Osteoarthritis Symptoms, Natural Treatments and Remedies

Osteoarthritis is the commonest form of arthritis mainly seen in old aged people. This article mainly emphasizes on the major symptoms and natural treatments for osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis Symptoms

1. Pain in the form of sharp ache or burning sensation
2. Inflexibility or stiffness of joint
3. Swelling
4. Crepitus or cracking noise while moving the affected joint.
5. Muscle spasm
6. Tendon contraction
7. The affected joint may appear larger than usual.
8. Tenderness at joints
9. Joint effusion due to accumulation of excess fluids within an affected joint.
10. Hard bony enlargements in smaller joints due to osteoarthritis.

Natural Treatments of Osteoarthritis

Medications like Acetaminophen, nonsteroidal pain reducing drugs like aspirin, naproxen, ketoprofen, and ibuprofen are usually recommended for treating osteoarthritis. Glucosamine sulfate supplements are also being prescribed these days. Such supplements increase production of cartilage and have anti-inflammatory properties. If symptoms become too debilitating, one can also opt for joint replacement surgery. However apart from medication and surgery, it is also possible to manage osteoarthritis symptoms by changing life style and diet. Pain management can be done through several home based remedies. Here are some ways to tackle osteoarthritis naturally.

1. Regular exercise, yoga and breathing exercises are very necessary for osteoarthritis patients. Exercise not only reduces joint stiffness, but also strengthens muscles and promotes the growth of cartilages. Range of motion exercises and aerobics should be done by osteoarthritis patients. Breathing exercises relax mind and relieve stress. But high impact sports are to be shunned, for they will only cause further wearing out of damaged joints.

2. Massage therapy is very helpful to treat arthritis. Massaging should be done through smooth strokes and kneading. Massaging reduces muscle spasm and stiffness, improves blood circulation, and eliminates wastes like lactic acid from the joints. Rumatone Gold massage oil, Castor oil, olive oil, mustard oil or hot vinegar may be used for massaging ailing joints.

3. Sea bathing is effective for painful joints. The iodine rich sea water restores and regenerates damaged tissues.

4. Diet should be nutritious and should include antioxidants, Vitamin C, D and E, minerals like Calcium, omega3 fatty acids. Such a diet would keep bones strong and healthy. Thus oily fishes like tuna, salmons, herring, sardines, and mackerel are very useful for osteoarthritis patients. Patients should avoid consuming food items of the nightshade group such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. Red meat is to be strictly avoided. Also orange juice should be avoided, for it acts as a stimulant for osteoarthritis pain. Food cooked in flaxseed oil is very helpful for osteoarthritis patients.

5. Herbal tea like that of alfalfa, ginger can relieve patients from swollen and painful joints.

6. The patient should keep the body weight in check by means of exercise and dieting.

7. Hot compress and warm wax application on the affected area may relieve pain.

Juvenile Arthritis: The Incredible Reason Why Kids Still Have This Disease

Juvenile arthritis - also known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis - is a rheumatic disorder that, in all honesty, should have been corralled and eradicated years ago. We have the knowledge to get the job done, but politics and in-fighting among some of our brightest minds in the traditional and alternative health care delivery fields are formidable barriers preventing parents of afflicted children from becoming aware of disease reversal and healing modalities that actually work. In my opinion, the primary reason for this is the tunnel vision mindset our traditional medical establishment has adopted regarding approved treatment and therapy for children who suffer from juvenile arthritis.

There is credible, evidence-based research clearly demonstrating the effectiveness of natural healing methodologies in reversing arthritis. When these methods are combined with medical diagnostic capability you have a winning formula that can successfully address and arrest the degeneration process and subsequently begin the disease reversal process - a process that can be accurately monitored by medical science. This is a perfect marriage of two unique but often complimentary health care delivery systems waiting to be consummated for the good of every arthritic child. Yet this information is routinely overlooked and rarely reviewed in the most widely respected medical journals. Nor is natural healing and recovery from arthritis a topic of serious discussion among physicians and other industry professionals at conventions or when addressing the general public about promising research in the field of juvenile arthritis.

This unwarranted silent treatment and the all-too-familiar hostility of medical doctors toward alternative health practitioners are taking a hefty toll on the ranks of children afflicted with arthritic ailments. The traditional 'treat them and street them' mentality, that worked so well in the past, will not cut the mustard with today's more enlightened patient populations. These people want to know why their kids aren't getting well. Smooth talking and intellectual tap dancing around direct questions from concerned parents and brow beating others who question the medical establishment's will and eagerness to truly pursue and develop a healing protocol for juvenile arthritis is not helping to reverse the current downward plunge of consumer confidence in the traditional medical establishment.

Traditional doctors have a tendency to discount any significant health-related findings that are not espoused by a traditionally trained physician or researcher. I would tell these doctors to not take my word for it and visit some of the older health sanitariums in Germany, Switzerland, England, Sweden, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. They will see for themselves the amazing results these biologically oriented facilities are getting with arthritic patients of all ages - not just children. I know this to be a fact. I was trained at one of these facilities many moons ago.

The best thing medical doctors can do today is listen carefully to alternative practitioners who are 'out of the discipline' but, nonetheless, have been successful in arresting and reversing juvenile arthritis. This simple measure - this show of respect and consideration to fellow healers - would do more to help arthritic kids than anything else. Such a show of solidarity could bring in its train a mutual sharing of ideas about how best to deliver appropriate and relevant care to each arthritic patient - guided solely by the ideal of what is right and not who is right.

If we can stop countries from being at war with one another we can certainly stop the senseless battle that has been raging for decades between traditional and non-traditional practitioners. Our kids need desperately for this to happen soon. If you are a medical doctor or other health care professional delivering direct care to arthritic children, please think very hard about what I'm saying. Juvenile arthritis need not be the end game for afflicted kids that so many parents have come to believe and accept.

Arthritis - A Few Facts and Myths About It

Arthritis is often thought to be a disease of old people but it is not so. It can affect very young people as well. It is quite commonly considered to be a single disease but arthritis is a term given to a collection of over 100 medical conditions together affecting the musculoskeletal system and in particular the joints. The different forms of arthritis are capable of affecting not only the muscles and joints but the whole body, sometimes including organs like the kidneys, lungs, heart, etc. To date there are over 125 types of arthritis identified. The two most common types are Rheumatoid arthritis and Osteoarthritis. The others are Ankylosing spondylitis, Gout, Juvenile arthritis, Fibromyalgia and Scleroderma just to name a few.

People who suffer from arthritis will generally experience inflammation of the joints with swelling, tenderness and soreness for more than two weeks and may also have muscle ache, tiredness, be unable to sleep and depressed and find it very painful when moving around, thus leading to disability in some instances.

It is not known what causes arthritis and still the cure for it is unknown. People who get arthritis will probably suffer with it for the rest of their lives, but there are various treatments such as oral medication, diet, exercise, weight control and even surgery that are available to make life easier and bearable. If you develop a pain especially in your joints, which lasts over a couple of weeks together with fever and swelling in your joints then you should consult your physician to see if you have developed arthritis. Based on x-rays and blood tests your physician should be able to tell if you have arthritis and how acute it is and prescribe which treatment is best suited to your condition. With age, joints degenerate naturally and for most people over the age of 50 some signs of the disease are evident.

Some common myths about arthritis.

Myth: Arthritis is a negligible health condition.

This is not true. Arthritis is the most widespread health condition in America leading to disability in most people, causing major setbacks in their lives, in terms of employment and also day to day living.

Myth: Arthritis is about aches and pains.

It is a common misconception that arthritis is the name given to the aches and pains of older people. Firstly, as mentioned earlier, it is not a disease of the old; even young children are able to get it. It however is more common among the elderly.

Myth: Nothing much can be done to lessen disability and pain

To date there are no known cures for arthritis, but in today's day and age with such advancement in science, there is much that can be done to lessen the disability and pain. Exercise programs, weight control programs and even surgery are some of the measures used today.

Some points to keep in mind about arthritis.

If you suffer from arthritis, you and your physician should work hand in hand in treating this disease. The patient's cooperation is essential to successful treatment.

It should always be kept in mind that the condition for a person suffering with arthritis can be improved.

As important as the x-rays and blood tests are, it is also very important that you furnish all your observations about your condition to your physician, which in turn will enable him to treat you better.

Each type of arthritis is unique. None is better or worse than the other.

Based on your kind of arthritis your physician will give you what he thinks is the best course of treatment. However, since each person may react or respond differently to different treatments there is no such thing as an ideal treatment for an individual.

The main concern in the treatment of arthritis is the relief of pain and improving joint mobility.

Holistic Approach for Arthritis

A holistic approach for arthritis was the key to my success in recovering from rheumatoid arthritis and regaining my health. Following a natural approach was the difference between getting well or getting sicker. Natural or holistic health is gaining the attention it deserves as more people are becoming dissatisfied with mainstream health care. Natural healing was the first medicine and has existed since the beginning of time. Natural healing differs from main stream medicine in that it addresses the root cause of a disease rather than just treating symptoms. It focuses on bringing strength to the body which facilitates its innate ability to heal. Everyone can benefit from a holistic approach for arthritis and other diseases. It requires a commitment and a desire to get well, research, thinking outside of the box, treating the whole body and using nature rather than prescription drugs. I opted to use natural medicine for my rheumatoid arthritis and feel very lucky I did. A holistic approach for arthritis is a good prescription for recovery, health and vitality.

First and foremost is the commitment to getting well with the holistic approach for arthritis. It is fundamental that you have a strong desire to recover. Believe it or not, some people consciously or subconsciously do not really want to get better because their illness is serving some type of need. Believing that you can recover from illness or disease is essential, along with a sound plan. It can be trying to change lifelong habits and open the mind to new things but, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to restore your health. Is there anything more important than your health?

Next step is to empower yourself with knowledge. Part of a holistic approach for arthritis is understanding the disease. Researching the disease or illness and alternative treatments available is very enlightening. It enables you to make the best decisions concerning your treatment plan. The days of blindly following "doctors' orders are coming to an end as they do not always have your best interest in mind - only you do! My initial research into a holistic approach for arthritis taught me that there are many alternative, healthier treatments for rheumatoid arthritis. They seem to be kept under the radar because they work. These alternative, non drug therapies focus on treating the cause of the disease rather than just suppressing a symptom with a drug. Disease is simply an imbalance within the body that creates symptoms as a warning signal. We must use these signals to determine the problem and begin the process of restoring the body's delicate balance. This approach strengthens the body by ridding it of toxins and replacing it with what it needs to do what it does best - heal itself.

Treating the cause of a disease is the only way to overcome it and a holistic approach for arthritis does just that.. The goal is to understand the symptoms and look at the whole picture. Imbalances in the body create illness and correcting the imbalances is the key to recovery. The entire body is involved in the process. One of the first things I learned was most diseases, especially RA, are a result of gastrointestinal issues. Some people, for many reasons, have faulty gastrointestinal tracts that allow partially digested food and other substances to leak into their bloodstream. This is called "leaky gut syndrome" and creates food allergies and autoimmunity responses. Autoimmune means your body is attacking itself and with rheumatoid arthritis it attacks the joints. Recent studies show a direct connection between "leaky gut syndrome" and autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis. If you think about it, it makes a lot of sense.

Effective treatment, therefore, is not in steroids and other toxic drugs typically prescribed but with this holistic approach for arthritis. Research has shown a very common imbalance in people with arthritis is leaky gut syndrome. An important part of treatment here is to identify those foods that the body is reacting to. Even a healthy natural food could be a problem if the body has developed an intolerance to it. Learning what foods the body is reacting to and those foods which the body needs is key to recovery. There are foods that can heal (restorative) and foods that cause sickness. Identification of food intolerance's and a healthy diet of whole, natural foods are essential to healing from arthritis. There are amazing testimonials from people making complete recoveries by changing the foods they ate. In addition to dietary changes, natural supplements and herbs are an important part of the holistic approach for arthritis. Herbs such as echinacea, ginger and turmeric are natural anti inflammatories. Aloe Vera is also a anti inflammatory as well as a pain reliever. Unlike drugs, these natural remedies work with the body and do no harm. Nature has much more to offer than the pharmaceutical industry.

If you have the will to recover from arthritis or any other disease, you can. Take responsibility for your own health. Take the time and effort that natural healing requires. It will empower you. Holistic health will once again be mainstream medicine, simply because it works. Natural healing brings about true healing and cure because it respects the body and the whole person. Simply medicating with prescription drugs is not the answer. Ironically the very medicines used to treat many disease, actually make them worse. All that we need is provided by nature. Go take advantage of it!

Rheumatoid Arthritis Medications - What Types Are There?

While there is no definite cure for RA or rheumatoid arthritis to date, there are a range of available medications in the market that are designed to alleviate its symptoms and ultimately improve the condition.

In general, medications for rheumatoid arthritis can be classified into distinctive categories, as described below. Physicians will often develop an appropriate treatment plan to manage joint pain and inflammation, as well as prevent cell damage in the joints. Depending on the specific case, effective treatment can be accomplished through a combination of each of the succeeding drugs:

NSAIDs or Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs, commonly known as NSAIDs, are effective in relieving pain and reducing inflammation, but do not serve to prevent further damage to the joints. NSAIDs prevent the human body from producing a substance called prostaglandins, which is primarily responsible for generating inflammation and pain.

Common NSAID examples are naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve) and ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil). Other examples include ketoprofen (Orudis), etodolac (Lodine), meloxicam (Mobic), Celecoxib (Celebrex), indomethacin, oxaprozin (Daypro), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), piroxicam (Feldene), and nabumetone (Relafen).

NSAIDs are often recommended once a definite diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is made. However, when taken in high dosages for prolonged periods, these drugs can produce severe side effects, including stomach bleeding, gastric ulcers, and even kidney and liver damage.

Corticosteroids

Another group of medication used for rheumatoid arthritis treatment is corticosteroids. These drugs suppress the immune system, thus reducing inflammation.

Cortisone (Cortone), methylprednisolone (SoluMedrol, DepoMedrol), betamethasone (Celestone Soluspan), triamcinolone (Aristocort), dexamethasone (Decadron), prednisolone (Delta-Cortef), and prednisone (Deltasone, Orasone), are some examples of corticosteroids.

Although corticosteroids can be effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis, they are known to trigger adverse effects when used in extended periods of time. Some of these side effects include easy bruising, glaucoma, cataracts, thinning bones, and excessive weight gain, and diabetes. Because of their potential to develop severe side effects, these medications are often only used as a short-term remedy to manage sudden outbreaks of the disease. On the plus side, a single injection of the drug can inhabit inflammation of a specific joint for a long period of time.

DMARDs or Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs

DMARDs are a group of medications that act to suppress the immune system from attacking the joints, thus retarding the progression of further joint damage. In treating rheumatoid arthritis, DMARDs are frequently taken together with other medications for increased efficiency.

Rheumatoid arthritis commonly causes permanent joint damage, which starts to manifest at the onset. For this reason, most physicians would recommend DMARD therapy immediately upon diagnosis. Patients are most responsive to DMARDs during the early stages of RA. The sooner the medication is taken, the more beneficial it is for the patient.

Some DMARD examples include methotrexate (Rheumatrex), cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral), hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), gold salts (Solganal, Ridaura, Myochrysine, Aurolate), cyclophosphamide, azathioprine (Imuran), penicillamine (Cuprimine), minocycline, leflunomide (Arava), and sulfasalazine (Azulfidine).

Though some DMARD products have been proven effective in RA treatment, the potential for severe side effects is enormous. Long-term usage of DMARDs can lead to bone marrow and liver toxicity, susceptibility to infections, skin allergies, and even autoimmunity.

Among the examples of DMARDs previously listed, hydroxychloroquine has the least risk of causing bone marrow and liver toxicity, and is therefore considered to be one of the safest DMARD types. Unfortunately, hydroxychloroquine is not a particularly powerful medication, and is not strong enough on its own to control the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Conversely, methotrexate is considered to be one of the most powerful DMARDs to use in RA treatment due to a number of reasons. It has been known to effectively fight RA without causing bone marrow and liver toxicity like most other DMARDs. In addition, methotrexate works safely and effectively when used alongside biological agents, which are another group of RA drugs discussed below. Thus, it is frequently prescribed in combination with biological agents in cases where the drug fails to adequately treat rheumatoid arthritis on its own. However, it should be noted that although methotrexate is not as risky as others, it still has the potential to suppress the bone marrow or cause hepatitis. In such cases, regular blood tests are always advised to efficiently monitor the patient's condition, as well as to stop treatment at the first indication of trouble.

Biological Agents

Biological agents, also known as biological drugs, serve to reduce inflammation through various ways.

One means through which biological agents work is by blocking TNFs or tumor necrosis factors. Infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira), and etanercept (Enbrel) are some examples of TNF blockers.

Another way with which biological agents alleviate inflammation is by killing B cells. The drug Rituximab (Rituxan), in particular, binds itself to B cells, ultimately destroying them.

Other medications that lessen inflammation in their own distinctive ways are:

- tocilizumab (Actemra, RoActemra), which works by blocking interleukin 6 or IL-6
- anakinra (Kineret), which serves to block interleukin 1 or IL-1
- abatacept (Orencia), which functions by blocking T-cells

One thing to consider is that each of these biological agents has its own potential for specific adverse side effects. Careful consideration should be given to the drug's side effects when prescribing it to a patient.

Salicylates

Salicylates serve to reduce prostaglandins production. Prostaglandins cause the painful and inflammatory symptoms of arthritis. In recent years, salicylates have been widely replaced with NSAIDs, primarily because the former can cause severe side effects, e.g. potentially damaging kidney function.

Pain Relief Medications

Last but not least, a variety of pain relief medications may also be used in rheumatoid arthritis treatment. Examples of medications which have the primary purpose of pain relief include tramadol (Ultram) and acetaminophen (Tylenol).

Although anti-pain medication neither reduces inflammation nor delays joint damage progression, it allows the patient to feel more comfortable and ultimately function better in his/her daily life. For this reason alone, pain relief medications are definitely worth mentioning.

Surgery as a Last Resort

If the medications listed above prove ineffective, doctors may recommend surgery. Surgical procedures used in RA treatment include tendon repair, joint lining removal (synovectomy), and arthroplasty or joint replacement surgery, wherein the damaged parts of the joint are replaced with prosthetics.

Avoid Osteoarthritis Pain Early in Your Life & Later in Life With Chondroitin Liquid

Joint pain is not something that occurs suddenly. It occurs over time. In order to maintain your joint health, one must first understand joints. A joints composition is pretty complex but the short version is this: where bones meet via a grouping of cartilage and fluid.

These fluids and cartilage are what provides cushioning between bones so when you move about, your bones don't collide. When your bones and or cartilage collide or have pressure on them, this is where joint pain comes from.

Joint health is something that in order to avoid future complications must be addressed earlier in life. One must in ingest adequate amounts of essential fatty acids (EFA's). An example of a fatty acid is fish oil. Therefore, eating fish will provide your body with some essential fatty acids. If you're not the fish eating type, you can simply look up the types of foods that have these EFA's.

Almost all the polyunsaturated fat in the human diet is from EFA. Some of the food sources of fatty acids are fish and shellfish, flaxseed (linseed), hemp oil, soya oil, canola (rapeseed) oil, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, leafy vegetables, and walnuts. It is not hard to find these in daily diets.

The point of providing you these food sources and suggesting that storing these types of EFA's early in life is because once osteoarthritis sets in, it is pretty difficult to build them back up with out some sort of supplementing surgery. Chondroitin liquid is a precursor to healthy joints but has not shown significant results in rebuilding joint health.

Simply put, if you don't like to eat any of the foods mentioned above, don't like to take pills, are overweight, and even have genetic disposition for osteoarthritis, then take chondroitin liquid on a regular basis. It will save your joint health if you start on it early enough in life.

Severe Elbow Joint Pain - Possible Causes And Ways To Deal With It Effectively And Safely

When it comes to joint pain, arthritis is undeniably one of the biggest culprits, but we should not let that cloud our judgment. Yes, arthritis can cause severe elbow joint pain, but surprisingly enough, this is less frequent than what many people believe.

One common cause of elbow pain is a condition known as tennis elbow, and no, it does not only affect tennis players. Approximately 50% of people who participate regularly in a racquet sport will get tennis elbow at some point, but even so, the vast majority of cases involve people who do not play any type of racquet sport. Anyone with a job that is demanding on their forearm muscles is particularly at risk. Plumbers, electricians, painters, and even butchers are prime candidates.

Conventional treatment usually involves physiotherapy and pain relief medication, and sufferers are instructed to avoid using their elbow or elbows excessively. In more severe cases, patients may receive corticosteroid injections which are administered into the immediate area. Having said all that, many people are reluctant to have these injections, and many also can not afford to pay for physiotherapy. Instead, they tend to opt for natural remedies such as fish oil supplements and supplements containing New Zealand Green Lipped Mussel extract.

Nerve entrapment is another very common cause of elbow pain, but fortunately it is relatively easy to determine whether or not this is the cause of your elbow pain. In most cases of nerve entrapment, a person will also experience a tingling sensation in their little finger and their ring finger. If there is enough pressure being applied to the nerve which is trapped, the tingling can be replaced with near total numbness.

Nerve entrapment is usually self-correcting. In other words, with enough rest, the pain should eventually go away, although there are cases where surgical intervention is required so that the ulnar nerve can be repositioned.

Bone tumors can also cause a significant amount of pain in one's elbow, but in truth, this is actually very rare. As with bone tumors, septic arthritis is yet another disease which can certainly cause severe elbow joint pain, but it too is very uncommon. Additionally, it is more often than not easily treated with antibiotics, although surgery may be necessary in very severe cases.

While joint pain is often caused by medical conditions such as some of those I have discussed above, it can also quite often be caused by nothing more than a nutrient deficiency. Joints are generally high maintenance body parts, and as such, they are dependent on a healthy diet. If you know your diet is not providing you with all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, you really should try to make a few changes, or alternatively, you should consider supplementing your diet.