Tag: Arthritis Symptoms

Home Remedies for Arthritis Pain Relief

Do suffer from arthritis? If so, the relief of symptoms is vital. Your ability to function day-to-day depends on your ability to prevent joint pain, stiffness, and swelling, as well as treat it. The good news is that most can do this right from the comfort of their own home! Home remedies do vary. Not everyone sees relief from their arthritis symptoms, but you usually have nothing to lose by trying. So, which home remedies for arthritis relief should you try?

Epsom salt baths. Epsom salts main component is magnesium. It has long been used as a way to seek pain relief. To seek that relief, prepare a warm bath and add in epsom salt. Use the package to determine the appropriate mixture. The magnesium in the salt will help to reduce inflammation, resulting in pain relief and decreased swelling. The warm water calms the body and improves circulation. Pain relief is likely. Continued epsom salt baths not only relieve pain, but help to prevent it too.

Epson salt sprays. As previously stated, epsom salt baths can reduce the pain associated with arthritis. Unfortunately, those with disabilities or the inability to fully move may have difficulty settling into a bathtub. In these instances, epsom salt sprays are an ideal and convenient alternative. Take a spray bottle and fill with water. Use the salt package to determine how much salt should be added. Spray onto your unclothed body and rub. This mixture can be applied anytime of the day, but it is best to do after a warm shower.

Apple cider vinegar drink mixtures. For many arthritis patients, apple cider vinegar not only results in pain relief, but increased mobility. Mix up to two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with a large cup of water. You can also add honey for extra sweetness. Drink once or twice a day. Apple cider vinegar is acidy and it has a sour taste; always mix with water.

Apple cider vinegar soaking mixtures. In addition to drinking a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water, you can also create a soaking mixture. This is ideal if you want to target a specific area of your body and get immediate pain relief. Mix cup of apple cider vinegar, with around one or two liters of water. Warm and soak. For large areas, soak a washcloth or towel in the mixture and apply to your achy joints.

Low-impact exercises. With arthritis, there is always the risk of complications. The risk of severe joint stiffness and deformities can be reduced with low-impact exercises. For many arthritis patients, stretching is enough of a workout. If you are overweight, lose weight. It lessens the pressure placed on joints. Low impact exercises include dancing around the house or walking around the block.

Foods with anti-inflammatory benefits. Did you know that some foods can reduce the pain and swelling associated with arthritis? Some can. These foods include fresh pineapples, fresh cherries, cayenne pepper, and sesame seeds. Although there is little to no proof to backup these claims, many arthritis patients have been eating these foods for years and recommend them.

The above mentioned home remedies are just a few of your many options. Your best bet is to purchase a home remedy book, available for sale online or in most bookstores. Look for any remedies that treat pain, discomfort, depression, difficulty sleeping, and inflammation.

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Water Exercise for Arthritis Relief – Fun and Effective

Water Exercise for Arthritis Relief – Fun and Effective
Isabelle Boulay

Everybody knows exercise is a significant part of staying
healthy. As anyone with arthritis can tell you, though, when
your joints say no to play, exercise goes from pleasurable and
stimulating activity into a trial of how much pain you can
tolerate.

The tendency when suffering from arthritis is to keep your
joints as motionless as possible. The problem is that this leads
to weakening of the muscles and tendons and a stiffening of
joints, which makes the pain worse over time. It is a
self-feeding cycle difficult to break out of.

One solution comes in the form of The Arthritis Foundation
Aquatics Program, a warm water exercise program designed by the
Arthritis Foundation. Why warm water exercise? The warmth
offered by hot water allows muscles to relax and intensifies
circulation of blood to the joints. In fact, ever since the
discovery of the first hot springs, humans have used the miracle
of warm water baths to fight aching joints.

Besides reducing the pain in your joints, exercising in water
permits body weight to be supported. This makes exercising in
water easier, safer and more relaxing. Not only that, but the
resistance that water provides as your body moves in it helps
strengthen muscles

These days, what with spas, health clubs and backyard hot tubs,
just about anyone has access to a pool of hot water to relax in.
Not only does this bring some immediate relief of arthritis
symptoms, but it also provides us with a great environment in
which we can exercise.

You should consult your doctor before beginning water exercise.
Water exercise is completely safe for most people, with a few
exceptions. If you’ve have suffered serious joint damage or
replacement surgery you may be among them. Your doctor will know
what’s right for you. Also be aware of temperature. Water
between 83 and 88 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal for exercise.
Anything over 100 degrees may be relaxing, but can lead to
overheating. After you’ve gotten the doctor go ahead, it’s time
to get started.

The Arthritis Foundation Aquatics Program exercises can be found
in the free brochure “Water Exercise: Pools, Spas and Arthritis”
from the Arthritis Foundation. Classes are also offered at local
pools nationwide–contact your local Arthritis Foundation office
for information. The classes are lead by a trained instructor,
usually last between 45 minutes to an hour and are scheduled 2
to 3 times a week.

With a doctor’s guidance, whether at a local pool or at home, a
water exercise program is a fun and effective way to combat
arthritis and keep joints and muscles healthy.

About the author:
Isabelle Boulay is a writer and contributor to
www.Medopedia.com, where you can find more information on arthritis
treatment and tre
atments for high blood pressure.

Symptoms of Arthritis

Symptoms of Arthritis
John Robben

Symptoms of Arthritis

In a previous article, we discussed what Arthritis is and its
many forms, now it is time to take a look at the symptoms of
Arthritis. Arthritis shows up in various ways. Some of the first
symptoms include things like knees cracking when you stand up,
general pain or swelling around joints that lasts for more than
two weeks, you may also notice that pain in your joints
increases as you move, also you may notice increased stiffness
in your joints when you wake up in the morning, and your joints
may appear red and feel warm to the touch.

Some other symptoms of Arthritis include fever, a sense of
feeling tired all the time, even a feeling that you have the
flu. If you experience any of these symptoms, it is imperative
that you see your doctor or physician at once. Only a doctor can
truly diagnose whether you have Arthritis, and because there are
over 100 forms of Arthritis, it is also important to determine
which form of Arthritis you have. The different forms of
Arthritis have different symptoms as well. It is also important
to seek medical treatment as soon as possible, since Arthritis
has no known cure, the sooner you seek treatment and begin a
regimen of care, and the better your results of managing your
Arthritis will be. Your treatment plan may include things such
as a specific course of medicine, plenty of rest, adequate diet,
and proper nutrition, losing weight if you are overweight, and
in severe cases, surgery may be required. In future articles we
will look at treatment options, from Acupuncture to Zinc.

Is it Rheumatoid Arthritis or Osteoarthritis?

We’ve discussed that there are over 100 forms of Arthritis. The
most common forms are Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and
Gout. All of these forms have different symptoms and require
testing by your physician for an accurate diagnosis. Here are
some of the symptoms and differences between Rheumatoid
Arthritis and Osteoarthritis.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis:

Osteoarthritis Typically begins in one Joint Osteoarthritis
Typically affects only the Joints Osteoarthritis does not
affect Internal Organs Osteoarthritis affects Cartilage
Osteoarthritis causes Stiffness in the Joints when waking in the
Morning Osteoarthritis is a Result of Wear and Tear on the body

Osteoarthritis is a result of cartilage being broke down. As
this takes place, the bones rub together. This typically happens
in the knees, hips, hands, and spine. Unfortunately, when the
pain sets in there has already been a substantial loss and
damage to the cartilage.

Rheumatoid Arthritis has different symptoms than Osteoarthritis.
Here are the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Symptoms of
Rheumatoid Arthritis

Extreme Tiredness and Fatigue Low Grade Fever Muscle Pain
and Aches Appetite Loss Painful and Swollen Joints Redness
and Heat at the Joint Site

Typically, Rheumatoid Arthritis affects the joint of the body in
a symmetrical fashion. Rheumatoid Arthritis is a systematic
disease and it often affects other organs in the body, and not
just joints.

The symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis often appear, and then
enter a state of remission. There is no proven reason as to the
exact cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis, however it has been
suspected that bacteria, fungi, and infections may cause it.
There has also been evidence that Rheumatoid Arthritis is a
hereditary condition. It is also believed that certain triggers,
such as poor nutrition, stress, and infection can bring on
Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Stay tuned for our next article, “Osteoarthritis: Cause and
Treatments”.

About the author:
Written by John
Robben of Ultimate Water Massage, Inc. Providing Massage
Services and Pain Relief products. Visit our Arthritis Information
Center

Inflammatory Arthritis, Alternative Treatments

Inflammatory Arthritis, Alternative Treatments
Daniel DeReuter

There are two main types of arthritis: inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. Inflammatory arthritis can be treated naturally without drugs. Inflammatory arthritis’ symptoms (such as Rheumatoid Arthritis) are exactly what they sound like: inflammation, redness and swelling in the joints. Sometimes there will even be a temperature change in the area affected. Also, in the hand, you may notice that some fingers may look like they are turning away from the thumb (ulnar deviation).
This type of arthritis is primarily an auto-immune response. This means that the body believes it is under attack by an invader, such as an infection of some kind. However,this is not the case and the body ends up “attacking” the toxins that have built up in the joint capsules. Alternative treatment for this type of arthritis is fairly simple. Since the problem is caused by toxins in the joints, then the solution is to remove these toxins.
There are actually several ways to detoxify the body. One of these is fasting. Using juice fasts,fruit fasts or other types of fasts can be very effective. However, it takes a very disciplined individual to actually finish one of these programs. There are several good books to help you if you planon doing a fast, one of my personal favorites is “Dr. Jensen’s Guide to Better Bowel Care””, by Bernard Jensen.
Another way to detox is cleansing the colon with a colonic irrigation or similar procedure. This procedure should be done by a professional since there are some minimum hygiene standards that should be followed. In this procedure, a tube is inserted into the rectum and filtered water is constantly irrigated into the colon-and fecal matter and other wastes flowing out at the same time.People that have this performed often report they see waste products from foods they have not eaten in years.
A third way to cleanse is by supplementing your diet with large quantities of fiber and herbal supplements. This method is probably best for most Americans. Not because it is more effective than the other two, but because of it’s ease of execution.
One good way to see if this type of treatment will help is to buy an inexpensive psyllium supplement and take it three times per day for two days. If you do notice an improvement in your symptoms,then go ahead and purchase a complete cleanse program of some kind.
If you are performing a cleanse you should modify your diet in several ways: increase the consumption of leafy green vegetables, decrease the consumption of dairy, red meat and other mucus-producing foods. And probably the most important-increase your intake of clean filtered water to at least a gallon per day.
One note of caution: when doing any type of cleanse, you may experience a healing crisis. On the third or fourth day or a cleanse regimen, you may experience symptoms such as sore throat, headache, lightheadedness, bad breath or pimples. Don’t panic! this is a normal response and indicates that the cleanse is working and the toxins are beginning to leave your body. Depending on your toxicity level, you may experience some relief by simply having a bowel movement.
If the healing crisis becomes too uncomfortable, then be sure to discontinue the program and consult a health care professional. The goal is to find the type of treatment that is correct for you and see it until the end. You will find that these treatments are more successful in helping arthritis than the traditional medical solution of pain killers and drugs.
© 2000 Daniel DeReuter, D.C.

About The Author

Daniel DeReuter is a chiropractor and author practicing in Georgia. He operates various websites including http://www.deepdownwellness.com and http://www.healthfultips.com. He writes about natural methods for improving health.
[email protected]