Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms That Can Challenge Your Lifestyle

Identifying the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis is the first step in learning more about this disease. Rheumatoid Arthritis is an auto immune disease, which is characterized by inflammation in the lining of the joints and only affects 1 to 2 percent of the population. This disease often begins with middle aged individuals and is more common in women than men; however, don't be fooled... RA can also develop in children and young adults.

Early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can be difficult to assess, because the symptoms may go in and out of remission providing a challenge for your healthcare provider. Keeping a journal of symptoms may help your doctor to better diagnose the symptoms you are experiencing.

Symptoms for RA can differ from individual to individual, and there is no single test for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis. The most common complaint heard by medical practitioners is the daily joint pain and the significant level of pain, both of which can adversely impact your quality of life and ability to take care of even the most basic daily tasks.

You may often experience significant stiffness in the morning, in and around the joints, lasting for more than thirty minutes, swelling in the wrists, knuckles, or the individual finger joints. You may also experience a feeling of warmth over the inflamed joints. RA can affect many other joints, such as the jaw, elbows, shoulders, feet and ankles.

RA occurs in a symmetrical pattern, for example if the right knee is affected, then the left knee will be affected also. Although it is quite common for an individual to be more inflamed and affected than another. Extreme fatigue, weight loss, fever, swollen, red and warm joints and an overall feeling of malaise are common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

There is no cure, however, the common goal is to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, stop or slow down joint damage and improve the ability to function on a daily basis. There are many exciting new advances in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

So there is simply no reason not to seek treatment. If you believe that you are experiencing some of the common symptoms of RA, then set up an appointment with your healthcare provider and discuss your symptoms. Early and aggressive treatment is the best plan of attack when attempting to get hold of this disease.

Learning more about the common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is the most important step to take to learn more about this crippling disease. Cliché yes, but it is so true...knowledge is power!

The Facts About Septic Arthritis

Considered as the most dangerous form of acute arthritis, septic arthritis is caused by a bacterial infection in the joint cavity. Usually there is a primary site of infection from where bacteria spread. The site of infection is often along adjacent bone or soft tissue. Bacterial spread is usually through the bloodstream going to the joints. It is estimated that in the general population of 100,000 people, about 2 to 10 of them suffer from septic arthritis. On the other hand, 30 to 70 cases of septic arthritis can be seen in a population of 100,000 rheumatoid arthritis patients. A variety of factors can predispose a person to septic arthritis. Any simultaneous presence of bacterial infection such as genitourinary tract or upper respiratory tract infection can increase a person's vulnerability to septic arthritis. Additionally, serious chronic illnesses including renal failure, malignancy, cirrhosis and diabetes can increase septic arthritis susceptibility. Susceptibility increases with people who have a depressed immune system, or those who have previous immunosuppressive therapy. Accordingly, elderly individuals and alcoholics are also at higher risk of developing septic arthritis. People who are into prolonged use of intravenous drugs, including those who are addicted to heroin, have higher chance of contracting septic arthritis as well.

Septic arthritis comes suddenly with symptoms like intense pain, inflammation and swelling of the affected joint. These symptoms are often accompanied with fever and chills. The infected joint may cause voluntary immobility of the limb. Septic arthritis often affects large joints; specifically the knee. New born or infants who are affected with acute septic arthritis may become irritable and cry relentlessly whenever there is movement; especially when there is hip involvement. Pain is usually present in the groin, upper thigh and buttocks when septic arthritis affects the hip. In adults, knee involvement affects around 50 percent of all cases. The hips, wrist and ankles are also commonly affected with septic arthritis. Some patients may not show external signs of inflammation. Sometimes there is the presence of polyarthritis before the localization of infection. Muscle spasms are a very common occurrence of septic arthritis.

Doctors use several methods to diagnose septic arthritis. Positive identification of the presence of the causative microorganism in the joint fluid using Gram's stain suggests septic arthritis. There are also other additional methods used to diagnose septic arthritis. These measures include x-ray, radioisotope joint scan and white blood cell count. X-rays detect changes in the joint between 1 and 2 weeks after the onset of infection. On the other hand, radioisotope joint scan is used to check for changes and the presence of infection and inflammation in the less accessible joints like the spinal articulations.

Antibiotic therapy is generally the choice of treatment for septic arthritis. This should commence as soon as the causative microorganisms are identified. Elimination of the infection through antibiotic therapy is the primary goal of treatment. It has been observed that patients who were immediately treated with doses of antibiotic within 7 days from the onset of infection had higher cure rate compared with those who were treated a month after infection started. There is an arrest of infection if samples from the synovial fluid show a decreased white blood cell count within 5 to 7 days of antibiotic therapy.

The Relationship Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Your Immune System

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease. An autoimmune disease is when our immune system turns on the body that hosts it and systematically tries to destroy it by attacking healthy body tissue such as the joints (rheumatoid arthritis), muscles (fibromyalgia), pancreas (type 1 diabetes) or nerves (multiple sclerosis).

Think of the immune system as a huge army of white blood cells ready to defend our body against attack by outside invaders such as germs, bacteria, viruses and parasites (also known as antigens) It does this by producing antibodies which fight against these external parasites. Rheumatoid Arthritis is caused by our immune system mistakenly identifying our joints as external parasites (antigens), causing it to attack and destroy the tissues that line bone joints and cartilage. This as we know causes pain and inflammation. So why does this happen?

It's because our immune system is compromised. Our modern lifestyle puts more and more stress on our immune system. Drugs, infections, smoking, hormone inbalances, lack of exercise and stress all play a role, whereas our diets do nothing to help. No wonder our immunity is struggling to cope!

A healthy immune system is vital for a healthy and vigorous life. More and more these days we are hearing of the increase of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, guillain-barre syndrome and type 1 diabetes. If medical science has taken such great strides in the research and discovery of breakthrough knowledge and medicines, why do we seem to be getter sicker and sicker by the year?

Well conventional medicine focus more on treating the symptoms rheumatoid arthritis, than focusing on the prevention and possible cure of this debilitating disease. The side effects of medical drugs used to treat rheumatoid arthritis can be quite severe. Is there any way out? Alternative medicine and natural cures for arthritis can help cure rheumatoid arthritis at the source.

Of course there are many options in alternative medicine for alleviating pain, but the main aim is to deal with the cause of arthritis which in most cases is a weak immune system. So what's the best thing we can do to strengthen our immune systems?

Get sufficient sleep - There's nothing more draining on the immune system than a sleep deprived body. Everyone has different sleep needs, make sure you're getting enough sleep time for you.

Improve your diet - This is one of the best ways to give your immunity a boost! We can use up a lot of energy just digesting the foods we eat. Eat plenty of fresh foods and cut down on junk and processed foods.

Take a supplement - Mainstream medicine is fond of telling us that food alone can give us all the nutrients we need. Well it probably could if we knew what to eat and in what quantities.

Added to the fact that we're not all nutrition experts, our soils are depleted of natural nutrients owing to over-cultivation, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Our food is sometimes stored for months in cold storage, allowing nutrients to leak out. Just take a supplement!

Get plenty of exercise - You knew I was going to say that, didn't you? Exercise increases oxygen into the bloodstream, releases endorphins, the "feel-good" hormones and helps to build the muscles that support your joints.

This has been a very brief venture into the ways to boost our immune health to help prevent or alleviate autoummune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. The spin-offs are fewer diseases like cold and flu and more energy to do the things we enjoy.

Natural Treatment For Rheumatoid Arthritis - Reduce the Pain in 3 Ways

In rheumatoid arthritis, your body's immune system attacks joint tissues where the two bones meet. This can lead to inflammation of the joints, which affects the surrounding muscles. When your joints are inflamed, you feel pain, swelling, and stiffness.

Oftentimes, physicians apply prescribed drugs in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Sometimes this conventional treatment can produce undesirable side effects. Have you considered natural treatment for rheumatoid arthritis? It causes almost no side effects. You can use several methods to cope the pain more effectively.

A nutritious diet can help you to manage the painful condition of rheumatoid arthritis. However, some foods can worsen the arthritic condition. For instance, high intake of red meat can increase the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. A majority of arthritic patients cannot endure gluten, gliadin, and dairy products. Reports show that a two-week fast with vegetable soup can help to reduce the symptoms of this kind of arthritis. Reports show that diet that is abundant with cold-water fish can reduce the inflammation. Hence, take plenty of fruits and vegetables, and foods that without arachidonic acid (animal fats) to relieve the pain.

Herbs may relieve the pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) assign herbs as food, they have shown their effectiveness as a succor in arthritis treatment. Valerian is a botanical plant that has potent healing properties that can ease muscle and joint pain. Ginger, curcumin, and boswellia are common natural treatments for rheumatoid arthritis. In Ayurveda, their prime usage is to reduce inflammation. If you consider using botanical supplements, always consult your health professional.

You can use Dietary supplements such as fish oil, glucosamine sulfate, and chondroitin as natural treatment for arthritis. Fish oil has high levels of two omega-3 fatty acids: EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These omega fatty acids can produce substances that reduce inflammation. However, they can't delay the advancement of the disorder.

Glucosamine is a substance found in the fluid around the joints. It is a kind of amino sugar that may assist in the development and maintenance of cartilage. Cartilage is a solid but elastic tissue that spread over the ends of bones. This will prevent bones from crashing against each other, and takes in the force of impact. Chondroitin sulfate is a compound found in the cartilage surrounding the joints. It forms part of a large protein molecule (proteoglycan) that provides cartilage elasticity. Glucosamine stimulates the development and repair of articular cartilage while chondroitin sulfate prevents other body enzymes from declining the building blocks of joint cartilage.

You may prefer the natural treatment for rheumatoid arthritis but you should not ignore the conventional treatment. This type of arthritis is not easy to be treated. Even if you choose to use natural methods, you should always visit your rheumatologist to prevent any severe complications.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Occupational Therapy Implication For Promotion Of Mobility 1

As an occupational therapist, whatever I do, I supplement and complement whatever the physiotherapist/physical therapist does, that there be no repetition of clinical care, or clash in ideas in treatment. This is done for all aspects of rehabilitation, but here we will discuss first in the area of mobility. The prescription of a walking aid, be it a walking stick, quadstick or walking frame may be given to a patient for reasons of safety and function.

All therapists must take note that the correct height is of upmost importance - too high or too low and it will create an imbalance of the muscles and joint structures involved, causing unnecessary compensatory movements that will tax the involved muscles and tissues. To get the correct length or height, we need to get the patient to be wearing their normal attire and shoes, stand straight as how they would normally stand, and then measure the length from the ground to the patient's greater trochanter. This would be the most accurate data.

An alternative to the measurement, the walking stick can be placed on the ground and the its height should be at the wrist crease for the length to be of an appropriate length. Any additional length should be collapsed upon (they are collapsible now, but they used to saw the additional lengths off). The rubber at the bottom should be changed regularly, as they can wear out relatively fast. The walking stick is used at the opposite hand of the affected leg, so as to transfer the weight of the body through the arm and stick. We do not encourage the use of double sided walking stick, as they are more unstable that way. If necessary, we can encourage the use of walking frames or crutches.

If crutches are deemed necessary, the physiotherapist will assess the patients for the use of the crutches and teach them how to use it, but the occupational therapist's role would then to monitor their correct and adequate use of the walking aid when carrying out their roles in the rehabilitation program. Axillary crutches (the kind that rests under the arm pits) are not often recommended, as they have a risk or a contra indication of use - the tisk is the danger of damage to the gleno humeral joint and axillary region in the case of a fall or a near fall that can dislocate the joint.

Stop the Pain and Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis II

Once you are diagnosed with R.A., what are the next steps. My wife followed the recommendations of her doctor and started taking two medications. The first was a steroid, prednisone. Reading the possible side effects of this and her other medication was enough to scare you to death. Everyone has read about the horrors of steroids, but when you are hurting as badly as she was hurting you are willing to try anything. The second medication was methotrexate. It was initially developed to treat cancer, but now is one of the gold standards for rheumatoid arthritis. There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis. Some patients go into remission when the damage to joints stops and the pain goes away using traditional medical therapy. It is interesting that trauma may cause a relapse of the disease. Another patient in the waiting room with my wife shared that her symptoms reappeared after she caught her hand in a recliner resulting in a broken finger. But many people have gastrointestinal trouble taking the drug. It can also be given as shots. Taken orally, most patients take the entire dosage once a week, usually on Saturday, when stomach trouble will not interfere with work. Many patients have to go to stronger, more expensive drugs as the disease progresses. In fact, one of the first things my wife's doctor told her was she would not be able to afford the treatment since we didn't have medical insurance and he would not accept Medicare or Medicaid. He said the usual progression of treatments would run from forty-five to sixty thousand dollars a year, but he might be able to get her on a trial program. This was even a bigger incentive for us to find a better solution.

I might add that some, including the author you are about to discover, says that taking these drugs can slow up the recovery using the diets described. She specifically mentioned the two drugs my wife started taking. I specifically asked her doctor if we could try the diet first. He wanted to start her on the drugs immediately to give her relief from the pain. We decided to work with Nell's doctor and take the medications. As I have said several times, I am telling our story and what we have done. I encourage you to do what you feel is best for you. Most traditional doctors will want you to take the drugs. You might want to try the fasting for five to six days and see if it offers some relief, and then make your decision, maybe before seeing the doctor. But don't put off getting a correct diagnosis too long.

Arthritis Treatment Options Are Personal

When we speak of arthritis we often think that it is just one disease, this could not be further from the truth. Arthritis is in fact an umbrella term of many different diseases of the joints. If we name just a few osteoarthritis, juvenile arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the first that come to mind. Generally the pain associated with arthritis can range from very mild to so severe that it is in fact debilitating.

There is no cure but there are many treatments

With so many people who suffer from arthritis you should think there would be a cure for this disease, but there is no cure there are however many treatment options that will treat the symptoms of arthritis. When you are suffering from arthritis you will probably have looked at some of them and have tried to get yourself educated on arthritis treatment that is available at the moment. You will have noticed that most arthritis treatments have the same goals like pain relief, reducing inflammation, keeping the joints as smooth and movable as possible. Other information about arthritis you will have found are about how you can minimize the risks of certain therapies, preventing disability, enhancing the quality of wine and education for your family and friends.

Prescription Medication or Natural Remedies?

Most people who are diagnosed with a form of arthritis start with prescription medication advised by their doctor, drugs like Tylenol, Motrin, Advil, Darvon, Percocet, Aleve and Roxicidone to relief pain and other medication called biological response modifiers that are often used. These prescription medication often have many severe side effects like weakness fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting and loss of appetite. This is why many people will try natural (herbal) remedies and many have good results with this kind of arthritis treatment.

Diet and Exercise keeps you Mobile

Lifestyle changes are the most important way to treat arthritis quick and effective, and it is one of the first things we would advise you to do. Making sure that you change your diet to a healthy one with many fresh vegetables and fruits and plenty of fluids. There are list you can find on the Internet of foods and products that are known to have an effect on arthritis. Some make it worse and some can help you, this way you know what you should be avoiding. But it stays a bit personal you should try what will work for you.

Exercise is also very important for arthritis patients and by exercise we do not necessarily mean running or working out in the gym, smaller exercises like yoga postures and walking with the dog are also good ways to exercise. Even when you are very busy with work and other life stuff making time to be physically active is very important. Keeping your joints smooth, moving and active can prevent your joints from becoming inflamed and swollen.

Arthritis is a incredibly difficult disease, the pain can be overwhelming and it is easy to get frustrated from trying all those different arthritis treatments. It can take a while to find the treatment that fits to your needs and in the mean time it is very important to stay optimistic.

How to Get the Best Arthritis Treatment Possible

Treatment for arthritis depends a lot on the type of arthritis that the person has and the stage it is in during diagnosis.

Early detection means better treatment for arthritis.

Unfortunately, not many people opt for early detection. In fact, there is a far larger number of people who consult their health care providers only when this joint-deteriorating disease is already well past its intermediary stage and on its way to the advanced stage. In other words, people typically flock to the clinics when the pains no longer respond to over-the-counter medications and eventually become unbearable. By this time, the doctors may take a longer time to figure out if the condition is hereditary or reactive (caused by other illnesses.)

So how can a person get the best treatment for arthritis? Here are some tips.

1. Look back on the family's medical history. If there is one person in the family tree that has had or currently suffers from arthritis, then there is a possibility that this person will have one too, or have one already. A series of tests can confirm if this is true, and this will also determine as to what type of arthritis he or she may be dealing with. If the person is suffering from little or no pain because of this disease, the doctor may simply recommend a better sustaining diet and exercise to slow down the crippling effects of arthritis.

Some changes in the diet would include, increasing vitamin and mineral supplements like: cobalamin, folate, omega 3 fatty acids and Vitamins C, D3 and E. As for exercise regimens, the health care provider would most likely advise the person to go on low-impact workout that would be kinder to the joints like swimming, fencing, yoga and walking.

2. Repetitive pains in the joints, particularly on the wrists, knees, hips, shoulder and ankles should warrant immediate consultation with the health care provider. It is a degenerative disease that escalates or becomes worse as time goes by. If the person finds himself or herself suffering from aches and pains in certain areas far too frequently to be of any comfort, then that person should go to the doctor immediately.

The doctor may ask that for blood tests and a series of x-rays to confirm the presence of arthritis.

3. Seek immediate assistance in case the person feels extreme bodily aches and weakness during a mild bout of illness. For example, a person lands with an upset stomach and a few rounds of vomiting after partaking of a friend's day old casserole. Deciding that he or she can take care of this, that person spends the weekend sleeping in. He or she makes a full recovery after a week, except that he or she is stuck with creaky knees. Eventually, those knees become too inflamed that it becomes very painful to walk.

Believe it or not, this is a case of bacterial infection (mild food poisoning) that leads to reactive arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease which usually affects middle aged persons, and is seen more in women than in men. Children too, may get affected. In this disease, the synovial membrane, or the covering tissue of the joints gets swollen, resulting in stiffness, pain and limitation of movement. In severe conditions, the joints may ultimately become deformed. A disturbed immune function is believed to be responsible for this disease.

In Ayurveda, rheumatoid arthritis is known as "Sandhi Vata". This is not to be confused with "Aam Vata" which is the name given to Rheumatic Fever, or the fever which causes pain and swelling in joints and also affect the heart.

Rheumatoid arthritis of recent origin usually responds well to standard anti-inflammatory treatment. However, by nature this is a chronic disease, and while symptoms can be controlled, there is presently no cure. Standard modern medicine may not be very helpful once the condition becomes chronic, or treatment may have significant side effects. It is in such patients that Ayurvedic herbal treatment may be very useful and effective. One major advantage of Ayurvedic herbal medicines in such an affliction is that medicines may be taken for long periods without any serious side-effects.

Ayurvedic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis consists of the following procedures:
(i) "Snehan" ( use of local and oral medicated lubricants)
(ii) "Swedan" (local fomentation)
(iii) "Lep" (Local application of medications)
(iv) "Anuloman" ( mild laxative treatment for prolonged periods)
(v) "Raktamokshan" (blood letting)
(vi) "Dahan" (local heat branding ) and
(vii) "Shaman" ( symptomatic oral treatment).

Mahanarayan oil( containing mainly Asparagus racemosus), Bala (Sida cordifolia) oil, Vishgarbha oil are some of the medications used for snehan procedures. While local application is quite simple, oral use of medicated lubricants is best done under the direct supervision of a qualified and experienced Ayurvedic practitioner.

While local fomentation can be done in several ways, "Naadi swedan" is the most effective. In this procedure, a jet of medicated steam is directed at the affected joints, usually after the snehan procedure. A decoction of Nirgundi (Vitex negundo) is usually used for this procedure.

Local medicated applications include Lepgoli, Dashang lep, and a mixture of Shrung, Daruharidra ( Berberis aristata), Alum, and Rakta Chandan (Santalum album). Several medicated herbal ointments are also available.

Local pain can be immediately reduced by blood-letting. This can be done by syringe or using leeches. About 50 ml. of blood is usually withdrawn from a vein near the affected joint. Local heat branding is used by some physicians to reduce acute tenderness of the joints. Various special metal instruments are used for this procedure.

Castor oil and Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) treated with castor oil are used for mild, prolonged laxative treatment.

Oral medications include Maharasnadi decoction, Triphala Guggulu, Yograj Guggulu and Ashwagandharishta. Shallaki (Boswellia serrata) and Guggulu (Commiphora mukul) compounds are given for prolonged periods. Multiple herbal compounds containing Guggulu are available, which are used according to the presenting symptoms and the staging of the disease as done by the Ayurvedic practitioner.

It is advisable to avoid very sour, salty and cold (refrigerated) food products, as also fermented products. Using tolerable amounts of ginger and garlic in the daily diet is helpful. Some yogic asanas have been found to be useful in arthritis, and may be performed regularly under the supervision and advice of an expert in this field.

Everything You Need to Know About Spinal Cord Arthritis

The biggest challenges faced by patients, researchers and physicians are the distinction of unusual diseases. As a matter of fact, it is often heard from mass media that scientists are researching on the cancer treatment. However, it needs to be mentioned that there are different forms of cancer which include colon cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer to name a few. Each kinds of this disease comprises of various treatments and symptoms. Hence, these diseases are in need of different cures. In the same manner, there are numerous variants of the disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, reactive and psoriatic arthritis. The other variety of it is the spinal cord arthritis.

Spinal stenosis or spinal cord arthritis comprises of the backbone narrowing and its manifestation with the strain on the spinal cord and on the roots of the nerves as well. Spinal cord arthritis mainly attacks the three regions of the spine, namely, the gaps between the spine's bones from which the nerves leaves the spine and then extends towards the other parts of the body, nerve base canal which expands from the spinal cord and also those tubes in the centre column of the bones from where the base of the spinal cord and the root moves ahead. This tapering includes either a tiny section or a huge section of the spine. A spinal cord arthritis sufferer is likely to feel lack of feeling or pains in the shoulders, legs or neck.

The Age Factor: Most of the sufferers of spinal cord arthritis include men and women above fifty years of age. However, younger people who may have had some sort of spinal damage also tend to suffer from spinal cord arthritis. Apart from this, those people born with a spinal channel contraction are also wrecked by the disease.

In case the area in the spinal channel is narrowed, the patients of spinal cord arthritis may not show any symptoms. However, if such contraction result in a stress to the spinal cord or nerve roots then symptoms of spinal arthritis such as weakness, aches in arms and legs, lack of sensation and spasms may occur. In addition, in case the narrowed region of the spine pressurizes along the base of the nerve, then the sufferers may get soreness on their legs. Such people need to undertake strengthening exercises, sitting, lower back stretching and bending exercises.

Most Recommended Treatments:

When a spinal cord arthritis sufferer does not experience deterioration or remarkable nerve connections, the following treatments could be recommended:-

Spinal cord arthritis patients need to exercise or undergo physical therapy for increasing the stamina, strengthening the stomach muscles and the back with continuous motion of the spine. This would lead to a more secure spine. Another option on the cards would be aerobic activity. Apart from that, there are corticosteroid injections which can be injected in the innermost membranes that cover the spinal cord and nerves for lessening the inflammation and treating the spiky pain which spreads till the hips and the legs.

These patients can also embark on the regular intake of anti-inflammatory medicines devoid of steroids which includes various prescriptions of ibuprofen such as Mortin, Nuprinl, Advil and aspirin for reducing the aches and lowering the swelling. Apart from that, spinal cord arthritis patients can also look forward to restrict their activity depending on the condition of their nerves. Intake of analgesics such as Tylenol for reducing the pain, anesthetic injections which are also called as nerve blocks can be opted for temporary reduction of pain to the nearby affected nerves.

In case, if all the non-persistent cure procedures fail to alleviate the suffering of the spinal cord arthritis patients, then the best option is to go under the knife. The main objective involved behind such procedures is the lessening of the pressure of the nerves or the spinal cord and also the restoration and sustenance of the vigorousness and arrangement of the spine.

Till date, spinal cord arthritis has remained one of the most devastating variant of the disease from which people can suffer. Luckily, researchers and physicians have continued to improve the treatment for the mitigation of pain of the sufferers.

Arthritis Treatment - Take Care Of Your Joints

Soothing Heat and Cold for Arthritis Treatment and Pain Management

You can use heat and cold for arthritis treatment in different situations to great effect to relieve pain and stiffness in your joints.

o Use a hot water bottle, hot wheat pack or heat lamp directly on the painful area for relief.

o Try using an electric blanket or taking a long warm shower or bath to help relieve morning stiffness and get you moving for the day.

o Cold packs can be especially helpful for a hot tender inflamed joint.

o For more severe pain, your physiotherapist can give you deep heat therapy treatments such as ultrasound.

o Your physiotherapist can also tell you more about the safest and most effective ways of using heat and cold.

Taking Care of Your Joints

You can learn new habits that will help you take care of your body and reduce pain in rheumatism and osteoarthritis in ways that do not have to use drugs.

Respect Pain

Pain is a warning that something is wrong in your body. Listen to your body's signals and stop activity just before it makes your joint tired or painful. Avoid or re-plan activities that might cause pain and discomfort but are difficult to stop quickly.

Use Your Strongest Muscles and Joints

You can often choose to use a bigger, stronger muscle or joint to do the hardest work. This might include:

o Using your thigh muscles instead of your back muscles for lifting.

o Using your forearm muscles rather than your wrists or hands to carry, lift or hold things.

o Pushing up from your chair using the palms of your hands rather than your fingers or knuckles.

o Using your whole hand rather than your fingers to open items like jars.

o Using two hands for lifting and using your palms rather than fingers.

Use Joint Saving Gadgets

There are many joint saving gadgets that make everyday tasks like turning taps and getting dressed much easier.
Visit your local pharmacy home health area or a local government health department support office and decide what gadgets you can afford to make your life easier.

Support Your Joints with Splints

Splints are made to support a joint. Working wrist splints give your wrists much needed support while leaving your hands free to do the task. These splints reduce pain and give you extra working strength and therefore enable you to work longer.
Resting splints are available to use at night to keep a joint supported in its correct position, preventing deformity and reducing pain.

Simplify Your Life

Start sliding things rather than trying to lift them. A small trolley at home at the mall or work will save a lot of lifting and carrying.
Break your workload so that you can spread heavy jobs throughout the course of the week.
Ask yourself if the job really needs to be done the way you do it. If it doesn't, don't do it! Who else can do it instead of you?

Remember, physical activity does not have to be the curse of your life. Find your balance between work and rest, and work smarter not harder. There is much more to arthritis treatment than the use of drugs and medication.

Does My Senior Dog Have Arthritis? Painless Tips for a Painful Disease

Your lovable energetic canine best friend has been a faithful companion for nearly a decade but now stops short of the staircase or needs a push to get up when it is time to take a walk. It wasn't an overnight change but gradually he's step was slower and his passion for play and excitement waned. Could a dog have arthritis? In a word, yes.

Arthritis is the condition where the cartilage inside of joint deteriorates so bones rub together causing stiffness, pain and loss of the ability to move. It is not a disease reserved for humans. Osteoarthritis affects animals too! This is especially true for large breed canines (over 50 lbs). Unfortunately, a dog cannot tell us when he is in pain so as owners we must be conscientious and look for signs of this painful degenerative disease.

Indicators of a Dog with Arthritis

• Trouble Standing or Sitting Is it a struggle for your friend to get to his feet? Does he circle around and around before finally setting down?


• Sleeping Longer and More Often A dog with arthritis will often begin to sleep more and appear less interested in walks or play.


• Appearing to suffer from sore, stiff joints Does your dog appears to have stiff legs or walk a bit funny when he stands up after a nap or car ride? Has he started to snap if awakened or whimper when petted?


• Hesitancy to climb stairs Do you have to coax your dog to take that first step up or down the staircase?


• Favors a limb Does he tend to walk more on one side or the other? Maybe one leg is appearing to waste away while the other three appear more muscular?


• Tipping the Scale on the Heavier Side Increased weight from one vet appointment to the next can indicate avoidance of movement due to pain.


• Decreased interest in Play or Other Behavior changes If your dog loved playing chase-the-tennis ball but now prefers to chew on it well out of reach, then take a nap Or maybe your pooch loved riding shotgun with the wind flapping his ears, but no longer races to the door when he hears the jingle of car keys., painful joints could be the cause.


• Zoned Out A pet that appears disinterested in everything and somewhat less alert than normal is another sign of arthritic joints.

Make Your Lifestyle Senior Dog Friendly
?
If your dog is suffering from osteoarthritis, it is wise to make a few changes to your home to improve your dog's daily life.

Flooring

Ceramic tile, hardwood and laminate flooring can be slippery, making it troublesome for an arthritic pet to maneuver. Area rugs with gripping or rubber backing are a great option to prevent injury to your pet.

A Soft Bed

Though your dog may have always slept on the couch, your bed or maybe the floor, these places may not be as comfortable as the arthritic joints become more problematic. It maybe time to invest in a doggie bed designed specifically for an aging dog. There are several types that designed to provide comfort. Water-beds, bolster beds (with sides shaped like a nest), hammocks and thickly padded beds will provide the additional comfort required.

Ramps and Stairs

A senior dog may struggle to get up and down stairs, into cars and up onto their favorite couch. There are dozens of options to make these everyday activities less of a painful struggle for the arthritic pet. Some ramps are designed for easy portability and can telescope up and down as necessary. In some areas it might make sense to build a durable ramp if it is going to be used everyday.

Young Children

Lovable old dogs sometimes look "hug-able" to a small child. But living with constant joint pain will make a dog less tolerant to interacting with playful children. An uncharacteristic nip has sent more than one toddler to the emergency room. Constant monitoring of an older dog is essential when children are around.

Extra Time for Exercise

Modest daily exercise can be very beneficial but never rush a dog suffering from osteoarthritis. Check with your veterinarian for an appropriate exercise program to strengthen your dog's muscles. Keep in mind a walk is going to be at his pace, not yours for best results. He may need support and assistance with stairs and a bit of extra time to get around.

For more tips and ideas on how to help your arthritic dog enjoy his golden years visit the OldDogPaws arthritis page.

Revolutionary Treatment Gives Hope For the Chronically Ill

Low dose naltrexone has recently garnered attention as a possible treatment for autoimmune diseases, neurological conditions, cancer and some other illnesses. Naltrexone is an opiate antagonist, which means that it blocks opioid receptors in the brain and thus eliminates the feeling of pleasure caused by e.g. drinking alcohol, because our endogenous opioids (endorphins) cannot bind to the receptors. But when used in very small doses (less than 1/10 of the normal dose) naltrexone can be used to stimulate the release of endorphins.

History

Low dose naltrexone was pioneered by the neurologist Bernard Bihari in the early 1980s, when he was studying medications used for drug and alcohol withdrawal. He noticed that very small doses of naltrexone (initially 3 mg) taken at bedtime only blocked the opioid receptors transiently, which stimulated the body to produce more of its endogenous opioids and produced no significant side effects.

Bihari tried LDN as a treatment for HIV/AIDS and multiple sclerosis, two conditions that have been shown to be associated with low levels of beta endorphin, one of the most important endogenous opioids. In some of his AIDS patients the blood levels of beta endorphin as much as tripled when using low dose naltrexone.

Patients also experienced marked clinical improvement. The MS symptoms (especially fatigue) were relieved and the illness progression seemed to halt. Most patients never experienced a single MS attack after the initiation of low dose naltrexone. Patients infected with HIV had their viral counts drop radically and their CD4 counts subsequently went up. As a result the rates opportunistic infections and AIDS related malignancies decreased.

Later development

Encouraged by his success Bihari and other doctors began trying LDN for other conditions, such as other autoimmune illnesses and cancer, often with great results. The support from the patient community has been overwhelming. Patients with MS have collected money for clinical trials and there have even been three conferences on LDN and the fourth one is scheduled for October 2008.

A study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology found that 89% of patients with Crohn's disease were improved on LDN and 67% achieved a full remission. There are clinical trials currently running for multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, autism, fibromyalgia, pancreatic cancer and squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (head and neck cancer). A large HIV/AIDS study is also running in Mali, West Africa.

Illnesses that can be treated with LDN

LDN has been successfully used to treat the following conditions:

Autoimmune diseases

• multiple sclerosis
  


• systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE/LED)
  


• rheumatoid arthritis
  


• ankylosing spondylitis
  


• pemphigoid
  


• sarcoidosis
  


• scleroderma
  


• Crohn's disease
  


• ulcerative colitis
  


• celiac disease
  


• psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis
  


• Wegener's granulomatosis
  


• transverse myelitis

Cancers

• bladder cancer
  


• breast cancer
  


• carcinoid tumor
  


• colorectal cancer
  


• glioblastoma
  


• liver cancer
  


• non-small cell lung cancer (NSLC)
  


• chronic lymphocytic leukemia
  


• lymphoma (both Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's)
  


• melanoma
  


• multiple myeloma
  


• neuroblastoma
  


• ovarian cancer
  


• pancreatic cancer
  


• prostate cancer
  


• renal cell carcinoma
  


• throat cancer
  


• uterine cancer

Other illnesses

• HIV/AIDS
  


• hepatitis C
  


• amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)/primary lateral sclerosis (PLS)
  


• autism
  


• Alzheimer's disease
  


• Parkinson's disease
  


• Behcet's disease
  


• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, emphysema)
  


• endometriosis
  


• fibromyalgia
  


• chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)
  


• irritated bowel syndrome (IBS)

LDN may possibly also work for e.g. myasthenia gravis, antiphospholipid syndrome/Hughes syndrome, narcolepsy (a possibly autoimmune condition), interstitial cystitis, chronic Lyme disease/post Lyme syndrome, acne, rosacea, chronic urticaria, dementia, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), cluster headaches, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It has been reported to be helpful in insomnia and migraine prevention.

Mode of action

Endorphins are often associated with the pleasant feeling we get from e.g. exercise, but they are more than just that. Beta endorphin and met enkephalin, another opioid peptide produced by the body have profound effects on the immune system. Numerous animal studies have demonstrated that met enkephalin acts as an anti-cancer agent. Beta endorphin levels have shown to be low in HIV/AIDS, many autoimmune conditions and e.g. migraine.

Autoimmune illnesses have been traditionally seen as manifestations of an overactive immune system and are usually treated with immunosuppressants, but more and more data is emerging that suggests that autoimmune conditions may in fact be forms of immunedeficiency, explaining why LDN, an immunostimulant, works for them.

Clinical effects

In most autoimmune diseases the disease progression halts. Symptoms, such as fatigue, pain, muscle weakness and cognitive problems are often alleviated, as well. In degenerative conditions like ALS and Alzheimer's the illness progression is slowed down. The lipodystrophy caused by antiretroviral (HIV) drugs usually improves significantly.

Bihari reports that a halt in cancer growth occurs in about 50% of the cancer patients he treats. Some of these patients show objective signs of tumor shrinkage. Some patients who have been deemed terminal with little time left are still alive and doing well years later, such as one with pancreatic cancer (one of the deadliest cancers) whose case was published in Integrative Cancer Therapies.

According to Bihari LDN works best for the following cancers: multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's disease, breast cancer, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract (including the pancreas) and non-small cell lung cancer. That isn't to say that cancer patients should ditch their existing treatments, but LDN can be combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Some patients only undergo surgery or are considered not to benefit from conventional treatment, so they would be good candidates for LDN.

How it is used

LDN is taken every night between 9 PM and 3 AM, as the body produces most of its endorphins during the early morning hours. There are usually no side effects. Some people experience problems with sleeping during the first week. Nausea, feeling "high", gas and bloating and hunger pangs may occur in the beginning and usually go away in a few days. In patients with MS spasticity may transiently worsen. It may take anywhere between a day and a few months to notice improvement.

LDN can safely be taken with all other medications, foods or supplements, but because it is an opiate antagonist it cannot be combined with any narcotic painkillers (opiates), including tramadol, and taking it with immunosuppressive drugs (like corticosteroids) may cause the drugs to "cancel out" each other's effects, as LDN is an immunostimulant. The only contraindication is a past organ transplant, because taking an immunostimulant might lead to graft rejection.

Any doctor can prescribe LDN as an "ex tempore" prescription, to be filled by a compounding pharmacy. Some people use foreign pharmacies, as it is legal in most countries to order medications from abroad with a valid prescription. LDN may be formulated as capsules or liquid, but the liquid has to be refrigerated and is less convenient when traveling. It is recommended that calcium carbonate is not used as a filler for tablets.

The recommended dose is 4.5 mg, but some people, especially those who are very slim and those with severe MS, only take 3 mg. Often prescriptions are written for 1.5 mg capsules so that the patient can try taking either two or three at once. LDN is also relatively inexpensive, usually costing between $15 and $40 a month.

Can A Natural Diet Relieve Arthritis Pain?

I finally found relief from arthritis pain, naturally, and you can do it too. It was just a few years ago that I accidentally discovered how to get rid of arthritis pain, naturally, with no conventional arthritis treatment.

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis; when people refer to arthritis they usually mean osteoarthritis. The pain in arthritis can be mild, moderate or severe. Sometimes arthritis symptoms can occur in the wrist, elbows, shoulders, and jaw but generally you don't find it there.

The synovium is a membrane that surrounds the entire joint; it is filled with synovial fluid, a lubricating liquid that supplies nutrients and oxygen to the cartilage. Collagen is the essential protein that is found in cartilage; it forms a mesh to give support and flexibility to the joints. Proteoglycans are the large molecules that help to make up cartilage; they bond to water, which ensures the high-fluid content in the cartilage.

Sometimes injuries can be the start of the arthritic disease process; osteoarthritis can develop years later after a single traumatic injury to a joint or near a joint. When chondrocytes, which are the cells that make up cartilage age, they lose their ability to make repairs and produce more cartilage; this process may play an important part in the development and progression of osteoarthritis. Researchers report a higher incidence of osteoarthritis between parents and children and between siblings rather than husbands and wives.

One dietary natural treatment method involves avoiding all inflammatory foods. Make all-fruit smoothies using a base of two bananas, add a cup of frozen or fresh blueberries and mango chunks or substitute any other fruit and add an energy boost of two tablespoons of organic virgin coconut oil if you like; add one or two leaves of kale for even more super nutrition. Many arthritis sufferers who have changed their diets significantly have noticed major and even total improvement.

Many people have told me that going off dairy products and foods containing gluten, like wheat especially, relieved them of arthritis pain entirely. If arthritis is affecting your weight-bearing joints, keeping your weight within a normal range is important to get rid of any arthritis symptoms. Some of the foods and beverages to avoid that are inflammatory are: caffeine, salt, sugar, meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, white rice, alcoholic beverages, fast food, processed vegetable oils, and all refined, packaged and processed food.

Some people swear by a morning drink of pure filtered heated water with a teaspoon or so of raw apple cider vinegar (like Bragg's) and honey to keep them free of arthritis pain but vinegar is too harsh for many. If you're not already doing so, make a big effort to change your diet for the better.

Some of the supplements commonly reported for relieving arthritis pain (and I don't know if any of these work) are: cherry powder, glucosamine, chondroitin, bromelain, grapeseed extract, omega-3 and omega-6, cod liver oil, manganese ascorbate, MSM, boron, niacinamide, pantothenic acid, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E. For a natural approach and for natural treatment for arthritis make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, called a naturopath; ask around for referrals in your area.

Make sure to exercise all your affected joints every day, to keep them flexible. Important exercises for arthritis include: range-of-motion exercises, isometric exercise, and some weight-bearing exercises. At bedtime you can try putting on a pair of stretch gloves to help reduce the pain and swelling in your fingers if you have arthritic hands. A good exercise routine is important to beat arthritis and keeping arthritis pain at bay; keep on moving.

Your body has 147 different joints in motion every day of your life; keep them moving! Yes, whatever you do, keep moving; don't sit when you can stand, don't stand when you can walk or walk in place. To be on the safe side always check with your doctor before starting or changing any exercise program.

At the very least, understand what the side effects and adverse reactions are for any arthritis medication you take; one rule of thumb is - don't take any medication that has been on the market for less than five years. For conventional treatment of arthritis - if you do choose to take drugs or medications, be careful, read the labels thoroughly and talk to your pharmacist about side effects and adverse reactions; make sure you know the name of them and if they'll react with any other medication you're taking. Once you become completely informed about arthritis you'll be able to plan an arthritis treatment program, natural or conventional or a combination.

Changing your diet to lots of raw fruits and raw veggies, like I did, can turn your arthritis pain around almost overnight. More and more doctors are investigating the benefits of natural arthritis treatments and alternative therapies and most don't object to their patients trying them. Relief of your arthritis pain and symptoms is the ultimate goal - understanding arthritis and arthritis treatments is a good way to get there.

Osteoarthritis and Inflammation - The Chicken or The Egg?

One of the primary differences between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis has to do with inflammation. Although inflammation is generally thought of as a negative or undesirable condition, it is actually one of the body's many responses to a metabolic crisis usually bought on by the presence of one microbial pathogen or another. The heat that is often generated by inflammation - as in the case of fever - is actually the body's way of attempting to literally cook the intruder to death in combination with increased activity of your white blood cells and various chemicals. In a healthy metabolism this is obviously meant to be a short lived process where the intruder is effectively dealt with and the system can return to balance. Without this mechanism the body would be unable to prevent infection and heal wounds.

There is another form of inflammation that can exist in the body without the local heat, redness and swelling. This is inflammation that exists in a more general sense - a sort of ongoing low grade type of chronic inflammation that is a result of the metabolism falling out of balance. This is the type of inflammation which leads to what have become known as auto-immune diseases like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, colitis, Crohn's disease and arthritis to name just a few. In a sense this type of inflammation leads to a biological situation of the body attacking itself and damaging tissues.

As with most health problems, one can trace this imbalance back to dietary input and the metabolic environment created by the foods we eat. Our biological predisposition is uniquely adapted to run on certain key macro and micro nutrients which we obtained from our traditional environment. If these necessary food items are not available to the metabolism, it's not too much of a stretch to suspect that this might cause a problem. It would also follow from this line of reasoning that if there is an over abundance of low nutrient or harmful foods in the diet that there could also be problems. To make matters even more complicated, there is the contemporary issue of exposure to an ever-growing list of negative environmental factors. In short, the environment from which we now feed has in a fraction of evolutionary time become anything but traditional. I'll explore in more detail the actual causal components of our modern diets that lead to this and other conditions in future articles, but for now let's keep the discussion to the outcome of such a diet, which is inflammation.

With regards to rheumatoid arthritis a couple of factors come into play. First, there is the acidic and low oxygen environment that develops through an improper diet. This allows for an increased presence of microbial fauna in the form of anaerobic bacterias, yeasts, moulds, and ultimately fungus in the worst cases. Some of these pathogens like to colonize particular parts of the body. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis this obviously occurs in the joints causing in turn the localized inflammation and discomfort. The protocols to treat rheumatoid arthritis are most effective with a two pronged approach involving alkalization of the metabolism through dietary modification - which reduces the chronic inflammation - in conjunction with the use of natural anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal agents to go after the particular colony of pathogens residing in the joints.

Osteoarthritis is a somewhat different creature and is generally accepted to be a condition brought on by excessive wear and tear or simply by age. Although metabolic inflammation does come into play, the discomfort caused by osteoarthritis is not a result of pathogens colonizing your joints. Any localized inflammation which does occur is usually later in the development of the symptoms and is more a result of sufficient cartilage being eroded to the point that bone starts coming into contact with bone. This is often accompanied by the formation of bone spurs which contribute to the irritation of local tissues, leading to increased discomfort and ultimately inflammation.

The medical mainstream consensus view is that this is a mechanical issue and the only viable treatment is replacement of the affected joint or joints. This of course stems from the consensus refusal to recognize and take advantage of the body's inherent abilities for regeneration of tissues when it's provided with the necessary raw materials.

History is not exactly full of people complaining of aching joints and the statistical occurrence of osteoarthritis has been increasing steadily; like many diseases in lock step with the industrialization of our food supply and the increased presence of environmental toxins. If nothing else, this infers a dietary deficiency coupled with toxic exposures that place us outside of our evolved patterns of metabolism. This in turn leads to impaired tissue regeneration (insufficient raw materials) and over-burdening of toxicity (lack of minerals to clear waste). It is this scenario which I believe has led to this condition of chronic inflammation, which appears to have become a cultural commonality.

There are many dietary myths and factors that pervade the mainstream consensus, making it difficult for a lay person to make informed decisions about the correct diet for ultimate health. Despite newer research pointing to flaws in current modalities, the corporate interests profiting from the infrastructures built around these myths continue to protect these interests through 'paid for science' and obfuscation of the facts. The low fat myth and the high carbohydrate diet coupled with a misrepresentation of the relationship between LDL, HDL and total cholesterol, are just three factors that contribute to the systemic problem of low grade chronic inflammation.

As I've stated before, osteoarthritis can be viewed as a canary in a coal mine. Relative to the pantheon of different severe diseases/symptoms that can be brought on by ongoing inflammation, the discomfort caused by osteoarthritis could be considered minor, though annoying. Tissue regeneration is a metabolic process that goes on throughout the life experience and in this regard the cartilage between your bones is no different. If headway with symptoms is to be made there is no doubt that your metabolic environment needs to be adjusted through dietary modifications. One of the many biological systems that become affected by chronic inflammation is the endocrine system. Within the myriad of enzymes both manufactured and absorbed by the body are those that modify the proteins to create the various proteoglycans responsible for cartilage maintenance. This is just one of the many biological sub-systems that are affected by improper diet and the resulting chronic inflammation.

So when it comes to osteoarthritis, is inflammation the chicken or the egg? The answer appears to be both.

Top 6 Food Groups to Help Rheumatoid Arthritis Sufferers

Rheumatoid Arthritis - What It Is

This chronic inflammatory disease of the joints is the most serious form of arthritis and can affect the entire body. Fever, loss of appetite, and a general ill feeling frequently accompany inflamed, stiff joints.

How Food May Help

Evidence suggests that consuming a diet high in unprocessed foods - fruits, vegetables, and whole grains - lowers the risk for rheumatoid arthritis. Because some drugs prescribed for rheumatoid arthritis depletes the important B vitamin folate, many experts advise consuming folate-rich foods.

There is considerable evidence that suggests the powerful antioxidants in tumeric may help modify inflammatory compounds and activate the body's own anti-inflammatory actions.

Top 6 Food Groups That Will Help

#1 - Pineapple - contain bromelain - The pineapple enzyme bromelain has been reported to decrease inflammation.

#2 - Apples, Berries, Citrus Fruits, Onions - contain flavonoids - Support connective tissue and lower inflammation.

#3 - Salmon, Mackerel, Tuna - contain omega 3 fatty acids - Clinical studies demonstrate the beneficial effect of these fats on arthritis symptoms, including joint stiffness, tenderness and fatigue.

#4 - Ginger - contain shogoals & gingerols - Ginger exerts powerful antioxidant activity and is thought to suppress the development of inflammation compounds.

#5 Citrus Fruits, Peppers, Strawberries - contain vitamin c - Vitamin c support connective tissue in the joints, provides valuable antioxidant activity, and helps inhibit inflammation.

#6 Avocados, Nuts, Seeds, Whole Grains - contain vitamin e - Clinical findings indicate this powerful antioxidant helps relieve joint pain and stiffness.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment - How a Deer Can Help Rebuild Cartilage and Cure Arthritis

Did you know that rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most debilitating forms of arthritis because symptoms make everyday tasks nearly impossible? Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory condition which causes the joints to throb and eventually become disfigured. Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) include: inflammation; pain; little movement; and joint disfigurement.

Though the cause of RA is unknown, there is an effective arthritis natural treatment which allows arthritis suffers to reduce the pain, reduce the inflammation and rebuild the cartilage between the joints. If you suffer from arthritis, you should immediately begin simple remedies to reduce the symptoms and rebuild the cartilage.

Why You Shouldn't Choose Prescription Medications

It might be important to consider why you want to rebuild the cartilage between the joints. Normally, arthritis sufferers take some form of medication reducing the inflammation and eliminating the pain. However, the problem with this remains that the joint is still aching but the brain is not registering the pain. Therefore, the unaware arthritic patient goes on hurting the joints and cartilage more and more while severely damaging the joints and existing cartilage.

The equivalent of this would be putting a piece of tape over the car's 'check engine oil' light and hoping you can finish the road trip. Though you might make it back to your house, the engine will eventually blow up without oil. You must put oil in your engine and you must rebuild cartilage if you wish to use your joints the rest of your life.

And above all that, you might want to safe your liver from the harsh drugs?

How to Reduce Arthritis Pain and Rebuild Cartilage

If you have ever been around deer you might notice something miraculously astounding about bucks (male deer). The male deer can naturally regenerate its antlers in months! In fact, a deer will grind its antlers on a tree, and completely strip the velvet off. However, months later, the deer antler velvet regenerates itself completely.

This isn't the end of our science lesson though. Russian scientists discovered after isolating compounds in deer antler velvet; they could use the compounds to rebuild cartilage between human joints. In fact, this natural remedy has been used for hundreds of years first starting with Asian countries.

How does this relate to you? This is one simple natural treatment to cure arthritis and not only hide the pain!

Other Simple Cures for Arthritis

Did you know that you can treat and cure arthritis with other simple cures? In fact, by eating a proper diet, drinking the correct fluids (water), doing the correct breathing exercises daily, getting an adequate amount of low-impact exercise, reducing stress and taking the correct vitamins and natural supplements you can actually eliminate almost 100% of arthritis NATURALLY (No Drugs and No Surgery Needed)! To discover what thousands of arthritis sufferers already have, please visit our Natural Cure for Arthritis Website.

Naturally Cure for Arthritis

Grieving With Gout - How To Overcome The Arthritis Symptoms And The Pain

Did you know that gout has often been labeled the most painful types of arthritis?
Unfortunately, you or either someone you know suffers from gout. Perhaps, you are grieving with the disease that makes sleep and life miserable. Heat, Pain, Redness, Stiffness, Swelling, Arthritis attacks are a common event in the life of gout suffers. But it doesn't have to be this way? You can prevent gout attacks be making some simple lifestyle changes, lowering your uric acid levels and you can also cure gout attacks in minutes with even simpler gout home remedies! However, most of these home remedies are unknown by most sufferers.

Simple Gout Prevention by Lowering Uric Acid Levels

1. Water has been known to be beneficial to almost every ailment, including gout. Drink 10-12 glasses of water each day will prevent uric acid crystals from forming and thus prevent gout!

2. Take Vitamin C tablets! Vitamin C as well as fruit also lowers uric acid levels in the body thus preventing gout.

3. Apple cider vinegar - both ingested and applied to swollen area can help treat your symptoms. As a mixture you drink, it is thought that apple cider vinegar actually changes the pH of your blood which lowers uric acid levels.

4. Maintain Healthy Weight! Every pound you shed gives you a better chance of leaving gout in the dust. Begin eating healthier with fruits, veggies, fresh foods, whole grains and low fat foods.

5. Take a hike! Literally, go for a walk or a hike to get some exercise. You would be surprised how much better you will about yourself and your body! And you will also shed some extra pounds.

But, I need immediate relief?

You can also naturally have immediate relief for your gout attacks in hours. Believe it or not, you can be relieved of gout pain in hours if you take specific foods (at every grocery store) whenever your gout attacks occur. Imagine, being able to fall back to sleep and NOT being awake the rest of the night. Learn how thousands are naturally treating their gout and learning how to take back their life from gout's symptoms. And finally, I want to urge you to consider a guaranteed natural remedy with no side-effects instead of the traditional medicinal approaches which carry numerous negative side effects. Besides having immediate relief, you will save hundreds from over-priced prescriptions and the hundred dollar hospital visit. Besides, with a 100% no-questions asked guarantee, what else could be stopping you? Please take some time to check out our website.

Cure Your Gout Website

Hip Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis affects a person's joints. The parts of body at maximum risk are the hips and knees. Hips carry the body weight and, over years, the smooth and glistening articular cartilage that helps the hip joint to glide ultimately wears thin. Initially, there is discomfort and stiffness in groin, buttocks, or thighs that increases with activity inflaming the hip joints and reducing rotation, flexibility, and movement.

Osteoarthritis of hips affects both genders equally due to diverse causes such as age, obesity, congenital deformity, injury, or stress. We cannot reverse the effects of Osteoarthritis of the hips but it is important for sufferers to go in for early treatment to reduce discomfort. Consult a doctor to determine the extent of damage and the treatment required. An x-ray will check if the hip joint space has changed or there is any development of bone spurs or abnormalities. If in the early or initial stages, the patient is advised to rest the hip, participate in a physical therapy program, engage in non-strenuous exercises like swimming, water aerobics, or cycling to keep the joint functional and healthy. A hip Osteoarthritis patient can follow a self help plan of sound sleep at night, work on weight reduction by following diet plans, reduce strenuous activity, and generally take it easy. Women need to be extra vigilant because they are more susceptible to hip osteoarthritis. Use a cane or some support when and if movement is painful, and keep in mind that household chores can be shared or done at leisure. Another precautionary measure is wearing appropriate footwear.

Once the disease sets into the advanced mode, hip replacement surgery or arthoplasty is advised to help cure the pain and improve mobility. Surgery is not an instant cure and if both hips are affected it requires patience and a rehabilitation program to pull the muscles in shape. Treatment also depends on the patient's attitudes, daily activities, and anxiety.

Do You Really Have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Symptom?

Don't be so quick to self-diagnose. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome produces a variety of symptoms that range from mild to extreme. Usually the discomfort worsens over time.

But it's entirely possible that you have something else.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(CTS) patients report numbness, tingling and burning sensations in their thumb and fingers. Pain also can develop in the arm and shoulder. Swelling of the hand increases at night.

However, diagnosis can be difficult since so many other conditions mimic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. One of the most common includes "Thoracic Outlet Syndrome," which is the compression of nerves or blood vessels in the brachial plexus - the nerve fibers running from the spine through the neck, armpit and into the arm.

Another is "Cubital Outlet Syndrome," the compression of a key nerve in the elbow. Also high on the list of conditions which mimic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(CTS) ?are tendinitis and arthritis.

Then, there's "Guyon's Canal Syndrome," which is similar. It, too, results from overuse of the wrist from heavy gripping, twisting, and repeated wrist and hand motions. It can also happen from working with the hand constantly bent down and outward. It occurs in weight-lifters, jackhammer operators and people using crutches.

The symptoms should sound familiar.

The sufferer has the sensation of pins and needles in the ring and little fingers, often in the early morning. As the problem worsens, it may develop into a burning pain in the hand and wrist, followed by numbness in the affected fingers. The patient may become weak and clumsy when trying to pinch the thumb and forefinger or spread all five fingers.

Then there are rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and fiber myalgia. None of them should be ignored. Untreated lupus can lead to kidney failure. Untreated rheumatoid arthritis will worsen with serious damage to joints and bones.

Rheumatoid arthritis' symptoms include tenderness and swelling around the joints - as well as increasing pain, fever, redness, fatigue and weight loss.

Lupus has many of the same warning signs, particularly joint pain. However, lupus patients also experience facial rashes, mouth sores, bruising, chest pain and breathing difficulty. Other diseases that mimic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include tendonitis, bursitis, sprains, dislocations and gout.

Understanding Arthritis

While many think of arthritis as only affecting the elderly, it is in fact a threat to persons at any age.

There are a number of markers, such as family history and genetic makeup, that have been tied to arthritic conditions, although heredity is no guarantee that you will or will not experience these conditions.

In simple terms, arthritis is a condition where the joints connecting bones together are damaged. However, the term arthritis is very vague. This disease actually represents over one hundred medical conditions that affect both children and adults. The two most common types are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

This type of arthritis is commonly seen in athletes. Often, this joint damage results from high impact activity. However, those that are overweight may also find themselves diagnosed with this condition as a result of the added strain that excess body weight puts on the joints. OA causes pain in the knees, neck, back, hips and hands. Bones are able to rub against each other when the cartilage separating them begins wearing away. This friction results in pain and tenderness. Joints may also develop spurs, dense spots or lumps on the edge of joints that are often very painful. Along with spurs, thickened or stiffened ligaments may occur, preventing essential fluid motion through the affected area.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

RA affects joints in the hands and feet. In this case, the body attacks healthy tissue and damages the lining of these joints, causing swelling, stiffness and pain.

Coping and Prevention

Unfortunately, there is no cure for arthritis, only tools for prevention and treatment of symptoms. For example, walking is a great way to accomplish better posture, which will help keep your bones aligned properly. Mobility exercises and stretching are also very important to aid in reducing stiffness in the joints. Never sit for too long, remain in the same positions or write for more than fifteen minutes without taking a small break. When taking a long car or plane trip, it is important to walk every hour.

As with most illnesses, watching your weight and what you eat is very important in controlling arthritis. Extra weight puts stress on your body, and excess fat cells release chemicals which often cause inflammation.

Medications

If the pain cannot be managed with over the counter medications, then prescriptions medications from your doctor may be the answer to managing your condition. NSAIDs (Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) target the enzyme in joint inflammation and can relieve pain. Some of these medications include: Aspirin, Naproxen and Ibuprofen, all of which are available over the counter. Cox 2 Inhibitors are the prescription level NSAIDs; these medications are easier on the stomach but may have negative effects on the heart.

Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs can actually limit the amount of joint damage if caught in time. They slow the disease and are usually taken with NSAIDs or Corticosteroids. These drugs may adversely affect your immune system in order to subdue inflammation, so check with the doctor as this may leave you vulnerable to other infections.

Arthritis can be managed to some degree. A doctor's recommendation should always be sought after in regards to medications, especially when taking additional drugs. Staying positive and active is one of the best treatments, although making sure this exercise is manageable and low impact is also important. Knowledge about the subject will help both the individual and support system understand what is happening and how best to cope.

Arthritis Treatment: Chronic Gouty Arthritis Treatment

In a previous article I discussed the treatment of acute gouty arthritis (GA). In this article I'll focus on treatment of chronic disease. The aims of chronic GA treatment are to prevent recurrent attacks by lowering the serum uric acid (UA) below 6mgs/dl, and addressing other associated medical conditions that could be aggravating GA. These include obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, drugs the patient may be taking that can elevate UA such as diuretics, and osteoarthritis.

With chronic GA, patient can develop long term problems including the formation of tophi (deposits of UA under the skin and inside internal organs), joint destruction, kidney stones, and kidney failure.

The treatment of chronic GA involves dietary counseling, medication adjustment, and specific medicines to treat GA.

GA medicines lower serum UA. They do this through various mechanisms including reducing the production of uric acid, increasing the excretion of uric acid through the kidneys, and finally, with newer agents converting UA to less damaging substances. The choice of therapy depends on the severity of disease as well as the medical condition of the patient.

The mainstay of chronic GA treatment has been a drug called allopurinol. It reduces UA by blocking an enzyme that allows uric acid production.

Usually this drug is started at a low dose and slowly increased over time.

Allopurinol is associated with a number of potential side effects including rash, vasculitis (blood vessel inflammation), life-threatening hypersensitivity reactions, hepatitis, kidney damage, and bone-marrow abnormalities.

Allopurinol dosing needs to be adjusted in patients with kidney damage.

Febuxostat is a new medicine that hits the same target as allopurinol but it appears to have fewer side effects. Because it's metabolized in the liver, less reduction of dose is needed in patients with kidneys that aren't functioning normally.

Uricosuric drugs are medicines that make patients get rid of UA via the kidneys. They shouldn't be used in patients with a history of kidney stones and also don't work for patients with kidney insufficiency. The most commonly used drug in this category is probenicid.

Another new class of drug are the uricolytics. These convert urate, the substance that eventually becomes UA into allantoin, a relatively inert ingredient that is easily excreted from the body. The drug that is primarily used in this category is PEG uricase (Krystexxa). This drug is given intravenously. The most common side effects of PEG-uricase are an acute flare of gout and infusion reactions. Infusion reactions consist of nausea, vomiting, dizziness, breathing problems, muscle aches, and rash.

Common Cause of Knee Pain - Osteoarthritis

Many of the conditions that cause knee pain are more common in younger people, but there is one painful condition of the knee that is more frequent in older patients, especially those who are over 40. This condition is known as osteoarthritis, and it is actually the most common form of arthritis, with millions of people all over the world suffering from it in varying degrees, in their knees as well as other joints in their bodies. Although it is more common in adults over 40, knee osteoarthritis can affect pretty much anyone at any age.

What Causes Knee Osteoarthritis?

There is a smooth articular cartilage that coats the bones that make up the knee joints, the thigh bone, the shin bone and the kneecap. When a patient develops osteoarthritis, this coating begins to get brittle and loses elasticity, and it is much easier for patients to sustain injuries, which will in turn cause even more damage to the cartilage. The person with osteoarthritis will end up with irritations caused by the bones no longer rubbing smoothly across the cartilage during movement, and some patients even end up with bone spurs. There are often mineral deposits in the cartilage of those with osteoarthritis, and the knee fluids thin and do not protect the knee as they should.

Symptoms of Knee Osteoarthritis

Often, symptoms of knee osteoarthritis go unnoticed for quite some time, because it is a gradual condition. One of the first symptoms of the condition is stiffness in the knee. Patients will also notice that their range of motion becomes more and more limited and that they experience pain, especially when going up or down stairs. Weakness, and swelling are also common symptoms. Because there are many different symptoms, in order to correctly diagnose knee osteoarthritis, there will be certain tests performed, including x-rays and MRIs. The patient's medical history will also be studied. Some factors that increase the risk of knee osteoarthritis include obesity, aging, injury and repetitive activities that involve impact to the joints.

Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis

At one time, it was thought that those with knee osteoarthritis should limit their activity, so as not to put any added stress on the knee, and to keep the irritation from building up. Today, we know differently. It is actually beneficial to maintain regular movement for knee pain relief, because a lack of it will cause the joints to stiffen, making movement more and more difficult and painful. It is important that those with knee osteoarthritis remain active, and there a numerous exercises that your physician or physiotherapist can recommend to help this condition.

Other methods used to treat osteoarthritis include heat and cold. Heat is used to help reduce pain, while the cold treatments are used to ease swelling. Acupuncture has also been known to be a successful treatment, and knee braces are often worn by those with knee osteoarthritis. Weight loss is often recommended, and some patients benefit from over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications and topical creams.

Once osteoarthritis has been correctly diagnosed, it can easily be treated, and the patient can live a relatively pain-free life, doing their normal activities. If you think you have osteoarthritis, in the knee or any other joint, see your physician, and find out what you can do to treat it now.

Knee Pain Treatment - Collagen Did The Job For My Mum

My Mum is over 70 years old. She has been suffering from knee pain for many, many years. It's osteoarthritis, where the cartilage padding her right knee joint has slowly worn out over the years. Much like a car's tyre, through daily wear and tear, the tyre gets worn out. Easy - get a new tyre to replace the old one.

Not quite so easy with our knees. My Mum went through a lot of angst. She used to take glucosamine in her early 60s. She didn't experience much side effects but she also didn't recover. In fact, it got worse. She started limping. After a while, she could only walk down the stairs one step at a time, holding on to the railing. She started going to Tung Shin Hospital 2 to 3 times a week to seek acupuncture and Chinese tui-na therapy. The results were not encouraging. This form of knee pain treatment wasn't working and the injury continued to get worse. Trips for holidays overseas had to be cut down. It was so bad my Dad bought a leg brace for her to ease the pressure on her knee. But she wore the brace only intermittently. It's clunky and uncomfortable.

Knee replacement surgery was considered - a last resort form of knee pain treatment. But always set aside, because half of her friends reported positive results but the other half came out of the operation worse off.

And so 1 year dragged on to the next. Until 2 years ago, when I came to know of a collagen product called Vitaking. The collagen "helps in the repair and replenishment activities of the cartilage tissues to promote the renewal of bone tissues, protect the joints and preserve the skeletal health." At this stage where she did not have much options left, she desperately gave it a try.

She started by taking 3 sachets/day for a few months. After about 6 to 9 months, we noticed amazing improvements. Now she doesn't go to the hospital anymore, she doesn't take the glucosamine anymore, she doesn't use the leg brace anymore, she doesn't need to hold on to the stair railings anymore. Looks like she's finally found a workable knee pain treatment solution.

What are the "side effects" of Vitaking? She has much more energy now. She has received numerous compliments on her facial complexion as it is smoother and more radiant. To me, that's the sign of a quality collagen product.

Anyway, now my Mum takes about 1 to 2 sachets/day for maintenance.

I'm really thankful to come to know about this Vitaking collagen. Because her time is not bogged down with knee pain treatment and her movements are not hindered by the pain, my Mum can do all her usual daily activities with greater ease - going for her morning walks, going to the market, meeting up with her friends etc. And the best part is, she doesn't need to go through the trauma of a knee replacement operation.

Arthritis Treatment: Is It Neck Pain or Is It Shoulder Pain?

The cervical spine- the neck- consists of seven vertebrae which are stacked on top of each other and separated from each other up front by rubbery discs and in back by a pair- one on each side- of what are called uncovertebral joints. These are true joints which are covered with a thin layer of hyaline cartilage.

Right next to these joints, again on either side, are small holes or foramina, where nerve roots from the spinal cord exit. The spinal cord, originating in the brain, runs down a central canal or tunnel, formed by the various elements of the spine. The head weighs about 6-8 pounds depending on a person's intelligence (that's a joke, by the way) and is balanced on this cervical spine column.

Because of the complexity of the structures involved, it is no secret that neck pain can arise as a result of a variety of different causes. Arthritis can develop in the uncovertebral joints thereby narrowing the neural foramina. Since the nerve roots occupy 25 per cent of the volume of the foramina to start, further narrowing can lead to pinching of the nerves. In addition, disc hernation or the flattening of the discs that occurs with aging also can lead to narrowing of the neural foramina as well.

It has been estimated that more than 50 per cent of individuals beyond the age of 45 years have experienced at least one episode of neck pain.

With advancing age, neck pain tends to become more radicular, meaning there is an element of nerve pinching involved.

Pain coming from the cervical spine may be accompanied by pain in the shoulder. A pinched nerve in the neck, particularly a pinched nerve in the upper neck, often presents as shoulder pain. It may also cause pain to radiate down from the neck to between the shoulder blades.

Myofascial pain, pain arising from ligament strain or muscle spasm, can also be a source of discomfort.
Since conditions that cause neck pain and conditions that cause shoulder pain may coexist, it is often difficult to distinguish what problem is most responsible for the symptoms.

Diagnosis is made using a careful history and physical examination. Often times, though, even that can be unrewarding as far as providing an exact diagnosis. Imaging procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography can be very helpful in sorting things out.

The choice of treatment obviously depends on diagnosis.

Physical therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), brief use of a cervical collar, gentle stretching and strengthening exercises, and injections may be useful.

For soft tissue causes, prolotherapy or injections with platelet rich plasma may be useful. Only in cases where there is significant nerve root impingement with progressive loss of function, or significant pressure on the spinal cord is there a need for a surgical solution.

The Varied Forms of Arthritis Treatment for Pain Management

Arthritis falls within the rheumatic diseases, which are exemplified by different illnesses requiring varying treatments based on the person and the prognosis. The similarity between all forms of arthritis is they affect tendons, cartilage, joints, ligaments, and muscles. There are studies that indicate some internal areas of the body are affected by arthritis.

Arthritis Treatment Varies Based on Forms of the Disease

Because the forms of the disease are different, arthritis treatment can vary too. More than 100 known types of arthritis are currently on the books and that is increasing. Osteoarthritis is attributable to the wear on cartilage. Rheumatoid arthritis comes from the overactive immune system, which causes inflammation. It is no wonder by the types and arthritis treatments that the disease is the most common illness of a chronic type in the U.S.

Worldwide, over 350 million people have arthritis. Contrary to what some people believe, arthritis does not only affect older people, because more than 50% of sufferers are under the age of 65. Women do make up a higher percentage rate at 60%.

Contributing Factors to Arthritis Treatment

There are many contributing factors to arthritis treatment. Not only does the type of arthritis play a hand in treatment, but the location, persistence, severity, and medical history of the sufferer also have a role. Arthritis treatment is customized by the doctor for each patient.

There are many forms of arthritis treatment that have been handed down for generations that still supply relief. These home remedies are often combined with nonprescription medications to decrease the cost of treatments, but some cases warrant very strong prescription drugs, surgical operations, and joint injections.

Obese or overweight people with arthritis may be asked to lose weight to reduce the stress on their joints. Treatments serve two general purposes. They should relief the pain and inflammation and they should contribute to joint health, both improving and protecting joint function.

One of the first actions prescribed by doctors is rest and carefully using the affected areas. Heat and cold compresses have some comforting effect and creams for pain do provide incremental pain relief. Extended use of joint supplements may provide some relief from osteoarthritis, especially those with chondroitin and glucosamine additives.

Many arthritis treatments are a matter or trial and error to see what works best. Supplements are controversial because of lack of clinical support, and most doctors suggest their use only if there is obvious improvement when they are taken. If there is no improvement within two months, a supplement is probably not going to help the situation.

Exercise can help strengthen up muscles around arthritic joints, taking pressure off those painful areas. This may include physical therapy, going to a fitness center, and/or a home program. Along with that, steroid injections into the problematic area may give substantial relief for months. This may allow people to dramatically improve their activity and avoid surgery, or at a minimum delay it.

Bracing may also help arthritic joints, such as a knee offloading brace or a back brace in a time of a pain flare up. A TENS Unit may also help decrease pain as well.

If a patient has mild to moderate pain, an over the counter medication such as Tylenol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories may make life much more tolerable. In those instances where pain is substantial, a short term course of narcotics can help a patient get through the rough patch.

Arthritis - The Cause and How to Reverse It

Estimates report there are at this time 45 million Americans suffering from painful or crippling arthritis. Many others are suffering from arthritis type symptoms, bursitis, fibromyalgia and gout.
Currently, the general perception from both the medical establishment and the public is that arthritis is a stress disease treated with anti-inflammatories and cortisone. The disease is regarded as progressive and has no known cure. Is that really the case?

A serious problem with this perception is the absence of information explaining the origin of stress and as a result the potential opportunity to work to correct the source of the disease. Dr. Swilling who is the consultant to this project has spent 25 years in research to reveal the origin of illness and disease origin of illness and disease, presents breakthrough research explaining the origin of arthritis and describes how this has led many to experience effective healing, reversal of symptoms and return to good health.
The scientific literature offers a number of factors known to contribute to the stress including the following:

1. Poor Nutrition and Diet

2. Inadequate Digestion

3. Emotional, Relationships, Occupational

4. Environmental Pollution

5. Infection

6. Parasites

7. Poor Posture

8. Past Surgeries or Injuries

Dr. Swilling goes beyond the obvious to explain the impact of the above factors in the development of stress. He demonstrates examples of four important factors in the development of the disease.

1. That stress is a breakdown of a biochemical balance leading to a switch from an anabolic to a catabolic state. That this catabolic state creates inflammation that initiates the arthritis. A continuing imbalance perpetuates the catabolic damage that is the progressive degeneration of the disease. When this process is understood by the arthritic patient who is guided into a TCH Arthritis Support Program focused on restoring the biochemical balance, the catabolic process is reversed to initiate reduction of inflammation, healing and return to good health.

2. His breakthrough research reveals that the breakdown of electrolyte balance leads to an altered pH increasing acid levels further accelerating inflammation and damage.

3. Unnatural fast food, alcohol, sugar based food, coffee and soda drinks that become acid waste.

4. The accelerated damage resulting from free radical damage due to inadequate oxygen, water and the unnatural free radical activity generated by food cooked in microwave and deep-fried.

Other factors known to accelerate the damage caused by any of the four examples above are described as follows:

Nutrition and Diet

Our creator intended we be supplied all the essential nutrients from plants grown in rich nutrient topsoil, unpolluted water and oxygen from clean air. These nutrients are used by the body to produce energy and functions responsible for good health into youthful aging to ages 129-135. However, due to unnatural farming practice, plants are grown in depleted soil. Chemical fertilizers and herbicides are absorbed into the plants and thereafter into the food chain.

To add insult to injury, our staple foods are refined and processed, further depleting the essential health giving nutrients, polluted with chemical additives to extend shelf life, imitate natural taste and so on.

Our water and air is polluted. When nutrients are no longer sufficient to meet the required levels, deficiencies and imbalance lead to symptoms, illness and disease.
Dr. Swilling has revealed breakthrough research in the subject of Nutritional deficiencies particularly in regard to a mineral deficiency leading to depleted electrolyte chemistry and a corresponding shift in the critical pH balance responsible for the development of the disease (This subject is explained in a book by Dr. Swilling - Minerals Key to Vibrant Health and Life Force).

Medical opinion is that Arthritis has no connection with nutrition and diet. They do not have the training or the comprehension of biochemistry and that arthritis is in fact a manifestation of a serious depletion of resources unable to meet the demands of stress. An extensive number of studies have measured the severe demand on resources during stress especially related to protein, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and all other nutrients.

These studies explain how stress in all of its many forms trigger a biological and biochemical response to convert storage sites to make available resources necessary to meet the demands of stress. This response is familiar to all when a stress situation causes the heart to pump vigorously, pulse to accelerate and blood pressure to rise.

When these storage sites become depleted (such as glycogen in the liver) then hormones (such as pituitary, adrenal, thyroid) are released to become active in what is described as a catabolic chemistry (opposite to anabolic). Catabolic chemistry attacks cellular tissue to release resources not available from storage sites.

The more serious, prolonged or frequent this shortfall, the more damage. The other interesting evidence is that this catabolic chemistry targets weak sites. It is this target site that becomes the inflammatory site that develops into the arthritis. Depending on the site, the extent of the damage and collateral chemistry, so is the type of arthritis determined. In a systemic arthritis, the synovial fluid has become acid due to waste and chemicals.

In other studies, nutritional deficiencies and imbalances lead to altered states of cellular, neurological and bone structure, manifested as different forms of the disease.

Studies have revealed that most persons with arthritis have been under severe stress before the onset of the illness; that their diets are appallingly deficient in many respects; and that the level of vitamins in their blood, particularly vitamin C and pantothenic acid, is extremely low.

2. Poor Nutrition and Diet

Poor diet and nutrition means the following:

a. Processed food such as white rice noodles, especially when combined with sugar based food, spicy and salty food.

b. Too much carbohydrate and sugar changes the pH of the digestion, depletes pantothenic acid and essential digestive enzymes.

3. Inadequate Food

Does not meet the nutritional needs of daily requirements.

In particular, long gaps between meals. Those who skip breakfast or who have a skimpy breakfast of coffee or tea and toast for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and a long gap before dinner.
There are thousands of studies reporting the severe distress following processed food intakes and how they cause the blood sugar to peak followed by a severe dive. These severe swings between peaks and dives use energy from storage sites leading to hormonal responses and increased risk of catabolic damage.

4. Inadequate Nutrition

Satisfying the demands of stress is the most challenging objective for an arthritis patient. Thousands of arthritics have been shocked to learn that their skimpy breakfast and main meal at the end of the day was so inadequate as to be the cause of their disease. The degree of inadequateness can be explained as follows:

a. The skimpy breakfast may be adequate for a person who does not have the frustrations of work, the discipline and demands on conduct and performance, stressful relationships and so on.

The fact is the skimpy breakfast and average dinner does not meet the stress demand of a modern lifestyle. When the day begins with a good breakfast, follows with a nutritious lunch and dinner, the odds improve substantially. Arthritics improve more dramatically when they can manage 6 nutritious food and snack intakes daily.

b. Research reveals a meal cooked in a microwave oven has had most of its food value destroyed. In addition many other side effects that accelerate free radical activity and catabolic damage.

c. A meal fried in deep oil as is provided by well-known chicken fryers accelerate catabolic damage (due to free radicals from heated oil). Many venders recycle oil several times to save money.

5. Inadequate Assimilation

Studies demonstrate how poor diet, long gaps between meals and frequent stress leads to changes in the pH of the digestive tract that depletes pantothenic acid, HCL and enzymes essential to achieve efficient digestion of protein and assimilation of nutrition needed to meet the demands of stress.

6. Chemical Poisoning

Chemicals absorbed from body contact such as cosmetics, nail varnish and antiperspirants. Add to this household cleaners, soaps and so on.

7. Environmental Pollution

Many arthritics have traced their condition to pollution such as chemical exposure from occupation: examples include insecticide spraying, painters, printers, and those working in factories using chemicals. Farmers using chemical fertilizers and gardeners using chemical sprays are also susceptible.

8. Parasites, Bacteria, Fungus and Viruses

Parasites, bacteria and viruses penetrate damaged cells due to catabolic and acid waste damage. This is particularly so for viruses that are harmless when outside the cell. When these invaders penetrate cells they multiply thereby further increasing acid and inflammation.

9. Mental and Emotional Stress

In another category, studies revealed that those who worsened even when they adhered to a good diet, stress could be traced to frustration resulting from work and personal relationships. Patients trained to become aware of this kind of stress and guided as to the action necessary to remedy this, healed dramatically.

Arthritis can develop early in childhood as in Stills Disease or over decades depending on the source of stress. The evidence is that many arthritics are unable to release the emotional stress associated with suppressed desires, the strict disciplines imposed by a strict parent, the loss of a loved one, the pent-up frustration of an unhappy relationship or the loneliness of a solitary life cycle. In all of these the individual perpetuates the stress as though the circumstances cannot be altered. When this fact is recognized, or brought to the individual's attention leading to a conscious effort to confront the source, a seemingly miraculous cure is a recorded experience with many involved. Others will consult a counselor and have a similar experience.

Successful healing has also been achieved when sufferers have commenced a new hobby or interest such as learning a new musical instrument, painting, indoor gardening or service to the church. When stress relates to an unhappy or frustrating work situation, a new training certification conducted after hours has led to a better position or a change in occupation.

10. Medication and Drugs

Cortisone

The hormonal connection to the disease Arthritis remained a mystery until it was shown that remarkable results were obtained when cortisone was given. However, the side effects are more often worse that the disease. Such results indicated that persons with arthritis were in the exhaustion stage of the stress reaction and that their pituitary and/or adrenal glands could no longer function normally.
Since this knowledge became available, arthritic individuals have often improved remarkably after following a diet designed to restore exhausted glands to stimulate natural cortisone production and to meet the increased nutritional needs of stress.

Minimizing Side Effects of Cortisone

The Aside effects@ of cortisone therapy such as ulcers, pancreatitis, de-mineralized bones, and diabetic-like symptoms are far less severe when pantothenic acid is generously supplied; if ACTH is given without simultaneously increasing pantothenic acid, the adrenal glands can be severely damaged.
Since 10,000 milligrams (10 grams) of pantothenic acid have been given daily with only good results, there need be no fear of taking too much. After an adequate diet has stimulated the natural hormone production, medication is rarely needed.

A diet low in salt and unusually high in protein together with all the B vitamins greatly decreases the toxic effects of cortisone.

A side effect of Cortisone is increased sodium causing water retention and a potassium deficiency.
Adrenal Stress and Sodium

When investigation clearly indicates adrenal exhaustion, salt (sodium) which is lost from the body when the adrenals are exhausted, salty food or salted nuts may be recommended for the recovery period.
The Impact when Medication is Given

No nutrient interferes in any way with cortisone, ACTH, or aspirin therapy. However each of these medications increases the need for vitamin C, especially aspirin which destroys huge quantities of this vitamin.

11. Infection and Antibiotics

Infection such as staphylococcus is a major challenge to the immune system and a severe stress to the support systems. Staphylococcus is known to enter bone leading to inflammation and destruction.

12. Posture

Chiropractic adjustment better described as postural integration is essential to ensure that postural stress is removed to allow for maximum healing. Very often incorrect posture leads to stress sites that become inflamed. When posture is corrected at the same time as lifestyle and nutrition, dramatic results can be seen within a few weeks.

Altered pH acid and alkaline balance

Dr. Swilling uses the above examples to demonstrate that whereas health functions in an alkaline environment, an acid environment manifests illness and disease.

He maintains that the unnatural factors described above, alters the alkaline synovial fluid which acts as lubrication for more than 68 joints from alkaline to acid. It is this acid fluid that is the cause of inflammation, pain and damage of the synovial membrane, as well as the cartilage protecting the head of the long bones. Poor nutrition, particularly a deficiency of protein (amino acids) and calcium weaken the cartilage to become more vulnerable to the acid damage.

Debris from catabolic and free radical damage, acid waste from unnatural food, side effects of medication, chemicals, toxic waste from parasites, fungus, bacteria and viruses results in a cumulative toxic acid load. He explains, that factors such as electrolytes, oxygen, water, and nutrients are the balancing forces used to prevent build-up of acid wastes. However these balancing forces have become depleted due to unnatural lifestyle, depleted nutrient farm produce, processed food, polluted environment, inadequate water and the stress of mental and emotional life experience.
In his book Minerals Key To Vibrant Health and Life Force, he explains how the initial shift to acid is due to depleted minerals. When organic minerals are well supplied, the electro-charged anions are effective in maintaining an alkaline pH. He uses a special brand of electrolytes, detoxification, organic food, methods of food preparation and other therapies to reverse the acid pH.
Avoid Delay

Chronic aches and pain, particularly in the joints should be evaluated without delay, not as a medical condition requiring a painkiller, but as a stress induced biochemical imbalance.
Emphasis should be directed to an investigation to determine the source of the stress and the implementation of a program of lifestyle change, detoxification and a good well balanced nutrition to restore healing, restore the balance leading to restoration of the anti-stress chemistry, the immune system and a smart approach designed to confront sources of tension, mental and emotional stress.
TCH Self-Help Arthritis Support Program

Supervised by Dr. Swilling, TCH offers a support program initiated with a BioMedical Health and Lifestyle Assessment Questionnaire conducted on-line. See http://www.takechargeofyourhealth.biz
A response report to completed questionnaire includes a recommended individualized program including daily protocol for nutrition, diet and supplements as well as detoxification.