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The Natural Relief For Arthritis Pain You Can Use, Why Doesn't Your Doctor Tell You?

In the profit driven health care industry, it is not profitable to develop a cure neither for Arthritis, nor in helping a patient control their own condition. The goal of pharmaceutical companies is to mass manufacture expensive prescription drugs to treat the symptoms of arthritis that do nothing towards curing the disease. Why? The real money is made in ongoing treatment of the patient not in getting rid of their arthritis condition altogether. Both the pharmaceutical industry and the medical community team up in this pursuit, and both find it very profitable to do so. Notice that medical doctors seldom recommend taking patients off a prescription drug once they are on it. Doctors also encourage patients to make repeat office visits, before their prescriptions can be re-filled. There is a reason for this, which I'll get into later in the article. Since drugs do nothing to cure Arthritis condition itself, and only relieve the patient's painful symptoms, it is necessary to keep scheduling on-going appointments with the doctor in order to get needed re-fills. The result is, both the doctor and pharmaceutical companies make out like bandits with an ongoing flow of income adding up to billions of dollars in costs to our healthcare system. How sweet of a deal is that?

Listen, the system of robbing Arthritis patients (insurance companies) of thousands or millions of dollars by prescribing drugs that only treat the pain symptoms of arthritis, require daily consumption for ongoing relief, and require continued doctor visits is not that bad in itself. However the issue for concern is this. Prescription drugs are manufactured synthetically in the laboratory, derived from chemicals that have dangerous side effects for Arthritis patients that take them. For example; there are about ten different pharmaceutical drug products being used to treat Arthritis. Of the ten, there are four that are the most advertised and well known, they include Prednisone, Celebrex,Vicodin and Lyrica.

All these drugs have serious and potentially life threatening side effects for patients who take them. The drug Prednisone, from the steroid family, is a drug that is effective in controlling the inflammation that accompanies Arthritis, and, is effective in relieving pain. But, it does so by shutting down the immune system, making it incapable of fighting off infections and potentially lethal virus's like Tuberculosis. Prednisone also can cause osteoporosis, muscle and joint pain. Celebrex which is related to aspirin, but more powerful, can cause heart attacks and or strokes. Plus, there can be accompanying allergic reactions, and it can cause high blood pressure and kidney problems. Vicodin, another very common pain reliever for Arthritis, has side effects, including, light headedness, dizziness, sedation symptoms, nausea and vomiting. Taking Vicodin can also be very adverse to people with gastro intestinal disorders like Crohn's disease or Colitis. Patients using the drug Lyrica can experience dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain, trouble concentrating or a feeling of being high. In addition there could be accompanying allergic reactions including swelling and difficulty breathing.

So, why don't doctors recommend vitamins and supplements (that have fewer side effects) for their patients instead of prescription drugs, and why don't pharmaceutical companies manufacture vitamin supplements? The reason is this. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, natural vitamin supplements are non-patentable, making profit margins low. Also, as mentioned earlier, unlike natural supplements, pharmaceutical drugs can be dangerous and consumption has to be monitored and regulated constantly. That is why it is necessary to schedule several office visits over the course of the year.

So how do pharmaceutical companies and the medical community continue to dominate the healthcare market? Actually much of the blame goes on the pharmaceutical industry and its manipulation of the medical profession, federal government and media. They do it by keeping both the doctors and consumers in the dark. Here is how they do it:

• The pharmaceutical companies promote advertising campaigns to push the deception that patentable synthetic drugs are the answer to the arthritis problem, spending millions on countless ads on TV, radio and the print media.


• They spend millions to promote a pharmaceutical lobbying effort to bring pressure on regulatory agencies pushing legislation to disallow established health claims for vitamins and other natural supplements. The FDA (Federal Drug Administration) practically ignores alternative medicines.


• They discourage studies about the health benefits from vitamins and make sure few are ever published in medical Journals and other media.


• Make sure that little or no teaching is done in medical schools through textbooks and research about the benefits of vitamins and supplements, resulting in generations of doctors leaving medical schools lacking sufficient knowledge in the benefits of these healthier alternatives.


• On-going promotion of huge sales forces mobilized to push pharmaceutical drugs in doctor's offices throughout the country. Often drug companies reward doctors for promoting their products with incentives like expensive trips.

So are there healthier alternatives available? Yes, but they are not readily available, you have to dig for the information on your own. Fortunately, there is the internet you can use for this research. There are a variety of Natural products that are very effective against Arthritis and have few if any side effects.

For example, simple grape seed extract has been proven to be both safe and effective in reducing inflammation, the cause of Arthritis and fibromyalgia. In addition, grape seed extract reduces the risk of arterial plaque formation in the blood, helps maintain heart health, and fights against the effects of asthma and allergies. There is also evidence that grape seed inhibits angiogenesis (growth of blood vessels feeding cancer cells). The extent of the benefits of grape seed extract is absolutely astounding if you take the time to check it out for yourself.

Pine Bark, also referred to as Pycnogenol is also very effective in controlling Arthritis, particularly knee pain. Like grape seed extract Pycnogenol is a premium herbal supplement. The extract from this pine bark is loaded with a concentrate of active bioflavonoids, (also referred to as Anti-Oxidants) which are the colored part of vegetables, fruits, flowers, herbs and grains which have anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antiviral and anti-cancer properties. Yes, you do have healthier alternatives to controlling your Arthritis condition, but you need to open your mind to other possibilities. Obviously you want to check with your doctor to make sure you don't experience any complications from supplements, or find a holistic doctor if your present doctor is uninformed in alternative medicine.

Facts About a Chronic Disease - Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis which literally means inflammation of the joints refers to at least 100 different rheumatic diseases. It is one of the most chronic diseases of the nation. Rheumatoid arthritis is a major form of this medical condition which has an unknown etiology. It is characterized by inflammation of the lining of the synovial joints which often results in severe joint destruction. The peripheral joints are most often affected especially those in the hands.

Most patients initially experience morning stiffness which is a mobility problem just like what is felt when hit with zap stun guns. fatigue, weight loss, fever, and muscle wasting. On physical assessment, joints are warm, tender and swollen. Movement is guarded and range of motion is decreased. Characteristically, joint involvement is bilateral and polyarticular, with the hand most often affected. The thoracic spine and lumbar spine are rarely involved.

Extra-articular manifestations include anemia and rheumatoid nodules. The nodules are painless, movable, and skin-colored. They are located over the elbows, extensor arm surfaces, knees, knuckles and heels. Synovial cysts and carpal tunnel syndrome are other manifestations. In later stages of rheumatoid arthritis, characteristic deformity, such as lateral deviation of the joints in the hands become obvious. Ulnar deviation is also present in which the hands turn outward toward the ulna and the fingers are flexed and turned laterally at the metacarpophlangeal joints.

The diagnostic studies for this kind of condition are shown in X-rays wherein during the early stages periarticular soft tissue swelling and osteoporosis are revealed. As the disease progresses, X-rays reveal narrowing of joint spaces and ankylosis. Various laboratory tests that are helpful include ESR and rheumatoid factor.

There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis however it can be managed. The management objectives are reduction of inflammation and pain to preserve joint motion, maintain muscle strength, and prevent secondary stiffness and deformity. The basic medical management includes rest, exercise, heat or cold therapy, splinting, positioning, drug therapy, a well-balanced diet, correction of anemia, and removal of sources of infection. When conservative therapy is ineffective, surgical intervention to restore function may include arthroplasty or joint replacement.

Each patient must be assessed to determine the extent of the disease and the implications for the needs of the person affected to plan the care. Psychological support is provided to the patient since many of them undergo a period of denial or grieving over loss of full mobility. Encouraging care of the self and concentrating on what the patient can do help to prevent a negative self image.

If you or someone in your household is experiencing this kind of health problem, it is better to seek for prompt management so that the pain of arthritis will not be felt at a full blast. The pain is more like stun gun effects on the body and you would not want to experience this kind of feeling. With proper management and knowledge of the clinical condition, you can prevent any painful attacks with the help of medications and you can take care of yourself at home.

Physical Therapy For Arthritis Treatment

In the earlier days, maintaining the well-being of arthritis patients was a challenging task. But in recent times, physical therapy has proven to be an ideal solution for arthritis treatment as it improves mobility, reduces dizziness and pain, and improves balance, strength and function. Physical therapy for arthritis treatment has proven to be beneficial for rheumatoid arthritis, spinal arthritis, knee arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Physical therapists trained in a variety of exercises and treatment options offer physical therapy treatment to help individuals manage the symptoms of arthritis. In addition to therapeutic exercises such as range-of-motion and strengthening exercise, therapists use a variety of physical therapy modalities such as electrotherapy, ultrasound, heat and ice to lessen stress and the severity of pain you feel. Depending on the condition of arthritis sufferers, hands-on (manual) and supervised exercise programs are offered as part of the PT treatment to reduce stiffness as well as minimize the possibility of further problems. A variety of techniques including Myofascial release, traction and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation are available to get rid of problems related to arthritis. Besides this, therapeutic massage is given as part of this therapy service to reduce arthritis symptoms.

Incorporating all these modalities and techniques, the physical therapy treatment is designed to improve flexibility, joint mobility and avoid further joint damage. The physical therapists, who offer service for arthritis treatment,

• Help you explore the treatment options available in PT methodology
• Teach you how to perform everyday activities without difficulty
• Help you to get yourself back on track

Normally, physical therapy is recommended for all arthritis patients. However, there is no risk involved in this treatment procedure. In the United States, physical therapy procedures for arthritis treatment are provided in a variety of healthcare settings such as hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes, clinics, rehabilitation cabs and long term acute care centers to control inflammation and regain overall body fitness and well-being. So when you are in need of therapy service for arthritis treatment, find a quality provider to help you regain normalcy of movement.

Arthritis Treatment: What's on the Horizon for Osteoarthritis Treatment?

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis affecting more than 30 million Americans. It is a disease of articular hyaline cartilage which covers the ends of long bones. The purpose of hyaline cartilage is to cushion and absorb the impact of both direct stresses and shearing forces applied to the joint.

Osteoarthritis affects primarily weight-bearing joints such as the hip, knee, low back, and neck. However, it can also involve the shoulder, ankle, base of the thumb, and base of the big toe.

Despite the focus of attention in rheumatology on newer therapies for diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, there has been relatively little done to deal with osteoarthritis. This is unfortunate since osteoarthritis (OA) is a significant cause of pain, reduced mobility, reduced productivity, and diminished quality of life.

Between symptomatic therapies consisting of rest, physical therapy, analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), injections of glucocorticoids ("cortisone") and viscosupplements, there is a void until the patient requires joint replacement.

I will discuss some of the "avant-garde" therapies that are being evaluated for treatment of OA.

The first treatment is the use of stem cells. Stem cells are blank slate cells, cells that can be coaxed to differentiate into any type of tissue cell. The focus of attention has been on the use of adult mesenchymal stem cells. Studies have demonstrated that when these cells are introduced into OA joints, that they are incorporated into the articular cartilage of the affected joint. While most investigations have been demonstrated in animal models, there have been small studies and multiple anecdotal reports indicating similar results in humans.

The second type of treatment that has been studied is the use of anti-cytokine drugs. Some feel that OA is a systemic disease that requires systemic therapies.

Cytokines, which are protein messengers, play a pivotal role in the generation and propagation of inflammation. One cytokine that may have a role in the chronic inflammation seen in OA is interleukin-1. Attempts to block the effects of this cytokine have been studied with mixed results. When given systemically it didn't perform much better than placebo. When given as an injection in a joint, there have been mixed results.

Another material that has been studied is botulinum toxin (Botox). It appears to have beneficial effects in regards to pain and inflammation. It has been used in OA of the knee as well as of plantar fasciitis.

Other therapies that have been studied include platelet-rich plasma (PRP), insulin-like growth factor, and bone morphogenic protein. Results are controversial.

Can Omega-3 Supplements Help Reduce Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms?

Omega-3 supplementation has gained most of its attention secondary to its affect on the cardiovascular system. Research supports the use of these n-3 fatty acids for people with cardiovascular issues secondary to their ability to stimulate blood circulation and reduce clot and scar formation. Most notably there is strong evidence that Omega-3 helps to reduce blood triglyceride levels and reduces the risk of a heart attack. People with other circulatory issues including high blood pressure and varicose veins can also benefit from supplementation.

But what does this have to do with arthritis?

Of all the supplements that have been evaluated by research, Omega-3 (specifically fish oil) demonstrate the greatest effectiveness in reducing symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3 fatty acids work to help minimize the effect of Omega-6 fatty acids in the body. The Omega-6 fatty acids are considered 'proinflammatory' compounds. These compounds not only have an effect on the cardiovascular system but the immune system as well. As rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease, supplementing with Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation and support the immune system.

It is important to note that most benefits associated with taking Omega-3 supplements are not realized until after a minimum of 12 weeks of taking 3g (3000 mg) of fish oil (DHA/EPA). Supplementing with Omega-3/fish oil can also be enhanced by increasing the consumption of Omega-3 rich foods such as salmon, tuna, trout, walnuts, flaxseed oil, and tofu is also suggested. In addition, because Omega-3 works to offset the inflammatory effects of Omega-6 compounds, reducing the intake of these Omega-6 'proinflammatory' fatty acids can also help reduce inflammation. Four major food oils including palm, soybean, rapeseed, and sunflower all contain high levels of Omega-6 and should be used sparingly.

Based on the research, Omega-3 supplementation not only demonstrates cardiovascular benefits but additional benefits in reducing inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

Exercise and Psoriasis: 3 Reasons Exercising Helps Psoriasis

Dust off your old gym membership card, pull on those boxing gloves, or sign up for a booty-shaking Zumba class. Why? Because exercise has been shown to help psoriasis! Exercising regularly not only promotes a healthier lifestyle, but can also lead to healthier glowing skin. How?

1.) Exercise is a STRESS-BUSTER

We all know that those sudden psoriatic flare-ups go hand-in-hand with that looming work-deadline or hectic exam period. Exercising is a great way of relieving stress - this is a well-proven fact! Working out can be a terrific outlet for all of life's little headaches. Beat that punching bag, slam-dunk that B-Ball, or focus on beating the clock - they're all fun distractions. Exercises such as Yoga and Tai-Chi can also put you in a very focused and Zen-like state, taking you miles away from that dreaded deadline. Even better, take whatever the activity is outside - the fresh air and change of scenery will help un-jumble and calm your mind.

If exercise can reduce stress, it only makes sense that it can also help psoriasis. The correlation between high stress levels and psoriasis is well evidenced. Studies have found that stress lowers the body's natural defence mechanisms and compromises our immune system; this is when psoriasis most often decides to pounce! For example, Dr. Paul Yamauchi, a Medical Director at the Skin Care Centre of Santa Monica explains, 'Stress may trigger psoriasis to flare for the first time, or even worsen for those who already have psoriasis.'

Exercise can also help combat low self-esteem and depression, which is often brought on by this irritating and sometimes very visible auto-immune disease. Lifting those weights will not only raise your confidence because you look like 'The Rock' or 'Arni', but because it lowers the stress hormone cortisol and increases feel-good endorphins. If weights aren't your thing, join an aerobics class and see how you mood lifts sky-high!

By reaching a more relaxed and confident state of mind via exercise, you will not only improve your day-to-day quality of life but help keep your psoriasis outbreaks at bay.

2.) Exercise Makes You LOSE WEIGHT

Losing that extra layer of fat by working up a sweat can really help psoriasis. Firstly, by eliminating those extra rolls, you can reduce all of that sweating, chafing, and rubbing - all of which does nothing to help already sore and irritated skin.

Secondly, losing weight can also help reduce the internal inflammation present in psoriatic patches. This inflammation is believed to be similar to the constant, low-level inflammation found in fat-cells. If weight loss can help combat our fat cells, than surely it can also help combat our inflamed plaques. It has also been found that people with psoriasis are more likely to suffer from diabetes and heart disease. As a result, keeping fit can help reduce your risk to a variety of health problems.

Begin a daily or weekly exercise routine, and you'll be well on your way to losing those unwanted layers.

3.) Exercise Works Those Joints - PSORIATIC ARTHRITIS!

Another major plus of regular exercise is that it can help preserve the joints often affected by psoriatic arthritis. Exercise not only helps relieve the pressure on weak joints through weight loss, but promotes healthier muscles and maintains joint mobility and flexibility.

Two forms of exercises are particularly useful: Strengthening and Range-of-Motion.

Strengthening exercises focus on building up and strengthening the muscles around susceptible or affected joints, so to better support it. The director of the Women's Orthopaedic and Joint Disease Centre in Boston stresses that strength training can 'help protect knees and ankles, take force off of the joints, and also help prevent soft-tissue injuries...' Moreover, '... regular movements also helps to supply the cartilage in the joints with blood.' Time to invest in some light weights!

Range-of-Motion exercises focus on bettering movement and flexibility, especially around stiff joints. Untie, flex and stretch them with low-impact activities such as tai-chi, yoga or an aquatic exercise session.

Now that you know about exercise and psoriasis, its time to put Eye of the Tiger on repeat and box psoriasis into submission with a bit of cardio. Look out for our future psoriasis exercising guide, which will focus on answering questions such as "How do you deal with psoriasis in the gym" and "What types of exercise are best for psoriasis?"

Arthritis and Migraines Are No Match for Acupuncture

Eating healthy, staying fit, sleeping regularly are all great ways to maintain optimum health but many still suffer from illnesses. Without the use of acupuncture, a person suffering from aches and pains will have to rely on medication to bring relief. Therapists have the ability to increase energy and more with just a few treatments.

How Does It Work

Acupuncture is a technique from the Eastern world that uses needles to redirect your Qi, or Chi. This is your life force and when that force gets stuck or weakened, you become ill. Acupuncture removes obstructions and re-balances your system. As your stress levels increase, arthritis will bring more joint pain. These methods can help in many ways and allow a person not to be ruled by their conditions.

Why Acupuncture

The practice of using a needle can be used along with other chiropractic methods such as body manipulation or heat massage to maintain your health naturally. There are no side effects and no need to worry about reactions. Medications administered by physicians often wear off. You also have to worry about whether one medication is compatible with another. If you need your body to realign, body manipulation is the way to go, but then you will need to align your life force.

What It Helps

Patients with migraines, allergies, arthritis are only some symptoms that can be relieved with alternative techniques. Licensed therapists will know how to treat conjunctivitis, nausea, disorders that cause reoccurring pain, and even phobias. Many choose to use an alternative therapy as a way to prevent illness. It is best to use an allergy specialist as well to see if food intolerance causes a headache, even if this technique can detox you. In all reality, there are no limits to the conditions that can ruin the day, or make life harder.

The world can put a lot of stress on a person and without treatment of some kind, you will become less effective at keeping your immune system in check. A chiropractor can be effective in keeping your joints and skeletal system in proper alignment. Eastern medicine has now shown a patient that there is a way to achieve optimum mobility and health. Medicine rarely works effectively on nerves and cannot always control swelling in the joints. Maintaining great posture can help reduce headaches, but frequent use of physiotherapy techniques will decrease your sensitivity to histamine.

What is the Future of Stem Cell Treatment For Regrowing Cartilage?

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Estimates of its prevalence among Americans vary from 20 million to 40 million.

The underlying pathophysiology is the premature deterioration of articular cartilage, the gristle that caps the ends of long bones. Cartilage is a form of connective tissue. It is unique in that it receives its nourishment from the lining of the joint- the synovium. Cartilage itself has no blood vessels or nerves.

The pain that arises from osteoarthritis is due to irritation brought about by local inflammation. These local inflammatory changes occur as a result of the production of destructive enzymes as well as local irritation due to altered biomechanics.

Until recently, the treatment of osteoarthritis has been purely symptomatic. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs either in oral or topical form, local joint injections of glucocorticoids, or intra-articular injections of viscosupplements (lubricants).

While helpful for alleviating pain temporarily, these approaches also are associated with potential side effects, and do not address the underlying problem- loss of articular cartilage.

In the 1990's there was interest in developing what are called disease modifying osteoarthritis drugs (DMOADS). However, research efforts directed at these disease modifying remedies were disappointing.
More recently there has been interest in the use of stem cells (SCs) to help with cartilage regeneration.

The questions, though, with this line of thinking have been many. What type of SCs should be used? What keeps the SCs inside the joints? How can the SCs be made most productive? When do they stop working? How do you provide the right environment for the SCs to make cartilage? What are the dangers of involved? What criteria are involved in selecting the right SCs expert?

The major breakthrough recently has been in the field of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs). The original work done by Shinya Yamanaka in 2007 has laid the groundwork for some excellent investigations involving the use of this techniology. Basically what Yamanaka was able to demonstrate was the ability to take adult stem cells, and reprogram them- essentially rewinding the biologic clock- so that the adult stem cells now behave like embryonic stem cells. The advantage is that these induced adult stem cells can become any type of tissue given the right environment.

However, there are technical problems with this approach and the reality of being able to use these types of stem cells, particularly for arthritis, is way off in the future.

So what is available now and how good is it? Currently, the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), adult stem cells located in the bone marrow and, which, if placed in the right location with currently available growth stimulators, appears to be effective.

MSCs are multipotential. They can become a limited number of tissue organs. Fortunately, cartilage appears to be one of them.

How effective the approach is, is difficult to say since there are no good long term randomized controlled studies. What is available are anecdotal reports. Unfortunately, these anecdotal reports fall far short of what would be considered good science.

Also, the application of MSCs where there is no cartilage left and there is an angulation deformity is problematic. In our hands, these patients do not respond.

Age and body mass index (weight) are two other important factors to consider.

What is known is that the approach is safe and appears effective for the short term (2-3 years). Clinical measurements, along with cartilage thickness improve.

Also, there is no evidence of cancer, which is the concern using the induced pluripotential approach.
So... the bottom line...the best current approach appears to be the use of adult MSCs made by concentrating marrow, along with growth factors derived from platelet rich plasma. In addition, the utilization of adipose tissue (fat) to serve as a scaffold is strongly advised.

Finally, the technical harvesting and administration of MSCs using diagnostic ultrasound guidance by an experienced and expert physician seems to be the most important ingredient necessary for a successful outcome.

What Is The Natural Treatment For Arthritis Joint Pain?

Joint pain can make you feel vulnerable and it can affect your working capabilities. Many men and women in the age beyond 45 years suffer from joint pain which can happen due to infections to the joints, osteoarthritis, and arthritis or due to injuries to the joints. In osteoarthritis the bone grows and causes degeneration of cartilages resulting in pain and Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder which results in pain and stiff in the joints. If the joints are injured the person may have irregular surface of the bone found at the joints which may cause pain when two bones rub each other while you move.

One of the conditions in which the person can suffer from joint pain is Bursitis in which the fluid filled sacs which form cushion like structure around the joints is damaged. The fluid helps the bone to move freely at the joints and the condition when the fluid reduces in the sacs it cause pain as the muscles and tendons could not move freely due to the lack of fluid at the joint. Bursitis can happen due to overuse, injuries or stress. This may happen due to ageing when the body loses the normal structure of the bone and joints. Sometimes joint pain is caused by autoimmune disorder when the immune system of the body damages the fluid around the joints.

The patients suffering from the problem are advised to take rest and also exercise regularly to keep the joints moving. The natural treatment for arthritis pain is to use warm baths, and do massage and strengthening exercise. There are many herbal remedies offered as natural treatment for arthritis joint pain but Rumoxil capsule and oil is one of the best combinations of oil and herbal substances which help in completely eliminating pain and swelling at the joints. The oil in the natural treatment for arthritis joint pain Rumoxil capsule can be used to massage the joints to enable easy movement of the bones and to prevent friction at the joints. The natural treatment for arthritis pain helps to improve blood flow to the joints to reduce the symptoms of ageing and degradation of fluid around the joints.

The natural treatment for arthritis pain Rumoxil capsule contains herbs which reduce infections of the joints and prevents reduction of the fluid found around the joints. It also contains the ingredients which reduces the problem of autoimmune disorders in people cure the problem of joint pain. The natural treatment for arthritis pain nourishes the joints to reduce destruction of surface of the joints and also prevent future damages.

Rumoxil capsule is very effective natural treatment for arthritis pain which provides great results to ensure an improvement in the life of the people suffering from regular pain by providing relief from the pain and inflammation. The capsules should be taken regularly for five to six months and two to three times in a day to get complete improvement and to be able to freely move the joints.

Wrist Arthritis - What Could it Be?

Arthritis of the wrist may not sound like a big deal... until you need to open a door, type on your computer, or shake hands. Then you realize how much a role your wrist plays in these simple activities.

The wrist is like many other joints. It's enclosed in a synovial membrane. It consists of the ends of the radius and ulna- two long bones- that articulate with a row of eight carpal bones. The carpal bones in the wrist also articulate with the metacarpal bones of the hand. The entire wrist complex is stabilized by tendons and ligaments and encased in a synovial membrane.

When arthritis develops, the wrist complex is affected by inflammation of the synovial membrane as well as by any other problem that causes the cartilage that surrounds all the bones in the wrist to wear away.

While wrist pain may occur as the first sign of a problem, the inability to perform simple activities of daily living follows shortly.

The pain may be dull initially but then becomes sharper and more constant.

Grip strength diminishes. Inflammation progresses, then there may be pressure on the other structures that pass through the wrist such as the median nerve. This leads to carpal tunnel syndrome.

The treatment of wrist arthritis is dependent on the cause. Forms of arthritis that commonly affect the wrist include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gout, and pseudogout. When inflammatory forms of arthritis affect the wrist, there is wearing away of cartilage as well as damage to the supporting structures. Wearing away of the cartilage leads to misalignment and deformity as well as wrist dysfunction. Swelling and fluid accumulation may occur.

When wrist arthritis occurs, there is a benefit in that wrist involvement by arthritis generally is often a tip off to diagnosis. For instance, rheumatoid arthritis is one of the more common forms of arthritis that affect the wrist. By allowing an earlier diagnosis, early intervention can lead to remission.

Physical therapy and specific exercise may be beneficial as are splinting and anti-inflammatory medicines. Sometimes, injection with glucocorticoids may be necessary.

In advanced cases, surgery may be necessary. Surgical procedures include excision arthroplasty where the end of the ulna bone is removed. This often helps with some forms of arthritis since it allows more freedom of movement.

Joint fusion and joint replacement may be called for in extreme cases. Wrist replacement currently lasts about ten to fifteen years depending on the amount of activity.

Can A Diet Or Specific Food List Help Relieve Rheumatoid Arthritis?

There is a discussion going on for years now, doctors against patients, scientist against believers in alternative health and so on. Because it is never been scientifically proven that a diet or a list of foods that you should or should not eat can help against rheumatoid arthritis, doctors will almost never advise this. But many patients believe that there are certain known foods that help with there rheumatoid arthritis. So who should you believe?

There are many kinds of illnesses where a diet can help. Diets seem to be part of a healthy life, you need proper nourishment before you can function. For the many years this discussion is going on there is in fact no prove for either of the sides. It can't be proved and it can't be denied.

There has been done research that suggest that oranges, fish oils and green tea are some of the foods that can help with this disease but it hasn't been proven, yet. You can also eliminate all kinds of foods that might worsen it in your body, but you need to be aware that this can result in an unbalanced diet. It is better to remove specific foods that you have experienced to be a trigger for your pain than eradicating everything that is under that same type of food.

A diet or food that help with your rheumatoid arthritis can probably give you relief but it is no cure, but the regular medical treatments for it is also almost never a cure, so the best thing you can do in our opinion is to try it for yourself, if you can reduce the amount of pain killers it is already worth the trouble. When you look for this kind of alternative treatment online you will find out that there are lists available with foods that could be helpful or should be avoided, just try one tip at a time for a couple of weeks, if it works keep it, if it doesn't put it aside.

In general, most lists recommend more fresh fruits and vegetables, increasing your daily intake of omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) and a reduction of coffee, alcohol, processed foods, and fried foods. And whatever it does for your rheumatoid arthritis this advise can't do any harm. You probably will lose some weight and this is also a good thing to relief the pain from this disease. There are many studies that have shown that even a small amount of extra weight can have a dramatic effect on it.

We now know that a diet or a list of foods will not cure you from rheumatoid arthritis but it is also clear that it can help you to live a healthier life and that is always a first step to a better condition. And when you do experience less pain and less stiffness in your joints take note of your diet and try it again and again and share it with others online.

What Are the Symptoms of Midfoot Arthritis?

Pain around the top and middle part of the foot is normally the first complaint when an individual develops midfoot arthritis. This pain may be described as sharp or burning and is typically worse when standing or walking. Patients often describe the worst pain as being first thing in the morning, or the first steps after sitting or lying for some time.

Physical examination may reveal swelling and there may be general tenderness in the midfoot area. Over time, it is common for a bony prominence called a tarsal boss to develop, which can cause irritation with shoe wear and difficulty finding comfortable footwear. Without treatment, midfoot arthritis can lead to flattening of the foot arches and cause the midfoot to turn outwards.

The term arthritis is used to describe the loss of the cartilage which lines and cushions the surface of the joint. Normal, healthy cartilage allows the joints to move smoothly. If the cartilage becomes damaged, its surface becomes rough, causing pain and stiffness within the joint. It can affect any joints within the body and is commonly found in those that receive the most usage, including hands and wrists as well as knees and ankles.

Midfoot arthritis can develop following a major injury, such as a foot or ankle fracture, causing the cartilage to wear out with greater speed than it might do in normal conditions. More commonly, the condition develops due to daily wear and tear that our bodies undergo during a lifetime. This sort of problem is called osteoarthritis and may be linked to different factors such as heavy manual work, sport, being overweight and family history. However, for many people, the cause will not be known. Like all forms of osteoarthritis, or 'wear and tear', the condition becomes more common in the middle-aged and elderly.

The cause of midfoot arthritis can also be a different type of arthritis, called Rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. Your immune system, which usually fights infection, attacks the lining of your joints, causing them to become inflamed and painful. The joints of the hands and the feet are the first to be affected.

Midfoot arthritis is sometimes overlooked by doctors who are not specialists in the foot and ankle because there are so many small joints in the midfoot. A careful clinical assessment needs to be combined with special x-ray views of the joints. Scans may be required as well to identify exactly which joints are involved. By being thorough in these initial stages arthritis is easier to diagnose and treatment can commence quicker; this of course will ensure that you don't suffer any more pain or discomfort than is strictly necessary.

Treatment options include supportive orthotic devices, physiotherapy, anti-inflammatory medicines and selective X-ray guided joint injections. If these treatments are unsuccessful, surgical fusion of midfoot joints can provide good, long-term pain relief. Midfoot fusion results in a relatively small degree of mobility loss, however the majority of patients report much improved pain relief and overall foot function.

Antler Arthritis - Symptoms and Treatments

Arthritis, or the inflammation of the joints, has different kinds and conditions, and one form of this is antler arthritis.

When a person experiences antler arthritis, he or she usually will feel aching and soreness in his or her joints. The main cause of arthritis has yet to be proven. Fortunately, there are already a number of natural treatments that can be used to cure any kind of arthritis. These treatments repair the broken cartilages of your joints. Be careful of simply using medication for relief, as these medicines simply numb the brain so that it does not feel the pain.

In spite of this, the damage is still present in the joints. What is most important in looking for the right treatment is to check whether it rebuilds the cartilage that has been damaged.

Symptoms of antler arthritis include aching, soreness, deformity, and joint distention. Its name comes from the antler of the deer, which is believed to be able to rebuild its antlers if it gets damaged. When the velvet antler of a deer is removed, it can be regenerated in just months. It has then been proven that there is treatment for antler arthritis found in velvet antlered deer.

This treatment has been used mostly in Asian countries to help cure arthritis because it contains elements that are needed to help rebuild the cartilage that has been damaged. Studies have shown that doctors consider this to be the simplest treatment for antler arthritis and the symptoms that it causes including the soreness, swelling, and pain in the joints.

Deer or elk antler velvet has also been used for thousands of years not only to treat antler arthritis but a variety of other medical conditions such as fatigue, high blood pressure, and even impotence.

Antler velvet is specifically the growing antler found in a male deer. It is best used before it becomes hard and calcified. The antler is usually covered in fine hair and is very soft. The use of the deer's antler velvet is animal-friendly because a male deer will grow a set of new antlers every single year. If not harvested in time, it will just fall out on its own once it grows out a new set. It can also be helpful to a deer when its antlers are removed at an early stage because it might be used as weapons during mating season with other deer.

Antler velvet has components that are very useful such as calcium, iron, potassium, copper, zinc, and sulfur. This is why it has also been proven to increase testosterone production in males, help in healing wounds at a much more rapid pace, as well as help in healing of muscles quickly.

The intake of antler velvet has also been proven to increase one's stamina and strength. For arthritis patients, the antler velvet reduces the swelling, soreness, pain, and discomfort caused by the damage in the cartilage. It also helps in repairing the broken cartilage because of the aforementioned minerals and components it contains. The effect of the antler velvet can usually be seen within three to six months of usage.

Knee Problems Associated With Locking, Grinding, and Popping

Lock, Pop, grind and no it's not a dance move

Knee problems associated with locking, grinding, and popping

Since u are not a firecracker or a soda can you can be forgiven to think that popping sounds in the knee is an indication that something is wrong. The truth though is that popping sounds occurs naturally when movement occurs in the joints. A slight misalignment in the knee cap (Patella) or the movement of different ligaments across the joint can give a popping sound. If it is a case however where this sounds is accompanied by pain then one has reason for concern. Grinding and locking are better indicators of a physiological disorder in the knee, but the pain factor is also very important in these cases.

Popping

As stated earlier unless accompanied by pain then a popping sound is perfectly normal, however if there is pain then it is often an indication that the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has been torn. ACL maybe torn in two pieces or there might just be a partial rip, the extent of damage will determine treatment implemented. If ACL is ripped apart then surgery followed by rehab will be necessary, however for partial tears one just need to stay away from physical activities for awhile as the injury will self heal. A popping sound in conjunction with pain may also be an indication of another condition known as Discoid Lateral Meniscus or "popping-knee syndrome". This occurs when there is an abnormal shaped meniscus in the knee joint. This can usually be treated by conservative methods such as stretching, however if pain persist arthroscopic surgery though optional might be required.

Grinding

When cartilage degeneration occur the bones of the knee joint tends to grind together causing immense pain and producing a grinding sound. This is usually caused by rheumatoid arthritis which rarely occurs in individuals under 50. The degeneration caused by rheumatoid arthritis is irreversible. Patella tendonitis (runner's knee) can also cause degeneration of cartilage and thus the pain and grinding sound. Runner's knee is the most likely cause of the grinding sound in the knees of young individuals particularly athletes. Fortunately in this case the degeneration is reversible, as resting the knee and doing exercises that strengthen the quadriceps muscles will see the knee return to normal over time.

Locking

You may find yourself playing a game of basketball and suddenly being unable to flex a leg or you may be kneeling then find that you are unable to straighten your leg to get up; when this happens you are experiencing a phenomenon known as locking which can be quite painful. There are generally two type of locking, pseudo-locking and true locking. Pseudo locking is a reaction to pain and functions like a kill switch where the knee locks into position when tension in the area becomes excessive. True locking results from physiological problems in the knee, causing the knee become rigid, unable to bend or extend. True locking usually occurs when torn cartilage or bone fragment (resulting from a bone disorder known as Osteochondritis Dissecans) becomes jammed between joints surfaces restricting movement of the knee joint. When a muscle on the inside of the thigh becomes weak and fragile or the outer muscles tighten they can throw off alignment of the knee cap, which also lead to locking.

Locking can easily be corrected by resting as movement will eventually return to joints. In the case of true locking the problem can only be completely nullified by orthopaedic surgery to remove loose bone or cartilage.

Tips For People Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis can be daunting at times especially in the workplace, driving your car, and doing household chores.

In the office there are several things you can do to make life at work more comfortable for you. Following are some suggestions for rearranging your office.

In the office

-Keep all supplies within easy reach
-Have an adjustable chair
-Use a lateral filing cabinet beside your desk to avoid reaching
-Install a glare-proof screen on your computer monitor; causing less eye strain
-Use a footrest to keep feet elevated
-Install wrist rests on your keyboard to make typing easier.

With these things in place your office should be more comfortable for you.

In the car

Driving a car can also present problems for the patient with rheumatoid arthritis. Here are some suggestions that should make driving easier.

-Installing grab bars on the roof to help you get in and out of the car
-Power steering, power seats, power windows all benefit the person with rheumatoid arthritis
-Adjustable head rests, power steering, cruise control and a tilt steering wheel
-Use a wide-angle mirror to avoid straining your neck
-Install lever type handles for opening the car doors
-A key holder will make turning the key easier and prevent pain in the fingers
-When taking a long trip, stop the car and get out to stretch your body from time to time.

In the Kitchen

Preparing meals ahead of time can prevent a lot of pressure at meal time. Of course, that is not always possible, so you should allow yourself plenty of time to prepare a meal.

-Use disposable aluminum pans; or you can use the same pans for cooking and serving to make cleanup easier
-Use foil to line pans for easier cleaning
-Store heavy appliances within easy reach
-A microwave oven, electric can openers, dishwasher, blenders, food processors, all make life easier
-Store most often used dishes on shelves where you won't have to reach
-Sit on a stool while preparing food at the counter, or sit at the table to chop vegetables
-If you have to transport items to another room, use a wheeled cart.

Doing the household chores

Trying to clean the whole house in one day is not a good idea. Make the heavy traffic areas a priority. Designate the heavy chores which need to be done to someone else. Break up the workload; do some vacuuming today, and leave cleaning the bathrooms for tomorrow. Doing only one major task per day is enough. This way you will not be expending all of your energy in one day.

Here are a few helpful tips that you might try when doing your household chores.

-When sorting clean laundry, sit rather than stand
-Purchase a rolling laundry cart on wheels. This is much easier than carrying a full load of laundry
-Separate light and dark loads of laundry into two different baskets
-Store cleaning supplies both upstairs and downstairs for convenience if you live in a two- story house
-When cleaning tiles in the bathroom, use a mildew remover, eliminating the need to scrub
-Use a mop with a long handle to clean the floors. This will save you from bending to get the job done
-Letting your dishes air dry saves time. If you own a dishwasher, this is done for you.

With some of these helpful solutions in place you should find that your environment in your office and home is somewhat improved and is a place where you enjoy spending your time.

Relieve Arthritis For Low Back Pain

We all see the commercials on TV for people who suffer from arthritis. If you do not have arthritis then you do not really understand the debilitating nature of this disease. People with arthritis must deal with constant stiffness of their joints. This stiffness causes pain and decreases their mobility. There are many causes of arthritis and some particularly tough conditions. One such condition is arthritis of the lumbar spine. Because the lumbar spine is so critical to the body's movement and walking upright, arthritis in this area can be very tough on the individual. There are a number of natural treatments targeted for arthritis in the lumbar spine including physical therapy, surgery, and massage chair therapy.

Generally, arthritis is thought to only affect the old generation. However, as we age, we may become more susceptible to arthritis. If you are overweight or if you do heavy lifting, then you may be a candidate for arthritis of the lower back. If you have suffered a previous injury in the lower back, then you are also more susceptible.

Your spine is interconnected with the cervical discs. This cervical column creates your spine. The individual discs are held together by soft tissues. These soft tissues must be strong enough to take on the weight of the body. Concentration of force in the lower spine can be problematic and cause arthritis. Other conditions include disc degeneration and spinal stenosis.

When you have arthritis of the lumbar spine you will experience stiffness in the lower back. Sometimes the stiffness can result in severe and prolonged pain. You may notice when you rise out of bed your back is stiff. This can also happen after strenuous activity or when using your lower back muscles more than usual.

In many cases the arthritis can worsen and as the soft tissues degenerate bone spurs can form. When bone spurs form they inflame the surrounding soft tissue. This inflammation causes the nerves to become pinched resulting in spinal stenosis.

Most treatments are geared towards natural therapies. Surgery is usually reserved if no other alternatives exist. Unfortunately, with surgery comes scar tissue which causes further stiffness in the region. Natural methods are geared towards restoring the original flexibility of the soft tissues. One natural method used throughout time is massage therapy. Massage therapy is used to stretch out the muscles to assist with flexibility.

If you are not a severe case, then the doctor will try natural methods first. You may be sent to physical therapy to help rebuild the muscles in that area. Another avenue is chiropractic care. A chiropractor will look to adjust your spine to help redistribute the weight across the spine. The chiropractor looks to the restore the health of the soft tissues and muscles.

To help increase flexibility of the joints, movement of those joints is necessitated. First a stretching and bending of the muscles is performed. This can be very painful in the beginning but must be overcome in order to regain flexibility. Massage therapy is often used to help relieve pain and to restore elasticity of the muscle tissue.

Many doctors use massage chairs to assist their patients. These doctors set their patients up on specific massage routines depending on their condition. The doctor may also include stretching and warming of specific areas of the body to assist recovery.

Massage chairs are used to deliver precise massage to a given area for a specified duration. These doctors will program the massage chair to deliver the type of massage they desire. The massage can be directed to a specific area or region or can be programmed to avoid certain areas or regions. This gives the doctor flexibility in delivering the type of therapy they requires.

Restoring the range of motion of joints is important for recovery. The joints become stiff and mobility is restricted. The stiffness causes further pain as tense muscles do not relax. Relaxing the muscles on a frequent and periodic basis is important for recovery. Massage chairs for in home use provide this possibility for users.

Of the many types of arthritis, lumbar spine arthritis is one of the most difficult to cope with. There is a constant pain and stiffness of the lower spine. This restricts the movement of individuals and disrupts their routines. Take control back over your routine and get relief when you need it. Check with your medical provider as to the best options in your situation. See if massage chair therapy is right for you.

How Can Fresh Pineapple Help Arthritis?

All fresh fruits including pineapple are packed with enzymes however pineapple is well known for being packed with an enzyme called bromelain. This gives the fruit some amazing natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Of course like most fruits it's bursting with vitamin C. They are second only to bananas as America's favorite tropical fruit.

It is this the enzyme bromelain that makes pineapple useful in treating bruises, sprains and strains by reducing swelling, tenderness and pain. This anti-inflammatory property will help in relieving osteo-arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms as well as reducing post-operative swelling. Bromelain also acts as a digestive enzymes aiding in protein digestion. Most of the bromelain is concentrated in the core of the pineapple and for this reason I always add the stem to my smoothies. Pineapple is also known to help with fluid retention.

To gain the benefit of bromelain as an anti-inflammatory or as a digestive enzyme, it is important to know that enzymes are very sensitive to light and temperatures especially heat. So any commercially bought pineapple products will be dead so to speak, the enzymes will have been destroyed. This goes for bought juices, canned, frozen, and dried pineapple.

When choosing a fresh pineapple color isn't necessarily a good indicator of ripeness, some are in their prime when still green, it depends on the variety, ranging from green to yellow. The most important factor in determining ripeness is aroma let your nose help you decide. Ripe pineapples give off a sweet, fresh tropical smell. Avoid pineapples that give off a slightly alcoholic smell, they are too ripe and are fermenting. Avoid pineapples with soft spots or areas of dark discoloration. Eat pineapple at room temperature to appreciate their full flavor.

Pineapple "Rum Pud"
One or two pineapples
Add fresh mango (or frozen - you prepared when they were in season)
Fresh Ginger
Thick coconut milk
A dash or two of rum
A banana or two
Leave the leaves on the pineapple and cut a pineapple in half length ways. Scoop or cut out the flesh leaving the pineapple halves in tack to use as containers. Cut up the flesh into cubes removing the stem. Put the pineapple into a bowl, add freshly grated ginger to taste, thick coconut milk and a little rum, slice or chop up bananas and mix all ingredients together. Place the ingredients back into the pineapple halves and serve immediately.

Pineapple makes a very good addition to smoothies, with papaya, some pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds, and a banana. Besides being high in bromelain and vitamin C, pineapples are also a rich source of beta carotene, potassium, vitamin B-1 (cofactor in enzymatic reactions vital to energy production, vitamin B-2, iron, fiber, manganese (co-factor in a number of enzymes needed for energy production and anti-oxidant defense), omega-3 fatty acids, calcium and some friendly bacteria.

Do you know? The part of the fruit closest to the base of the fruit has more sugar content and therefore a sweeter taste and more tender texture than the upper part of the fruit.

Arthritis - Yes It Can Be Cured

There are over 100 types of arthritis. It is a disease that limits everyday movements such as walking, standing or holding onto a key and trying to open a door. The effects of arthritis range from slight pain, stiffness, and joint swelling, to crippling discomfort.

Osteoarthritis is the most prevalent form of arthritis. An estimated 20.7 million Americans are affected by this disease.

According to Dr. Hulda Clark “…in osteoarthritis the joints have bacteria living in the deposits left there… More research is necessary to explain this. My suspicion is that there are toxins, like mercury, thallium, cadmium, lead, as well as solvents, distributed through the body, lowering immunity and allowing the tiny larvae to reside there. Once the pathway (routing) to these organs has been established, it continues to be used by other parasites as well. Soon a variety of parasites, their bacteria and viruses, and pollutants are all headed toward these organs”.

Osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of cartilage which is what protects the ends of bones from rubbing against each other. As the disease gets worse, along with the loss of cartilage bone spurs and abnormal bone hardening will develop, and create severe pain as there is no more cushioning for the bones. As a result, bones become more brittle and susceptible to fractures.

There are two types of osteoarthritis: primary and secondary. Primary OA is arthritis due to an unhealthy aging process. Secondary osteoarthritis is not so common, and is caused by, injury, previous congenital joint misalignment, trauma, infection, surgery, or prolonged use of medications.

Causes of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is can be brought on by general wear and tear on the body through the process of living, excess weight, and a lifetime of inadequate diet. Additional causes can be skeletal defects, genetic factors, and hormonal deficiencies (as evidenced by the many women who get osteoarthritis after menopause), toxins, and microbes. There are still other environmental and even dental factors that have also been found to bring on the disease.

Biomechanical changes, especially excessive tissue acidity, can also contribute to the development of osteoarthritis. This is why watching your pH for your acid, alkaline levels is so important, (you can get more information on pH, and acid and alkaline at www.drclarkuniversity.org click on books and products, then the University book store, then click on Alkalife). When joints lose their full range of motion due to stress, injury or lack of activity, the cartilage is decreased. As a result, motion is hindered and the and pain ensues. The body replaces the deterioration in the joints with calcium, which then forms hard, inflexible deposits, which cause joint stiffness.

There are some things you can do to avoid this disease or remove it from your life. One would be to follow Dr. Clark’s recommendations, some of which are below, and more information about her treatment and suggestions can be found in her book the Cure For All Diseases, found at www.drclarkuniversity.org [http://www.drclarkuniversity.org]

“Arthritic deposits contain a large amount of phosphates combined with calcium. This calcium came from some other bone, such as the base of your spine or the wrist. Here the bones are getting weaker due to this calcium loss. Calcium was taken out of your bones for the simple purpose of neutralizing the excess phosphate in your diet. Reduce phosphate consumption (meats, soda pop, grains) by half, eating fish, milk, vegetables and fruit instead. Drink three cups of milk a day. If you are allergic to milk, do several liver cleanses, switch brands of milk, use milk digestant, and use it in cooking and baking. Cheese and cottage cheese are not substitutes for milk (the calcium stayed in the whey). Dairy products must be boiled before consuming and should be no less than 2% butter fat. It takes bile to make calcium absorbable, yet bile with less than 2% butter fat does not trigger the gallbladder to empty it's bile at mealtime”.

When joints are painful it is a simple matter to kill the bacteria with an electronic zapper. Treat yourself with a zapper daily until the pain is gone, (more info on the zapper at www.drclarkuniversity.org [http://www.drclarkuniversity.org] and in the Cure for All Diseases). Maybe it will stay away, but chances are the bacteria will have a steady source of toxins to become re-infected. Pick up the Cure for All Diseases to learn how not to re-infect yourself.

5 Common Symptoms of Psoriasis

There are basic signs and symptoms to look for if you are concerned that dry skin or a flakey scalp may be psoriasis. The best diagnosis will come from a doctor, but here are some of the most common symptoms of psoriasis.

Symptoms vary depending on the type of psoriasis you have. The most common type is plaque psoriasis, symptoms include:

• Patches of red, inflamed skin, often covered with scaly silver-colored loose skin. These "plaques" may be painful and itchy, or sometimes even crack and bleed if scratched or picked at.


• Itching, particularly during sudden flare-ups. This is most often noticeable in skin folds, such as under the breasts or buttocks.


• Appearance of similar plaques in the same area on both sides of the body (for example, both knees or both elbows).


• Discoloration and pitting of the finger and toe nails. Nails may become brittle or detach from the nail bed, although this should not be confused with a fungal nail infection which may look similar in appearance.


• Thick crusted plaques on the scalp, more severe than simply an itchy dry scalp.

Two other types of psoriasis, though less common, are guttate psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Symptoms for these types of psoriasis include.

• Flare-ups of raindrop-shaped patches (guttate psoriasis). This condition most often appears following a strep infection and is the second most common type of psoriasis. It affects less than 10% of those with psoriasis.


• Joint swelling, tenderness, and pain is associated with psoriatic arthritis. According to The National Psoriasis Foundation between 10% and 30% of people with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis.

Another interesting symptom, typical of psoriasis, is called Koebner's phenomenon. It can occur when a person with psoriasis has an injury such as a cut, burn, or excess sun exposure. Red scaly patches may begin to appear on the injured skin from several days to about 2 weeks after the injury.

Conditions that Mimic Symptoms of Psoriasis

There are several other conditions that can mimic the symptoms of psoriasis, including:

• Allergic reactions of the skin, such as eczema.


• Fungal and bacterial infections.


• Intertrigo is an inflammation of the skin caused by friction in folds of skin or places where skin touches skin, such as between the buttocks.


• Lichen planus is an uncommon, recurrent skin condition that causes itchy, shiny reddish purple spots on the skin, gray-white spots in the mouth, glassy bright red spots on the genitals, and small patchy areas of hair loss.


• Lupus is an autoimmune disease, in which the immune system attacks healthy body tissues as though they were foreign substances. The attacks cause inflammation and tissue damage throughout the body. Symptoms include joint pain, fatigue, skin rashes, and fever.


• Skin cancer.

In addition, some medication can cause reactions with symptoms similar to psoriasis. Talk to your doctor about what medications you are taking.

Call Your Doctor If:

Your skin inflammation does not respond to over-the-counter types of treatment; you need to be checked to see if more aggressive prescription topical and/or systemic therapy is needed.

Relieving Arthritis With Hot Stone Therapy

Arthritis occurs when a person's joints become inflamed. As a result, they may experience debilitating pain and even deformation. To make matters even worse, there is nothing out there that can officially 'cure' arthritis. Instead, sufferers must find relief through perpetual treatments, whether it's drugs or holistic alternatives. A common example of the latter can be found through hot stone therapy.

What is hot rock therapy? Heat therapy is a type of massage where heated stones are applied to various areas of the body. The feeling associated with the massage is very pleasant due to both the heat and the stone's smoothness. But hot stone therapy also offers physiological benefits, since the heat helps to improve the body's blood flow. With this increase in blood flow, the arthritic joint is able to receive more nutrients from the body's cells. And when this happens, the inflammation lessens.

Now, if all of this sounds off-the-wall, think about some of the more 'common' treatments doctors recommend for arthritis. Heating pads, warm baths and the like all work off of the same principle. However, this type of therapy is a little bit more powerful, because the heat is actually massaged into the skin. Plus, it is much more enjoyable for a person's psyche.

This is not to say that this kind of therapy is perfect. As helpful as it is, hot stone therapy is not effective at reducing arthritic swelling. So, in that situation, a masseuse might decide to alternate with cold stones. The feeling is still pleasant, but since cold is being applied, the body's nervous system slows down. This halts activity within the joint, including fluid build-up.

In conclusion, don't underestimate the power a masseuse has when it comes to relieving your arthritis. Sure, massages won't eliminate your arthritis, but they will make it much more tolerable.

The Role of Spa Baths in Arthritis Treatment

A spa might give you unexpected relief from arthritis pain.

Soft bones or osteomalacia means that you experience extreme pain when you put pressure on the bones. Likewise osteoarthritis of the knee means that you are not in a position to do conventional exercises. That is why osteoporosis patients have sometimes turned to spa baths as one of the ways in which they can get relief. In the Edwardian age, many members of the upper classes thought that these spas could treat the symptoms of Paget's disease of the bone even if they were not yet clear about the sources of that condition. Some people suffered from Patellofemoral pain syndrome. This was characterized by knee pain in young adults. Spas have been recommended for Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), dermatomyositis and Polymyositis. Some of the benefits reported include:

1. Soothing effects on the bones: Although the scientific research on this is rather sketchy, some patients claim that they get relief from the spas. The bones are excruciatingly painful when you suffer from arthritis and therefore the anecdotal evidence has to be taken at face value. Patients are the best source of information about their symptoms because they feel the pain.

2. Relieving muscle tension in the body: Sometimes the arthritis patient will not get a chance to move their muscles about. That will lead to tension and the infamous muscle pull. Bathing in a spa will relax these muscles and give them some pain relief. It might be necessary to stretch after the treatment in order to maximize the benefits.

3. Dealing with aching joints: Often arthritis patients will complain of chronically aching joints. It is important that there are different options in addition to the non steroidal ant inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs. Spas have been known to provide relief for aching joints.

4. Reducing insomnia: The intensive pain that is felt by arthritis patients might lead them to suffer from insomnia. This is a debilitating condition because the patient will always feel tired and yet they have no means to rest. Bathing in a good quality spa might induce sleep and reduce the incidence of insomnia.

Although spas might be considered to be ancient techniques with little scientific research, the reality is that many people swear by them. You can go on a warm spa in order to warm up your bones in the winter. It is also a good way to get out of the house and exercise those bones in a safe manner.

Terminating An Employee - How To Handle Terminations Safely And Securely

The least pleasant part of being a supervisor or manager is terminating an employee. No matter how horrendous that employee has been, looking someone in the face and saying, "We're terminating your employment," is just plain difficult. It doesn't matter how many times you've had to do it, either. When you're terminating someone's employment, you are making a major change in his life, something he probably doesn't want and something that may have an effect on his family as well as himself.

But like it or not, there are times when termination is the only choice. An employee who seemed to be full of potential decides to "retire" at work and doesn't meet your expectations. An employee whose job requires that he be present during specified hours, strolls in whenever he pleases, leaves when he feels like it, and is gone more than he's at work. There are thousands of scenarios, but the end result is the same; you need to move this person out of your workplace.

Communicate With Your Employee As Soon As You Identify A Problem

When I worked as a Corporate Employee Relations Manager in a Fortune 100 company, I frequently received phone calls from supervisors with employees who were not meeting expectations. Interviewing the supervisors, I'd ask how long the performance had been deficient. "Oh, about six months, maybe a little longer," was not an unusual response. Six months? When I questioned the supervisors a little more, they admitted they were reluctant to confront the employees. Some wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. They thought the employees just needed some time to settle in. Some supervisors thought things would just get better if they left the employees alone. (This will not happen!)

As soon as you see an employee struggling, even if the employee does not acknowledge or even understand he's struggling, it's important to sit down, in private, and discuss your observations. Let the employee know what you expect from him and what you've actually observed him doing. Explain how he can meet your expectations. Schedule follow-up coaching and counseling sessions. Let the employee know that you're in his corner; you want him to succeed. Encourage him to ask questions. Start every coaching and counseling session with positive feedback; then discuss areas for improvement; and end the session with positive reinforcement.

Put Job Deficiencies in Writing

If an employee is not meeting expectations, whether by way of job performance or attendance or conduct, put those deficiencies in writing. A Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) is an excellent tool to communicate what is expected, what standards are not being met, steps to be taken immediately, and consequences for not meeting those expectations. I drafted PIPs for supervisors in the form of a memo to be signed by the supervisor, the employee (if he wanted to sign it - it wasn't required), and countersigned by me. The employee received a copy whether or not he signed the PIP. The reason I signed it was that in a large company we wanted to make certain we were consistent across the board. i.e., We wanted to make certain that we treated employees in all states in the same manner.

Employees were given a reasonable period of time in which to make improvements. Often 30 days is sufficient time in which to expect a change in performance, attendance or conduct. If there is a serious deterioration, you need not wait until the end of that time period to take the next step. And if the deficiencies are only partially cured at the end of the time period, you can extend the PIP to make certain the employee does not backslide.

Make It Clear At the Outset of Employment, What Acts Constitute Grounds For Immediate Termination

There has been a lot of talk about progressive discipline. When an employee is modestly deficient in his performance or his attendance is a little less than stellar, progressive discipline may be appropriate. But there are times when the only appropriate response is immediate termination. What constitutes grounds for immediate termination may vary but here are a few that come to mind:

* Possession of firearms or knives (other than pocket knives) on company property (you may want to include company parking lots in the definition of company property).

* Physical assault on another employee or visitor on company property

* Possession and/or sale of controlled substances without a valid prescription on company property

* Threats of violence made against another employee or visitor on company property

* Sexual harassment (Immediate termination would generally be for actual sexual assault or inappropriate touching. A PIP might be issued to an employee for making an inappropriate remark.)

* Viewing child pornography on company computers or other equipment.

* Making threats against another employee based on his race, religion, national origin, etc. (Violations of state laws and Title VII are to be taken very seriously).

*Committing a felony that disqualifies an employee from working for the company. (I worked for a financial services company and financial service companies cannot hire or retain employees who have been convicted (as opposed to just being "arrested") for crimes involving robbery, theft, or embezzlement.) Your human resources department can advise you if there are restrictions of this type that apply to your company.

The Termination Process

Your employee has been coached and counseled. You've given him a PIP and the improvement, if any, was temporary. You see no other avenue left but termination. Before you start the process, it's always a good idea to get a second opinion. In the company where I worked, my opinion and my signature were required before the termination could take place. This policy was instituted by the Senior Vice President of Human Resouces to ensure that we didn't have someone terminated in California, while an employee in Georgia only received a PIP for the same reasons.

Once the paperwork has been signed, make certain you have the employee's final check ready to hand to him at the termination. In some states, like California, this is mandatory. Even if you are not required to do so, it is a good idea to give the employee his money before he leaves. It goes a long way to reducing his anxiety about his future and makes the termination at least slightly more palatable.

Does it make a difference what day you choose to do a termination? Some people like to wait to the end of the week. My preference was to either do the termination on a Monday or at the very latest, on Thursday morning. If an employee is terminated on a Friday, all he can do is sit around all weekend thinking about how he was fired. I know we call it "termination" but the word that goes off in our heads is "fired". If an employee is prone to any sort of retaliation or depression, a Friday termination can make things worse. On the other hand, if an employee is terminated at the beginning of the week, he has a reason to get up the next day and apply for unemployment and start looking for a new job.

The termination should take place in a private room. I generally used a conference room near an entrance or exit to the building. If your building is not configured this way, find some private room in which to conduct the termination. It's humiliating enough to lose your job without the whole world hearing and watching you. A member of human resources or another manager should be in the room with you as a witness.

The supervisor should remind the employee that they have discussed his deficiencies over a period of time and that things have not gotten better. The supervisor should then inform the employee, "We have decided to terminate your employment." Use the word "we" rather than "I"; it's less personal and less confrontational. Don't let the employee argue about this. Explain that the decision has already been made and you're not going to debate the decision. Let the employee know that you will not discuss his termination with anyone and that you respect his privacy.

The supervisor should arrange to have someone (either an assistant manager or someone from human resources) retrieve from the employee's desk, whatever he needs to take with him immediately. If the employee is a woman, she will want her purse. It is not a good idea to let the employee return to his desk. I have witnessed too many incidents where the supervisor let the employee collect his own things.

One supervisor told me there was nothing to worry about because the employee would act in a professional manner. Five minutes later, I was called to the work area because the employee was screaming at the top of her lungs about how unfair we were; how she had been fired for no reason and how she was going to sue us all. The disruption to the workplace was devastating, even though in this particular case, most of the other employees were happy to see this woman leave.

Let the employee know that you will pack up his belongings and have them shipped to the employee's address. Confirm the address to which the employee wants his belongings sent. When the belongings are packed up, have one person do the packing and another writing an inventory. The last thing you need is for a former employee to accuse you of stealing a Rollex he left in a drawer. You may laugh but it has been known to happen.

After the employee has been given his final check and a copy of his termination paperwork, ask him for his badge or any other company property he may have with him (company pager, company cell phone, company credit card). Escort the employee out of the building. Immediately after the now-former employee leaves, make certain security knows that this person is no longer employed by the company. If employees swipe badges to access company parking lots or buildings, make certain facilities or security disables the employee's badge. Company credit cards should be cancelled immediately, as should cell phone and pager numbers.

Other employees will undoubtedly ask what happened. It is not unusual for a terminated employee to call some of his former coworkers and ask what was said about him. Here is the appropriate response: "John Doe is no longer with the company." If they ask why, "I do not discuss other employees." If you hear employees gossiping about the terminated employee, it's probably a good idea to encourage them to go back to work, reminding them that they would not want someone to discuss them behind their back.

One last caveat: If for any reason you believe before or after the termination, you believe the employee may retaliate in any way, don't keep it a secret. Tell your own supervisor and human resources. There were many times when I had security outside the door while I participated in terminations and I never felt as if I were overreacting.

When I worked for The Boeing Company, a security guard gave me some very sage advice. Whenever I had to participate in a termination, he checked out the room where the termination would take place. The first time I saw him remove a stapler from the desk, I just laughed. I stopped laughing when he asked, "What would you do if he picked this up and hit you in the head?" Not being a person prone to violence, this had never occurred to me. "That," he said, "is why I'm in security; to make certain it does occur to you."

While I was never physically threatened or assaulted, there were cases where the immediate supervisor and I thought that possibility existed. All you have to do is watch the evening news to hear about workplace violence. If you have treated an employee with courtesy and respect, up to and including his termination, you will have gone a long way to ensuring the safety and security of the entire workplace.

New Guidelines For Osteoarthritis - What Do They Mean?

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis and the leading cause of chronic musculoskeletal pain and limited mobility in older people worldwide.

It is a disease that causes cartilage in weight-bearing areas such as the neck, low back, hips, knees, and the base of the thumbs to deteriorate and wear away.

Since it is so common, many treatments have been advocated. Some treatments work and others don't. However, the sheer number of claims of efficacy can be overwhelming to both physicians as well as patients.

Guidelines are often created by various organizations in medicine to help both the patient as well as the physician arrive at decisions. These guidelines are formulated to let the physician and patient know what types of diagnostic criteria or treatment methods have enough evidence behind them to be recommended for use.

A new set of treatment recommendations for knee and hip osteoarthritis have been released by a scientific organization, the Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI).

These are evidence-based recommendations - meaning they have the power of scientific data backing them up. A subcommittee of OARSI was given the task of coming up with specific guidelines to help clear the confusion and clutter surrounding what really works and what doesn't for osteoarthritis of the hip and knee.

The goals of the committee were (1) to review all of the published national and international treatment guidelines together with the more recent evidence from clinical trials and (2) to produce a single set of up-to-date, evidence-based recommendations for the worldwide treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis.

The guidelines were accompanied by "grades", ie. percentages, to indicate how much evidence was behind each criterion.

The first of OARSI's 25 evidence-based recommendations was that that best treatment requires both non-drug and drug modalities. The remaining 24 recommendations fall into three categories - non-drug, drug, and surgical.

The following are the recommendations:

Non-drug - These 11 recommendations include education and self-management (97%); regular telephone contact (66%); referral to a physical therapist (89%); aerobic, muscle strengthening and water-based exercises (96%); weight reduction (96%); walking aids (90%); knee braces (76%); footware and insoles (77%); thermal modalities [heat or cold] (64%); transcutaneous electrical stimulation (58%); and acupuncture (59%).

Drug - These eight recommendations include acetaminophen (92%); non-selective and selective oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)(93%); topical NSAIDs and capsaicin (85%); intraarticular injections of corticosteroids [joint injections of "cortisone"](78%); intraarticular injections of hyaluronans [joint injections of various lubricants](64%); glucosamine and/or chondroitin sulphate for symptom relief (63%); glucosamine sulphate, chondroitin sulphate and/or diacerein for possible structure-modifying effects (41%); and the use of weak opioids and narcotic analgesics for the treatment of refractory pain (82%).

Surgical - These five recommendations include total joint replacement (96%); unicompartmental knee replacement (76%); osteotomy and joint preserving surgical procedures (75%); joint lavage and arthroscopic debridement in knee OA (60%); and joint fusion as a salvage procedure when joint replacement had failed (69%).

According to Dr. Francis Berenbaum, president elect of OARSI and a faculty member in the Department of Rheumatology at Pierre & Marie Curie University, APHP Saint-Antoine Hospital in Paris, "Our goal was to make these guidelines as simple as possible so that healthcare providers could determine which therapies would be most useful for an individual patient."

In recent years, there has been a decline in the use of NSAIDs by physicians because of concerns related to the potential for causing gastrointestinal side effects and the possible cardiovascular risks associated with these drugs.

However, OARSI committee members found that NSAIDs are often effective pain relievers and their short-term use should be considered on a case-by-case basis and not as a long-term option.

The guideline committee was made up of experts from six countries, including 11 rheumatologists, two primary care physicians, one orthopedic surgeon, and two experts on evidence-based medicine.

While these guidelines are helpful in regards to current therapies, there are weaknesses.

For example, research into osteoarthritis is constantly advancing and newer types of therapies exist for which there is still insufficient evidence to say whether they are effective or not.

An illustration might be cold laser where insufficient numbers of well-controlled clinical trials exist to say for sure whether it works and how well.

Second, one therapy, arthroscopic debridement has much evidence supporting its use, yet payers such as CMS (Medicare) will not pay for it citing the very few studies that don't show benefit as their evidence.

Also... the guidelines are just that. They don't say whether a given treatment will work for a specific individual.

Finally, there are cutting edge therapies such as stem cells and the use of platelet rich growth factors which show a lot of promise but for which it is much too early to know how effective they will be.

So... stay tuned!

Dog Arthritis - Symptoms, Prevention and Treatment

Arthritis affects people but also our dear pets. Statistics say that in US about 25% of pets are affected by arthritis. As a dog owner and lover, you should pay attention that your non-human friend is always in good mood, playful and that it eats well and healthy food. But if you do notice changes in your dog's mood and activity like difficulty sitting, standing, running, climbing stairs, or if it's less playful, or if it gained weight or its behavior changed you should probably pay your vet a visit. You friend could have arthritis. The veterinarian will do an examination and an X-ray to you dog. If this should be the diagnostic you'll have to start a treatment immediately. The sooner the disease is discovered the better. But most therapies only ease the pain caused by the inflammation of the joint and decrease the progression of the disease. Arthritis is a disease where the joint is poorly lubricated and spacing in the joints occurs. There are a couple of factors that can cause arthritis like the age of your dog, overweight, infection, joint trauma, the wear of cartilage, the breakdown of the cartilage which is most likely the result of poor lubrication and hydraulic spacing in the joints. Before you start treating your dog's arthritis you should talk with a veterinary first. Your vet, before prescribing medications, will do some blood tests to your dog to be sure that you dog will metabolize these drugs and not will suffer from side effects like diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite. Common treatments include a diet and an exercising plan to lose and maintain a normal weight, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, over-the-counter pet treatments and natural remedies. Many veterinarians prescribe drugs containing glucosamine sulfate, chondroitin sulfate and methylsulfonylmethane. Glucosamine is a natural component found in your dog's cartilage and it's found mainly in shellfish and sea creatures. Practically, when this component is added to your dog's diet in higher doses it stimulates the repair of damaged joints. When choosing the right medication containing glucosamine you should always go for a liquid form because it's active ingredients are absorbed faster and better and where it's most needed.

For dogs with inherited bone conditions, like knee or hip dysphasia, glucosamine supplements may be useful. They also recommend including in your dog diet, other natural ingredients like Vitamin C, Boswellia, Greenlip Mussels, Zinc Selenium, Manganese, Bromelain that help ease the pain, reduce inflammation and repair the damaged cartilage. For decreasing the inflammatory effects of arthritis antioxidant vitamins and fatty acid supplements are also recommended and used as a natural remedy. Surgery may be offered as an option in cases where there is no improvement from physical therapy or medications or in advanced cases of arthritis. But there are fewer and fewer veterinarians that will accept to perform this kind of procedure as they are not equipped or qualified accordingly. Prevention is important when it comes to arthritis.

If your dog is not affected by arthritis yet you can try to prevent this disease from affecting your dog by starting to include joint support ingredients in their middle years diet, by paying more attention to what your pets eats and in what quantities, by making an yearly appointment to the veterinary. Although glucosamine is a cure it has been shown it is also a good preventive measure. You should also take into account that recovery of dogs with arthritis takes time and you need to give them proper care and the extra attention.

My Rheumatologist Says I Have Undifferentiated Arthritis-What is that?

Among those who seek out a rheumatologist's assistance for joint symptoms, one of the most common diagnoses is undifferentiated arthritis (UA). This means a specific diagnosis is not yet possible.

Spontaneous remission occurs in 40 to 50 percent of UA patients, while about one-third develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Rheumatologists must make a decision regarding whether to initiate disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) immediately... or to wait a bit.

To investigate the question as to what could or should be done, researchers with the Early Arthritis Clinic at Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands, developed a formula to help determine whether patients who present with UA are likely to progress to RA.

They looked at a total of 1,700 arthritis patients. The Leiden investigators then identified 570 patients with recent-onset UA and monitored their disease for one year. At the end of one year, 177 of the original UA patients fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for RA and 150 had achieved remission; the remaining 94 had been diagnosed with another arthritic condition.

Through a combination of questionnaires, physical examination, and blood samples, the team identified 9 clinical variables with independent predictive value for RA: gender, age, localization of symptoms, morning stiffness, the tender joint count, the swollen joint count, the C-reactive protein level, rheumatoid factor positivity, and the presence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies.

They then created a prediction scoring system

The prediction score, ranging from 0 to 14, was calculated for every patient in the group, with a higher score indicating a greater risk of developing RA. None of the patients who had a prediction score of less than 3 progressed to RA during the year-long observation. In contrast, all of the patients who had a prediction score of 11 or greater progressed to RA. Among the patients with scores between 4 and 10 who experienced progression to RA, the frequency of such progression increased with rising scores.

The percentage of patients in whom RA developed was also assessed according to several cutoff values of the prediction score. For example, when the scores 5.0 and 9.0 were chosen as cutoff values, 97 percent of patients with UA who had a score equal to or less than 5.0 did not develop RA, and a score of equal to or greater than 9.0 was associated with progression to RA in 84 percent of the patients.

"Because the prediction rule is accurate and can be easily determined in daily clinical practice, the present model is an important step forward in achieving individualized treatment in patients with recent-onset UA," notes chief spokesperson Dr. Tom W. J. Huizinga. "... we believe that the current model allows physicians and patients to make an evidence-based choice regarding whether or not to initiate DMARDs, in the majority of patients presenting with UA."
[van der Helm-van Mil AHM, le Cessie S, van Dongen H, Breedveld FC, Toes REM, Huizinga TWJ. A Prediction Rule for Disease Outcome in Patients With Recent-Onset Undifferentiated Arthritis: How to Guide Individual Treatment Decisions. Arthritis and Rheumatism. 2007: 57 (2).]

Authors note: A version of this prediction scale is already used by practitioners in the United States. By taking into consideration multiple variables, a rheumatologist can usually arrive at a decision about whether to start DMARD therapy or not. One measure that was omitted from the Dutch study that we often use in the U.S. is the use of an imaging procedure such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound. These imaging procedures are invaluable for early detection of inflammatory damage (diagnosis) and staging.

We do know that the earlier treatment is started, the more likely a patient will achieve remission. We also know that the more aggressive we are at the beginning of RA, the more likely we are to avoid permanent irreparable damage. On the flip side, the use of strong DMARD therapy or biologic therapy should be tempered with the knowledge that these drugs do have potentially severe side effects.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Herbal Remedies - Natural Healing Alternatives

If you suffer from RA, then you may be interested in rheumatoid arthritis herbal remedies. More and more people are turning to natural alternatives after the major bad press over the last few years about prescription drugs, and especially drug treatments for arthritis.

As most people know by know, the COX-2 inhibitor drugs produced by pharmaceutical drugs have come under intense scrutiny after Vioxx, produced by Merck, was shown to significantly increase the chance of suffering stroke or heart attack in people taking it.

Other treatment method also have significant risks. Aspirin and ibuprofen, which help fight inflammation, can cause gastrointestinal bleeding, and ulcers if taken for long periods.

Corticosteroids, which can also offset inflammation, are another treatment that can only be used only for short periods because of possible horrible side effects.

Rheumatoid arthritis herbal remedies consist of the following:

Turmeric contains curcumin, which is yellow pigment that gives turmeric its color. Curcumin is used as a spice in ethnic dishes, such as Indian food. Recent research has shown that it harbors a great deal of anti-inflammatory action.

Because inflammation is at the root of rheumatoid arthritis, all treatments and remedies should have anti-inflammatory properties.

Devil's claw root - Despite its sinister name, it is believed to have inflammation fighting properties. However, it may aggravate certain conditions, such as peptic ulcers and may make acid reflux worse.

Feverfew - Feverfew has been used to treat arthritis and fevers for centuries. Extracts of the herb have been shown to inhibit inflammation as it occurs.

Ginger - Another of the more popular rheumatoid arthritis herbal remedies. Ginger, fresh giner, lighly cooked as in traditional Asian dishes or raw. Contrary to belief, there is no active ingredient of ginger in ginger ale or ginger candies. Fresh ginger root harbors anti-inflammatories and studies show that people using it achieve some measure of pain and swelling relief.

Omega 3 Fatty Acids - Although omega 3 fatty acids are not rheumatoid arthritis herbal remedies, they are essential nutrients that the vast majority of people in the Western world do not get enough of. And they are powerful anti-inflammatories, in addition to having numerous other benefits for the health of the brain and heart.

Some websites, such as the University of Maryland Medical Center, state:

"Most clinical studies investigating the use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements for inflammatory joint conditions have focused...on rheumatoid arthritis. Several articles reviewing the research in this area conclude that omega-3 fatty acid supplements reduce tenderness in joints, decrease morning stiffness, and allow for a reduction in the amount of medication needed for people with rheumatoid arthritis."

The best source of omega 3 fatty acids are purified, molecularly distilled fish oil supplements.

There you have it, herbal remedies to consider if you have rheumatoid arthritis and wish to avoid prescription meds.

Osteoarthritis Diet

Diet is an important ingredient in maintaining a perfect physique and disease proof body. With 70% Americans being victims of obesity, the first step in treating any disease is weight reduction. Diet control programs are based on individual preferences as certain people are allergic to certain food items or tend to put on fat easily.

Begin by checking different food items such as dairy products, meats, and green vegetables in quantity, quality, and portions to have an idea of what is best suited for your condition and body type. Sometimes Osteoarthritis patients are allergic to fish or other meat products and need substitutes. A vegetarian diet that includes green vegetables, carrots, avocado, seaweeds, barley and wheat, grass products, pecans, soy products, sprouts, brown rice, millet or oats is equally effective. Certain food items and drinks such as alcohol, coffee, sugar, saturated fat, margarine, excess salt, spinach, cranberries, plums and nuts need to be avoided.

The ideal diet for osteoarthritis patients is food rich in Vitamin E found in beef, corn, egg yolks, nuts wheat germ and sunflower oil. This helps minimize tissue damage due to aging, smoking or stress. Omega-3 fatty acids if consumed regularly help reduce inflammation and best source for this is oily fish variety. Vitamin C found in citrus fruits, melons, kiwi fruit, pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries needs to be included in diet.

Good sources of Silicon that calcifies and strengthen bones are wholegrain cereals, oats, barley, and root vegetables. Copper and Zinc available through food sources such as oysters, crab, almonds, beans, prunes, lamb, pork, mushrooms, whole grains, beef, liver, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds help in reducing inflammation of the cartilage of joints. Diary products, preservatives, and acidic fruits should be left alone. The idea is to maintain a healthy body weight and successfully control Osteoarthritis.