Arthritis Treatment: What to Do About Trochanteric Bursitis

Bursae are small sacs that contain minute amounts of fluid. They are located around most joints and are responsible for cushioning. When they become inflamed, the condition is referred to as "bursitis."

One of the most common causes of hip pain is trochanteric bursitis. It is an affliction of middle-aged to elderly people and tends to affect women more often than men. Patients are often overweight.

The primary symptom is aching pain located on the side of the hip at an area called the "greater trochanter". The pain sometimes radiates down the side of the thigh.

The pain is aggravated by walking, climbing stairs, and lying on the affected side. The pain tends to come on gradually and can become so severe the patient has difficulty walking. In some cases, trauma plays a role and can cause a more acute onset of pain.

On examination, there is tenderness located over the lateral hip. The pain elicited by examination can be excruciating. Having the patient lift their leg laterally (to the side) can also bring out the pain. There may be a noticeable limp.

The condition is almost always accompanied by tendinopathy, meaning the tendons overlying the bursa are diseased or damaged. The two tendons that are most often affected are the gluteus minimus and gluteus medius.

Some conditions can predispose to trochanteric bursitis. These include scoliosis as well as leg length differences.

The diagnosis is suspected clinically and can be confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Another condition that can mimic this problem is sciatica.

The treatment initially can be conservative with stretching of the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus tendons as well as the iliotibial band, a long ligament that stretches from the greater trochanter of the hip down to the knee. Non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) can provide symptomatic relief as can ice packs or moist heat.

Patients who are overweight should be counseled regarding weight loss.

In stubborn cases, ultrasound guided injections of glucocorticoid ("cortisone") may be useful. These injections should be used sparingly because they may cause more tendon degeneration.

Patients who continue to have symptoms will require a procedure called ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle tenotomy accompanied by platelet-rich plasma (PRP).

The theory here is that using a small gauge needle to poke holes in the area of degeneration will induce an acute inflammatory response. This causes the release of active growth and healing factors from the platelets in the platelet-rich plasma. This procedure will lead to healing of the diseased bursa and adjacent tendons.

Ginger For Arthritis Pain - Does It Work or Not?

With there being over 20 million Americans suffering from the effects of osteoarthritis, there has been a renewed interest in the use of traditional remedies and natural treatments. One of these is the use of ginger for arthritis pain. Here we'll look at some of the background to ginger as a medicinal product and evidence of whether it works in arthritis.

Ginger root is the knobbly rhizome of the tall reed-like perennial plant grown in the tropics. It is available in various forms including the fresh root, powdered, dried, and crystallized (candied).

Medicinally ginger is believed to have a number of properties which include stimulating digestion, reducing nausea and easing flatulence. It has antiseptic qualities and has been used as an expectorant to clear catarrh.

It has been a common constituent in Chinese and Ayuverdic medicine for centuries.

Ginger also contains products that have anti-inflammatory properties and that is why it is believed that it has a role to play in easing arthritis pain.

One study carried out at the University of Miami Medical School (published in 2001), looked at 250 patients suffering with moderate to severe pain. Some were given 255mg twice daily of ginger as dietary supplement, whilst the remainder were given a placebo.

The results showed that over two-thirds on the ginger reported reduced pain. This was significantly greater than the placebo group. Other positive results have also been found in other similar studies, but this is not universally the case.

If you wanted to try using ginger, what are your options? You could take dietary supplements containing 255mg of ginger twice daily. The advantage of taking a supplement is that you can control the amount of ginger that you are receiving each day. This level has been demonstrated to be beneficial when using ginger for arthritis pain.

Alternatively you could simply use more ginger in your normal diet. This may suit you if you don't like taking supplement pills. Try using fresh ginger in your cooking. It is quite a simple product to use. You simply have to peel the outer skin with a potato peeler or paring knife and then slice or chop the ginger.

If you cannot obtain fresh ginger you can use dried ginger, although this may have lower levels of the active ingredients in it. Ginger is a great addition to meals such as stews and soups. It is also popular in desserts such a ginger pancakes and gingerbread. You could also make your own ginger ale from fresh ginger.

Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fish Oil Relieve Arthritis Pain

The Study

Omega 3 fatty acids are known for their ability to ward off inflammation, and they are present in deep sea fish and fish supplements. In a study comparing glucosamine alone to glucosamine combined with omega 3 fish oil pills, patients experienced significantly less arthritis pain compared to the glucosamine only group.

The results of the clinical trial were published in Advances in Therapy, and it was the first clinical trial to show the positive effects of omega three with glucosamine. The patients who reported a drastic pain reduction indicated an 80 percent reduction in their pain; they originally had moderate to severe knee or hip pain. Pain was calculated using the WOMAC pain scale.

The Dosage

The patients in the study used 1500 mg per day of glucosamine sulfate and only 444 mg of fish oil pills with a 300 /200 EPA DHA concentration. The 300/200 epa - dha ratio is considered the most efficient. The former rebuilds and repairs while the latter drastically reduces inflammation. It's exactly the solution that osteoarthritis sufferers need. For maximum joint health, the synergistic mix of omega3 oil and glucosamine are a winning duo.

More than 20 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis. Patients are looking to get away from NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and Aleve due to their long-term consequences, such as gastrointestinal bleeding. Omega oil supplements have fewer harmful side effects and more positive effects, such as improved cardiovascular health. Omega 3 oil is worth a try for anyone suffering from osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

Iron Overload Causing Arthritis, Cancer, and Diabetes - The Undiagnosed Real Cause of Many Diseases

Why should anybody care about iron overload diseases? What is it about iron that makes it a special concern in human health? Shouldn't we all be taking Geritol?

Many of us who are of the age that we need to take serious care of iron overload disease are old enough to remember the slick television advertising campaigns for the alcohol-and-iron tonic Geritol. In the 1950's, you could open up the newspaper and see an ad featuring a woman sitting in a chair leaning against an ironing board. The caption read "After flu, cold, and sore throat, if you feel run down because of tired blood, take Geritol." In the next frame you could see the same woman with a beaming smile, holding her iron up in the air, with the caption, "Feel stronger fast in excellent condition!"

In the 1970's, the wildly popular Lawrence Welk Show featured a commercial in which a husband admires his Geritol-swigging wife's domestic prowess and then entones, with puppy dog eyes, "My wife--I think I'll keep her." Geritol became a staple for every aging sitcom character from Archie Bunker to Fred Sanford. Hundreds of millions of people heard the iron supplement slogan, "When you've got your health, you've got just about everything."

Unfortunately for 2.5 million or more of us who are becoming the twenty-first century's Geritol Generation, iron has not helped us keep our health. For those of us who have various conditions that make our bodies absorb or retain unusual amounts of iron, the decades of iron excess are leading to literal rust. And like the houseguest who never realizes it's time to get packing, iron builds up in our parenchymal organs, the brain, colon, liver, lungs, pancreas, and skin in particular, causing an astonishing array of health problems.

There are dozens of diseases that cause excessive accumulation of iron. The most common of these in the USA, although it's often not diagnosed, is hereditary hemochromatosis. In this genetic disease, the colon is unusually permeable to iron.

Iron overload is often a complication of sickle cell disease, occurring at sickle cells are destroyed and release their iron. It's a complication of another blood disorder, beta-thalassemia. Iron overload results from African siderosis, alcohol abuse, and viral hepatitis. It is among the sequellae of aceruloplasminemia, atransferrinemia, dysmetabolic iron overload syndrome, fatty liver, juvenile hemochromatosis, neonatal hemochromatosis, and enzyme diseases. It can be caused by inhalation (working with asbestos products, grinding steel, mining iron, and inhaling tobacco smoke), ingestion (eating iron-fortified foods, eating excessive amounts of red meat, alcohol used in excess, and iron supplements), injection (walking over rusty metal, multiple blood transfusions), and decompartmentalization (destruction of red blood cells or destruction of liver tissue).

Iron overload can overwhelm the endocrine glands, the joints, the heart, and the liver. It can cause arthritis, diabetes, and bronzing of the skin. It can cause erectile dysfunction, infertility, shrinking of the external sex organs, hypothyroidism, and early menopause. It can lead to cancer, heart attacks, and fatal infections.

Some people with iron overload disease are never diagnosed. Some people, like my father, die of fatal infections just a few weeks after diagnosis in their ninth decade of life. Symptoms may appear at age 25 or age 55. The course of iron overload diseases differs from person to person. All iron overload diseases, however, require medical treatment.

That does not mean there is nothing you can do. Diet makes a difference. A number of nutritional supplements augment what your doctor can do to help you manage the symptoms of iron overload disease. Two nutritional supplements even seem to act as chelators, although they should be used with caution.

The critical first step, however, is getting an accurate diagnosis. The US Centers for Disease Control found that in a group of nearly 3000 people who had hereditary hemochromatosis, over 67 per cent had been given multiple misdiagnoses before being properly diagnosed as suffering iron overload disease. They saw an average of three doctors and waited an average of 9 years before getting the right diagnosis. So, in my next post, let's take a look of how to know whether you have iron overload disease.

7 Ways to Ease Arthritis in Cats

The vast majority of cat owners feed their feline friends with commercial cat food as this is the easiest and accepted thing to do. According to veterinary experts however, these commercial feeds are probably contributing to the development of cat arthritis in pets at home. Cat arthritis can be as debilitating and uncomfortable as the human equivalent.

It is a condition in cats which primarily affects the joints and bones of the body. It has the same uncomfortable and painful signs and symptoms which can hamper movement and physical activities in cats. Here are 7 top tips to think about regarding cat arthritis:

Tip #1: Diet can play a major role in the development of arthritis in cats. Thus, diet modification is one of the best treatment methods to help control and alleviate the signs and symptoms of cat arthritis.

Tip #2: Weight control can help prevent the development of this degenerative disease. Overweight and older cats are more likely to develop arthritis due to the extra pressure and weight being placed on the joints as well as the cartilage and bones. This extra weight causes the wearing off of the protective layers on the bones in the body.

Tip #3: Always check the nutrient levels in your cats diet. Try to include foods which are low in purine or protein as well as uric acid. Legumes and organ meats are not healthy for arthritic cats.

Tip #4: If you notice any awkward changes in your cats movements take them to the vet for a check up. Cats cannot complain verbally about their pain and what causes it. Observe the cat's physical activities and try to assess areas such as feet, hips and paws for tenderness when touched. It could be a sign that your cat is arthritic.

Tip #5: Arthritis treatment for cats may include medications to help your feline pet in coping with the pain. Drugs can be given by your vet which increases the regeneration of the bones and cartilage or build up the synovial fluid (fluid which protects the joints from rubbing together) within the joints to provide a cushions effect. Chondrotin and glucosamine also works with cats to protect and restore healthy bones and joints.

Tip #6: Recovery for arthritic cats is essential. Cat owners must encourage their cats to move to prevent contractures or stiffening joints. A warmer environment is helpful for cats in treating this disease. Maximum comfort must be provided for cats who are suffering from arthritis since the pain can be excruciating. Thus, soft beddings can cradle the joints and bones in order to lessen the impact of the pressure.

Tip #7: Massaging your cat gently and carefully can help with stiff joints and sore muscles. Heating pads and beds are useful too. Also improved circulation can add more warmth and comfort to your cat during an arthritic attack.

What Are Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an auto immune disorder where the immune system attacks the tissues of the hand and foot joints causing chronic inflammation. As it progresses, symptoms will also be noticed in the elbows, shoulders, hips, neck and jaw. Although this disorder does not affect the joint itself like osteoarthritis, it does affect the joint lining, which results in swelling and pain of the joint. This can eventually cause joint deformity and erosion of the bone. The condition normally affects middle aged individuals with women being more likely to be affected by this disorder than men.

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can include joint pain and swelling. Joints may also be tender when touched and appear puffy and red. Another common symptom of individuals who suffer with this disorder is called rheumatoid nodules where hard bumps occur beneath the skin on the individual's arms. Other rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include fatigue, loss of appetite, low grade fever, weight loss, disturbed sleeping, weakness and joint stiffness that is noticed on awakening and can last for many hours throughout the day.

In the early stages of rheumatoid arthritis, the symptoms tend to be noticed in the smaller joints of the hands, wrists, feet and ankles. With the progression of the disease, other joints normally are affected such as the knees and elbows. Most individuals who have this disorder often experience rheumatoid arthritis symptoms on both sides of the body at the same time, with the same joints being affected. The severity of symptoms can vary and tend to come and go. There usually are periods of no symptoms that alternate with periods of flare-ups where the disease increases in activity.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease can cause inflammation to organs and other parts of the body. The eyes and mouth can become dry and the lungs can become inflamed, causing chest pains and breathing difficulties. The tissue around the heart can also become inflamed, causing pain when bending over or lying down.

The Different Types of Arthritis

Arthritis is a general condition, which involves the damage of the bones, especially the joints. The joints are places where two bones meet like hands, hips, elbows, or knees. Arthritis causes pain, stiffness, inflammation, and swelling of the joints.

Over time due to wear and tear of the bones and old age, people start to feel stiff, sore and in pain in some parts of their bodies, specially the joints area. People at the age of fifty, and above usually start to complain about these symptoms, and complains about pain and mobility problem. Arthritis is also the leading cause of disability to some people due to the pain and inflammation of the affected area. This disease can last for a long period or recurs, which can lead to tissue damage.

There are different types of arthritis, and according to doctors, there are 100 types of arthritis in the medical book. Here are some of the most common cases of arthritis:

Rheumatoid arthritis - the most common and chronic form of arthritis that usually affects the hands, wrists, and knees. This type is also classified as autoimmune inflammation arthritis. The inflammation spreads around the surrounding tissues and eventually damages the cartilage and the bones. Inflammation is the body's natural reaction if it is afflicted with a disease or injury.

In the case of Rheumatoid arthritis, the defense mechanism of the body is muddled sending wrong signals in the brain and it begins to attack the body instead of healing the injured part. Left untreated this case may shorten the life span of a person who is suffering from arthritis by eighteen years.

Osteoarthritis - this arthritis is usually preconceived to be associated with people who are aging. Well in fact, osteoarthritis is a disease entailing the degradation of the joints. It mainly affects the weight bearing part of the body such the spine, hips, knees, and feet.

While mechanical factors can contribute to the development of osteoarthritis, some people are predisposed to have this disease as part of their genetic make-up. The onset of osteoarthritis takes time to manifest it slowly build up in the body, this is also the reason why many people has mistakenly correlates osteoarthritis as a sign of aging, while in fact it is in the patients body all along. For prevention early diagnosis and check-ups is the key in identifying if you have osteoarthritis.

Gout - is a disorder characterized by sudden recurring attacks of very painful arthritis caused by excessive deposits of monosodium urate crystal in the body, which accumulates in the joints due to abnormally high concentration of uric acid in the blood.

Unfortunately, 20% of people who have gout develop kidney stones. This is because the kidney cannot eliminate these toxins out of the body. Some of the uric acid is a by-product of cellular breakdown, this together with foods adds to the condition.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis - as the name implies is a common arthritis among children and teenagers under the age of 16. It is a persistent form of arthritis without any definite cause hence, the name idiopathic. In JIA or juvenile idiopathic arthritis, the joints become inflamed. This type of arthritis may be transient in nature or chronic.

There are many types of arthritis, the pain patterns may vary from one person to another, and the occurrence depends on the person's predisposition to the disease itself. This disease should not be a cause to limit you from the things you enjoy or depress you, instead by learning the proper management of the disease, proper diet and exercise, and some lifestyle changes, you can be able to enjoy the things you love the most.