Tag: Rheumatoid Arthritis

Powerful Arthritis Pain Relief For All Of Us

Powerful Arthritis Pain Relief For All Of Us
Jim Dowler

When you ask what arthritis is, professinals will tell you it’s inflammation of one or more joints. But you know it better as pain, swelling, stiffness, deformity, and/or a diminished range of motion of those joints! It’s estimated that over 50 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other related conditions. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Osteo arthritis seems to come with the wear and tear of aging and affects nearly three-quarters of those over 50. The onset of arthritis is marked by morning stiffness, crackling joints, and perhaps some pain. As it progresses it causes discomfort, more pain, and some disability. It also causes an enormous consumption of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs that can have undesirable long-term effects. If left untreated, osteo and rheumatoid arthritis, along with other forms of rheumatoid disease, can become progressively worse… painful crippling can result. This is particularly true of rheumatoid arthritis, which can destroy joints, unless effective treatment is administered in time. Modern medicine doesn’t have much to offer for these chronic conditions… offering only symptomatic temporary relief. True, painkillers along with the so-called NSAIDs, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are effective in reducing symptoms quickly. However,these often cause serious side effects such as ulcers and gastrointestinal bleeding, and they don’t stop the progression of the disease. In the long run they have actually proven to worsen the condition by accelerating joint destruction. Coping with the chronic pain of arthritis can be frustrating. You get the feeling you’re all alone facing the daily challenges caused by your arthritis symptoms. And, the traditional treatments leave a lot to be desired. It doesn’t have to be this bad! The last few years of research on arthritis have brought some hope to this dismal picture. Old herbal remedies such as ginger, nettle, and willow bark, as well as fish oils and the already well-known cartilage constituents glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate, are about to revolutionize the treatment of arthritis. These substances not only give symptomatic relief, but, actually intervene at the root of the arthritis problem and help the body to rebuild functioning joints. As they quickly sooth your pain, these powerful creams help repair, restore and regenerate cartilage, tendons, muscle and ligaments. Fast acting, these creams increase mobility and optimal repair of joint structures as they help reinforce the body’s protective linings and lubricating fluids by recovering cell stability and function to stop further damage. Really powerful stuff. You can learn more about this non-traditional arthritis treatment at our website. To your good health, Jim Dowler
Jim Dowler is the Webmaster of http://arthritis-pain-relief.gainstreet.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

Natural Relief for Arthritis

Natural Relief for Arthritis
Nestler

Many arthritis sufferers do not like the idea of conventional
medicine as a means of treating their ailment. They want natural arthritis
relief.

There are those who claim that, if a pill comes from ingredients
from a plant, it is therefore “natural” and suitable for human
consumption. They ignore the fact that extracts of plants and
herbs are chemicals – and some chemicals can kill!

Prescription medicines have undergone numerous tests, following
rigid procedures until there is evidence that any drug or
treatment really does work. Most natural products have not
undergone such testing.

Many so-called “quack” remedies fall in the “natural” category;
their acceptance depends on the fact that, for some unknown
reason, the pain of arthritis tends to flare up and then
subside. Frequently the symptoms subside while the patient is
taking a particular “miracle cure” and the arthritis sufferer
believes he or she is cured. However, it is not uncommon for the
symptoms to return, worse than ever. The fact is, virtually any
new treatment, effective or not, often seems to help at first,
simply because the sufferer wants it to so desperately.

Willow Bark is an example of how “natural” remedies can gain
their reputation. Willow Bark is used in treating arthritis but
its’ effect is a result of the salicylates or everyday aspirin
it contains. Devil’s Claw is also used to treat arthritis – and
it is an analgesic (pain killer)that makes people consider it a
“natural” remedy.

A product prepared from freeze-dried extract of green-lipped New
Zealand mussels was touted as being effective in relieving the
painful swelling and stiffness of arthritis; a variety of
gold-based compounds make up a variety of drugs which
temporarily banish the painful symptoms of arthritis; relief
from arthritic pain is sought by many, especially sportsmen,
wearing magnetic bracelets. Does it matter if these products
actually work – or if the individuals just believe they do?

Actually it does matter: many of the untested products can cause
serious side-effects – especially over the long term.

And what of our diets? Numerous theories have come and gone,
including a “No Nightshade” diet et which eliminates members of
the nightshade family of plants. Another theory “advised
sufferers of rheumatoid arthritis to eat like the Eskimos!”
Current advice follows along the lines of that given for
sufferers of heart problems: eat lots of fish, cut back on
animal fats, include plenty of fruits and vegetables. Experiment
with eliminating dairy products. Does it make a difference in
joint pain or stiffness?

Some of the most natural ways of dealing with arthritis may be
just plain common sense: losing excess weight, mild exercise,
reasonable rest, using moist and local heat to give the joint
flexibility.

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Natural Arthritis Medication to the Rescue!

Natural Arthritis Medication to the Rescue!
Wendy Owen

No matter which type of arthritis you suffer from, be it osteoarthritis, gout, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis or any one of the myriad forms of this disease, you need a safe and effective treatment. Attention is turning towards natural arthritis pain relief that is safe and viable for long term use.
There has been quite a scare recently due to the recall of Vioxx a Cox-2 inhibitor from the NSAIDS family of drugs. Vioxx was a major drug for arthritis pain relief. Sufferers are worried and wondering which drugs are safe and which one may be next to be withdrawn from the market.
All drugs have side effects, theres no disputing that. The question is how dangerous are these side effects and are they worse than the disease they are supposed to help? In the case of Vioxx, the side effects were increased risk of heart attack or stroke. Deadly stuff!
Unfortunately some side effects will only show up in time. No matter how well a drug is researched and tested. The question How many other time bombs are lurking out there? is valid and is currently being investigated.
So where does this leave the unfortunate person seeking arthritis pain relief? Well the best thing is not to get caught up in the hype in the press. Keep in touch with your arthritis doctor of rheumatologist to get the up to date news on whats available and whats safe to take at the moment.
Natural arthritis medication is a viable and safe option that can be taken with confidence while waiting for the dust to settle on the NSAIDS debate. Some people have experienced dramatic relief from taking these natural remedies and have decided that a natural remedy for arthritis is the answer to relieving arthritis pain while being free of the worry over dangerous side effects.
Acupuncture for Arthritis
Acupuncture is another natural remedy for arthritis. Acupuncture involves the use of needles to stimulate energy centres in the body for effective pain relief. Massage can benefit most types of arthritis, especially fibromyalgia, as it relaxes the muscles. Likewise the application of heat can have a relaxing and pain relieving effect.
Arthritis and Exercise
Exercise is great for arthritis as well. Gentle exercises such as yoga, pilates, swimming and walking are suitable. Stretch well before exercising and in the case of an attack of gout, wait until the pain and inflammation has subsided before starting.
So there is natural arthritis relief out there for those wanting to get away from drugs and their side effects or for those wanting more information on arthritis to expand their treatment options. Those natural arthritis treatments are safe, effective and put you in control of the disease. Always remember though to always seek professional medical advice at all times.
Copyright 2005 Wendy Owen

About The Author

Wendy Owen is a natural health writer and researcher. visit her site at http://www.natural-arthritis-medication.com for arthritis information and a natural arthritis remedy.