Psoriasis - Can It Protect Against Schizophrenia?

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory dermatitis, which usually manifests on the skin of a person in a form of red lesions of various sizes covered with silvery scales.

2-3% of the world population has psoriasis, which may develop at any age - from infancy to elderly years.

For most psoriasis sufferer's psoriasis is a very cosmetically disturbing skin disorder. For a small amount of people psoriasis may also bring severe pain in the form of a psoriatic arthritis. Psoriasis may also implicate nails, and in the rarest cases - even the mucous membranes.

Unlikely as it may seem, psoriasis may be of a certain benefit to a human.

Certain deviations that are found in the blood serum of the people with psoriasis precede the actual psoriasis manifestations. These deviations distinguish the people with psoriasis from the people without psoriasis.

One of the most notable deviations is a very high level of the uric acid in the blood serum of the people with psoriasis, which is present even if there is no skin, joint or nail psoriasis manifestations.

Uric acid was first discovered in the urine, and thus it has received its name. However, uric acid is also found in the blood, sweat and the brain of any human being. About 5-8% of the Earth population has a higher level of uric acid in their body.

So what benefits does a person with the elevated levels of the uric acid possess compared to a person with the normal or lowered levels of uric acid?

Studies performed on the people with gout - a condition when the high levels of uric acid turn into crystals and bring on the pains in the joints - have revealed that the people with the high levels of uric acid are almost 100% protected from various degenerative disorders of the Central Nervous System (CNS), such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease and Schizophrenia.

Multiple Sclerosis is a degenerative autoimmune disorder when the CNS is attacked by the immune system of the body, leading to the disruption of the electrical signals originating from the brain and traveling to other parts of the body. This eventually leads to a loss of the ability to speak, write and walk.

Parkinson's disease is another degenerative autoimmune disorder characterized by impaired speech skills, rapid tremors and difficulties with walking, movement, and coordination. People with the Parkinson's disease may also have drooling and an infrequent blinking. In 15-20% of the cases there will also be dementia.

Alzheimer's disease is the disorder of the Central Nervous System predominantly characterized by a memory loss and a general loss of intellectual ability. Other symptoms include personality changes, speech impairment, disorientation and apathy.

Schizophrenia is yet another degenerative Central Nervous System disorder, characterized by the appearance of hearing and visual hallucinations, paranoia and other deviations in the perception of the external world. Schizophrenia affects the speaking and the thinking abilities as well as the emotional state of the sufferer.

Well, it turns out that the people with psoriasis, as well as the people with gout (based on various studies) are very lucky to be protected from these debilitating CNS disorders by the high levels of the uric acid in their blood.

Arthritis Treatment: New Investigations Into Stem Cells for Osteoarthritis Treatment

Osteoarthritis has been viewed as a condition that is due to imbalance between destructive and reparative processes involving articular cartilage. This is the "gristle" that caps the ends of long bones.

Because articular cartilage is devoid of both nerves and blood vessels, it has very little potential for repairing itself after injury.

This lack of repair ability of weight-bearing articular cartilage and the associated bone changes underlying the cartilage are considered critical to the progression of the disease.

Recent findings by a number of researchers have suggested that what occurs is either a depletion or functional alteration of mesenchymal stem cell (SC) populations in osteoarthritis.

This study of mesenchymal SC function is an ongoing process.

At the same time these investigations into SC alteration has been taking place, other studies looking at possible resolution of cartilage defects with SCs have also taken place.

In one study (Li -J, Tuli R, Okafor C, et al. A three-dimensional nanofibrous scaffold for cartilage tissue engineering using human mesenchymal stem cells. Biomaterials. 2005; 26: 599-609), the authors reiterated the concept that the "utilization of adult SCs in tissue engineering is a promising solution to the problem of tissue or organ shortage."

By way of review, adult bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are undifferentiated, multipotential cells which can become chondrocytes (cartilage cells) when grown in a three-dimensional culture and treated with growth factors.

What the authors did was to make a scaffold of a synthetic biodegradable polymer, and examined its ability to support cartilage growth with MSCs. The experiment lasted 21 days and they determined that MSCs cultured in the presence of growth factors differentiated into an early form of cartilage.

The level of cartilage growth was similar to that seen in other models such as ones using cell aggregates or pellets, a widely used culture protocol for studying MSCs. In fact the mechanical properties of the nanofibers were superior to that seen with the pellet model.

In a related article (Noth U, Tuli R, Osyczka AM. In Vitro engineered cartilage constructs produced by press-coating biodegradable polymer with human mesenchymal stem cells. Tissue Engineering. 2002, 8(1): 131-144), researchers used pellets of MSCs that were pressed into polymer blocks. These press-coated pellets formed cell layers composed of cartilage-like cells. The superficial layer resembled the architecture seen in hyaline cartilage, the ideal type of cartilage.

This model may allow the formation of hyaline cartilage implants without having to resort to harvesting cartilage cells from intact cartilage surfaces. The authors stated these "constructs may be applicable as prototypes for the reconstruction of articular cartilage defects in humans."

Achieve Freedom From Arthritis Pain

Millions of people are suffering from arthritis. Arthritis is a disease of the joints and the tissues that surrounds the joints. Arthritis is the inflammation of the joints that leads to painful swelling and stiffness in and around the joints. Living with this kind of disease can rob you of your active and productive life. In severe cases, sufferers will find it hard to perform even the simplest tasks like walking.

Arthritis is commonly associated with old age because the risk of developing arthritis increases with age. The natural wear and tear of muscles and joints comes with age but age is not the only factor that affects the occurrence of arthritis. Other causes of arthritis include autoimmune disease, bone injury, obesity or being overweight, bacterial or viral infections and genetics.

The pain and discomfort of arthritis can affect your everyday life. It is important to find the best treatment that will work for you to achieve freedom from arthritis pain and improve the quality of your life.

Seek professional help. It is important to consult your doctor at the first sign of joint inflammation. Depending on the cause of the arthritis, your doctor may recommend the necessary treatment plan for you to achieve freedom from arthritis pain. Treatments may include medications and therapy. It is important to take medications under the supervision of your doctor. Surgery is always the last resort.

Stress management. Stress plays an important role when it comes to our health. Dealing with painful arthritis and living with the frustrations and physical limitations brought by arthritis can be very stressful. Stress can worsen the pain brought by arthritis. There are many ways to reduce your stress level like deep breathing, relaxation techniques and counseling or joining a support group.

Diet modification. Diet plays an important role in the condition of our body. There are foods that can trigger arthritis. It is important to keep a journal and take note of the foods that can trigger your arthritis. Once you identified your problem foods, it is best to avoid them to achieve freedom from arthritis pain. It is important to eat a well balanced diet for your overall health but it may be necessary to avoid those foods that can trigger your arthritis if you want to achieve freedom from arthritis pain. If you are taking medications, alcohol drinking may have a negative reaction to your medicine, so talk to your doctor about it.

Rest the inflamed joints. When you are having arthritis attack, it is important to rest and relax the sore joints once in a while to reduce the pain. You should avoid movements that can put extra stress and pressure on your joints. Rest does not mean you have to be stagnant and motionless because prolonged rest and inactivity aggravates arthritis.

Exercise. It is important to take a rest while you are having arthritis attack but exercise is also important when your arthritis is not on its active state. Keep an active life to maintain healthy muscles and bones. Of course you also have to consider your limitations before engaging in any exercise activity. Low impact aerobics, swimming and walking can be very helpful but it is best to work with a physical therapist to know the best exercise program that will work for you.

Arthritis can be very disabling and it can hinder you from enjoying life. It is important to act now and find the best treatment plan that will work for you. If you have tried almost everything and still suffering from chronic arthritis, do not lose hope because alternative treatments are another option to help you achieve freedom from arthritis pain. Free yourself from arthritis naturally visit Cure Painful Arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief and Cure

Living with the pain is the most difficult thing to accept among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but this is not necessarily true for those people who seek ways for pain relief.

There are traditional and natural treatments as rheumatoid arthritis pain relief. Short-term relievers are drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cortisone-type medications. The use of drugs in the long-term medication has shown negative results among patients as certain complications developed over time.

Examples of these complications are the development of osteoporosis and gastrointestinal problems in the long-term use of aspirin. Side effects such as headaches, vomiting, nausea and gas problems are also among its known negative effects. Cortisone, usually given through injections are harmful in the long run because it promotes dependency as one of its side-effects.

Taking control of the situation is the first step towards rheumatoid arthritis pain relief. It should start with knowing what type of arthritis it is, its causes, symptoms and how to treat it. Get to know the medical terms that are used to refer to the condition and the other terminologies associated with it.

There have been books which are available in the market written by those who have suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and who found ways on how to eliminate the pain. A detailed outline about the condition and its causes are well explained in the books. These people have found the effective treatments by studying and experimenting on the different methods that help cure arthritis.

Natural rheumatoid arthritis pain relief includes losing weight, proper diet, fish oil, exercise and the use of natural food supplements. Alternative pain relief treatments are hot and cold treatments, positive thinking, relaxation techniques, massage, electrical stimulation, topical lotions and lastly, a good sense of humor.

Heat applications are useful for chronic pain suffered by those with rheumatoid arthritis. There are a lot warming techniques you can experiment on. Sometimes, the use of cognitive behavioral therapy is called for in cases where the physical pain has greatly altered the lifestyle of the patient by affecting his or her emotional and psychological health.

Food supplements are known to be the most effective pain relievers because they actually work on the main cause of the pain to relieve the symptoms such as swelling, redness and pain. Chemicals known to draw fluid to the cartilage to enable the mobility of joints are present in these food supplements such as chondroitin and glucosamine sulfate. One food supplement is available in the market that combines these chemicals to better repair the affected joints.

Arthritis Treatment: Mesenchymal Stem Cells And Growth Factors For Osteoarthritis

As population demographics change with a gradually aging population, certain chronic diseases have become more common. There is a confluence of factors though that will make the management of chronic disease assume a greater level of importance. This is because not only are people living longer but they are maintaining a level of activity far greater than their parents and grandparents. This is most evident in the management of osteoarthritis where the incidence of joint replacement surgery is skyrocketing as Boomers demand a lifestyle which their forebears could only dream about.

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

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

With the development of OA, a distinct change in the joint environment occurs. Chondrocytes begin to elaborate destructive enzymes causing cracks and fissures in the cartilage. These are called "fibrillations." A complex interplay of events involving cartilage, bone, and synovium- the lining of the joint- then begins to snowball.

One of the most common joints affected by osteoarthritis is the knee. This is not a surprise since OA preferentially attacks weight-bearing joints.

Between symptomatic treatment and joint replacement surgery is a large gap in treatment measures. One area of recent interest is the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the management of OA. MSCs are the body's own stem cells which are found in many areas including bone marrow and fat. MSCs have the ability to differentiate into connective tissue of which cartilage is a prime example. Other types of connective tissue that MSCs have been shown to develop into are tendon, ligament, muscle, nerve, and intervertebral disc.

MSCs are active in the repair process when any type of connective tissue is injured. In degenerative disease like OA, the ability of stem cells may be depleted with less ability to differentiate and multiply. Animal studies have demonstrated that supplying additional MSCs may overcome this problem leading to healing and cartilage regeneration.

At least one human study in a small number of patients with OA of the knee has shown promising results using MSCs derived from bone marrow and fat. (Wei N, Beard S, Delauter S, Bitner C, Gillis R, Rau L, Miller C, Clark T. Guided Mesenchymal Stem Cell Layering Technique for Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee. J Applied Res. 2011; 11: 44-48)

Combining MSCs with autologous growth factors found in platelet-rich plasma also has added a boost to the natural abilities of stem cells to multiply and divide.

Multiple centers now are applying these principles.

What most centers lack though is the knowledge of what initiates stem cell multiplication and division.

MSCs are stimulated to "go into action" when the critical initiating event, injury is initiated. Injury is what attracts stem cells and injury is what leads to the release of growth factors from platelets. That is why induction of injury by removal of osteophytes, scarification of bare bone, and fenestration of cartilage defects is absolutely crucial for cartilage regeneration to occur.

This is best done using a combination of arthroscopic and ultrasound guidance means.

In addition, providing the proper environment for the MSCs to thrive afterwards is also critical. The osteoarthritic joint is a hostile environment. Multiple measures need to be instituted so that proper survival of MSCs occurs. Institution of effective scaffolding is critical.

Arthritis Treatment: Gouty Arthritis - A Serious and Deadly Disease

Elevated blood uric acid and gout are common conditions in the United States. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2008 (NHANES) has indicated that gout affects almost 4 percent of the population.

That's 8.3 million people. But more disturbing is the fact that gout incidence has more than doubled in the last couple of decades. There are many reasons for this including the rising incidence of other medical conditions that are risk factors for gout. These diseases include elevated blood lipids, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. The sum total of these conditions is often referred to as the "metabolic syndrome." The metabolic syndrome appears to be the end result of lifestyle choices that are commonplace in the United States.

The economic burden of gout is tremendous and is due to increased frequency of emergency room services, increased doctor visits, and the costs of medications. In addition, as has been described earlier, gout is associated with other common medical conditions that also carry a hefty price tag.

While most people perceive gout as being just a painful form of arthritis, it is more than that. Because of its association with the above medical conditions, it is now recognized as a substantial risk factor for death due to cardiovascular disease. What is more surprising is that this elevated risk is independent of these other factors including the presence of high blood pressure, diabetes, age, gender, and elevated blood lipid levels.

Another disturbing association is gout and kidney disease. Many people with gout have kidneys that don't function at 100 per cent efficiency. Since uric acid is excreted through the kidneys, the eventual result is that there is less uric acid excretion and therefore gradual accumulation leading to elevated blood levels of uric acid. This sets up a vicious cycle since elevated blood levels of uric acid can make the kidney disease worse. Uric acid has been shown to causes inflammation of blood vessels which could contribute to the kidney damage as well as possibly to the cardiac issues described earlier.

Roughly, 60 per cent of people with gout have some degree of kidney dysfunction. The problem is that medications used to treat acute gout attacks such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and colchicine may have an adverse effect on kidney function. Also, the traditional medicine employed for reducing serum uric acid, allopurinol, also must have dose adjustments made in the presence of kidney abnormalities.

It is clear that gouty arthritis is a public health issue that causes significant morbidity as well as mortality and must be addressed more aggressively.

Arthritis Treatment: Important Information About Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a common form of soft tissue rheumatism that affects anywhere from six to 12 million Americans. That's roughly 2-4 per cent of the population.

While FM affects members of both genders, ninety percent of FM suffers are female.

Symptoms of the affliction include chronic widespread pain, generalized tenderness, chronic fatigue, and non-restorative sleep (a patient will wake up feeling as if they haven't slept). In addition other symptoms such as headache, blurred or double vision, short term memory deficit, ringing in the ears, swallowing difficulty, chest pains, shortness of breath, numbness and tingling in the arms or legs, irritable bowel and irritable bladder can also occur.

Symptoms often wax and wane and the unpredictability of symptoms makes it extremely difficult to perform simple activities of daily living such as taking care of household chores or working.

While the exact cause of the condition is unknown, it is felt that central nervous system neurotransmitters- chemical reactions in the brain- may play a role. Changes in the ascending and descending nerve pathways that govern the ability to perceive pain are almost certainly involved.

The diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made by taking a careful history and doing an equally detailed physical examination. Generally speaking, the diagnosis of the malady is one of exclusion meaning it is important to make sure a patient doesn't have another condition that can mimic fibromyalgia. Examples include hypothyroidism, Lyme disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, polymyalgia rheumatic, and rheumatoid arthritis.

Unfortunately, there is no definitive objective marker for the disease. Diagnostic criteria formulated by the American College of Rheumatology include the presence of widespread pain lasting more than three months and the presence of pain in eleven of eighteen tender points in all four quadrants of the body.

Laboratory tests can help exclude other conditions that can look like FM. Patients with the condition are often seen by a number of different physicians in many specialties before the diagnosis is made. In fact, estimates have been made suggesting it takes an average of five years before a patient with fibromyalgia gets diagnosed.

More disturbing is that according to recent statistics, more than 70 per cent of people with FM have not been diagnosed.

The condition is treatable and involves the triad of medications that have neuro-modulating effects, low impact aerobic exercise, and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Some people have suggested that diet may also play a role in that certain foods may trigger flares in susceptible people.