The Causes Of Arthritis - Understanding This Condition Helps You Find Effective Treatment

Arthritis seems to affect so many people, and not always the elderly. A lot of people, both young and old, suffer routinely with bone or joint pain and inflammation. Sometimes this is the result of an injury and soon heals, but for many the prognosis is somewhat more dire.

Nobody wants to be told that they have rheumatoid arthritis. It is seen as an old person's condition and is often debilitating. We imagine inflamed and sore joints, bone deformities, and immobility upon receiving the diagnosis. Without a doubt, arthritis has caused a considerable number of people a considerable amount of discomfort.

Before we continue on with the causes of this very common skeletal condition, we need to define our terms. What most people do not know is that arthritis refers to any type of condition that leads to inflammation, pain, and stiffness of the joints. This means that it is more of a category of conditions than a condition in and of itself.

Further points to ponder:

* There are more than one hundred different conditions that fall under the heading of arthritis.

* The most common conditions include: gout, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.

* When a joint is inflamed, stiff, and/or sore this is known as arthritis.

* Other types of arthritic conditions include: infectious arthritis and lupus. These can produce the customary joint problems but also a range of other symptoms such as: rashes, chills, fever, heart complications, and pain.

So what are the causes of arthritis?

Interestingly, the main cause of most of the types of conditions that fall under the heading of arthritis is nutritional in nature. Nutritional deficiencies are a prime cause but this is good news, because nutritional deficiencies can be addressed and rectified.

What can be done?

Your first duty is to review your diet. Make the changes that are necessary such as omitting what should not be part of your diet, and including what should. The quality of the food that we purchase today is not what it should be. Most of us do not get the proper nutrition that our bodies need in order to be healthy and function at its optimum level. This is why dietary supplements should be included in your diet.

Supplements high in fatty acids, fish oils, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants will aid your body so that it is able to heal itself and repair damage where it has occurred. Coupled with enough regular exercise and weight resistance training, your joint pains and stiffness can become a thing of the past.

The fallacy that so many believe.

Remarkable achievements have been made with regards to natural remedies, such as those that contain the New Zealand Mussel, for instance. Discover how this ingredient can greatly benefit anyone suffering with arthritis.

"Nutritional deficiencies are a major cause of joint pain, stiffness, and inflammation".

Doctor...My Body Hurts. There's Pain In Every Joint... What's Causing It?

Joint pain causes can be divided into several categories.

Infections such as viruses (in particular, parvovirus) can cause a type of arthritis. Bacteria such as gonococcus (the bug that causes gonorrhea) and Borrelia, the organism that causes Lyme disease, are well known infectious causes for joint pain.

Trauma is an obvious cause. This can range from an athletic injury occurring more than 30 years ago leading to osteoarthritis in the knee to a whiplash injury that happened yesterday accounting for total body stiffness and pain today!

Disorders of the blood are an uncommon but important cause of joint pain. Leukemia and lymphoma can present as aches and pains. Often fever, sweats, and weight loss accompany the pains... but not always. Multiple myeloma- a malignancy that affects the plasma cells in the blood- causes ill-defined joint pains. Sickle-cell anemia and hemophilia both are associated with arthritis. A blood disorder due to excess iron in the blood- hemochromatosis- is responsible for causing both cirrhosis of the liver as well as an unusual type of arthritis.

Endocrine problems can cause aches and pains. For example, growth hormone excess is called acromegaly. This is a cause of terrible arthritis. Thyroid hormone deficiency also causes aches and pains that mimic the symptoms of fibromyalgia

Closely related to endocrine causes are the metabolic disease like gout and pseudogout which cause inflammatory types of arthritis.

The largest category of causes of aches and pains is arthritis. Wear and tear arthritis- termed osteoarthritis- is the most common form of arthritis. This arthritis is due to premature wearing away of cartilage, the gristly that protects the end of long bones. Osteoarthritis most often affects weight bearing areas such as the neck, low back, hips, and knees. It also affects the hands and feet. More autoimmune types of arthritis such as systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, polymyalgia rheumatica, psoriatic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis can cause severe total body aches and pains in the joints. These autoimmune diseases have more inflammation associated with them. In addition, constitutional symptoms such as low grade fever, weight loss, sweats, and fatigue are common.

Finally soft tissue rheumatism - termed fibromyalgia- is a very common reason for a person to have "total body joint pain". While not a life-threatening disorder, fibromyalgia, which is often accompanied by fatigue, short term memory loss, "fibro fog", and bladder and bowel disturbance is can be debilitating.

Natural Remedies For Treating Arthritis in Dogs

Introduction

Arthritis is one of the most common afflictions for dogs; it affects one in five dogs in the United States. Arthritis is a debilitating condition which causes inflammation and pain in a dog's joints, and usually affects elbows, hips, shoulders, back and neck. It can affect one or more joints and can be present in both young and old dogs alike. Because of their great size and weight large/giant breeds are the most prone to developing arthritis.

Symptoms of Arthritis in Dogs

The most common symptoms for arthritis in dogs are:

1. Favoring a limb/limping
2. Difficulty sitting or standing
3. Sleeping more or restless sleep
4. Stiff or sore joints
5. Unwilling to get up, run, jump, or climb stairs
6. Weight gain
7. Less interest in play/not alert
8. Irritable, crying or whimpering
9. Lack of appetite

If one or more of these symptoms are present, make an appointment to see your dog's veterinarian. Your dog's veterinarian can perform an arthritis evaluation consisting of a physical exam and x-rays. Additionally, if your vet doesn't suggest it, request a blood panel. The blood panel might detect a disease such as Lyme disease, which has some arthritis-like symptoms.

Natural Therapies

If your dog is suffering from arthritis, first evaluate his weight and diet. Fido's extra pounds are adding to the stress on his joints and many dog foods contain ingredients, which will make the arthritis worse. Start, by cutting back on those table scraps and unnecessary treats and taking a short daily walk. Even just ten minutes a day will shed pounds and improve circulation.

Now let's take a closer look at what you're feeding your dog. Are you feeding a high quality chemical-free food? I recommend Canine Caviar. No matter what you feed your dog make certain it doesn't contain preservatives, food colorings, wheat, corn, or soy products. These ingredients are not good for dogs. Furthermore, avoid feeding your dog grains; grains tend to increase joint inflammation.

While we're on the subject of food, celery is a vegetable that can help with your dog's joints. If you give this a try, you'll probably have to be sneaky. Try using a food processor and chopping it into very small pieces before mixing it with your dog's food.

Over the counter supplements can also help with a dog's arthritis. Studies have shown that glucosamine, chondrotin sulfate and omega three fatty acids are all helpful in treating the symptoms of arthritis. Glucosamin and chondrotin sulfate can be purchased in powdered form and fish oil capsules are a good source of omega three fatty acids.

Non-traditional Therapies

Exercise and Physical therapy have also been shown to alleviate many arthritic symptoms. Swimming is a great exercise for your dog, and it doesn't put a strain on their joints. If you have a small dog you can use a bath tub as a therapy pool, but be vigilant and for safety don't leave your small dog unattended. If your dog isn't fond of water don't force them to swim, regular walks are still a good source of exercise.

Another effective means to combat canine arthritis is acupuncture. Utilized for centuries in Eastern Medicine, acupuncture is starting to become a widely accepted practice in Western Society. It has been shown to dramatically improve a variety of health concerns in dogs. Talk to your veterinarian to learn if acupuncture is right for your pet.

To help maintain joints and connective tissues add a powdered Vitamin C supplement to your dog's food. Not only does Vitamin C maintain joints it will also combat further degradation of joints already plagued by arthritis. Avoid plain ascorbic acid, because it can cause your dog to have an upset stomach, instead use sodium ascorbate. If you notice loose stool after starting a regimen of Vitamin C cut back the dosage.

Dosage recommendations based on breed size.
Small= 500-1000mg
Med-Large= 1000-2000mg
Giant = 2000-4000mg

What to avoid?

Never try to home medicate your dog with medications meant for humans. Certain medications such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen can be toxic to a dog. If your veterinarian prescribes a prescription medication for your dog strictly follow their dosage suggestion. Remember, that regardless of the treatment option(s) you choose, it could take weeks for any remedy to make a difference. Be diligent and make caring for your dog's arthritis a habit.

How to make your arthritic dog's life better?

There are also several environmental changes you can make to your dog's lifestyle. Here are some things you can do almost immediately to help alleviate arthritis pain. Avoid activities that strain your pet's joints. Purchase or build a dog ramp to assist your pet in getting access to those difficult to reach places like cars/trucks, beds, and stairs. Help to reduce the strain on your dog's neck and back when they eat and drink by raising or purchasing a stand to elevate your dog's food and water dishes.

Keep your dog warm. Cold and damp air aggravates arthritic joints. Purchase a high quality pet bed that will help to keep your dog sleeping warm and comfortable while reducing stiffness, aches, and pains after sleeping. If you usually keep your dog outdoors consider purchasing an insulated dog house or better yet welcome them inside. Even just petting your dog can help your dog to feel better. Be a friend to your best friend.

Yeast Makes Fibromyalgia, Crohn's Disease, Arthritis, and Autism Worse!

Several studies have proven yeast to be directly related to irritation and worsening symptoms of Fibromyalgia pain, Crohn's disease, Arthritis pain, and Autism. Yeast can cause excess swelling and/or pain to these conditions and exaggerate the symptoms of Autism in children and adults.

Fibromyalgia is chronic widespread pain all over the affected persons body, typically in muscle, connective tissue, nerve endings, and joints. It is more than just pain though, it is included with a long list of symptoms like muscle spasms, tingling, nerve pain, weakness, cognitive dysfunction ("Brain Fog"), chronic sleep disturbances, and more. Yeast can increase and exaggerate all of these symptoms.

Crohn's Disease is an inflammatory disease of the intestines (Gastrointestinal Tract) causing a wide variety of symptoms. It primarily causes severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and/or weight loss. Just like with Fibromyalgia, yeast can increase the effects of these symptoms tremendously.

Arthritis is a group of conditions causing damage to the bodies joints. There are over 100 different types of arthritis; to name a few common ones, there is Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis, Septic Arthritis, Gouty Arthritis, and Juvenile Arthritis. The most commonly associated symptom is pain, however it differs from type to type.

Autism is a development disorder in the brain caused by lack of social interaction and communication and by restrictive and repetitive behavior. Autism is not well understood in the medical world, but does have a strong genetic base. It is not characterized by one symptom, rather by a triad of symptoms including impairments in social interaction, impairments in communication, restricted interests and repetitive behavior. All which appear to be worsened by the consumption of yeast.

How to Prevent Neck Popping

Osteoarthritis of the upper spine known as cervical spondylosis includes symptoms like neck popping and neck pain. This degenerative disease is usually seen in those above the age of fifty or those who have been involved in doing some kind of strenuous physical activity for many years as a part of their work life. Neck popping may also develop when the cartilage between the vertebrae starts to degenerate and the spaces between the vertebrae narrow due to aging.

Bony outgrowth called osteophytes may form on the vertebrae restricting movements of the head and causing stiffness. As a result the movements of the neck are restricted as even a slight movement causes a creaking popping neck sensation.

When you sleep in an awkward position, the twisting of the head causes it to be held in an abnormal position leading to pain in the neck. This pain is caused by the spasms in the neck muscles. Take care to see that your pillow supports your neck in alignment with the rest of your spine. An overstuffed pillow or too many pillows may push your head far too forward; a pillow that is too limp or flimsy may tip your head back. So, it is always better to choose a good pillow to prevent neck popping.

Most people spend six to eight hours in bed every day. Therefore appropriate support from a good pillow is required to ensure good neck support and to provide adequate rest to the muscles in the neck. When you are asleep try to avoid lying on your front with the neck twisted to one side. All these steps can go a long way in preventing neck popping.

When you make sudden movements of your head the bone presses against the nerves in the neck causing pain and neck popping. Medical practitioners may arrange special tests to assess the nature of the degeneration and start treatment using pain killers, non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs and heat packs to relieve pain.

A good sitting posture is very important to ensure the health of your neck and to avoid neck popping if you have to sit for long hours at a desk or in the front of a computer during working hours. You can also reduce the incidence of neck popping if you strengthen the muscles of your neck by doing some neck stretches, shoulder rolls, neck rolls etc. to loosen up your upper spine.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Relief - Detoxify With Alkaline Water and Beat Arthritis Naturally

Disease is just nature's way of telling you your body is too acidic. Return it to a more alkaline state and nature will reward you with the healing you deserve. However, you must detoxify yourself to begin this journey. Alkaline water helps to cleanse you naturally, easily and continuously by neutralizing the excess acids in your body. Rheumatoid arthritis, though it is a disease, it is only a symptom that tells you your body is out of balance.

Think of your body as a fish tank and your cells and organs as the fish. When you feed the fish, the food is carried to them through the water. They eat the food, use it for energy and eliminate the waste back out. Over time, if you don't change the water in the fish tank the fish get sick and die.

Your body is similar to a fish tank. You are made up of 70% water, much of which is called interstitial fluid that carries nutrients to your cells. Your cells use those nutrients for food and then eliminate the waste back out into your fluid. Over time, your interstitial fluid becomes dirty, acidic and toxic. It's like needing to change the water in the fish tank. You have to clean up, detoxify the fluid in your body and maintain that detoxified state in order for your body to run efficiently. The fact that you have rheumatoid arthritis is a clear sign that your body is too acidic and too toxic. It is more acid than alkaline-it is out of balance.

HOW ALKALINE ANTIOXIDANT WATER WORKS TO DETOXIFY YOU NATURALLY

• Drinking alkaline water helps to neutralize the acids that your body creates when it metabolizes food (especially acidic food), pollution and other contaminants. Rheumatoid arthritis and other diseases love an acidic toxic environment. Clean up the environment and arthritis won't want to stay.


• What goes in must come out. Alkaline water bathes your cells allowing them to absorb nutrients and flush the metabolic waste back out more efficiently. This allows you to detoxify resulting in a body that functions properly, a body that is not tired or crippled with arthritis pain.


• Drinking Alkaline water helps you maintain a slightly alkaline state the way nature intended. Your cells and organs function at their optimum level in a slightly alkaline body. Rheumatoid arthritis feeds on acid. Starve your disease and you will be amazed at the positive outcome!

Water is our most basic substance, is a natural purifier and it is more important than food or any supplement that you could consume. Consume the right kind and it can help your body heal from just about any disease, chronic illness, infection or ailment. Alkaline antioxidant water is "living water." It has the properties of the purest health-giving water found in nature before the earth was polluted.

Effective Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment

Psoriatic arthritis treatment is the integrative modality that is employed to manage a heterogeneous group of arthritides.

In general, this arthritis disorder is a medical condition in which the person has both psoriasis and arthritis. A person with psoriasis generally develops patches of red skin with scales.

The affected part looks different depending on the type of psoriasis that the person has. Arthritis on the other hand is generally the inflammation of joints.

Psoriatic arthritis is also an autoimmune disease. This means that the disease causes the cells and antibodies to attack healthy tissues. In general, a person with this arthritis disorder will manifest the symptoms of psoriasis. When a person has exhibited a severe case of psoriasis; the higher the chances that he will have psoriatic arthritis. Treatment would then be used to manage both conditions and their resulting complications.

Psoriatic arthritis is not a common medical condition in the US. It affects about 2.5% of white people in North America. It is a rare condition in African American and Native American people.

A recent study estimates that about 1 million people in the US suffer from arthritis. It is also a general observation that a number of persons with psoriasis are not aware that they also have psoriatic arthritis.

There are equal chances for both men and women to develop psoriasis. For men, they are more likely to develop the spondylitic form, in which the spine is affected.

Females, on the other hand, are prone to have the rheumatoid form, in which many joints may be involved. This type of arthritis usually affects people aged 35-55 years. However, cases at early age were also reported.

The causes of psoriatic arthritis have not been definitively determined. Experts point to combination of genetic, environmental, and immune causes. There about 40% of people with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis who also have relatives with the same condition. There are some cases of psoriasis which indicate to infection as the cause.

People suffering from psoriatic arthritis may not have obvious skin findings. Some may just have minimal scaly red skin on the scalp, in the bellybutton, or between the buttocks.

Some may also develop nail abnormalities and arthritis and no skin symptoms. At the early stages of the disease, various nail changes can happen. This includes loosening and development of lines going across the nails.

In most cases, psoriasis happens before arthritis sets in, sometimes as much as 20 years ahead. About 20% of cases develop eye inflammation, and inflammation of the iris occurs in 7%.

The overall goal of psoriatic arthritis treatment is to control inflammation. The medical intervention will also involve treatment of skin symptoms.

Your doctor may also prescribe NSAIDs and other anti-inflammatory drugs to control the inflammation and pain in the joint.

As part of management of the disease, you will also be required to have sufficient rest. Your doctor may also implement a good exercise program to improve movement, strengthen muscles and stabilize joints.

Top 3 Phobia's of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Phobia #1 If I am taking Enbrel I will be susceptible to infectious diseases

Phobia #2 If I am taking MTX, I stand a good chance of getting sick.

Phobia #3 If I am taking prednisone my immune system will weaken and I'll be sick all the time.

Here is the first and most important aspect of any of these rheumatoid arthritis products. You can't get your hands on them without a doctor's approval (thank goodness). If and when you are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) your doctor will explain the facts of each drug, including its side effects and what to watch out for. He/she will inform you of your next visit and schedule regular checkups. They will be your best teacher so listen carefully to what they have to say.

The most frustrating aspect of rheumatoid arthritis is "how your body can actually start attacking itself". When the R & D companies figure this out, they are going to be very rich and billions of people WORLD WIDE will be extremely happy. Now, let's talk about the phobia's that are of great concern to all rheumatoid arthritis patients.

If you talk to rheumatoid arthritis patients you are going to get a zillion different answers that all boil down to 2 answers. Best wishes to you and I hope you have many arthritis pain free days.

• Yes, I am susceptible to flu's and infections


• No, I have not experienced more flu like symptoms or infections.
  
  

Just like anyone without rheumatoid arthritis, some people will be more susceptible and others will not. According to the drug manufacturers fine print, taking Enbrel, MTX or Prednisone can lower your immune system and if you find yourself with a cold, flu or infection you need to stop taking these drugs. Many new rheumatoid arthritis patients are so worried about that they take extreme caution beyond what a normal rheumatoid arthritis patient would take. I don't blame them and you should be concerned as well.

However, you have people in all walks of life; teachers, bus drivers, executives, doctors, lawyers, etc. who have rheumatoid arthritis and they are exposed all the time to people who are sick. Some catch that cold, others don't. Experience is your best teacher and you should be extremely cautious in the beginning and lighten up as time passes and you become more experienced.

Here are few things all rheumatoid arthritis patients can do to safe-guard themselves.

1. Wash their hands frequently

2. Carry Clorox or Germ X Wipes with you when you are away from home

3. Be careful of exposure to people who have cold, flu like symptoms

4. Wipe anything that your hands come into contact with-which could make you a germo-phobiac

What about the healing process of those who have rheumatoid arthritis?

Again, experience will tell you the truth and some people will take longer to heal and others will not. That can greatly depend on many factors including how you treat the wound or cut, do you use topical anti-bacterial creams and do you cover your wound up.

One rheumatoid arthritis patient told me they visited a allergist and had some blood work done. Thankfully for this person, the blood work told the allergist they have a very strong immune system and they do not be too paranoid. Ask your doctor if they would recommend visiting an allergist to determine how strong their immune system is.

I'm thankful I do not have rheumatoid arthritis, however some of my family members do. They try very hard to lead a normal life and the one thing I am most proud of is:

They are determined not to let rheumatoid arthritis control their lives.

They came to grips with the fact they have rheumatoid arthritis and they have gone through the mind games, depression and such, but they all came out of it and are now controlling their attitude and that is probably what I am most proud of. They are taking control of their lives and deal with it as needed.

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Psoriatic Arthritis - Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment

Psoriatic arthritis is a form of arthritis that affects some people who have psoriasis. Joint pain, swelling and inflammation, in addition to the symptoms of psoriasis, are characteristic of this condition which has a tendency to show alternating periods of exacerbation and remissions. Both diseases are auto immune disorders, in which the immune system of the body turns on itself and starts affecting healthy tissue. Genetics, environment and a tumor necrosis factor appear to play a positive role in psoriatic arthritis. This condition is seen more often in the age from 30 to 50.

The Ayurvedic treatment of psoriatic arthritis is aimed at treating the symptoms of both diseases and correcting the immune dysfunction in the body. For pain and swelling in the joints, medicines like Yograj-Guggulu, Triphala-Guggulu, Kaishor-Guggulu, Punarnavadi-Guggulu, Vish-Tinduk-Vati, Maha-Vat-Vidhwans-Ras, Vat-Gajankush-Ras, Dashmoolarishta and Nirgundi (Vitex negundo) are used. Local treatment includes local application of medicines and medicated steam fomentation. Vishgarbha oil, Mahanarayan oil and Mahasaindhav oil are used for local application on the affected joints. This is followed by a procedure called 'Naadi-Sweda', in which the steam of decoctions of Nirgundi-Qadha and Dashmool-Qadha is directed at the swollen and painful joints.

Once pain and swelling in the joints has been controlled, further treatment is directed towards controlling both the arthritis as well as psoriasis. Panch-Tikta-Ghrut-Guggulu, Trayodashang-Guggulu and Kaishor-Guggulu are medicines which are equally effective in both arthritis as well as skin conditions like psoriasis. In addition, other medicines are used to treat psoriasis such as Arogya-Vardhini, Maha-Manjishthadi-Qadha, Saarivasav, Khadeerarishta, Gandhak-Rasayan, Panch-Tikta-Ghrut, Guduchi (Tinospora cordifolia), Nimba (Azadirachta indica), Patol (Tricosanthe dioica), Patha (Cissampelos pareira), Saariva (Hemidesmus indicus) and Kutki (Picrorrhiza kurroa).

Both arthritis and psoriasis are precipitated by stress. In order to control this, medicines like Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi), Sarpagandha (Raulwofia serpentina) and Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis) are used. In addition, both diseases are caused by a disturbed immune system. To improve the immune status of the body, medicines like Suvarna-Malini-Vasant, Suvarna-Parpati, Suvarna-Raj-Vangeshwar-Ras, Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Bhrungraj (Eclipta alba) and Bala (Sida cordifolia) are used.

It is important to maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to adapt to this condition. Regular exercise and stress management are also very important. Yogic asanas and pranayam can help to keep the mind and body fit and healthy. Some 'Panchkarma' procedures like blood-letting can also help in the management of this condition.

Dog Arthritis - Common Types of Arthritis in Dogs

Dogs can suffer from different kinds of arthritis, which literally means inflammation of the joints. The most common form of arthritis in dogs is osteoarthritis or canine arthritis. Dogs are more prone to arthritis than in cats or horses and can usually take one of the several forms:

Osteoarthritis - A slow, progressive disintegration of cartilage in your dog joints is called osteoarthritis and is a chronic degenerative joint disease. When the cartilage of a joint is worn away the adjoining bones begin to rub against one another causing muscle discomfort and joint pain.

Hip Dysplasia - A malformation of the hip sockets is called hip dysplasia. The irregular malformation of the "ball and socket" allows excessive movement in the joint causing muscle pain, chronic inflammation leading to tissue deterioration and occasional calcium deposits. Hip dysplasia is most common among larger breeds of dogs.

Elbow Dysplasia - Another form of dysplasia is found in the elbows usually of large breed dogs. This disorder is typically hereditary in nature. In elbow dysplasia the bones become misshapen causing chipping with use resulting in discomfort and pain. An animal suffering from this condition will display lameness in the affected leg.

Knee Dysplasia - This malformation of the joints can also be found in the knees. Knee dysplasia also has the same "bone chips" which cause pain and lameness as it progresses.

Stifle Knee - A common problem with the stifle joint (knee) involves torn ligaments which creates instability of the joint. Joint dislocation is a common complication of the stifle knee. The stifle joint is placed under tremendous use and strain making inflammation at this location common. Poor or irresponsible breeding practices are the greatest reason for these issues.

Osteochondrosis - Inflammation of the cartilage or osteochondrosis is directly linked to poor breeding. Inadequate nutrition can also exacerbate this condition. The symptoms of osteochondrosis include pain and inflammation, and is coupled with cartilage disintegration.

Kneecap Dislocation - When the kneecap repeatedly moves and pull out of it's proper joint position it is known as kneecap dislocation and is associated with leg bones that are poorly formed. Again, this is a condition resulting from poor breeding or genetic inheritance.

Stop the Pain and Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis X

THE FLAXSEED OIL AND COTTAGE CHEESE DIET

This is the tenth articles in this series. Our friend also introduced us to another important part of his treatment which he continues to this day. The book describing this treatment is written by a German doctor. The book is a little difficult to read because it is from a lecture given at a medical convention and was translated from German. If you Google "Budwig flaxseed and cottage cheese diet," there are tons of information. I spent hours researching this topic. At first I was afraid it was voodoo medicine. She claimed she was able to cure cancer patients that were sent home as terminally ill. This just seemed too good to be true and you know what they say about that.

But I encourage you to do just some of the research I did and see the many testimonials. The doctor was nominated for the Nobel Prize for medicine several different times. She was one of the first to warn us about the dangers of margarine. She was taken to court several times because of her claims that were ahead of her time, but she won every case. This lady was ahead of her time. It was fascinating reading all of her accomplishments. But before I get carried away, let me concentrate on what we do from what we learned from this research.

I also take this mixture after seeing all of the health benefits. My wife mixes equal amounts of organic cottage cheese and liquid flaxseed oil, usually 3 tablespoons of each. It is important to use organic cottage cheese and it is quite a bit more expensive. But regular cottage cheese has a corn by-product, yes even in cottage cheese. We use an organic flax oil which is found in the refrigerated section of vitamin stores. She also uses fresh ginger root, which helps reduce inflammation and local unfiltered honey. We use strawberries or blueberries for taste also, if they are safe for you. All of this must be blended completely to the consistency of pudding. You don't want to see the oil separated from the cottage cheese.

I hate cottage cheese but love this pudding mixture, so please give this a try even if the thought of cottage cheese makes you sick. I promise that was the way I felt. But when this is blended correctly (get rid of those curds), you will never know you are eating cottage cheese, especially when you use honey and your favorite fruit. Our friend credits this twice daily intake of this pudding mixture to his success. My wife notices when she travels to England and can't get this that she doesn't feel as well.

Daily Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis

If you have rheumatoid arthritis, then you know how painful it can be to perform ordinary tasks. Even buttoning buttons or writing a letter can cause you a great deal of pain. Doctors have not yet found a cure for rheumatoid arthritis, but there are several things you can do to make yourself more comfortable as you go through the day. When you follow these simple tips, you can alleviate pain and enjoy your life to the fullest.

Keep a Positive Attitude

One of the best things that you can do to manage your pain is to think positively. A sunny outlook will help you to cope with your pain while also providing you with the ability to minimize the effects of stress. Stress can cause your body to react negatively, which may cause the inflammation and pain of your rheumatoid arthritis to get worse. Rather than getting mad or upset, do some deep breathing exercises. Picture yourself in a peaceful environment, and focus on relaxing and breathing deeply. Your heart rate will soon go back to its normal rate, and you will start to feel more peaceful. These exercises are ideal for people who notice that their pain gets worse when they are upset and stressed.

Stay Active

It is very important that you stay active despite your rheumatoid arthritis. The key is to determine which activities you can do freely and which cause you pain. Keep a pain journal so that you can make notes of how you feel before and after doing a new activity. If your pain worsens, avoid that activity or modify it so that you can do it without hurting.

Don't Overdo It

It is very easy to do more than you planned, which can cause you to be in pain before you realize what you have done. Schedule your housework over several days, and find ways to make it easier on yourself. Use a dumbwaiter to transfer loads of laundry or belongings between floors. Invest in a vacuum with a larger handle, and avoid gripping rags or brushes for long periods of time. Aim for one housecleaning task each day, and make sure that you pay attention to how your body feels. If it starts to hurt, then stop. If you do too much, then you will suffer for it long after your housework is finished.

Rheumatoid arthritis can be debilitating, and you may wonder if you will ever be able to enjoy your favorite activities. When you follow these tips, you may be able to manage it a little bit better so that you can still live an enjoyable lifestyle.

Arthritis Prevention

Arthritis is a common painful disease affecting the joints and bones of the body. Early signs can include twinges or stiffness of the knees and other joints, limitation in movement or visible thickening of the joints, often in the hands and feet; creaking joints, spinal pain and backache, or painful swelling of the joints.

There are several types of arthritis - osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout.

Osteoarthritis is the most common resulting from wearing of the joints - mainly hips, spine, knees, feet and fingers. A far greater number of women suffer from this than do men.

Rheumatoid arthritis can destroy other tissue besides the bone, affecting cartilage and tissues within and around the joints to damage the bone surface itself, usually of feet, ankles, knees, fingers, wrists, elbows and shoulders.

Gout is principally caused by uric acid crystals settling in the joints to produce painful irritation and inflammation. It can produce extremely severe discomfort, often focused in the big toe. This is principally a disease suffered by men more than women.

In the prevention of all kinds of arthritis there are certain general rules of health to consider as well as some natural self-help methods of treatment.

Remember: It is largely your eating habits that have created an imbalance in your body chemistry. It is only by seriously reconsidering your diet and improving your intake of natural foods and avoiding the synthetic or artificial products that you can return your body to normal healthy condition. It may take self-discipline - but self-discipline today is better than a painful tomorrow. It is best to start with improving the quality of your diet.

Nutrition: avoid foods producing high acidity such as starchy food, white bread, white sugar and processed foods including soft drinks, sweet sherry, ice-cream, chocolate, etc. You should take only a moderate intake of milk, cheese and for a time try to avoid all fried foods, meats, fish and salt.

Diet should consist mainly of fresh fruits and green salads with a variety of ingredients, light dressings, raw nuts, herbs, sprouted seeds, seaweed, plenty of celery and plain steamed vegetables of all kinds.

Food supplements: should include some of the following - alfalfa (lucerne) concentrates, raw potato juice, carrot juice, vitamins B, B complex, C , brewers yeast, celery seed tea or celery and juniper tablets.

Herbs: There are some beneficial herbs that are generally stocked along with other kitchen ingredients such as celery seed and alfalfa tea, but there are others in the garden that should be included regularly in your preparation of meals. These are parsley, dandelion leaves, gotu kola, mint, sage and garlic.

Skin Care is Important: Regular brushing and stimulation of the skin over the entire body is a pleasant enough addition to your personal toilet. The brushing causes the surface skin cells to flake off, leaving the skin freer to function properly regarding natural perspiration and circulation of the blood to surface cells. Improving the skin, even on one part of the body, will in time help to improve entire skin function.

This discipline is necessary if you are to relieve the work of the kidneys that have the main job of eliminating toxic wastes and acids from the body. Most people are aware of the need to help the kidneys by drinking lots of water. Not everyone is as enthusiastic or is aware of the simple benefits of skin brushing.

Exercise: to exercise to perspiration point each day is a generally accepted health practice. Depending upon any symptoms and their severity, your age and your doctor's advice, this rule must be modified, not be neglected altogether. You should follow an exercise programme that gradually increases if not to perspiration level, a freer movement of the entire body through gentle, simple elementary movements, preferably aided by soothing rhythmic music. Yoga exercises and Tai Chi are perfect methods for those unfamiliar with more vigorous exercises as they are gentle, slow and safe.

Stress: Although some types of arthritis involve physical stress, by far the greatest found by researchers is the psychological stress factor. Of course this is a complex issue but it is interesting to note common findings that anxiety, fears of all kinds, usually resentment, loneliness and general unhappiness are involved. This means that the more you work on relaxation of body, feelings and thoughts the better your will feel. Each of us has the means to change negative habits of all kinds by practising positive alternatives - not only learning physical relaxation and possibly treatment by massage to help you, but starting each day with a self-promise to not only enjoy your work, but to seek an island of calm in each day; to expect less from others and give more of your friendliness and good cheer. It is helpful to select a few words that appeal to you, to use in silent repetition to remind you to keep your mind focused upon positive moods, thoughts and outcomes.

Be patient. Consider some of the above information and determine what you can do to improve your lifestyle and to avoid arthritis.

If you already are suffering from this disease, seek additional professional naturopathic advice regarding further methods of self - care and relief through simple home treatment.

How to Effectively Manage Arthritis

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is not a singular condition, the medical term, arthritis, covers numerous different conditions with the most common being osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis occurs when a person's joints become inflamed and swell; it is caused when cartilage loses its elasticity and wears away. As the cartilage becomes impaired the ligaments and tendons in the joint become increasingly strained which can cause a very uncomfortable pain. After time the joints weaken to an extent where the bones begin to rub against one another.

How to effectively manage arthritis

Anti-inflammatory drugs are a fairly standardised practice in the treatment of arthritis but they are only treating the issue, not the cause. However, there are many things one can do in order to manage arthritis, such as the following:

繚 Hot & Cold Packs

Frozen packs can really help reduce the pain in the joint by cooling the surrounding area. There are many good medicinal and sports related freezing & cooling products that can help.

Heating the inflamed area can also be very effective, it can help relax the joints and ease the muscles. A hot water bottle can be useful when suffering from arthritis.

繚 Light Exercise

There are many forms of light exercise one could partake in to help with arthritic pain. Going for a walk can be very helpful; it is advised to walk on a soft surface like a beach or field. Studies show that walking can strengthen joints and build denser bones.

An alternative form of exercise is the Chinese martial art of Tai Chi. The primary focus of Tai Chi is on subtle gentle movements which helps to increase mobility as well as pain relief.

繚 Healthy Eating & Weight Management

Avoiding fatty foods is essential in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and can really help with managing arthritic pain. Those with a higher BMI (Body Mass Index) are at greater risk of arthritis, as excess weight results in greater pressure on joints.

Be sure to eat plenty of fresh fruits and grains and cut out the saturated fat. Walking and light exercise combined with a healthy diet can yield excellent results.

繚 Relax

Relaxation is essential when dealing with arthritis. According to some studies, those who live a more stressful life and those unable to effectively manage stress are at greater risk of developing arthritic conditions. As mentioned earlier Tai Chi is a good way of relaxing, other good techniques such a meditation and a hot bath can really make a difference in contracting or effectively treating arthritic conditions.

The Right Eating Habits Can Free You From Arthritis Risks

As a practicing orthopedic medical doctor and surgeon I'm constantly dealing with older patients who suffer with chronic joint pain on a daily basis. And before prescribing medication or more invasive options I always advocate a nutritional approach to disease prevention.

Recently, I've read new information on how your diet plays an important part in the health of your bones and joints. It seems that studies are indicating that possibly changing something as simple as your diet can help bring relief to those achy joints and cartilage.

Arthritis comes in many different forms and can strike at any age, but your risk increases as you grow older. Arthritic conditions are often caused by or at the very least linked to the levels of inflammation in your body. Your diet can play a major role in how much or how little systemic inflammation your body has to contend with.

One of the best diets for reducing inflammation is a Mediterranean diet. A Mediterranean diet includes sources of good fat like olive oil and fish. It depends on lean proteins like fish, shellfish, chicken and some dairy (especially yogurt). And it includes a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables.

People who live in the Mediterranean and eat the typical diet of that region suffer from fewer chronic diseases including arthritis.

People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, a particularly painful form of arthritis that can affect your body's organs as well as joints, fare well on a Mediterranean diet. In one study, rheumatoid arthritis patients switched to a Mediterranean diet for twelve weeks. At the completion of the study, the patients had lower levels of inflammation, better physical function, and a greater level of vitality. 1

Some researchers suspect that it is the central role of olive oil in a Mediterranean diet that helps to prevent chronic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. In some Mediterranean regions, it's typical for people to get as much as 40% of their calories from fat, but most of that comes from olive oil. Olive oil acts on the immune system and helps to lower inflammatory reactions in your body. 2

Although the research is less robust, the Mediterranean diet may help prevent osteoarthritis, too. The foods that the diet is built around are fresh, natural, and rich in antioxidants. Research shows that a diet rich in antioxidants may help to lower your risk of developing osteoarthritis. 3

Putting the Mediterranean Diet to Work for You

Here's how to eat Mediterranean-style, starting today.

*Begin using more olive oil. It has a low smoke point, so it is not the best oil to cook with at high heats, but it is excellent for cooking over low heat and it's great to drizzle over salads or steamed vegetables.

*Eat more fish and shellfish. Seafood delivers lots of good lean protein and healthy fatty acids. It's also a central part of the Mediterranean diet.

*Eat more yogurt. Yogurt is loaded with active bacteria that are good for your digestion. Choose either plain yogurt or one that is low in sugar. And make sure it contains active cultures.

*Load up on the fruits and vegetables. Have a serving of one or the other with every meal, and build your snacks around fresh produce. Yogurt and fruit makes a great snack, for example. Or fresh cut vegetables tossed with feta cheese and olive oil.

*Go light on the grains. When you do eat grains, choose whole grains.

Try eating Mediterranean style for a few weeks. I'm willing to bet that you feel better and you'll be taking positive steps to prevent arthritis from slowing you down.

Mark Bromson M.D.

What Is Arthritis and Do You Have It?

Find out if you have arthritis, and if so, what kind so you can address it effectively. That's a question you start asking when you feel pain in a joint. Then you wonder, is it in the joint cartilage, and what is cartilage anyway, and does that mean you have inflammation of the cartilage, and isn't that what arthritis is, and you didn't think you had a high arthritis risk but now you're not so sure..

OK. Let's define arthritis first. Simply put, the word arthritis comes from the Greek word 'arthrum' which means joint. Add 'itis' at the end and you've got 'arthritis'. In other words, 'arthritis' means 'inflammation of a joint' - the two are interchangeable.

Now that we have a working arthritis definition, let's focus on what kind, because that gives you some ideas about how to deal with it.

There are two main types of arthritis - infectious arthritis, also called rheumatoid arthritis, and non-infectious. Let's look at each one.

Infectious Arthritis: This refers inflammation of a joint caused by any one or more infectious agents such as bacteria, viruses, parasites, or spirochetes. Some of the more common ones are: gonococcal, pneumococcal, tubercular, staph, strep (which is the infectious agent in rheumatic fever) and in more recent years, Lymes, a spirochete.

This type brings up another question, "Is arthritis infectious?" The answer is no, not technically, because arthritis only means inflammation of the joint. However, the infectious agent may be transmittable, as it is in the case of gonorrhea, strep, staph or tuberculosis.

Knowing that your joint cartilage is being gobbled up or worn away by some such bug, you are armed with the knowledge you need to choose a strategy that invites those bugs to live elsewhere, and when they do, you can move to the second phase of your strategy, which involves repairing the damage.

Non-Infectious Arthritis: This refers to all the other causes of joint inflammation. For example 'traumatic arthritis' is the result of sudden or repeated stress on the joint, as in tennis elbow, while 'post-traumatic arthritis' is the result of an injury such as a bump or blow. 'Septic arthritis' is joint inflammation that results from toxicity of some kind - perhaps a food intolerance (wheat, potatoes, strawberries, heavy metals or pesticides, for example).

Last, there are three types of joint tissue that can become inflamed from any of the above. One type is the bone itself, and this is called 'osteoarthritis'. The second is the joint cartilage itself. To answer what cartilage is, think of the gristle in a piece of meat - that's cartilage. It's a type of very dense, firm and compact connective tissue that's capable of withstanding considerable pressure or tension. Third, the synovial membrane over the joint, and the fluid it contains which lubricates the joint can also become inflamed.

No matter which type of joint tissue becomes inflamed, the condition is still referred to as 'arthritis' because some part of the joint is inflamed.

The bottom line is that the word 'arthritis' refers to a symptom and not a cause. To address the symptom means finding and effectively addressing the cause.

Arthritis Pain Relief - The Diet That Worked For Me

Arthritis sufferers today are continually seeking relief from their arthritis pain. I got rid of my arthritis symptoms and arthritis pain years ago by making a change in my diet and lifestyle.

Arthritis pain is most usually experienced whenever a stiff or swollen joint is used. Arthritis is usually found in the joints of the fingers, feet, knees, hips, and spine. In osteoarthritis, any one or more of the affected joints can experience a progressive loss of cartilage, which is the slippery material that cushions the ends of bones.

The combination of the collagen meshwork and high water content tightly bound by proteoglycans creates a resilient, slippery pad in the joint, which resists the compression between bones during muscle movement. Cartilage is the slippery tissue that coats the ends of the bones. Cartilage contains a high percentage of water and decreases with age.

An inflammatory response causes cytokines to gather in injured areas and cause inflammation and damage to body tissue and cells. It's known to play a role in a systemic form of arthritis - rheumatoid arthritis, and other muscle and joint problems associated with autoimmune diseases. Aging cells could be a significant factor in the development of arthritis and specifically osteoarthritis. Although osteoarthritis generally does go along with aging, osteoarthritic cartilage is chemically different from normal aged cartilage.

Natural arthritis treatment is usually a better choice - it's non-invasive and usually anti-inflammatory if living plant foods are consumed. I know quite a few people who are treating and relieving their arthritis pain by drinking tart cherry juice made from a concentrate; make sure it's the tart kind. 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, refined, packaged and processed food.

Many people have told me that going off of dairy products and foods containing gluten, like wheat, barley and rye especially, relieved them of arthritis pain entirely. An acidic diet, that is any foods that are not alive, is considered to be inflammatory to one's joints. Try avoiding seven of the eight most allergic foods - wheat, which is the most allergenic, corn, eggs, milk, peanuts, fish and shellfish.

If you're not already doing so, make a big effort to change your diet. Watch your diet closely - load-bearing joints are affected by excessive weight; hips, knees, feet and spine.

Many people, including one well-known professional golfer, still wear copper bracelets and swear by them. And a recent study in Great Britain touted the beneficial effects of cod liver oil in osteoarthritis for relieving pain and stiffness, and beginning the reversal of the destruction of joint cartilage within 24 hours.

Stretching and warming up the joints should always be the first step in your exercise routine to make your joints more flexible. But be careful in the morning; you may need an hour or more of moving around first; you can start by moving your limbs around in bed a few minutes before you get out of bed. If you have pain and swelling in your fingers, try squeezing Thera-putty which is made for this purpose, or exercising them with two chime balls. Even the lightest exercise can go a long way to maintaining your joint mobility and overall good health. Fight arthritis through lots of movement and exercise!

The important exercises for arthritis include: range-of-motion exercises, isometrics, and some weight-bearing exercises. For arthritic fingers, a good exercise is to put your finger tips together, press hard and release, then repeat several times. Exercise all your affected joints every day, to keep them fluid and flexible.

Once you become completely informed about arthritis you'll be able to plan an arthritis treatment program that's right for you - natural or conventional or a combination of both. And only you know which arthritis treatments are best for you. Be aware that the use of pain relievers like NSAIDs or COX-2 inhibitors do not halt the progress of osteoarthritis and may even hasten the onset; additionally the side effects may outweigh any benefits.

But changing my diet totally to a raw diet of plant foods - that is fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, stopped all my arthritis pain and stopped the damage to my joints to this day. The biggest secret to arthritis pain relief is a change in the diet; eat plant foods that are alive not cooked. Your treatment plan should include an anti-arthritis diet, movement, exercise, and a positive mental attitude. The right diet may stop the progression of your arthritis and stop the pain that goes with it.

Arthritis: Easy Solutions for a Common Problem

Arthritis: The 'Universal' Condition

One thing that is heard constantly in the health and fitness field is the complaint of pain and limited motion from arthritis. Clients constantly speak about their diagnosis of arthritis whether it is in the spine, knee, shoulder, or some other joint. The reason this is heard so much is that arthritis is extremely common and occurs in everyone at some point in their lives. In fact, as we age each person will start to have arthritis occurring in various places. To make things even more 'commonplace' there are over 100 different types of arthritis. The most common form is osteoarthritis which is a long-term process of 'wear and tear' in the joints. Common symptoms are as follows:

• Pain in a joint (or multiple joints)


• Swelling of a joint (may or may not be perceptible to the patient)


• Limited range of motion


• Stiffness (especially in the morning)

Obviously, we all have 'wear and tear' that occurs throughout our lifetime. However, the problem we see is that most people consider this diagnosis as a life sentence of pain and limited motion. This makes people cease activity and avoid the area of pain. This results in further problems due to the new compensation patterns that are adapted leading to excess stress in other parts of the body.

The other misconception that people tend to interpret from a diagnosis of arthritis is that it is always a severe condition. This couldn't be further from the truth. Most times arthritis is something that doctors arbitrarily find in and x-ray and is not necessarily the cause of pain. However, since this is their 'diagnosis' they assume that this is in fact the cause of their pain and there is nothing that they can do about it. The real truth is there is many things you can do to improve osteoarthritis. Even more, if you decide to just avoid the area and deal with the pain it typically will progress to more severe arthritis.

So, the question becomes: What can I do about arthritis? If speaking about the most common arthritis, osteoarthritis, there are many things that you can do to improve symptoms. While arthritis cannot be reversed the major goal is to eliminate pain, improve range of motion, avoid harmful compensation patterns, and prevent an increase in arthritis. The following are very helpful in accomplishing these tasks:

Exercise

• Range of motion exercises to encourage movement and flexibility


• Strength training to ensure proper movement patterns and stability


• General aerobic activity to keep the body moving

Therapy

• Soft Tissue work (like Active Release Techniques) to ensure soft tissue is healthy and not causing unnecessary stress to joints


• Chiropractic Adjustments to ensure each joint moves properly and efficiently


• Ice: if joint is swollen


• Nutritional supplements to ensure inflammation is controlled as much as possible internally (especially a quality Omega-3)


• Specific prescription of exercise therapy

Day-to-day activities

• Avoid poor postures or staying in one position for excessive duration


• Healthy eating to prevent inflammation and encourage soft tissue as well as joint health


• Weight loss (if applicable)


• Adequate sleep, including utilizing an efficient mattress and pillow to reduce muscular and joint stress

Many of these things can be done immediately to start reducing the symptoms and progression of arthritis. Realize that arthritis is a very general term and the scale of severity is very widespread. However, knowing that arthritis is present should be an indication that action must be taken rather than a foregone conclusion that pain and loss of motion is now 'a part of life'.

For more information on how we may be able to help with your arthritis pain or limitations schedule an appointment with one of our health professionals. Let us guide you towards a healthy and pain-free lifestyle as well as one that will give you the best possible longevity!

Osteoarthritis is One of the Most Common Types of Arthritis

Arthritis is a generic term meaning Inflammation of the joints. There are over 100 different types of Arthritis.

Osteoarthritis - the most commonest form of Arthritis is described as a degenerative joint disease, thus affecting the individual later in life. However younger people can be affected as the result of a previous injury. After the age of 50 women are more commonly affected than men.

The symptoms are of pain, stiffness and loss of range of movement in the affected joint and can take many years from onset to become debilitating.

The symptoms are as a result of cartilage loss in the affected joint - allowing bone to rub against bone. The main weight bearing joints are the most commonly affected - hip, knee and lower back. However hands, feet, shoulders and neck can also become Arthritic.

Symptoms are often described as pain or stiffness in the affected joint after a period of inactivity or increased use.

The bone ends rubbing on each other can give a grating or 'catching' sensation during joint movement. Bony growths at the joint margins can reduce range of movement.

Treatment is focused on decreasing pain and improving range of the joints movement.

The tendency for the individual to reduce weight bearing and reduce the joint movement in reaction to the pain means that without pain relief the joint will become increasingly stiff and muscles used to move the joint will become weak, thus increasing disability.

Thus treatment must be a several pronged strategy - pain relief initially can be by using simple analgesia e.g Paracetomol.

Other treatments include NSAID's (Non Steroidal Anti inflammatory drugs). However these are not suitable for everyone and to reduce or eliminate their usage is the goal of most individuals.

This is where lifestyle changes come into their own.

Body weight reduction will reduce the load exerted on the affected joint at each step taken, particularly the weight bearing joints of the lower back, hip and knee. Thus slowing the progression of the Arthritis in those joints.

Exercise should not be suddenly and rigorously undertaken otherwise the affected joints will become painful following and the individual will become reluctant to exercise in the future. Exercise should be of short duration and gentle initially, focusing on strengthening the muscles used to move the joint and will with time increase the exercise tolerance and as a result the movement of the joint.

Dietary supplements have been shown in some studies to reduce the progression of Osteoarthritis. However, studies are expensive and as these supplements are widely available in varying strengths and potencies the main studies have centered on knee Osteoarthritis only

Arthritis Treatment: What's Involved With Osteoarthritis Of The Ankle Treatment?

Osteoarthritis (OA) is, by far, the most common form of arthritis and affects more than 20 million Americans. It is a condition that adversely affects hyaline articular cartilage, the tough gristle that caps the ends of long bones.

Hyaline cartilage is made up of a matrix consisting of a combination of proteoglycans (complexes of proteins and sugars) and chondrocytes. Chondrocytes are cartilage cells that manufacture matrix under normal healthy circumstances. They are responsible for nourishing the matrix as well.

However, when OA develops, a distinct change in the joint environment occurs. Chondrocytes begin to elaborate destructive enzymes causing cracks in the cartilage. These are called "fibrillations."

The synovium (lining of the joint) becomes inflamed, and the underlying bone becomes sclerotic (hard) and forms spurs.

The soft tissue structures surrounding the joint such as ligaments, tendons, and muscles also become affected as a secondary result of OA.

One joint that is often ignored because it is not as commonly affected as others is the ankle.
Approximately 1 per cent of people have ankle osteoarthritis. However, the incidence of this condition is expected to increase.

OA of the ankle typically comes about as a result of injury. The most common injuries leading to ankle OA are fractures, ligament injuries, and osteochondral injuries. The latter are a peculiar type of condition that causes a small section of cartilage and underlying bone to die.

Other types of arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis can also lead to OA of the ankle. Because trauma is the leading cause of ankle OA, people with ankle OA tend to be younger than patients with OA involving other weight-bearing joints.

Despite the relatively small number of people affected, the health burden of ankle OA is still enormous. People with ankle OA have difficulty with performing vocational and recreational activities as well as activities of daily living, according to a number of studies.

Treatment of ankle OA involves the same modalities as that used for other weight-bearing joints. Weight loss, physical therapy, exercise, patient education, and assistive devices such as braces can be helpful adjuncts. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, and neutriceuticals such as glucosamine and chondroitin are also possible additions. Joint injections involving glucocorticoids and viscosupplements can be used. More recently, the utilization of autologous stem cell procedures to slow down and possibly regrow damaged cartilage has appeared promising.

Surgery should be a last resort. Unlike the knee and hip, joint replacements for the ankle are less than adequate. Fusion of the joint carries risks both during the procedure as well as after.

Arthritis Treatment: Injection Therapy for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA). It affects almost 30 million Americans and the incidence is expected to rise with the graying of the Baby Boomers.

OA is a disease that affects the hyaline articular cartilage of joints. The exact mechanism of disease development is still being researched but there appears to be a trigger that causes a metabolic abnormality to occur. Cells, called chondrocytes, inside the cartilage begin to elaborate destructive enzymes which cause the surrounding matrix to degrade. In addition, inflammatory changes involving the synovium- the lining of the joint- contribute to further cartilage damage.

OA affects primarily weight-bearing joints such as the neck, low back, hips, and knees. I will focus on the knee.

Treatment for OA of the knee is primarily symptomatic. This involves the use of exercise, weight loss if indicated, patient education, analgesic medications, non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) - either oral as well as topical, and injections.

The most common type of injection given for OA of the knee is a corticosteroid ("cortisone") injection. These are effective for reducing pain short-term and also helping to improve quadriceps muscle strength by reducing the inhibition of quadriceps reflex due to the presence of inflammation and swelling. Usually fluid is withdrawn from a swollen joint at the time of corticosteroid injection.

Corticosteroid injections are usually given to patients who are already taking oral medications such as NSAIDS. These injections may be given as often as three times a year. More often and they can actually cause more cartilage damage.

The second type of injection is hyaluronic acid. These types of injections are often referred to as viscosupplements since they are used to reduce pain but also provide a lubricating quality as well. Some preparations are derived from rooster combs and others are synthetically manufactured. There are many different formulations available. Despite claims that one product is superior to others, there is no concrete data that one preparation is superior to others.

These injections are often used as a last-ditch effort to help patients avoid having to undergo knee replacement surgery. As with corticosteroid injection, withdrawal of joint fluid always precedes injection of the viscosupplement.

Whether the injection is corticosteroid or hyaluronic acid, each needs to be administered using ultrasound needle guidance in order to ensure proper delivery of the medication to the joint space. Reports of inadequate response to these preparations probably are more related to poor injection technique rather than to the shortcoming of the medication.

How To Help Arthritis Pain In Upper Back And Shoulder - Experts' Recommendations

Many people suffer from problems with arthritis pain. The most common location of this type of pain is in the upper back and shoulders. The good news is that there are some simple steps you can take to ease your pain without having to resort to dangerous medications or surgeries. Experts say that simple lifestyle changes, like the ones we discuss in this article, can help up to 90 percent of people who suffer from back pain problems.

Chair support is the number one most important solution for how to help arthritis pain in upper back and shoulder. There are specially-designed chairs for back pain available. These chairs are built with lumbar support pads that force you to sit up straighter which will eventually bring about pain relief. If you don't have access to a chair designed for back pain, you can use a small, firm pillow tucked behind your lumbar region in any chair to accomplish the same result.

Next, it is important to use an anti-inflammatory. Although it might make sense to stay away from prescription medications for arthritis, some of which have been found to cause heart problems, a simple, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory is safe. These include ibuprofen and aspirin. Make sure to check with your doctor to make sure you can take this type of medication.

Another answer to how to help arthritis pain in upper back and shoulder areas is to practice some kind of gentle exercise routine. Calisthenics, tai chi, or light aerobic exercise are all fine for people with back problems and can help stretch the muscles to provide pain relief.

A major question is how to help arthritis pain in upper back and shoulder areas that develops during the night. A firm, comfortable mattress, possibly with a memory foam top, can do a world of good for these nighttime aches and pains. Experts also recommend putting a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side or under your knees if you sleep on your back as methods of eliminating nighttime problems.

If you suffer from back pain, you will find that altering your lifestyle somewhat and adding an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory will make a world of difference.

Flex Protex the Natural Arthritis Treatment

Large numbers of people may, at some point in their life, become afflicted with arthritis or joint inflammation. There are different types of arthritis and many people as they grow older may suffer from osteoarthritis which is caused by general wear and tear and breaks down the cartilage, eventually wearing it away. Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory form of arthritis which attacks the lining of the joints and can be extremely painful. Less well known is psoriatic arthritis which eats away at the joints. Arthritis can be a miserable condition; unfortunately many of the drugs that are used to treat arthritis can make life miserable in other ways. Alternative treatments rarely have the sort of side effects as these medications yet these can be an effective way of treating the pain and inflammation of arthritis.

If you suffer from any form of arthritis you will probably be reduced to taking drugs to help with the pain and reduce the inflammation. Doctors will prescribe different types of medication depending on which type of arthritis you may have. Some of these drugs can have nasty side effects which have led to an increasing number of people to search for a more natural solution to their problems. Some people swear by Glucosamine for relief from painful and swollen joints. Glucosamine is just one of the ingredients in a break through natural health product called Flex Protex.

There are many natural ways of achieving better health, including changing your diet, getting gentle nut regular exercise or by using some form of natural health substance such as Flex Protex. This treatment is derived from a range of different, natural ingredients, yucca for example which was a favorite healing plant of Native Americans. Flex Protex can help ease the pain and stiffness in your joints, especially the type of stiffness that many of us encounter in late middle age. The anti-oxidant properties of Flex Protex also work to slow the signs of aging and the some of the discomforts that accompany it.

Natural products do not contain the same type of harmful ingredients that some over the counter and prescribed drugs may have and can be taken alongside prescription drugs. Whatever type of natural healing methods you want to use you should always obtain your doctor's advice and work along with them while you are taking the supplements. To gain the most benefit from Flex Protex you should include it as part of a generally healthy lifestyle. Some people find that cutting back on dairy products can help, this is because too much of a good thing can cause acid crystals to develop in the body and they form faster than the body can deal with them. These crystals add to the pain and discomfort of arthritis. Taking a natural remedy such as Flex Protex while paying careful attention to your diet will help to alleviate the stiffness and pain of arthritis.

Dealing With Arthritis? Learn the Types and Symptoms

There are varying types of arthritis, and your arthritis symptoms will depend upon the type. Any form can affect several different parts of the body, and there are often several factors behind the cause. Here is a brief overview of several types and their associated symptoms.

Ankylosing spondylitis is a form of arthritis that impacts the joints of the spine. It also goes by the names of Marie-Strumpell disease and rheumatoid spondylitis. The joints-vertebrae-become inflamed, and can cause severe, chronic pain. This inflammation can further impact other organs, such as the eyes, heart and lungs. Symptoms include low back and buttocks pain or stiffness. Pain can spread to the neck, shoulders, ribs, hips and thighs. Fatigue and anemia are may happen as well.

Another form of arthritis is bursitis, which usually affects the hips, shoulders and elbows. However, in some cases it can also be felt in the knees, heels are in the big toe. Since bursitis is the effect caused by repetitive motion in the joints, some athletes are prone to it, but bad posture can be a cause as well. Symptoms are pain and stiffness in the joints which become more intense when the joint is used. The joint may also swell and become warm to the touch.

Both adult and juvenile arthritis symptoms are much the same, including pain, swelling and stiffness of the joints. Symptoms aren't constant, but usually come and go. Since a child may not mention these symptoms, parents should be on the lookout for children limping, being unusually clumsy, or not wanting to get involved in physical activities like they normally would.

In older people, osteoarthritis is the most common form, as long-term everyday use of the joints is part of the cause. Symptoms will vary, depending on which joints are impacted. Many with it in their fingers don't even know it until it's revealed by an x-ray. Symptoms are the standard pain and swelling, however the pain will fade over time.

If the body has too much uric acid, gout is a potential problem. The symptom of this form of arthritis is intense pain-usually in the big toe. The toe may become swollen, red and warm to the touch. While the toe is the most common place for gout, it can also manifest itself in the wrists, ankles and knees. Symptoms may not show themselves again for several years, but if left untreated, the crystals formed by the uric acid and destroy a portion of the bone.

Next in the list of types of arthritis, we have rheumatoid arthritis which is caused by an overactive immune system. Generally, the symptoms start out as minor stiffness and pain which may come and go, but it will get worse overtime and become more frequent. If this arthritis can be caught within the first few months of manifestation, treatment is most effective.

If you feel you have any of these types of arthritis, or notice any of these arthritis symptoms, you should see your doctor. You have a greater chance of dealing with it properly if you can treat it in its early stages.

Arthritis Treatment: Arthritis Is a Major Reason for Lack of Exercise - And What to Do About It!

It's no surprise that people with arthritis don't exercise as much as they should. New information in a study from the Communicable Diseases Center in Atlanta show that persons who have arthritis are more likely to be physically inactive than those who don't have arthritis.

This is a shame because exercise is a key ingredient for the total management of arthritis.

A large portion (25% to 47%) of inactive adults in every state are adults with arthritis, the study found. In a typical state, about one-third of the inactive adults reported having arthritis.

Also, in a more surprising revelation, the number of adults who perform no leisure-time physical activity is 25% to 84% higher in those who have arthritis compared with those who don't.

While it is true that people with arthritis have barriers to being physically active, such as fear of increasing pain or worsening their symptoms, these worries are usually unfounded. Another worry is lack of equipment. Exercise doesn't always require fancy machines.

There are many exercise regimens that people with arthritis can manage. And exercise definitely is indicated to help reduce the impact of arthritis on a person's activities of daily living. Also, in patients with other co-morbid conditions such as diabetes, obesity, and such, exercise can help with those diseases as well.

Some pointers for people with arthritis to consider when starting an exercise program:

Discuss the issue with your rheumatologist. Advice regarding low impact types of exercise can be rewarding. Activities such as swimming, walking, cycling, an elliptical trainer, cross country skiing, and so on can be a good start.

The goal should be to engage in exercise a minimum of 30 minutes 5 days a week. Start slowly and build up to that amount. Avoid the temptation to just jump into an exercise routine and push too hard.

Always warm up and cool down and stretch before and after exercising.

All exercise programs should incorporate cardio, resistance (weight-training), and stretching. Think of exercise as being a three-legged stool.

By mixing it up, exercise can be enjoyable and not become a dull chore. Consider non-conventional activities such as yoga, a great way to stretch. Some people find t'ai chi also to be a good way to stretch.

Once you make exercise a habit- just like brushing your teeth- then it becomes much more easy to adhere to.

Another hint: exercise with a buddy. That will help with motivation.

Using Fish Oil Supplements For Joint Pain Relief - Is This A Viable Option For Arthritis?

There are countless people using fish oil supplements for joint pain relief, but does it really work? Can a daily supplement honestly reduce joint pain? Many people swear by it, so I would imagine it does work, at least for some people.

Of course it could also be a placebo effect, but even if it is, so what? If taking a supplement means you experience less pain, then why not continue taking that supplement? Also, omega-3 rich fish oil is incredibly beneficial to one's health, so even if it does not reduce the pain in your joints, it is still going to benefit you in other ways.

It is also important to remember that joint pain can be caused by several things, with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis being two of the biggest culprits. To date, there has been a tremendous amount of research done in order to determine the effect fish oil has on these two diseases.

In one 12 week study, rheumatoid arthritis sufferers were given 3 grams of DHA and EPA fish oil per day for the duration of the study. All the volunteers reported a significant reduction in morning stiffness, and many were even able to come off their prescription drugs.

In a more recent study involving 250 osteoarthritis sufferers, the results were also very promising. Again, researchers focused primarily on DHA and EPA, both of which are essential fatty acids found in omega 3. Again, all volunteers reported a dramatic reduction in pain, and many were able to have their regular prescription drug dosages reduced.

The reason why fish oil tends to be effective is because it inhibits the body's ability to synthesize a substance which is known to cause inflammation. This also explains why it is more effective at treating rheumatoid arthritis than it is at treating osteoarthritis, which in essence is a disease which results in the breakdown of cartilage.

Many people remain skeptical about the effectiveness of fish oil supplements for joint pain relief. This is largely because the FDA has not yet endorsed the use of these supplements for treating diseases such as arthritis. However, there is a huge amount of research that shows omega-3 rich fish oil can in many cases reduce joint pain and especially in cases where the pain is being caused by inflammation.

In a nutshell, only you will know if your joint pain responds favorably to daily fish oil supplementation. The good thing is, you will be doing your body a big favor, even if you are still left with the pain.

What Is The Treatment Method For Psoriatic Arthritis?

What's psoriatic arthritis?

Reports indicate that 30-35% of the psoriasis suffering populace will even get psoriatic arthritis. This is kind of arthritis triggers swelling, stiffness and discomfort inside the joints and prolonged phrase outcomes are joint harm and deformity. We are going to examine therapy for psoriatic arthritis along with the newest remedies accessible to you during this publication. To the most element, treatment of arthritis is kind of related to remedy of rheumatoid arthritis.

Mostly treatment involves healing individuals with anti-inflammatory drugs, although I feel that an advantage to all-natural medicine therapies are which the same relief is effected, still that a deeper cause is more completely addressed too. For instance, rubbing emu oil in to the influenced areas, brings ant-inflammatory medicine right to your influenced regions, notably where the joints don't lie very deep beneath the skin's surface area. It has been proven that a mixture of emu oil used topically, along with nutritional supplements of glucosamine, chondroitin and/or MSM, can maintain arthritis very much below some semblance of management. What exactly is the Treatment for it? You could possibly wish to realize that there's not any lab check for arthritis. When you have psoriasis and have the symptoms of arthritis then you definitely probably have it.

They will adhere needles inside your joints and pull fluid out to see what they could locate like gout crystals or something else, but no definite check results. They have got check for other sorts of arthritis so by procedure of elimination they are going to have the opportunity to find out arthritis and prescribe a psoriatic arthritis remedy. This could be considered an extremely agonizing and debilitating disease and a thing you ought to not just take lightly. Don't forget, you've psoriasis and there's a 30-35% likelihood you will get arthritis. Normally the remedy for this diseases involves physical exercise and inflammatory medicines called NSAIDs. They're a non-steroid treatment and assistance irritation, stiffness, and fever but may cause ulcers and inside bleeding with extended use.

Of course onycholysis is a very standard phrase which means just illness of deformity of the nail. These can consist of anything from ingrown toenails to all kinds of odd and rare nail fungus along with other deformities with the nails. Psoriatic arthritis can create at any age, however the normal age that arthritis typically seems is about ten a long time immediately after the initial signs of psoriasis. For many individuals with arthritis, this condition tends to make an onset between the ages of thirty and fifty, still it may arise in kids and those of other ages also.

Women and men seem to be pretty similarly affected by psoriatic arthritis, whereas osteoarthritis influences nearly 2 times as many women since it does guys. One in 7 situations of arthritis involve the arthritic signs happening a lot previously than any skin issues or skin involvement of the situation. There are several different types of arthritis. There exists symmetric arthritis where joints on each sides from the physique are afflicted simultaneously. This kind accounts for around fifty percent of all this cases.

Natural Arthritis Treatment For Joint Pain Relief

Arthritis is a joint disorder affecting the musculoskeletal system of our body. An arthritic joint is inflamed, very painful, stiff, swollen, warm and tender. The joints are actually the union or meeting junction of two or more bone heads. The joints of our body bear the weight of our body even while we are sitting and support the entire body structure. Therefore joints are prone to much wear and tear. When arthritis invades a joint, not only the bone heads but also the adjoining tissues, muscles, ligaments and tendons are affected, making mobility painful and in some cases impossible.

Therefore arthritis may be the cause of disability for many. Arthritis may be of a hundred types, of which osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout are most widespread. Osteoarthritis occurs due to friction between bone heads at the wearing out or loss of cartilage cushions that could have otherwise protected the bone heads from friction. Rheumatoid arthritis is the result of a misdirected immune system attacking healthy joints and tissues. Gout results from metabolic malfunctioning and crystallization of uric acid in joint cavity and between bones. Some causes of arthritis may be listed as follows:

1. Lack of exercise
2. Wrong diet
3. Dehydration
4. Sedentary lifestyle
5. Obesity
6. Degeneration of cartilages
7. Natural aging of joints
8. Joint injury or bone fracture
9. Joint infection
10. Faulty joint alignment
11. Heredity
12. Lack of vitamins
13. Over-active immune system
14. Metabolic disorders.

Natural Arthritis Joint Pain Relief

1. Prickly ash tea effectively eases arthritis joint pain by improving blood circulation.

2. A cup of hot ginger tea daily alleviates arthritis joint pain and inflammation.

3. A cup of tea made from nettle leaves or root sufficiently heals arthritis joint pain.

4. Heating pad or warm, damp towel application relaxes muscles and does away with stiffness and pain.

5. Rubbing ice cubes wrapped on fabric on joints reduces pain and swelling.

6. Massaging aching joint with camphorated mustard oil or coconut oil gives much relief from pain. Olive oil, castor oil, hot vinegar or warm paraffin may also be used for massaging.

7. Application of peppermint oil on aching joints gives much relief.

8. Soaking in warm bath water in tub or adding Epsom salt to bath water also lessens arthritis joint pain.

9. Taking walk in sun without any sunscreen is perhaps the easiest way to treat arthritis joint pain naturally.

10. Practicing gentle stretching around stiff joints as many times as possible through out the day keeps arthritis pain at bay.

11. Intake of alkaline juices like carrot, celery and red beet dissolve that deposits in and around joints, relieving pain.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

It's believed that approximately one percent of the world's population is affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Basically, rheumatoid is an inflammation of the synovium, or lining, of one or more joints in the body, and it's considered a chronic condition. The immune system attacks the normal tissue of joints, believing them to be invading pathogens. This means that rheumatoid arthritis is also an autoimmune disease. Most people recognize that rheumatoid arthritis inflames and attacks the joint linings, but what's not so well known is that it can also cause inflammation of the membrane linings of blood vessels, lungs and the heart.

The most common joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis are the hands and feet, but it's possible for any membrane-lined joint to be affected. The inflammation is controlled using medication. This is essential, because otherwise the inflammation can cause deformity of the joints. This may result in long-term joint damage, chronic pain, a reduction in function and even disability.

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs in three main stages. Firstly, the synovial lining swells, which causes pain, stiffness, warmth, redness and some swelling around the affected joints. In the second stage, the synovium starts to thicken, which is caused by the rapid growth and division of cells, or pannus. Once the third stage is reached, enzymes are released by the inflamed cells. These can be absorbed by bone and cartilage in the joints, leading to more pain, loss of movement and deformity.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis can often cycle from minor right through to severe. The most recognizable symptoms include:

- Swelling of the small joints in the hands and feet

- Tenderness, stiffness and pain in the joints, particularly in the morning

- Hardened lumps within the joints

- Destruction of cartilage and bone

The earlier you are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, the better your chances of controlling it. By starting the correct treatment straight away you have a reasonable chance of avoiding deformity and disability. The effects of rheumatoid arthritis can be serious, and impact on all aspects of a person's life and healthy.

If you believe you are developing rheumatoid arthritis, consult your medical professional immediately for a correct diagnosis. Your medical professional will then be able to formulate a plan for you to follow, including the right medication. With careful management, the pain and swelling can be reduced, joint damage may be slowed or even halted, and you will feel better and be more active.

Researchers are still trying to discover what exactly causes rheumatoid arthritis, and although there are several theories, none have been proven conclusively to be the cause. In the meantime, despite the fact that there's no cure, it's possible to control the disease with new drugs, joint protection techniques and exercise. If managed, you can still lead a healthy, happy and fulfilling life, despite having rheumatoid arthritis.

Top Tips To Treat Morning Stiffness

Morning stiffness in the muscles and joints is the hallmark of inflammatory kinds of arthritis. With a sprained ankle, with rheumatoid arthritis, with ankylosing spondylitis, or with other kinds of inflammation, you may notice that the sore area is stiff in the morning but loosens up as the day goes on. This phenomenon is most pronounced in rheumatoid arthritis, in which the morning stiffness generally lasts for an hour or more and can be a great aggravation. With osteoarthritis the stiffness usually lasts only a few moments.

No one really understands the reason for morning stiffness. Presumably, while the body is inactive, fluid leaks out from the small blood vessels and capillaries and the tissues become "waterlogged." Then, if you try to move the part, the swollen tissues feel stiff until the motion pumps the fluid out through the lymph channels and the veins. If you sit or lie down during the day the stiffness may return. This phenomenon is called "gelling" or the "gel phenomenon," after the behavior of gelatin, which remains liquid if kept moving and warm but solidifies if it sits for long. The phenomenon appears to be normal, but in the patient with inflammatory arthritis it can be very vexing. Don't let morning stiffness keep you in bed. If your stiffness is that severe, call the doctor and discuss the problem today.

With a minor local condition, such as a sprained ankle or a tennis elbow, don't worry about the stiffness. Think of it as a normal part of the process of bringing healing materials to the injured area. Loosen up carefully before activities and keep in mind that the healing is not yet complete. You should continue to protect the injured part. With a condition like rheumatoid arthritis, the stiffness is apt to persist and you are going to have to come to grips with the problem. Use all the tricks you can to reduce the inflammation and the stiffness. Be sure that you take any prescribed medication strictly according to schedule. Morning stiffness can be a sign of the activity of arthritis, and the best way to reduce stiffness is to treat the arthritis. Your stiffness may be a signal that you have been sloppy in taking prescribed drugs. Or you may need more medication or a different drug. In particular, don't forget to take the last dose in the evening.

Ask your doctor about changing your medication schedule. Perhaps you can take a drug later in the evening or in the middle of the night so that there is medication in your blood in the morning when you are most stiff. Some people taking aspirin find that taking a coated aspirin are absorbed more slowly, and the aspirin level in the bloodstream lasts a bit longer. Avoid painkillers, they don't help morning stiffness. Stretch gloves, of spandex or similar elastic material, may help morning stiffness in the hands if worn overnight. Give them a try, the idea is to prevent the tissues from becoming waterlogged. Try a warm bath or shower upon rising. Work at gentle exercises in the bed before you get up. You will have a certain amount of stiffness each day, and you might as well get it worked out as soon as possible. Some people find that they are helped by using an electric blanket.

Is Knee Arthritis Inevitable With Aging

This is the common perception of Knee Osteoarthritis in our country where Primary Hip Osteoarthritis is rare. However in the recent past, it has been realized that not only are the elderly at definite risk of Osteoarthritis but many more of the middle aged and even young. Osteoarthritis is the commonest form of joint disease (arthritis) and is a leading cause of disability in older individuals in India and many countries. It is the common perception that wear and tear inevitable with aging alone leads to Osteoarthritis, but this is not the whole truth. As we shall see not only the elderly, but others are also vulnerable to Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) in peripheral joints, most frequently involves the knee joint, and the disease may affect one or more of the three compartments of the knee. The knee joint acts to transfer force from the thigh muscles to the leg to move the body. Loads exerted on the surfaces of the knee during normal daily activities are two to seven times the body weight. It is therefore no wonder that the knee is so vulnerable to wear and tear (Osteoarthritis). Osteo-arthritic changes in the joint decrease the effectiveness of load transfer during these activities. Overall health is impaired and Knee OA has been to shown to account for more limitations in walking, stair climbing or other daily activities than any other disease. The form of the disease in the elderly is called primary osteoarthritis whereas the affliction of the young and middle aged is called Secondary osteoarthritis. Let us take a look at the risk factors for developing secondary osteoarthritis, which encompasses other age groups of people in the general population.

These are of two categories, General or systemic and local risks.

General risks

Evolution

Man along with two more mammals, the Elephant and the bear are the only animals to have straight knees. Evolutionarily straight knees are invaluable to minimize energy expenditure during walking so that the body does not tilt from side to side as it would do if the knees were bent in a two legged creature. The price or side effect of the erect posture is weight transmission occurring through the inner half of the knee joint. Therefore the inner half of the knee is susceptible to wear in the normal course of time.

Genetic factors

These play a major role in a generalized form of the disease known to affect some communities and families. Research is on to identify the exact genetic location that increases the susceptibility to OA.

Diet

Many degenerative diseases like Osteoarthritis are the result of tissue damage from "Free Oxygen radical" attack. Normal cartilage cells are known to reduce free radicals. Anti oxidants such as Vitamin A, C and E have the potential to protect against such tissue damage. It was found in a study that people consuming High amounts of Vitamin C have a 60- 70 per cent reduction in risk for progressive OA. High vitamin C intake levels were also found to be associated with a reduced risk for knee pain according to the same study.

Vitamin D plays an important role in bone mineralization. Results from the above study show that high levels are protective against progression of disease.

Bone mineral density

About three decades ago surgeons removing the head of the upper end of the thigh bone from elderly patients with hip fractures in the operation of partial hip replacement, observed that the end bone rarely showed arthritic changes. Since then, many studies have confirmed the inverse relationship between Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis. Currently research is on to determine if the medicines prescribed for Osteoporosis such as Calcitonin and Bisphoshphonates prevent the x- ray changes of OA and prevent cartilage breakdown.

Female hormonal deficiency (estrogen)

The incidence of Knee OA increases in Post menopausal women suggesting that estrogen deficiency might be a risk factor and that post menopausal women are more susceptible to osteoarthritis. Despite the obvious correlation, more research is needed to understand the relationships between bone mineral density, estrogen and OA. As females are the preponderant sex to suffer from OA knees, Female specific Knee implants or Prostheses have been developed for a Total knee replacement as the majority of people (two thirds) undergoing a knee replacement are women.

Local risk factors

Obesity

Increased body weight contributes to the increased load transmitted across the weight bearing knees by a factor of three to seven times the body weight and leads to accelerated wear of the articular cartilage. The relationship between obesity and Osteoarthritis is stronger for bilateral than unilateral disease and is greater in women than men. Since the load transmitted to the knees varies between three to seven fold the body weight, one fold reduction of weight leads to a three to seven fold decreased pressure on the knees. In addition the knee alignment may affect the impact of body weight on the knee joint. Knees with bow legs are more stressed by body weight resulting in more severe inner compartment arthritis.

Physical activity

There is no evidence that participation in light or moderate levels of physical activity (walking, running, dancing, cycling, gardening, and outdoor sports) throughout the life cycle will increase an individual's risk of developing knee OA. This means that even middle aged people can safely participate in these activities without risk of developing osteoarthritis.

However participation in high intensity contact sports is strongly linked to development of knee OA in elite athletes. Many tennis players, runners, professional soccer players are more likely to suffer from knee arthritis and Patello-femoral OA than age matched controls.

Occupational activity

Men in occupations that require repetitive overuse of the knee joint for example, carpenters, painters, miners, dock workers have an increased risk of developing knee OA. Crouching, kneeling, squatting, climbing stairs and lifting heavy loads all cause abnormal joint loading across the knee joint and lead to cartilage damage. The risk factors are similar in both men and women.

Injury

Several studies in Europe and America have confirmed that knee injury is a strong predictor for the development of knee OA. Most Knee injuries involve the ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament and ACL rupture is often associated with meniscal damage or a tear in the medial collateral ligament. ACL injuries occur after two wheeler accidents, domestic and outdoor accidents. Both ACL deficiency and meniscal rupture are strongly linked to early degenerative arthritic changes. Although at present it is not clear to what extent the common operation of ACL reconstruction can delay the onset of arthritis, some studies show that early ACL reconstruction with meniscal preservation and not menisectomy provides the greatest protection. A poor outcome after knee injuries is seen in patients who have undergone a partial or total menisectomy an operation which is commonly performed by surgeons. Meniscal suture and Meniscal transplant are ways to protect against osteoarthritis. The former operation is available but the later is yet to kick off from early teething problems. A meniscal transplant facility was announced in Chennai last year but supply of grafts has not been forthcoming.

Mechanical environment of the knees

It is easy to comprehend how any joint or bearing can wear out quickly by understanding what happens to your car tyres if the alignment and balancing is not perfect or if the pressure is more or less. The treads on the overloaded portion of the tyre wear out more. The same analogy applies to the knees. Knees which have a bend like the one shown in the picture will wear out faster. Increased joint laxity an accompaniment of age contributes to OA.

Muscle strength

It is a well known observation that people with OA have weakness of the quadriceps muscles. It was assumed that decreased muscle strength is the result of disuse atrophy secondary to knee pain; however it has been noted recently that many patients with asymptomatic knee arthritis have weak muscles. Therefore it makes sense to develop the thigh muscles to prevent arthritis or ameliorate the symptoms after its development, but is to be noted that increasing muscle strength will not arrest progression of the disease.

In summary Knee Osteoarthritis once considered an inevitable consequence of aging is now recognized to be multi-factorial, resulting from the interaction of a variety of general and local factors like age, genetic predisposition, obesity, trauma and mechanical properties of the joint. The traditional surgical treatment of OA "a total knee replacement" is the best long term cost effective solution. However other operations like an osteotomy to correct the alignment of the bones around the knee, ACL reconstruction, cartilage surgery, medications are available to different affected groups of patients. They will not condemn the patient to developing Osteoarthritis in earlier age and become a candidate for a total knee replacement.