Tag: John Robben

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

Relief From Arthritis: A Who’s Who in Arthritis Treatment for

Relief From Arthritis: A Who’s Who in Arthritis Treatment for Newly Diagnosed Patients
John Robben

Newly diagnosed arthritis patients can easily become overwhelmed
with the myriad of information, treatment options, help and
professionals available to them, while still trying to find
relief from their disease. In an effort to demystify who does
what, this article will point out each of the people you’ll most
likely be interacting with during your arthritis treatment and
explain their role in helping you find relief from arthritis.

Arthritis Treatment Specialist: Acupuncturist

Considered foreign to most Americans, acupuncture has become a
beacon in the arthritis treatment sphere. By placing small,
sterile needles into very specific points on the body,
acupuncture is said to relieve stress, increase endorphins and
remove blockages that are pain-causing, thus providing relief
from arthritis. For a list of fully trained osteopaths who are
also acupuncturists, visit the American Academy of Medical
Acupuncture for more information.

Arthritis Treatment Specialist: Chiropractor

Chiropractors are the hands-on, trained manipulators that
actually realign the joints, muscles and tendons that may be out
of whack. Although they are not medical doctors, chiropractors
may refer their findings to your family doctor or rheumatologist
for further investigation. The American Chiropractic Association
can give you a better idea as to what exact these professionals
can do to help you find relief from arthritis.

Arthritis Treatment Specialist: Massage Therapist (LMT,
CMT)

Relief from arthritis isn’t only found in the bottom of a
medicine bottle or at the hands of a surgeon; many arthritis
treatment plans strongly suggest a massage therapist as an aide
to reduce muscle tension or to increase one’s range of motion.
However, not all massage therapists are trained the same: check
with the American Massage Therapy Association for certified
arthritis treatment specialists in your area.

Arthritis Treatment Specialist: Orthopaedic Surgeon (MD)

Specializing in the evaluation and treatment of the bones,
joints and tissues, orthopedic surgeons usually work on a
referral-based system from your family doctor. These types of
doctors will determine whether or not your arthritis treatment
will focus on surgery, non-surgical options or a combination
thereof. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons can answer
most of your general questions about surgical arthritis
treatment options that can bring relief from arthritis symptoms.

Arthritis Treatment Specialist: Physical Therapist

Sometimes known as occupational therapists as well, physical
therapists help with the daily management of the disease by
showing patients practical, hands on tactics to find relief from
arthritis. This can include heat/cold therapy, assistive
techniques (different ways of doing the same thing so that there
is less pain but with no reduction of mobility), introducing
tools that can help with day-to-day living and exercises that
increase flexibility and mobility. Contact the American Physical
Therapy Association for more information.

Arthritis Treatment Specialist: Rheumatologist (MD)

A rheumatologist is a doctor who specializes in the treatment of
muscle and skeletal problems, such as lupus, osteoporosis and
gout. Rheumatologists work closely with your family doctor to
ensure your arthritis treatment is specific and specialized. The
American College of Rheumatology provides “professional
education” to its members and publishes several journals related
to arthritis treatment and the relief from arthritis symptoms.

About the author:
John Robben is the owner/operator of Ultimate Water Massage
(est. 2000), a Washington-based company that offers over 2000
products to ease your pain and your life. Visit for more
information, tools, supplies and tips for relief from arthritis
pain at http://www.ultimatewatermassage.com/.

Osteoarthritis: Causes and Symptoms

Osteoarthritis: Causes and Symptoms
John Robben

Osteoarthritis: Cause and Symptoms

In our last article, we briefly discussed Osteoarthritis and
Rheumatoid Arthritis. This article will take a close look at the
cause, symptoms, and current treatment used for Osteoarthritis.
So let’s take a second look at what Osteoarthritis is.

Osteoarthritis is known by many as “wear and tear” Arthritis. It
is one of the most common forms of Arthritis and is the result
of cartilage wearing away from the joints. This cartilage is
responsible for the smooth gliding of joints, and once it begins
to deteriorate, the patient is left with pain, joint swelling
and inflammation, and even deformity.

Osteoarthritis patients usually state that their pain is
greatest during times of movement, and then lessens
significantly during periods of rest. Osteoarthritis affects
many more women than men. There is an estimated 24 million
Osteoarthritis sufferers in the United States and roughly 74%
are women.

The cause of Osteoarthritis is not known, yet doctors have many
suspicions. Some of the symptoms of Osteoarthritis boggle the
minds of scientists and more research needs to take place to
determine the actual root of the disease. For instance, X-rays
can tell that Arthritis is present, yet the amount of pain
reported by Osteoarthritis sufferers differs from the results of
the X-ray. Though many people refer to Osteoarthritis as the
“wear and tear” disease, evidence shows that this disease and
its mysterious cause are not as simple as that definition. In
fact, “wear and tear” does not take place in just one joint, but
affects joints simultaneously throughout the body. An example of
this, is that sufferers with Osteoarthritis of the knee, offer
suffer Osteoarthritis in the hand. Also, doctors have noted that
patients don’t suffer with Osteoarthritis on just one side of
the body (as would be expected due to wear and tear) but because
it seems to affect the body concurrently, it appears that
Osteoarthritis is a systematic disease affecting all of the
cartilage at once.

One suggestion is that Osteoarthritis is a result of cartilage
that has stopped functioning at optimum level. Cartilage is
continuously undergoing a process where it is broken down, then
rebuilt. Some theories state that this process becomes
unbalanced and out of hand. This is referred to as “End Stage
Osteoarthritis.” It is at this stage that joint pain and
impairment begin to manifest. There are many natural remedies
that show promise in the management of Osteoarthritis pain and
symptoms. Look for future articles in our Arthritis Series that
will offer natural remedies that may prevent enzymes from
damaging cartilage.

Some other ideas that point to the cause of Osteoarthritis
include:

Previous Sports related or Joint Injuries Genetically
Inherited (it appears that Osteoarthritis runs in families)
Repeated Occurrences of Bleeding into a Joint (as occurs with
Hemophilia and other diseases) Repeated Occurrences of Gout
and Gout like Diseases Avascular Necrosis- this is a condition
where blood near a bone is cut off, this leads to bone death as
well as joint damage. Avascular Necrosis typically afflicts the
hip joint. Previous Rheumatoid Related Illness- such as
Rheumatoid Arthritis can lead to chronic inflammation of the
joints. Osteoporosis-due to the high risk of bone fractures
and injury, Osteoarthritis may develop in joints. Metabolic
Disorders- for example, Hemochromatosis can result in high
levels of Iron being deposited in the joints Joint
Infection-It is believed that cartilage may deteriorate in
people who have defects in their cartilage and joints.

We’ve discussed the potential causes of Osteoarthritis, now it
is time to look at the various symptoms of Osteoarthritis.
The symptoms of Osteoarthritis include:

Joint Pain- this tends to be worse when rising in the morning
Joint Swelling and Inflammation- this occurs during periods of
activity Feeling a “Grinding” Sensation when a Joint is moved
Loss of Mobility and Flexibility

There is no sure way to prevent Arthritis in any of its forms.
There are however some things that you can do to help lower your
risk of developing Osteoarthritis or any other type of
Arthritis. Some of the preventative methods that you may add
to your lifestyle today include:

Maintain an Ideal Body Weight Take steps to prevent the
development of Osteoporosis. Some of these include taking
adequate Vitamin D and Calcium, exercising, and taking
medication if needed. Do your best to prevent injuring your
bones and joints -try to avoid accidents such as sports related,
implementing joint protection by using splints and braces.

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

Living With Arthritis: 6 Ways to Cope for Arthritis Sufferers

Living With Arthritis: 6 Ways to Cope for Arthritis Sufferers
John Robben

Living With Arthritis: 6 Ways to Cope for Arthritis Sufferers

Just because you’ve been diagnosed with arthritis doesn’t mean
that you have to wait in pain for your doctor to contact you.
There are quite a few things you can do as an arthritis sufferer
while waiting for new medications, an appointment for a
specialist or just to work on the problem yourself. This article
will detail some of the simple but highly effective ways you can
manage arthritis comfortably on your own time and at your own
pace.

Living With Arthritis Tip #1: Keep On Moving Although it’s
painful for most arthritis sufferers to stay active, you need to
be mobile every single day in order to keep your current range
of movement. Even if you can only manage a ten minute walk
daily, those ten minutes will do wonders for your mood, joints
and pain in the long term.

Living With Arthritis Tip #2: Don’t Push Yourself If you don’t
have to use your body to move, push or pull something, don’t.
Living with arthritis means taking stock of what you can and
cannot do, and then creating new ways of doing the same thing
without hurting yourself. This might mean purchasing assistive
devices (special can-openers for instance), losing weight or
using the larger joints (such as your hips) instead of the
smaller ones (such as your back) to lift things.

Living With Arthritis Tip #3: Stay Tuned Keep up with the
current findings, research and information related to fellow
arthritis sufferers and the disease itself. As they say, knowing
is half the battle!

Living With Arthritis Tip #4: Talk About It Let your friends and
family know when living with arthritis becomes a challenge, or
when you are frustrated with the disease. Educate them as well,
since the more they know the more they will be able to assist
you as well. Even better, find a local support group where you
can discuss with other arthritis sufferers your feelings about
the illness.

Living With Arthritis Tip #5: If The Shoe Fits… Make sure that
what supports you is actually supporting you properly! Those
suffering from arthritis need even more foot, ankle and joint
support than most. Invest wisely in a pair of orthopedic shoes
and you’ll notice the difference almost immediately.

Living With Arthritis Tip #6: Stretch It Out By stretching the
joints that you use the most, you are not only making your body
work better, you’ll be making your disease easier to manage. Try
to focus on the larger joints (knees, ankles, hips, back) at
least once a day for a cat-like stretch to invigorate the mind,
body and spirit.

About the author:
John Robben is the owner/operator of Ultimate Water Massage
(est. 2000), a Washington-based company that offers over 2000
products to ease the pain of arthritis sufferers. Visit for more
information, tools, supplies and tips for living with arthritis
at http://www.ultimatewatermassage.com/.