Tag: Wear And Tear

How to Treat Osteoarthritis at Home

Osteoarthritis is a painful type of arthritis. It is caused by the wear and tear of joint cartilage. It degenerates overtime. Those with a severe form of osteoarthritis literally have two bones rubbing together. This, unfortunately, is very painful. If you have recently been diagnosed with osteoarthritis, your doctor will recommend over-the-counter pain pills or write a prescription for stronger medication. Take these pills, but there is more that you can do and right at home.

Exercise. Do not believe you must visit a gym to get a good workout. In fact, those suffering from osteoarthritis should start at home. Fitness centers have many great machines, but they may be too hard for you to use. Start with low impact exercises. You may feel pain at first, but it should minimize overtime. Your goal is to work and loosen your painful joints. This will reduce stiffness and lessen the later risk of deformities. Another goal is to build muscle strength. With strong muscles, you can rely on them more, as opposed to your painful joints.

Alter your activities at home. Of course, you dont want to give up your passions. One should never let osteoarthritis get them down. To reduce pain or the likelihood of it, you will need to alter some of your at-home activities. For example, do you enjoy gardening? Instead of bending down, start an above ground garden with raised planters. Do you enjoy sewing by hand? If so, opt for a sewing machine. Less hand movements are required.

Use heat to treat pain. It has long been known that heat lessens pain. So, use it. Draw a warm bath and climb in. If positioning yourself in the bathtub is too difficult, opt for a reusable heating pad or a warm washcloth. If heat does not treat your pain or it stops working overtime, make the switch to a cold compress. It should have the same results. In fact, some medical professional recommend switching between the two.

Learn to relax. There is no doubt that osteoarthritis patients deal with pain. In fact, they deal with severe pain and often. Still, our emotions pay a huge role in the pain we experience. The more you focus on your pain, the more it will hurt. So, dont. Instead of focusing on that pain, focus on ways to lessen the severity. Yes, pain relief products and heat will help, but so will relaxing or doing something that you love!

Research home remedies. Did you know that over-the-counter pain pills and topical arthritis creams are not the only way to seek relief? Many patients report success with natural and home remedies. One being supplements. Devils Claw, Cats Claw, and Gingko occasionally work. Certain foods can also provide natural relief from pain and inflammation. The supplement Bromelain is recommended, but it is also found naturally in pineapples. It reduces the pain and inflammation associated with arthritis. So, head to the internet and do a little bit of research. Your next stop may not be the medicine cabinet or the drug store, but your refrigerator or kitchen cupboard.

In short, osteoarthritis cannot be cured. Although it may seem as if all hope is lost, it is not. There are many ways to prevent, treat, and manage the pain and swelling associated with disease. By taking the above mentioned suggestions, you never have to leave home!

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What type of arthritis do you have?

What type of arthritis do you have?
rudy silva

Arthritis dates back to prehistoric times and is seen all through the ages in the joints of the skeleton remains.

Most of you will Ahave problems with your joints and it may be arthritis. Arthritis is associated with aging but it is not caused because you are aging. Arthritis is caused by the body not been fed the proper nutrients that keep your joints health and free of wear and tear.

There are plenty of joints in your body and typically there are only specific joints that have arthritic pain. Those are the ones that you use frequently. For men it is
knees, spine, and feet. For women it is fingers, hands, knees, and spine.

Arthritis means inflammation of the joint. When your joints have bone-to-bone contact and grind against each other that area becomes swollen and inflamed.

There are two main type of arthritis osteoarthritis and rheumatoid and others that are less known.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis means inflammation of the bony part of your joint. As your joints move against each other, the protective coating and surrounding material membranes, oil sacs, cartilage wear down. This wear down occurs when the joints see excess activity.

Normally you would not expect to see this wear down condition since there are many joints that see excess activity and dont become inflamed or arthritic. There millions of people who dont get arthritis, yet the use their joints are used just as much and perhaps even more. Then there are people who dont use their joint to excess and still get arthritis.

So the actual cause of arthritis is more than excess activity.

The cause of arthritis has come down to a single or combination of nutritional deficiencies, excess joint activity, and emotional issues.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid means “similar to flowing pain.” It is an autoimmune disease where good cell and tissue are attack by the immune system. Rheumatoid first affects the joint membranes and later the bone structure at the joint. Rheumatoid arthritis occurs in people of all ages. As this arthritis progresses it can becomes crippling.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a recent disease, which appeared at the turn of the 20th Century. Its cause can be associated with diet where the balance of the joint structure receives chemicals that destroy its balanced condition.

Gouty Arthritis

Gout is a disease where uric acid deposits in the joints of feet and legs. When the body has an excess of uric acid, which it cant eliminate through normal channels of elimination- the kidney the uric acid settles in the joints and soft tissue causing pain.

Gout is more common with men, people with high blood pressure, alcoholics, diabetics, and obesity. Gout means drop. It was thought by Romans that gout was caused by poisonous crystals coming from the blood, drop by drop, and depositing in the toes.

There is some evidence that gout is related to the amount of wine that is drunk with the meal. This put an extra strain on the liver that tries to detoxify the wine and the meal at the same time. Result is the liver is unable to detoxify the complete meal.

Other Types of Arthritis

There are other types of arthritis. These account for a small amount of the types of arthritis that most people have. Here is the list:

Bursitis inflammation of the shoulder joints and muscles.

Neuritis is know as rheumatism of your nerves. When the sheaths of your nerves dry out you have neuritis

Myositis – pain that comes from working hard and muscles have friction between them.

Fibrositis is when your connective tissue become inflamed Lumbago occurs before you get arthritis of the spine.

Which arthritis doe you have? In other articles, I’ll tell you what you can do to prevent or eliminate arthritis of any kind.
Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter called “Natural Remedies Thatwork.com”. For more information on arthritis go to: http://www.arthritis-remedies.for–you.info

Using essential fatty acids for reducing arthritis joint pain

Using essential fatty acids for reducing arthritis joint pain
rudy silva

Essential fatty acids provide protection for the whole body. In particular it is effective in reducing inflammation as experienced in joint pain or arthritis.

Most people will have to deal with arthritis especially as they get older. One way to eliminate or minimize this pain is to supplement with the essential fatty acids.

Osteoarthritis, the most common arthritis, is not the only arthritis that affects so many people:

* rheumatoid arthritis

* arthritis from lupus

* gout

* psoriatic arthritis

* reiters disease

* infective arthritis

As you age, the constant movement of the joints creates wear and tear. Toxic wastes that circulate in the blood, dead cells, and liquid can accumulate in the various joints and cause inflammation and pain. Continual inflammation can cause damage to the joints. In some cases the cartilage that coats the bone ends, wears down and joints then rub bone to bone causing extreme pain.

Using the essential fatty acids provides lubrication for the joints as the move against each other. This reduces the wear that can occur at these joints and this results in less inflammation.

There are several conditions and lifestyles that contribute to arthritis,

* Obesity

* Diabetes

* Heredity

* Poor nutrition

* Poor digestion

* Lack of water

* Allergies

* Repetitive use of fingers, hands, legs or arms

* Body injuries sports or accidents

Arthritis is a difficult disease to treat because there is usually more than one cause. Just working on one cause may not help enough to give pain relief. But it always helps to know the many things that contribute to arthritis so that different nutritional and lifestyles changes can be made.

The use of flax seed oil, omega-3, is known to provide anti-inflammatory benefits. Omega-3 breaks down into prostaglandins. It is the prostaglandins that provide the anti-inflammatory results.

So by using the omega-3, GLA, and EPA/DHA supplements, you can get some relief from arthritis. These oils reduce inflammation and pain and provide lubrication, thereby preventing some damage from occurring in your joints.

It is recommended that you use a good dose of,

* Borage oil

* Primrose oil

* NKO oil

Using these oil spread across the day, provides the benefit of feeling reduce joint stiffness and pain in the morning. Use the different oils one bottle at a time. This gives you the health benefits that these different oil provide.

One additional benefit to using these oils is the coating protection that GLA has in the stomach lining.

The standard treatment for arthritis is the use of NSAIDs and COX-2 inhibitors. These, however, have undesirable side effects such as attacking the stomach lining. Thousands of deaths and visits to the emergency are associated with the use of NSAIDs.

You can benefit greatly if you use NSAIDs by adding GLA oils to your diet and help to prevent the serious side effects of the NSAIDs.

There you have it. Eat the essential fatty acids and provide your body with what it needs to build strong and healthy joints.
Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter called “Natural Remedies Thatwork.com”. For more information on arthritis go to: http://www.arthritis-remedies.for–you.info

Searching for Osteoarthritis Pain Relief?

Searching for Osteoarthritis Pain Relief?
Kristy Haugen

Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease is a wear and tear disease of the joints typically seen in the older adult (usually over 60 years of age). Cartilage within the joints breaks down causing pain as the bones rub against each other. Osteoarthritis is commonly found in the knees, hips, hands, spine, and feet.
Obesity is a risk factor for developing osteoarthritis in the knees and hips. These weight bearing joints carry much of the weight causing increased wear and tear. Weight loss can significantly reduce the chance of developing osteoarthritis and can alleviate pain in people who currently have osteoarthritis.
Currently osteoarthritis treatment is limited because no medications are capable of preventing or retarding the disease process. Osteoarthritis treatment involves focusing on pain relief, the maintenance of quality of life, and functional independence. Let us take a look at some of the treatments that currently exist for osteoarthritis.
Many doctors recommend acetaminophen (Tylenol) as the initial analgesic (pain medication) of choice for the treatment of osteoarthritis. Acetaminophen has very few side effects. When using acetaminophen as a pain reliever, remember to follow the directions correctly. Acetaminophen is commonly overused by patients. You are recommended to not exceed 4,000 mg of acetaminophen in a twenty-four hour period. Acetaminophen is metabolized or processed by the liver. Excess acetaminophen can cause damage to the liver. Acetaminophen is also found in other pain medications such as Darvocet, Percocet, and Tylenol Cold. In fact, acetaminophen is found in quite a few prescription pain medications.
Traditionally NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) have been useful in the treatment of osteoarthritis associated pain. One major concern with the use of NSAIDs is irritation to the stomach lining. In more severe cases, gastrointestinal bleeds or ulcers may form. NSAIDs can affect the bodys blood clotting ability and interfere with kidney function. NSAIDs should always be taken with food to decrease stomach irritation or upset. Do not drink alcohol while taking NSAIDs. However, these drugs should not be taken for extended periods of time unless directed otherwise by a qualified medical provider. Some common types of NSAIDs are ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin.
Cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (COX-2 inhibitors) are a class of NSAIDs. COX-2 inhibitors suppress arthritis pain much the same way but with less stomach irritation. Many of us know of COX-2 inhibitors but not by this name. Vioxx (refecoxib), Celebrex (celecoxib), and Bextra (valdecoxib) are COX-2 inhibitors. Vioxx and Bextra have been removed from the market. These drugs can significantly increase the risk for stroke and heart attack. Celebrex remains on the market but does have a black box warning stipulating this drug also can increase the risk for cardiovascular events and gastrointestinal bleeding.
Capsaicin (Capsagel, Zostrix) which is derived from chili peppers can be applied topically for the treatment of osteoarthritis pain. Capsaicin will cause vasodilation, itching, and burning to the skin but after repeated applications desensitization will occur, decreasing ones pain. Methyl salicylate creams such as Ben-gay can also be used for osteoarthritis pain. Studies have shown that oral glucosamine and chondroitin supplements have a mild to moderate analgesic effect with arthritis.
For osteoarthritis patients who cannot tolerate their pain, glucocorticoid injections may be done. Glucocorticoids are similar to the hormone cortisol in the body. Glucocorticoids help alleviate pain by decreasing inflammation and swelling within the joint. Side effects are typically seen if you receive these injections too frequently.
Hyaluronan (viscosupplementation) injections can be injected directly into the joint for treatment of osteoarthritis. This medication helps supplement the synovial fluid. The synovial fluid is a lubricating fluid allowing the bones to move smoothly within the joint. This injection should relieve pain and improve your mobility of the joint. This treatment involves 3-5 shots within 5 weeks. You may experience pain and swelling after the injections but this should dissipate. Reduced osteoarthritis pain may last up to 6 months.
For patients that have decreased function and mobility of the joint, surgical intervention may be necessary. Surgical involvement should also be considered in patients whose pain has progressed to unacceptable levels. However, good surgical candidates are usually considered ideal for surgery. Certain health conditions can affect post-operative rehabilitation and healing. Surgery can hold just as much of a health risk as medications have side effects.
Osteoarthritis is not curable but there is hope for the future with advancements in medicine. Along with the above treatments for pain management, it is also important to remain active and healthy. Exercising regularly can help maintain mobility of the joint. Exercise also creates natural pain relievers such as endorphins. Pain may be a part of osteoarthritis, but pain doesnt have to be a part of your life!
Copyright 2006 Kristy Haugen

About The Author

Kristy Haugen is a mother working to finish her second bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering. She is also a Licensed Practical Nurse with a current bachelor degree in Biology and Chemistry. She writes to inform consumers about nutrition and health topics. Learn more about weight loss supplements at http://weightlosssupplements.vitaminmaniac.com. Learn more about vitamins and your health at http://blog.vitaminmaniac.com.