout. There are various types of treatments are also available for the gout. Among these the Homeopathic remedy is one. Homeopathic remedies can help in alleviating the pain during the gout attack.

Homeopathy is a well known practiced branch of medicine where the non-toxic methods are administered to treat the illnesses. The treatment offers different types of pain relief conditions too. The physicians who practice the Homeopathy must be the licensed doctors in the branch of Homeopathy and they help the gout patients in prescribing the gout treatments.

If you want to have some basic ideas about the Homeopathic treatment of the gout you can have some idea about some herbs and their indication in treating the gout.

The physicians use the herb Belladonna if there is any sudden onset of the gout attack. The herb is good for the joint area when it is red, hot, swollen and in intense pain. When the joints are shiny and a simple touch can cause intense and intolerable pain the Belladonna is the most suited homeopathic remedy.

One of the most effective gout remedies in homeopathy is Colchicum. The medicine is good for the big toe which is the most common gout area. This is good for the heels and other joints when the area is red, hot and swollen. Colchicum helps in relieving the pain of gout when there is intense pain felt in the affected area.

Other good homeopathic remedies for the big toe area are Rhododendron and Ledum Palustre. Ledum Palustre is good as a pain relief medicine when the pain is felt throughout the entire foot. Rhododendron is good for the gout pain which occurs especially in the morning and after taking some long rest.

Some other homeopathic medicines for the gout are Bryonia, Arnica, Calcarea Fluorica, Berberis Vulgaris and Sulphur. These medicines have different indications for the gout treatments.

If you want homeopathic treatment for your gout problem you must see the professional homeopathic physician and consult him for his supervision. Some people have some basic knowledge about the homeopathy and like the self treatment. But consulting a doctor is always a must even if you are well aware of the herbs and their indication.

Alleviating the Most Prominent Symptoms of Osteoarthritis


Some symptoms of osteoarthritis are rather subtle, while others are more obvious. Because the joint damage itself is progressive, it may be physically unnoticeable at first. Men and women may feel soreness within their hips, knees, and ankles, which can usually be alleviated by prescriptive pain medications. Individuals who have suffered with the disease for many years may eventually notice that the joints themselves have become deformed. If this occurs in the wrists and fingers, for example, they will likely have problems holding and gripping material objects.

When the joints weaken, the muscles may deteriorate as well. When this happens in the knee area, men and women may experience difficulty remaining upright for long periods of time. They may even eventually require a cane in order to get around. If they seem to be having a particularly difficult time walking, they should rest their legs until the feel a bit better. A few days of inactivity can be quite the boon for bone health. If the knee grows progressively worse, they can then see a specialist and have the area carefully x-rayed.

Their range of motion may also be limited. Some men and women first begin to notice this when they play sports. For example, if they are avid players of tennis or golf, they may find that they cannot follow through on their swings as they used to. In other cases, they may also notice significant pain, especially when they move their bodies in an unnatural way. Athletes who begin to experience signs of osteoarthritis should see their physical therapist as soon as possible. If the symptoms persist, they'll likely receive a formal diagnosis within a few days or weeks.

Though some people may notice that their joints hurt after a day of physical activity, they should pay particular attention to how they feel when they sleep. If they wake up during the night with joint pain, this could be a very real sign that their osteoarthritis is getting worse. If the pain is also accompanied by sensitive swelling, then they should revisit their physician for a routine examination. Doctors can gently perform some tests, which should pinpoint the source of the new pain.

In the end, osteoarthritis can be effectively dealt with in most people. As long as patients listen to their bodies and alert their doctors whenever significant changes are noticed, they can move forward with their treatment. Family and friends will surely be glad to help out when it comes to scheduling medical appointments and running errands around town.

The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not, nor is it ever intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice or professional recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician(s) or other qualified healthcare provider(s).

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Occupational Therapy Implication For Promotion Of Mobility 1


As an occupational therapist, whatever I do, I supplement and complement whatever the physiotherapist/physical therapist does, that there be no repetition of clinical care, or clash in ideas in treatment. This is done for all aspects of rehabilitation, but here we will discuss first in the area of mobility. The prescription of a walking aid, be it a walking stick, quadstick or walking frame may be given to a patient for reasons of safety and function.

All therapists must take note that the correct height is of upmost importance - too high or too low and it will create an imbalance of the muscles and joint structures involved, causing unnecessary compensatory movements that will tax the involved muscles and tissues. To get the correct length or height, we need to get the patient to be wearing their normal attire and shoes, stand straight as how they would normally stand, and then measure the length from the ground to the patient's greater trochanter. This would be the most accurate data.

An alternative to the measurement, the walking stick can be placed on the ground and the its height should be at the wrist crease for the length to be of an appropriate length. Any additional length should be collapsed upon (they are collapsible now, but they used to saw the additional lengths off). The rubber at the bottom should be changed regularly, as they can wear out relatively fast. The walking stick is used at the opposite hand of the affected leg, so as to transfer the weight of the body through the arm and stick. We do not encourage the use of double sided walking stick, as they are more unstable that way. If necessary, we can encourage the use of walking frames or crutches.

If crutches are deemed necessary, the physiotherapist will assess the patients for the use of the crutches and teach them how to use it, but the occupational therapist's role would then to monitor their correct and adequate use of the walking aid when carrying out their roles in the rehabilitation program. Axillary crutches (the kind that rests under the arm pits) are not often recommended, as they have a risk or a contra indication of use - the tisk is the danger of damage to the gleno humeral joint and axillary region in the case of a fall or a near fall that can dislocate the joint.