Rheumatoid Arthritis - Symptoms and Treatment

Arthritis is a common term for an illness that covers a broad spectrum that comprises more than one hundred illnesses. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common, while rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common. Rheumatoid arthritis, however, is the most severe form of arthritis.

What are the Symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis?

How do you know which type of arthritis you have? There are certain symptoms present for different types of arthritis:

• Paleness


• Appetite loss


• Low-grade fever


• Range of motion is limited


• Numbness or Tingling Sensations


• Redness of skin


• Inflammation of skin


• Hand and foot deformities


• Swollen glands


• Nodules under the skin - round and painless


• Pleurisy - inflammation of the lungs

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can vary - and can include any of the above symptoms or all of the above symptoms. Different symptoms may be apparent at different stages of the disease. Consulting a physician with a list of your known symptoms can help you discover if rheumatoid arthritis is the type of arthritis you have. Active and Inactive Rheumatoid arthritis is a form of arthritis that can occur in stages. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can be active or inactive. When the symptoms are inactive, the patient is in remission - and can have long periods of time with no symptoms present. Signs of a flare-up can include:

• Fatigue


• Aches in muscles and joints


• Stiffness in joints


• Low-grade fever can be present


• Appetite loss


• Joints can become red, swollen, painful, and tender

During a flare-up of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, your daily routine can become severely limited. Things that you take for granted, like opening doors, opening jars, and sometimes, even walking, become too painful. At times like these, it is important that you understand that it is okay to let others help you. Remission can occur at any time - there is no rhyme or reason. The symptoms can disappear at any time - and they can begin again at any time. Sometimes, the remission may last a few days and others times, it may last a few months. Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

As with any medical illness, you should consult your physician for diagnosis. Once you have shared your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms with your physician, he/she may suggest tests - including blood tests and x-rays of your joints. Your physician uses the results of these tests, along with your symptoms in order to make a diagnosis.

Once a diagnosis has been made, you should discuss your choices with your physician. There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis - but many people have effectively managed to control rheumatoid arthritis symptoms by eating healthy, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly. It is very important to maintain your overall health - physically and mentally - in order to manage rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. One very important thing to remember is that even if your rheumatoid arthritis is in remission and you have not shown any symptoms for months, it is important to maintain your healthy way of life. You should maintain your exercise routine in order to keep the muscles around your joints strong so that when your joints need to rely a little more on the muscles, the muscles will be able to carry the load.

Before you use medicine to treat your rheumatoid arthritis, you should educate yourself as much as possible. Learn all you can about the possible side effects, how the medication interacts with other drugs and foods, and how the medication will affect your daily life. For some people, controlling rheumatoid arthritis symptoms with medication may be the answer. Others may choose not to take the risks associated with the medications available for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

For those who choose not to take that risk, there are many natural treatments that help to control rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. There are many herbal remedies that can be ingested to help ease the symptoms - and many herbal remedies that can be used as massaging oils and liniments to help ease the pain and inflammation of the joints. Many home remedies have been effective for people for years - the key is to find the one that will work for you.

A Variety of Natural Arthritis Remedies

Are you suffering from arthritis? Did you know that there are natural ingredients that can cure arthritis that are right in your supermarket? It's true. A couple of proposed natural treatments for arthritis have been proven to be successful over the years. The most common and widely used natural remedy for arthritis is the use of heat and cold to treat the disease. Applying heat to a joint can provide significant relief and you can use electric blankets and even hot packs. Taking a bath can also play a significant role. Cold can also be used as a natural remedy for arthritis in that by wrapping an ice cube in a piece of cloth and pressing it on the joint will relieve pain.

Another most effective natural cure for arthritis is by mixing dilute garlic, lavender, sage, rosemary, thyme or juniper oils in the proportion of one part to ten of olive oil and applying the oil combination on the painful joints can lead to immediate relief and curing of arthritis. Another simple treatment for this illness is the use of hot vinegar, which can also be applied on the joint as it helps reduce the pain and swelling around the joint. Using 1 to 2 teaspoons of cod liver oil is likewise known as an effective way to lessen the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. Adding alfalfa seeds to your tea and drinking it up to 3 to 4 cups daily will also reduce inflammation on your joints.

The most attractive feature of these natural arthritis remedies is that they are safe and have not been shown to cause the same adverse reactions as the pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory drugs. Below are some of the more well-known natural remedies for arthritis:

• Glucosamine & Chondroitin
  These compounds are naturally found in the body and can aid in promoting joint health and repair.


• MSM
  A naturally occurring sulfur compound that reduces swelling much like other arthritis medications


• Manganese
  An important antioxidant nutrient that is useful in treating rheumatoid arthritis


• Niacinamide
  This is also known as Vitamin B3. It helps maintain the integrity of cells and tissues, slowing the progression of arthritis.


• Turmeric and ginger extract
  Both are anti-inflammatory herbal extracts that are effective in curing rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.

The Home Treatment Programme, which was developed by Charles de Coti-Marsh over 60 years ago, offers a natural method of managing your arthritis and relief from the associated pain. This program presents three essential components; namely: diet, supplementation and postural management.

Weight loss can be considered one of the natural cures for arthritis, as the joints affected get relief when there is less weight and stress placed upon them daily. There might be natural cures for arthritis that meet with the body's needs for healing. Again, be sure and check with a doctor before taking large doses of any supplement or when using a program with prescription arthritic drugs.

Does Running Cause Arthritis?

Is it a foregone conclusion, that if you run for years, you will have arthritis? Many of my patients are concerned that the aches and pains that are inevitable from distance running are actually harbingers for the future aches and pains of arthritis. This fear is even strong enough to get older runners to quit and start a lower impact exercise regimen like swimming and cycling. Is this a reasonable fear? Yes and No! Running by itself does not cause arthritis; improper biomechanics coupled with the rigors of running can cause arthritis.

Consider the stress of running on the joints for a minute. The foot hits the ground and the bones and joints experience force up to six times the runner's body weight at impact. The joints are being asked to move and glide efficiently and smoothly while enduring this stress. In the event of a misstep or stumble, the joints need to continue to be stable to maintain their perfect alignment.

Osteoarthritis, a.k.a. "wear and tear arthritis", is what runner's dread. This is degeneration of the articular cartilage which absorbs shock, distributes stress and allows the joints to glide smoothly. The ability to run pain free depends on the health and integrity of this cartilage as we age. In osteoarthritis, the surface of the cartilage becomes roughened, fissured and even starts to shred into small fragments. These fragments "float" around the joint and cause more damage. The bone tries to protect itself by producing small bony prominences called osteophytes which actually in the end make the joint damage and pain worse.

Any kind of sports participation can increase the incidence of osteoarthritis due to increased twisting forces, high impact, muscle weakness or over-development and joint instability which causes abnormal peak pressures and greater stress in certain areas of cartilage which can lead to osteoarthritis. Nevertheless, for normal joints , there is no scientific evidence that simply the action of running, even over a long period of time, causes permanent joint damage or even a predisposition for osteoarthritis.

What is the risk of osteoarthritis in runners? Many studies of long-term runners show no increased incidence of osteoarthritis in these competitive runners. Some studies did show more evidence of osteophytes, but no correlation with joint pain or instability. Confusing the issue for many runners are the numerous incidents of misdiagnosis of repetitive stress injuries like patella-femoral syndrome as arthritis. This is reversible and caused by abnormal tracking of the kneecap, which is treated with physical therapy and orthotics.

Joints are in fact strengthened by activity and damaged by inactivity. Studies have shown that the articular cartilage actually thins and becomes more fragile with inactivity, therefore increasing the risk of arthritis. Joints adapt to the stress of exercise and become stronger and more able to endure the long term stress of running. Remember the doctor saying to increase slowly? This is why. Ligaments and muscles, which support the joints, are strengthened and reinforced by the stresses of the running activity, improving joint mechanics, if the joints are properly aligned.

Here is the truth about foot biomechanics. Proper biomechanics during the strengthening process is essential for joint health. Improper biomechanics can increase the stress on the joints in an abnormal fashion and actually increase the incidence of osteoarthritis and hasten joint damage.

Bottom line? Running does not increase the incidence of osteoarthritis unless the lower extremity biomechanics are faulty. In fact, almost 75% of Americans over the age of 65 experience some symptoms of osteoarthritis. This is not increased in runners. In fact, running may actually help with the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

The benefits associated with long distance running profoundly overshadow the risk of osteoarthritis. In runners, orthotic devices to correct their biomechanics early in their training may actually decrease the stress associated with increased osteoarthritis. If you have joint symptoms, see a sports medicine podiatrist today and have your gait realigned. Your joints will thank you. Remember, your feet are meant to carry you for a lifetime. Don't let the fear of osteoarthritis rob you of the joy of a lifetime of distance running!

General Information About Osteoarthritis

Common Characteristics of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is one of the most common ailments associated with getting older, and it is therefore most common in those parts of the world where people live the longest. More than 15 million Americans receive medical attention for osteoarthritis each year, and more than twice that many are affected by it to some degree. However, it rarely results in serious disability.

Osteoarthritis is essentially a "wear-and-tear" disorder. In typical cases, symptoms appear after the age of 50, and usually in the large joints that bear the most weight--the hips, knees, shoulders and spine.

Pain and stiffness are at their most uncomfortable upon arising in the morning and are likely to be intensified during damp, cold weather. (This does not mean, however, that symptoms are likely to disappear in a warm, dry climate.) Redness and swelling of the affected joints may also occur. Joints, particularly in the fingers, may become permanently gnarled by osteoarthritis, but this almost never interferes with their function. Painless bony bumps, known as Heberden's nodes, may also appear symmetrically on the fingers of both hands or on toe joints as well.

Causes of Osteoarthritis

When a person is young and spry, the joints between the bones swing freely like efficient, well-oiled hinges. Stresses and strains are absorbed by the cartilage pads that provide cushioning and lubrication at the ends of the bones where they constantly come together as the parts of the body make their coordinated movements.

Over the years, these protective layers become eroded, lubricating fluids diminish and the result is a sensation often described as "creaking" at the joints. In addition to a decrease in smoothness of function, small growths, or spurs, may develop on the bones in the area of the joints. These are 10 times more prevalent among women than among men and are likely to aggravate an already uncomfortable condition.

Signs and Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

Since the weight-bearing joints are the ones most commonly affected, stiffness and discomfort in the knees and hips are likeliest to occur first, especially in the overweight person or in someone whose life style involves long stretches of standing or walking. A visit to the doctor for diagnosis normally includes close inspection of painful areas as well as X-ray examination of the joints in question. (when X-ray pictures are taken for diagnosis of some other condition in younger patients, they usually reveal the beginnings of cartilage erosion in the weight-bearing joints at a stage that does not yet produce associated symptoms.) Other than X-rays and visual examination, there are no other diagnostic tests for osteoarthritis.

Treatment of Osteoarthritis

Where overweight exists as a contributing factor, efforts should be made to lose the extra pounds and keep them off. Application of warm, moist heat, slow and gentle massage of the affected joints and a reduction (not a total cessation) of normal activities are ways in which patients can help themselves when there is an intensification of discomfort. Where pressure on the weight-bearing joints can be diminished through postural adjustments, special exercises may be recommended.

Drug Therapy

Although inflammation is not one of the initial symptoms of osteoarthritis, as the joint degeneration progresses, swelling, redness and other signs of inflammation may occur. When this happens, anti-inflammatory drug therapy may be recommended.

Aspirin. Patients who can tolerate high doses of aspirin may be treated with this drug alone. However, patients on anti-inflammatory aspirin therapy, which may involve taking 16 or more tablets a day, should be aware of possible side effects, among which the most common are ringing in the ears, heartburn and other gastrointestinal upsets. To minimize gastrointestinal complications, the aspirin should be scheduled after meals. Acetaminophen, in smaller dosages, may be recommended as an alternative to aspirin.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents. These are relatively new drugs that relieve the pain and joint inflammation of osteoarthritis. It is the physician's role to match the patient with the particular drug that will be most suitable and effective without adverse effects. Sometimes drugs are used in combination, but whatever the procedure, supervision by the doctor is usually indicated if maximum benefit is to be achieved.

Steroids. In those few cases where other measures fail, steroid drugs (cortisone) may be injected into the damaged joint for temporary relief. However, long-term treatment with steroids is not recommended for osteoarthritis.

Surgery

When an older person suffers such severe osteoarthritis that most normal activity becomes impossible, surgical replacement of the affected joints may be considered. Hip replacement, in which the entire hip joint or head of the femur is replaced, is the most common operation of this type. The replacement joint is made of plastic and metal parts and is held in place by special plastic cements. The artificial joints allow the previously immobilized patient to be relieved of crippling pain, and most activities can be resumed following physical therapy and regaining of muscle function.

More recent joint replacements include the knee--a joint that is more complicated than the hip and, consequently, poses more engineering problems in replacing. However, the newer artificial knee joints are providing good results, both in terms of pain relief and restoration of function.

Traumatic Arthritis

Closely related to osteoarthritis, traumatic arthritis is usually the result of excessive joint use combined with injury. It is commonly seen in athletes. Rest will usually resolve the problem, although in some instances, drugs or surgery may be required, particularly in the case of athletes who need to quickly regain the use of the injured joints.

Summing Up

For millions of people, osteoarthritis is an inevitable condition of aging. Most cases can be handled by rest and common sense. Anti-inflammatory drugs--both non-prescription painkillers such as aspirin or acetaminophen, or prescription non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents--may be used during flare-ups.

Osteoarthritis rarely turns into a crippling disease, but as newer and more effective drugs are available for reducing aches and pains to a minimum, there is little reason for allowing this particular cause of physical discomfort to be a dominating factor in determining one's life style in advancing years.

Frankincense Proves a Natural Arthritis and Gout Medication

An age old substance could offer new hope for sufferers of inflammatory arthritis and the more common osteoarthritis. That substance is frankincense, a resin derived from the hardy Boswellia tree. Frankincense has been traded for over 5000 years, and is best known for its aroma. It is commonly used in incense and perfumes.

Frankincense is also widely used in various religious rites, and was said to be among the gifts presented to baby Jesus by the biblical Magi, or wise men, along with gold and myrrh (a similar reddish resin). Frankincense is still burned in the Roman Catholic Church.

Frankincense has also long been valued for its medicinal properties. The resin is edible, and is used in Asian traditional medicine to aid digestion and promote healthy skin. Frankincense has also been used in Ayurvedic (traditional Indian) medicine for hundreds of years, and is called dhoop. Dhoop is used for treating arthritis, healing wounds, strengthening the female hormonal system and combating germs and mosquitoes.

Scientists have been investigating frankincense as a treatment for chronic inflammatory conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, asthma, cancer, and rheumatoid and osteoarthritis In 2008, researchers from John Hopkins University and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reported that frankincense smoke was a psychoactive drug that relieved depression and anxiety in mice.

In another 2008 study at the University of California, 70 osteoarthritis patients taking a frankincense extract showed a significant improvement in their condition in less than seven days, with no major adverse effects. The extract was a proprietary product developed by Laila Nutraceuticals.

Recently, scientists from Cardiff University in Wales, noting that frankincense was a traditional herbal remedy for arthritis in the local Somali community, began to research it in the lab. Their research focused on whether and how extracts of frankincense could help reduce arthritic inflammation and reduce pain.

They were able to demonstrate that an extract of a rare frankincense species, Boswellia frereana, inhibited the production of key inflammatory molecules, helping to prevent the painful breakdown of cartilage that is characteristic of arthritis and gouty arthritis.

"What our research has managed to achieve is to use innovative chemical extraction techniques to determine the active ingredient in frankincense," explained Dr. Ahmed Ali, "Having done this, we are now able to further characterize the chemical entity and compare its success against other anti-inflammatory drugs used for treating the condition."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), arthritis is the most common form of disability in the US, impacting nearly 21 million adults. Arthritis can be classified as either inflammatory or non-inflammatory. Inflammatory arthritis is characterized by the presence of inflammatory white blood cells in the joint fluid.

Gout is an inflammatory form of arthritis, as is rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is a non-inflammatory form of the disease. Both forms are incurable, but can be managed with lifestyle changes and arthritis or gout medications.

The Difference Between Arthritis and Rheumatism

'Rheumatism' is a traditional and non-specific term used in the East and West to refer to a variety of conditions affecting the bones, joints, skin, heart, kidneys, lungs. This term is rapidly falling out of favour in the West today because modern medical science has discovered that most of these conditions have different aetiologies (causes) requiring very different treatments.

You can say that it's a word mainly used in Chinese (& traditional) societies; it's also used by a minority of Westerners into homeopathic and alternative medicine. The only common characteristics among these conditions are: 1) they cause long-term chronic pain, and 2) they are very difficult to treat.

'Arthritis' is a broad term refers to inflammation of the joints, but doesn't say anything about the cause. Includes conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, infective arthritis, gouty arthritis, etc.

Generally, I'd divide arthritis into 2 big groups:

1) Osteoarthritis (OA)

This is primarily a 'wear and tear' condition affecting older people. Arises from overuse (e.g. marathon runners), previous injuries (football players), overweight, heredity. A lot of older Asian women get OA of the knees while the Americans and Europeans get it in the hips. The pain is more mechanical than inflammatory. So you get pain in the later part of the day after a lot of walking and climbing stairs.

Because it's mainly a mechanical problem, treatment with painkillers is only a temporary solution. Long-term lifestyle changes are more important - reduce weight, mobility and muscle-strengthening exercises, reduce all kinds of weight-bearing activities (walking, jumping, running, carrying heavy objects). In severe cases, surgery may be warranted.

2) Inflammatory ('Rheumatic') Arthritis

This group comprises the various types of arthritis which are mainly inflammatory , not mechanical, in nature. They usually result from an auto-immune condition, which causes the body's immune system to go haywire and attack the joints and other parts of the body. E.g. rheumatoid arthritis (RA), SLE (skin, kidneys, joints, brain), psoriasis (skin, joints), ankylosing spondylitis (back, heart), gout (joints, skin, kidneys), rheumatic heart disease/fever (joints, heart, skin). All these conditions require different forms of treatment.

I'll talk a bit about RA, the commonest condition in this group. Unlike OA, RA can occur at any age and is usually hereditary (we now have a test for the RA factor in the blood). Pain is usually in the early morning, worse when it's cold, and gets better with activity and use. That means an RA sufferer suffers from morning stiffness and pain, but gets better in the afternoon when it's warmer and when he has moved around a bit.

Treatment, unlike OA, is mainly through drugs - painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs like steroids, cytotoxic drugs like sulfasalazine and MTX. In Asia, treatment is mainly through accupuncture, medicated plasters and ointments. With the vast arsenals of drugs and non-drugs alternative treatments available today, RA can be controlled very well and the sufferer can actually lead a very active life. Many OA sufferers on the other hand may eventually require surgery since we don't have very effective drugs for OA.

What Sort Of Pet Arthritis Treatment Does Your Pet Need?

If you live with a pet, you know that creature like the back of your hand. You will know if he or she is having any pain or discomfort. Our pets count on us to take care of them. We may know they are not well but if they have arthritis, here are a few symptoms to help you in case you need to get your pet some pet arthritis treatment:

• Soreness when you touch them


• Problems when they get up from a resting position


• Limping


• Hesitancy to jump, walk up or down stairs, walk or climb


• Generally walking slower


• Shying away from you if they think you are going to touch them


• Change in their personality, even if this is a minor change

Larger dogs often suffer from hip arthritis or arthritis in their hind legs. This can be the case with cats too. Like us this usually happens when they get older and are not so sprightely as they were when they were young. This is why you might think it's a general slowing down and not a disease. However, observe your pet for several days and if they have one or more of the above issues, go to your veterinarian to get them checked out.

Like arthritis in humans, pet arthritis does not have a cure yet. However, we can do a lot to help with the pain and inconvenience your pet is going through:

• Get your pet diagnosed by a veterinarian


• Let your veterinarian give you all the advice he or she can offer and consider the treatment plan


• Don't let up on exercise. Dogs, particularly still need to go for their walks, even if at a slower pace.


• If your pet is overweight, get him on a diet. Overweight means more pressure on those joints.


• Check with friends to see if their pets have had similar problems and what they did about it.


• Research online so you get a good picture of how to help with pet arthritis treatment.


• Research glucosamine, especially in liquid form

As you can see, there are many things you can do to help your pet. Glucosamine is known to help pets and in liquid form is easy to administer. It is also important to make your pet feel as comfortable as possible. Make sure he or she is warm and kept away from cold spots and drafts. Check out his or her pet bed and/or blanket. Maybe they are wearing thin and need replacing.

Keep observing your pet. They often are subtly telling us what is best for them. If your pet starts lying down in an unusual place, then check it out. Maybe it is sunnier than his or her old one. Pay attention and let them guide you.