Arthritis Treatment: The 3 Stages of Gout and How to Treat Them

Gout is a disease due to an overabundance of uric acid (UA) in the body. Under normal circumstances, purines, which are natural constituents of many foods, are converted into UA, and then excreted.

With gout, UA is either produced in overabundance or the body has difficulty getting rid of it fast enough.

There are three stages of gout. The first is called asymptomatic hyperuricemia. What that means is that the body has too much UA on board. The UA level in the blood is high. But the patient has no symptoms. During this period, UA builds up in body tissues. The patient may or may not ever get gout symptoms. People who have this condition may have other medical problems such as elevated cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

If this condition lasts long enough, the patient will enter the phase of acute gout. This is when severe, painful attacks of gouty arthritis can develop. The attacks usually present in the ankles and feet. The pain is so severe the patient won't even be able to bear the weight of a bed sheet on top of the affected area. Once this acute attack goes away, the patient will remain symptom free until the next attack. The second attack and subsequent attacks may not occur for many months or even years.

The last stage of gout is advanced gout where acute flares occur with regularity. The time periods between acute attacks are no longer pain free. Accumulations of UA build up near the joints and under the skin. These are called tophi.

While these deposits may be evident because of their location, other deposits of UA in internal organs may not be so visible. But these invisible deposits are even more serious because they can lead to complications such as kidney failure.

The treatment of gout at each stage is not always straightforward. Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is not always treated unless the blood UA level is exceedingly high.

Once an acute attack occurs, though, things change.

The goals of treatment are to relieve the symptoms of the acute attack but also to lower the UA burden in the body.

The acute attack is treated with either non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) or colchicine. In patients with kidney problems, sometimes steroids given orally or directly into the inflamed joint may be used in order to avoid the potential side effects of the anti-inflammatory drugs or colchicine.

In general, UA lowering drugs are not started during an acute attack because they make the attack worse.

Once the acute attack is successfully treated, the patient will then start UA lowering treatment with medication. They will also receive low doses of colchicine or anti-inflammatory medicines to act as prophylaxis against acute attacks that can develop during the first six months of UA lowering treatment. The aim is to keep the blood UA below 6.0 mg/dl.

Arthritis Products Makes Life Easy For People With Arthritis

Millions of people who suffer from arthritis find daily living quite difficult since their mobility is impaired. Some people find it a hard time to do routine tasks such as writing, grasping, reaching for objects, typing, cutting with scissors or walking a short distance very frustrating due to the swelling or inflammation in the joints brought about by arthritis. Sadly, arthritis afflicts the elderly who are left alone to attend to themselves while doing household chores or pursuing interests such as gardening. Good thing there are available products that make the life of arthritis sufferers easier and more tolerable. Many types of arthritis products suit different purposes and needs.

Popular arthritis products are assistive devices. These devices are created in mind for people with disability such as individuals who are moderately to severely debilitated by arthritis. For example, people with arthritis have difficulty in grasping objects which is a risk when it comes to using the toilet. Products such as bath handrails, hand held mirror, bath transfer bench, raised toilet seat riser, shower seat and commode with safety rails and bathtub rails were created to make bathing safer for people with arthritis.

Arthritis products also include mobility aids that are extremely beneficial for people with arthritis. Mobility is an issue for most people with arthritis, products such as cane holder, gel hand pads, wheel chair hand grips and wheel chair backpacks add ease and convenience to those who use the wheelchair or crutches.

While normal people find getting out of bed an easy task, those with arthritis find this very challenging especially if they are on their own. Mobility aids such as bed handles, transfer handles, bed rails provide superb support for those who need to get out from bed as well as try to lay down in bed. Some arthritis products also include personal alarms so the elderly does not have to shout all the time whenever he needs some help or assistance.

Even silverware are now designed for those with arthritis. Adaptive silverware are also a type of arthritis products that helps the person eat conveniently using flatware suited for those who have hand arthritis. Even can openers and jar openers were crafted to suit the needs of people with arthritis.

Indeed, arthritis products makes life more easy, efficient and practical for people with arthritis.

Osteo Arthritis Is The Most Common Form Of Arthritis

Arthritis is an illness where millions of people are suffering from, there are many types of this disease and osteo arthritis is the most common form. Osteo Arthritis is found more common with older persons but it should be in no way be called as an old person disease. People who suffer from this type of arthritis often have tried many different pain relief drugs and treatments to reduce the long term effects of this degenerative disease. Some even had to have surgery to be relieved of severe pain.

What are the symptoms of Osteo Arthritis

This disease is not easy to diagnose the main symptoms are severe pain in the joints of knees, ankles and shoulders and also difficulty in moving these affected joints. Normally our joints are protected by cartilage with this disease the cartilage degrades slowly and because of this the bones from the joints will rub together causing severe pain. The joints are also lubricated by synovial fluids this makes the movement more free, when the body stops making these egg like fluids, it can quickening the degenerative process.

Usually when the diagnosis is finally made the process has already started to degenerate the joints. And once the process has begun there is no cure to reverse this process. There is no cure and there are no preventive measurements. There are many medications that where made to slow down the process but none of them can replace cartilage in the joints so the medications are definitely no cure.

Most of the different kinds of medication have severe side effects, this is a reason for many people who suffer from osteo arthritis to try alternative medicine and treatments to avoid this. Ginger root and gelatin are some of the most common alternative treatments it claims to help reduce pain and stiffness associated with this disease.

Until there is a real cure...

Osteo arthritis patients are waiting for more than two kinds of different medication and/or treatment:

- the first is acute pain relief without side effects like cause heartburn and gastrointestinal problems pain relief is most of the time the patients first concern

- second is a drug against the stiffness and the locking up from joints

- third is a treatment that can replace cartilage in the joints

- and also antiflammatory drugs without the severe side effects

When the cartilage is disappearing, the most simple functions like walking can be painful and doctors will often recommend the use of painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs. But as osteo arthritis patients you may also look for natural alternative pain relief treatments if this helps you to deal with the pain and stiffness associated with this disease.

In some cases of severe osteo arthritis surgery can help to reduce pain, sometimes replacing cartilage can be necessary and even joint replacement can be a solution if the joint is severely damaged. Joints who are fixed together with surgery is also become more common the last few years. Sometimes bone spurs not only cause debilitating pain but also speed up the process of damaging the cartilage in the joints.

Orthokine - Treatment of Arthritis and Spinal Disorders

Orthokine is an antilogous concept that is used for the treatment of arthritis and spinal disorders. Osteoarthritis, the loss of cartilage in the joint has many causes. The factors like being overweight, predisposition, heavy load by work, etc are the main causes for osteoarthritis. In western countries there is about ten percent of the populations suffering from osteoarthritis. A protein named interleukin-1 (IL-1) plays a crucial role in the development of osteoarthritis and destruction of cartilage. Osteoarthritis patients will have too much IL-1 present in their joints. IL-1 is a most prominent active agent which damages the cartilage and so the natural shock absorber in the joint loses its function.

The therapy of osteoarthritis is done using IL-1 blocker which is known as interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). IL-1Ra is anti-inflammatory, reduces pain and also protects the cartilage. The orthokine procedure is done by taking blood from the patient using a special syringe called orthokine syringe. The orthokine syringe is approved in the EU and Australia. The blood taken from the patient is an antilogous injection solution and it is called as orthokine serum. The Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist is naturally present in the blood. However, with the production of orthokine, it is produced and extracted in higher concentrations. So, to increase the concentration of IL-1Ra, blood samples are taken from the arm vein using special EOT syringe. The glass beads in the syringe induces the blood cells to synthesize increased amounts of protective proteins. The temperature of 37'c in the incubator is the optimum environment for protein synthesis.

During incubation, the white blood cells present in the bloods are stimulated immediately to produce IL-1Ra and other anti-inflammatory and regenerative proteins. They are increased in concentration and the "Antilogous Conditioned Serum"(ACS) is injected into the joint. A centrifuge separates the blood clot from the amber serum, containing the protective proteins in high concentration. The protective protein IL-1Ra displaces the damaged protein IL-1 and the inflammation process is blocked. Subsequent therapy includes about six injections that will be given once or twice weekly.

The orthokine procedure is used throughout the world by orthopaedic surgeons and rheumatologists. This procedure cannot be compared to treatments using the patient's own blood that is often used in alternative medicine. In Germany alone there are over 20,000 patients have been treated by this orthokine treatment. The advantages of this treatment is, pain in the joints will be reduced, improves the joint function and mobility and the continuing process of cartilage destruction will be blocked. This treatment is very efficient and safe.

Natural Remedies For Osteoarthritis: Resistant Band Training

As a practicing rehab doctor, I often I have patient's between 40-65 years of age in for an examination complaining of tenderness in their joints, crackling and grinding noises, they have inflammation and swelling, and show a limited motion.

If I take x-rays to evaluate the abc's of their skeleton, many patients are surprised to learn when I tell them that they have sign and symptoms of Osteoarthritis Pain. I have to admit, I do have an inside chuckle to see them have such doubt and dismay. Not that I am laughing AT my patients and their pain, but just their bewilderment of being told they have "OSTEOARTHRITIS". Truth be told, I am actually very concerned for them, and make it my mission to teach them what they can do about it.

Younger to middle-aged patients are commonly unaware to the fact that they do indeed have Osteoarthritis. That is, many times they are shocked to discovery that they have arthritis, and to be quite honest, it is not their fault (I'll explain that a little later).

(Back to my office) One of the most common replies I hear is: "really, you think that I may have arthritis?" Some even try to deny and doubt the diagnosis, saying that they've never been told by anyone else that they have osteoarthritis. Another common question I hear is "aren't I too young to have arthritis?"

Guess What?

You don't have to be old to have osteoarthritis. Although mostly seen in older individuals, it can affect anybody at any age. So before I can talk about remedies for Osteoarthritis, I think its important to discuss the ins and outs of osteoarthritis. Sometimes called degenerative joint disease (DJD) or osteoarthrosis, it's the most common form of arthritis. With osteoarthritis the cartilage in your joints break down over time. More specifically from the daily stressors that we place on our body.

It is true the older you are the more stressors likely you've put on your body, but many younger people have accelerated stressors based on their youth, and employment history.

Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in your body, but it most commonly affects joints in your: Hands, Knees, Hips, Lower Back, and Neck. These are the joints in the body that are used repetitively or the joints that function in "weight-bearing" day in day out. Research and documentation shows that Osteoarthritis gradually worsens over time. It is said that "no cure exists."

However, like anything, PREVENTION is the key, and unfortunately, in our western society, dominated by billion dollar pharmaceutical companies, we become conditioned to look for the next pill to take to "cure" our afflictions.

On a side note, what the heck is up with "Pre" this condition or "Pre" that condition??? My patients mention they are "pre-diabetic" meaning they are at the high range of NORMAL ranges but these are normal ranges people. Or "pre-hypertensive" or "pre-osteoporosis". If you ask me, these are legitimate B.S terms.

What I mean by that is, YES, you do have an increased risk for said condition. You may even be on the outside of the normal limits. But...in case you didn't know, we are allowed to adopt a healthier lifestyle changes before we get prescribed a life sentence of medication involvement.

For all you high normal sugar levels individuals, how about you change the foods you eat, eat more regularly, start exercising, and stop smoking. Same goes for you pre-hypertensives and pre-osteoporosis people. But I digress.

Sorry, but I care enough about your health to keep you off medications and ultimately have you live longer.

Back to Remedies for Osteoarthritis.

I see a powerful tug-of-war developing. On one side, you have the medical community telling you that there's "no cure", and on the other side, you have the sleek snake-oils salesman and pharmaceutical companies, having commercials of running through the fields and having any knowable "cure" for any disease or condition.

So what's the real solution. As a natural health care provider, and rehab guy, I going to say, somewhere in the middle. That is if anything is a cure, then I would say PREVENTION is. I am also a realist, we all have experience injuries, wear and tear, postural stressors that we do day in day out at work, and any congenital conditions that we inherit.

So what is the next best solution to a cure of not getting in the first place? Well, minimizing the effects of Arthritis. Reduce the wear and tear in the joints, increase the lubrication to the joints, minimize the pressure built up in the joints, increase the flexibility of the muscles, and stretching capacity of the ligaments and tendons. In short, have a lifestyle that focuses on all of the above.

Enter stage left.....Resistant Band Training. It's inexpensive and cheap, it doesn't take up a lot of room, you can do it in your own home, and it not only stretches your muscles and joints, but it firms and strengthens de-conditioned muscles that accompany osteoarthritis.

In part 2, I am going to go over the indications (meaning who should be doing it and why) and the contra-indications (who shouldn't be doing it and why).

Until the next time.

Arthritis Symptoms in Children

It is a common misconception that arthritis is only a disease of the elderly. The truth is children can also be affected by this health condition that causes chronic joint pain and inflammation. It could be helpful to know that over 285,000 American children suffer from arthritis.

Arthritis in children is commonly called "Juvenile Arthritis". People with this disease under the age of sixteen years are usually classified differently because it is more often different with adults. They experience different symptoms and generally have different diagnosis.Childhood arthritis has three main types, each affecting distinct joints of the body with individual signals of arthritis symptoms.

Polyarticular Disease

The Polyarticular type of juvenile arthritis presents infection of more than five joints of the body thus it is often called "disease of many joints." This is mostly similar to adult rheumatoid arthritis. Usually girls are more affected by this disease than boys. The joints are generally affected symmetrically or both sides, often the small ones in the hands.Symptoms of this disease are low grade fever, weight loss, anemia, and cases of growth problems. At times, children diagnosed with this type are prone to unceasing progressive destruction and damage of the joints.

Pauciarticular Disease

Unlike the first one above, Pauciarticular type of juvenile arthritis affects lesser number joints, thus it is commonly called "a disease of few joints." The most commonly affected body parts are the knees, elbows, wrists and ankles wherein the joints are stressed asymmetrically or one joint on one side. This is the most widespread type of juvenile arthritis with over 50% of children suffering with the disease. Girls are usually affected than boys.

Symptoms of this include low grade fever, poor appetite and anemia. Children with this type are also prone to an inflammatory eye condition, iridocyclitis. Good thing is they generally do well and can cope easily.

Systematic Disease

The systematic type of juvenile arthritis is the least common among the three and affects only 10% of children diagnosed with the disease. This type can affect internal organs and other parts of the body along with the joints.

Symptoms usually start with fevers that come and go, lasting for weeks or months. Skin rashes may also appear on the thighs and chest. Children can also show signs of anemia, fatigue, weight loss, enlargement of spleen and lymph nodes, heart burns and high count of white blood cell.

Juvenile arthritis, like the many other forms of the disease, should be met with proper diagnosis and adequate arthritis treatment. Above anyone else, children are supposed to be enjoying life to the fullest in active mobility.

For more information and tips about joint pain, arthritis symptoms, arthritis treatment, please visit http://www.ultimatejointmobility.com.

Diet For Arthritis - Natural Arthritis Remedies For Pain Relief

Is there a diet for arthritis? There are more than 100 forms of arthritis. Arthritis attacks the joints and can inhibit your mobility. The affected area is often painful, swollen and inflamed. Arthritis can rob you of sleep, decrease your ability to move and prevent you from doing some of the activities that you enjoyed before you were stricken with the disease. In short, arthritis is an insidious disease and if you have it, taking steps to remedying it should be a top priority.

One of the best ways to control arthritis is through your diet. Some foods are natural antioxidants, and contain vitamins, minerals and nutrients that your body needs to repair the damage that arthritis causes, and to stop the disease from spreading.

Here is a list of foods you should add to your diet to halt arthritis:

Salmon

Salmon is an amazing food that is rich in good fat. Salmon contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which is ideal for fighting arthritis. Salmon also contains Vitamin C, Vitamin D and folate. Salmon not only reduces the pain of arthritis, but it also protects your cardiovascular system. What more could you ask for in a food?

Green Tea

Green tea is a wonder drink! It contains hundreds of antioxidants, as well as polyphenols, which are believed to be able to ease the pain of arthritis, much like an anti-inflammatory would. Green tea also prevents cancer and heart disease. If you've never tried green tea before, it's about time that you did, especially if you suffer from arthritis.

The Banana

Bananas may look like nothing special, but beneath their yellow skin is a treasure trove of Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, potassium and folate. Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C are two of the best Vitamins for fighting arthritis.

Mangosteen

Mangosteen is a fruit that contains an antioxidant called xanthone. Most people haven't even heard of this fruit, but meanwhile, it is one of the best natural remedies for arthritis. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory, but the problem is, it can't be bought just anywhere. However, you can order it, or find it in juice form.

A diet rich in the foods mentioned above will not only reduce arthritis pain and inflammation, but help you to lose weight as well. A healthy diet can go a long way in fighting arthritis. Since arthritis attacks the joints, the less weight or pressure those joints have to handle on a daily basis, the better your symptoms are going to be.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. If you really want to beat arthritis you need a plan. Research has shown that exercise, consuming superfoods and raising the body's pH level alone can begin working to reverse arthritis in as little as 7 days. You can stop the scourge of arthritis and live a normal pain-free life.

Causes of Cold Weather Back Pain

Whether you have chronic back pain or pain that comes and goes, you may notice that the pain is worse in cold weather. While an exact causal link between increased pain and cold weather has not been found by the scientific community, the fact of this connection is certain. Cold weather back pain is common among people with arthritis, but it can also occur due to increased muscle tension.

Muscle Tension

When we open our doors to a frigid winter day, we tend to distort our posture and tense up our muscles to cope with the cold. This is usually done unconsciously for a couple of reasons. First, when your muscles contract, they burn energy which is released as heat. Tensing up, then, is a natural bodily response to cold. Shivering occurs when muscles rapidly contract and relax to release energy (heat) fast.

You may also notice that, in the cold, you tend to drop your head and raise your shoulders, which causes your hips to tuck under and your lower back to flatten out. You're trying to share your shoulders' body heat with your neck and ears. This is a natural reaction, but a reaction that distorts posture throughout your back and pelvis.

Sore necks, shoulders and lower backs in the winter indicate muscular tension. If you have widespread muscle soreness when it's cold out, this is likely a sign that your apparel is not suited to your climate. It is important to have a winter hat that covers your ears and a scarf to cover your neck. These, combined with self-awareness, will help to prevent postural distortion. Your muscles will still automatically tense up to stay warm if the rest of your outfit isn't warm enough. If you can't find a heavy-duty coat within your budget, rely on layering. A good pair of long underwear will help keep both your lower and upper body protected from the cold. Being conscious of your posture and muscle tenseness can help you relieve cold weather back pain.

Osteoarthritis

If you tend to have joint pain and stiffness that worsens with inactivity and cold weather, you may have osteoarthritis. This form of arthritis affects various parts of the body, including the spine. It occurs when the cartilage that cushions spinal joints wears down, causing friction, inflammation and sometimes the formation of bone spurs that can impinge nerves.

Cold weather doesn't cause osteoarthritis; it can, however, exacerbate it. Along with cartilage breakdown, osteoarthritis entails inflammation of the synovium, which lines the joint and excretes a lubricant called synovial fluid. As cartilage hardens and wears, the synovium can become inflamed. The prevailing theory on the link between cold weather and increased osteoarthritic pain is that the synovium is sensitive to barometric pressure. When barometric pressure drops, as when foul weather is coming in, the synovium becomes inflamed. This worsens the stiffness and pain surrounding arthritic joints. This theory has its issues; it has led to inconsistent results in research and barometric pressure is not necessarily low when it is cold, but does indicate precipitation and storms. More research into this is needed before an exact link between joint pain and cold weather is understood.

That said, there are still ways to alleviate the extra burden the cold places on your joints. One of the aggressors of arthritic pain, as said above, is inactivity, and one of the best ways to exercise with osteoarthritis is in the water. A warm pool can do wonders for your joints year-round, and especially when it's cold outside. It is also important to be aware of the above muscular cause of winter back pain, as tight muscles in conjunction with stiff, sore joints will exacerbate your pain.

Take care of your muscles and joints during the cold season. Appropriate apparel, self-awareness and indoor exercise could be enough to ease your back pain this winter.

The Importance of Hip Exercises for Arthritis

The role of arthritis exercise for those suffering from arthritis is not one which has been known for a very long time. Hip exercises for arthritis in particular has not really been heard of until these relatively recent years. In fact the common notion in the past is that once you suffer from arthritis, you should minimize movement in the affected area as much as you possibly can.

While the health benefits of exercise and other physical activity has already been tried and tested for a long time, its impact in terms of improving the conditions of people suffering from arthritis is just presently gaining recognition. For those suffering from arthritis, exercise serves primarily to: maintain and bring back lost or diminished movement in the affected area; strengthen and improve endurance of the muscle; and keep the patient emotionally healthy and active. Exercise is also vital in terms of pain management of the affected joints.

Hip exercises for arthritis, specifically for those suffering from hip osteoarthritis, are not too common compared to those exercises geared toward those with knee osteoarthritis. This is probably because exercises for the hips are less likely to be developed due to the nature of the movement of the hip itself as compared to the knee or other jointed parts of the body. If any at all, some hip exercise varieties may require the use of special equipment for that purpose. This is significant since in the United States alone, one out of four Americans can suffer hip osteoarthritis in their lifetime.

In 2005, a research conducted in the Netherlands showed that a supervised exercise program alleviated symptoms of hip osteoarthritis in some adults. 109 men and women ages 55 and up suffering from hip osteoarthritis were divided into exercising and non-exercising groups. Those in the exercising group were given one hour a week of supervised strength exercise sessions and lower body exercises that could be done at home.

After eight weeks, the results showed that those in the exercising group experienced relief from pain caused by arthritis which lasted for 3 months. On the other hand, those in the non-exercising group suffered more pain than they previously had. Hip function for the exercise group also improved although no long term effects of this nature were recorded. This led to the conclusion that exercise can indeed aid in the management of conditions caused by hip arthritis but further research is still needed in this area.

At any rate, with or without research to back it up, arthritis exercise, and more specifically hip exercises for arthritis, can do more good than just relieving the pain caused by the disease. As with any other person, exercise can help maintain an overall good health of someone suffering from arthritis. Since hip osteoarthritis is incurable at present, activities that can help lessen the symptoms such as exercise is always encouraged. Physicians treating people with this condition would do well to take the time to explain the importance of exercise in managing arthritis.

Natural Home Remedies For Gout Arthritis Pain

Gout Arthritis can be very painful and some people have described it as walking on glass.  This said, treating gout is two fold.  You want to eliminate the source or reason why you get gout and reduce the pain by taking things that will naturally reduce inflammation in the joints and areas that are affected.  In this article, I am going to go over some natural home remedies to treat gout pain.

1. 
   Fish Oil - Personally, I recommend eating your cold water fish (cod, mackerel, herring, sardines, salmon, etc.) to get your omega 3's but since most prefer fried fish or don't like fish at all, you can always opt for fish oil, either in liquid form or in capsules.  Frankly, I have not found a better food than cold water fish that will help with inflammation in joints.  Fish oil is good for all types of arthritis...even metabolic arthritis aka gout.


2. 
   Quercitin is another natural anti-inflammatory that can be used to reduce the pain that gout causes.  Once again, I suggest eating the foods that are high in quercetin such as capers (which are great on salmon by the way), apples, organic tomatoes, green leafy vegetables and berries (all types).  That said, you can find quercetin in health food stores like whole foods grocery in capsule form.


3. 
   Cayenne Pepper - Cayenne pepper has a huge amount of other health benefits but it works very well for reducing inflammation.  Use it as a topical aid.  Mix a little pepper with some vinegar, bring to a boil and let it cool.  Then dab it on the affected areas.  If this seems too much for you, you can also buy Capsicum cream from your grocery.


4. 
   Turmeric powder - Chinese and Ayurvedic cultures have been using the things that they cook with as herbal remedies for common ailments for thousands of years.  Turmeric is reportedly a powerful anti-flammatory spice that will help reduce overall inflammation in the body.

These are just a few of the natural home remedies for gout arthritis.  The reality is that there are tons of options that you have to help prevent gout pain that don't require doctor administered medication, which I don't recommend.  Try some of these suggestions out to see if it helps...

Thumb Arthritis - Symptoms, Diagnosis and Cure For Arthritis in Thumb

Arthritis means inflammation of joints. It irritates and destroys the joints. The major two types of arthritis are-

Osteoarthritis - It is degenerative disease of the joints in which the cartilage which provides padding becomes weak and gradually disappears causing pain and less mobility.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - It affects not only the joints but also muscles, tendons and other tissues of the body. It is due to an inflammation of the lining of the hands.

Thumb Arthritis - In this there is a structured change of cartilage in the joint, at the base of the thumb and the wrist, commonly known as the basal carp metacarpal joint. It is more common in women than men. It restricts the thumb to move in or out from the palm area. The persistent pain and stiffness may affect the whole body and the body may be trapped by osteoarthritis gradually.

Symptoms:

1- Pain and stiffness
2- Swelling at the base of the thumb.
3- Difficulty in movements involving pinching or gripping.
4- Deformed or distorted shape
5- Tenderness at the base

Diagnosis - A doctor can diagnose this by a physical examination or an X-Ray. Further he may recommend:

1- Bone scans
2- CT Scans ( Computerized tomography)
3- MRI ( Magnetic resonance imaging)
4- Orthography

Cure- There is no permanent cure but measures can be taken to reduce the intensity of pain, swelling and stiffness. The treatment can be surgical as well as non surgical. These are:

1- Medication- Doctors may suggest acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin in order to reduce pain and inflammation.
2- Splints- Use of a splint gives support and proper positioning. It restricts movement which helps in reducing pain. These can be worn overnight or for the whole day.
3- Injections- In severe conditions, doctors recommend injecting cortisone.
4- Surgery- Surgery is the last option and it has been found that 80 - 90% proves to be successful and patients get relief from pain and inflammation. The different options available in surgery are:

1- Replacement of the affected part with a metal or plastic component.
2- Fusion of bone and joint together.
3- Bone arching in case of deformity of bone.

Common Osteoarthritis Symptoms

Osteoarthritis symptoms are often painful and physically debilitating for sufferers who have the condition. The disease also affects a patient mentally and emotionally because Osteoarthritis often limits normal, daily activities. The onset of the disease often makes its appearance when a person cannot simply stand up from a prone position without serious difficulty. The disease then progresses to include the lower legs, which begin to feel stiff and unmanageable. Osteoarthritis slows its progress into the skeletal system by first affecting the fine bones found in the hands sufferers.

Most people begin to look for help when they realize that they can't get out of bed as easily as they once did. Thanks to drugs like over-the-counter arthritis relief pain tablets and Osteoporosis supplements, many sufferers of Osteoarthritis see some relief from their symptoms. The truth of the matter is that most regular medical doctors can do little to stop the growing degenerative attacks of Osteoarthritis in their patients. What is usually prescribed are pain medications to ease the pressure on the spinal column of bones that are beginning to get brittle and irritate nerve endings.

While Osteoarthritic symptoms of the back and legs restrict the flexibility of a person, Osteoarthritic symptoms in the hands are perhaps the most painful. The cracking of the fingers while doing simple tasks like typing are not only annoying but painful. Another symptom of Osteoarthritis is the limiting of the functions of the small bones in a person's hands. Some Osteoarthritic patients find it impossible to even button their blouses or shirts and pulling up a zipper becomes an impossible task.

Arthritis and Candida Die Off Symptoms - Connection and How to Treat It

This is another case for candidiasis, it is about arthritis and candida die off. Many people ask me whether arthritis could be one of die off symptoms. There is a case where this friend of mine, her arthritis gets worse than normal since she started anti-fungals a month ago. She wonders if it is the die off. So for you who the same or similar case, this article can be taken as a rough idea.

For arthritis, specifically, it is necessary to eliminate all sugars of any kind, and artificial sweeteners, such as Sweet N Low (saccharin) and Equal or Nutrasweet (aspartame). Alternatively stevia can be used. Be sure to read the food ingredients of any packaged foods you use, to make sure that there is no kind of sugar by any name in there.

Eliminate any and all wheat products. Read ingredients labels of packaged foods. And yes, this includes bread, pasta, cakes, cookies, crackers, Wing-Dings, Ho-Hos, Devil Dogs, as well as any packaged seasoning products or food mixes. Also eliminate totally the nightshade vegetables, such as tomato, green pepper, eggplant, white potato. I would also recommend eliminating any and all dairy products of any kind.

Take 3 tablespoonsful of flax oil daily. If you choose the 1,000 mg capsules, that is 14 caps = 1 tablespoon (not very cost-effective or easy to do) This can also be achieved by taking 3 tablespoonsful of ground-up flax seed per meal (3 meals) which will fetch you not only the oil, but also a daily total of 27 g of fiber, which is also important to the arthritic person.

You can put the flax seed oil in a protein shake, on a salad, drizzle it on vegetables, etc. Do not cook it - cooking destroys the Omega 3 fats, which is what you want from the oil.

Some of my friends have mixed it into herbal tea. If your flax seed oil tastes nasty, it is rancid. Get it in a health food store with a high turnover. You should find it in the refrigerator section. Keep it in your refrigerator. If you choose to use flax seed, grind it in a coffee mill, or in your blender (dry), then mix it in a protein shake, or sprinkle it on food, vegetables, salads, anything that occurs to you.

It has a nutty flavor. If you grind it in advance, keep it in the freezer - it goes rancid quickly. You need to grind the flax seed because chewing it will not grind it up enough for you to get the benefit of the oil.

Problems Relating To Crepitus

Crepitus can be defined as an unexpected creaky noise coming from beneath the skin or due to joint movement or somewhere around the lungs. Also, referred to as snapping joints, popping joints or creaky joints, Crepitus is a growing problem among people of all ages nowadays.

Derived from a word that means frictional sounds, Crepitus can be categorized into several types depending on the region and cause.

Patellofemoral Crepitus happens when the structure of two very important bones of our body, femur and patella which is the knee cap, is not normal. A disorder called Patellofemoral Syndrome or Chondromalacia Patella takes where the friction between the trochlear groove of the femur and patella is more than 20% of that between two ice cubes,

Crepitus can happen in the knee joint too when there is excessive extension or augmentation of the joint which certainly means injury. The main reason can be degeneration of the patella-femoral joint or damages in other joints or joint capsule. Straightaway affecting the kneecap, knee crepitus can be quite alarming.

Crepitus happens in the neck when it has undergone serious soft tissue injuries or large surgeries. Usually no bone is involved in the neck crepitus, hence using anti-inflammatory medication can easily cure the problem.

Shoulder Crepitus generally happens in people who suffer from various osteo problems such as various types of arthritis, crepitus in shoulder gives a painful experience when there is any movement in the shoulder.

Usually a popping or cracking sound in the knee retropatellar crepitus is an indication of severe damage. The reason for such crepitus is the grinding of the two joint bones of the knee. It directly affects the posterior position of the kneecap.

Causes of Crepitus

Crepitus is mainly caused because of the recent disturbances that the joint has suffered which can be sensitive tissue surgery or some major damages to the ligaments or bones. Also, serious joint problems such as Arthritis can cause crepitus at various regions of the body. Crepitus is basically a symptom of a problem than being a problem as it might indicate damages or unceasing injuries. It can also happen in the tissue of the human body when there is a significant amount of air present in them.

Treating Crepitus

In some cases, elastic supports help in preventing further damage to the knee and eases tension on it. Some individuals also find it effective to apply ice packs for 15-20 minutes after exercising. Sometimes, using medicines like Advil, Aspirin or Aleve can also help get relief from pain and other discomforting symptoms.

A number of ways can be adopted to get rid of the annoying noise. Mostly comprising of exercises, methods adopted will not only improve the physical activity of the sufferer as well as increase the movement of the joint. The things that should be avoided while treating Crepitus of the knee are climbing the stairs, aerobics, bending knees, playing some outdoor sport like football, wearing high heeled shoes etc.

What is the Difference Between Gout and Arthritis?

Arthritis is a more general term used to describe a disease where inflammation occurs in one or more joints, which results in pain, swelling, and limited movement. There are many factors that lead to the inflammation which resulted in over 100 different types of arthritis.

One may have joint inflammation for variety of reasons. For older patients, arthritis (also known as rheumatoid arthritis) happened because of general "wear and tear" throughout the years resulted from various physical activities that apply pressure to the joints.

Infectious arthritis or septic arthritis is a fluid and tissue joint infection caused by bacteria, virus or fungus. These infecting agents spread into the joints via bloodstream of adjacent infected tissue. It can also be a direct result of contamination during surgery, injection or injury.

And the most 'popular' type or arthritis in the recent years is gout. Gout is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself because the immune system detected a foreign part in the body. This is same as the self-defense mechanism that is triggered when one get stung by a bee or bitten by an ant: inflammation, burning sensation, and pain. In the case of gout, the pain is so intense that some claim that it is the most painful type of arthritis!

What is the foreign part that triggers gout? It is some fine tiny crystal which is known as sodium urate that formed or crystallized inside the synovial fluid of joints. Naturally, these crystals are not supposed to float around in the joint fluid, so our 'immune police' will classify them as foreign invaders and call for a series of immune reaction which resulted in the symptoms that is known as gout.

Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis - Discover How They Are Different in the Next 10 Minutes!

Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are two different diseases that are most often confused with each other due to the similar symptoms. What are their differences and is there a common treatment for both of them? Find out the expert answers in this article.

The research paper that has been released by Terrebonne Gen. Medical centre (TGMC) entitled "osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid arthritis" states that the pain should be evaluated by a doctor.

Even though the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis might be similar, but their long-term effects are quite different. If rheumatoid arthritis is left without treatment, it can lead to substantial damage to the joints and deformities in the other parts of the body.

Another difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is that while osteoarthritis is the result of "wear and tear" of the joints through many years and is usually found in people around the age of 50; rheumatoid arthritis is not caused due to "wear and tear", but it causes "wear and tear" and is also found in children, adults and elderly people.

Rheumatoid arthritis is considered to be an "inflammation autoimmune disorder". It implies that the body becomes incapable to identify itself to the bottom of its cellular level. As the natural response of the body immune system is to attack the foreign bodies that are not part of the body, so the body naturally launches an attack when it doesn't recognize any part of the body as a part of itself.

In case of rheumatoid arthritis, the body misinterprets cartilage, bone or fluid as an invader and sends signal to the immune system to launch an attack. Therefore, white blood cells are sent to the area as a means of fighting infection and inflammatory compounds are produced, even though the fact is that there is no infection in reality. This leads to redness, swelling and pain in the joints.

The immune system is quite complex and this is just a very simplistic explanation to explain the major differences between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis; so that people can opt for professional diagnosis and take necessary action for early treatment.

In the report "osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid arthritis" released by TGMC, the author warns that if left without adequate treatment, rheumatoid arthritis can lead to a serious damage to the joints in just a matter of 2 years. In fact, early diagnosis and effective treatment is required right from the early stages in order to prevent further development of the disease. In many cases, people go into remission period, where the symptoms recede for a temporary period.

Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the most effective, natural and side effect free alternative for treatment of arthritis conditions. There is substantial evidence that they help to reduce arthritis pain, prevent deformities, improve the joint mobility and reduce tenderness in joints and morning stiffness. Fish oil and its purified supplements are one of the best sources of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Similarly, the green lipped mussel found in New Zealand is another wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids. It also helps effectively in reducing pain and joint stiffness, improve joint mobility and grip strength in patients suffering from osteoarthritis.

To sum up, in case you are suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, an inclusion of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet in the form of fish oil supplements can help significantly to reduce inflammation and provide effective pain relief. You should consult your doctor and take the most appropriate action.