Don't Take Arthritis Lying Down - Chiropractic Care For Arthritis

Many of us will suffer with "arthritis" sooner or later in our lives. The word arthritis means "joint inflammation" and is usually used in reference to rheumatic diseases. Rheumatic diseases include over 100 different conditions including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and gout.

The most common age at onset is middle age and is more prevalent in old age, but it can also start as a child. This is known as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of joint range of motion. The symptoms often present symmetrically, for example both wrists or both ankles. The joint symptoms can resemble the symptoms of an infection in that there is redness, tenderness, swelling and heat. The wrists and proximal finger joints are the most often afflicted but spinal joints in the neck, shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, ankle and the joints of the feet can be affected too.

Rheumatoid arthritis is variable in its presentation. The symptoms can flare-up and then have periods of time when they go completely away. There can be systemic symptoms of fatigue and the disease can effect other parts of the body, not only the joints. In severe forms joint damage can result resulting in permanent disability.

Exercise is extremely important to help manage this disease and its effects on your joints. Exercise helps maintain flexibility, muscle strength, joint mobility, endurance and helps to control weight.

When acute flare-ups occur treatment should be directed a reducing joint swelling, inflammation and controlling joint damage. This could involve periods of rest and immobilization of a joint. However, as soon as possible patients should be directed toward exercises that will help maintain normal joint movement and increase joint flexibility. Range of motion exercises like stretching can be done daily and should be done at least every other day.

Strengthening exercises can be done every other day in the absence of severe pain and swelling. Using light weights or resistance bands can help improve muscle strength which is important to support and protect joints affected by arthritis.

Swimming is an excellent form of aerobic exercise to help improve the cardiovascular system, increase muscle tone and control weight-all with less stress on the joints. Walking and bicycle riding are also good alternatives. Aerobic exercise should be done for 20 to 30 minutes three times per week in the absence of severe symptoms.

Any increases in fatigue, weakness, loss of range of motion, joint swelling or pain lasting more than an hour after exercise should be evaluated by your health care provider.

Your chiropractic for arthritis is also well trained in nutrition for the arthritis patient. Proper nutrition can play a role in controlling inflammation. Eating foods high in the right kinds of fatty acids can reduce joint pain and swelling. Salmon, tuna and halibut are some foods rich in fatty acids. Spices like turmeric and ginger have been shown to reduce inflammation. Eating foods that don't trigger an allergic response and diets that are vegetarian can also help control the pain of arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms and Causes

The cause or causes of arthritis are oftentimes difficult to determine because there are many factors that contribute to the development of this common disease.

Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage. Cartilage normally protects the joint, allowing for smooth movement. Cartilage also absorbs shock when pressure is placed on the joint, like when you walk. Without the usual amount of cartilage, the bones rub together, causing pain, swelling (inflammation), and stiffness.

You may have joint inflammation for a variety of reasons, including:

* Broken bone
* Infection (usually caused by bacteria or viruses)
* An autoimmune disease (the body attacks itself because the immune system believes a body part is foreign)
* General "wear and tear" on joints

Often, the inflammation goes away after the injury has healed, the disease is treated, or the infection has been cleared.

With some injuries and diseases, the inflammation does not go away or destruction results in long-term pain and deformity.

When this happens, you have chronic arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common type and is more likely to occur as you age.

You may feel it in any of your joints, but most commonly in your hips, knees or fingers. Risk factors for osteoarthritis include:

* Being overweight
* Previously injuring the affected joint
* Using the affected joint in a repetitive action that puts stress on the joint (baseball players, ballet dancers, and construction workers are all at risk)

Arthritis can occur in men and women of all ages. About 37 million people in America have arthritis of some kind, which is almost 1 out of every 7 people.

Other types or cause of arthritis include:

* Rheumatoid arthritis (in adults)
* Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (in children)
* Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
* Gout
* Scleroderma
* Psoriatic arthritis
* Ankylosing spondylitis
* Reiter's syndrome (reactive arthritis)
* Adult Still's disease
* Viral arthritis
* Gonococcal arthritis
* Other bacterial infections (non-gonococcal bacterial arthritis )
* Tertiary Lyme disease (the late stage)
* Tuberculous arthritis
* Fungal infections such as blastomycosis

Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptom

If you have arthritis, you may experience:

* Joint pain
* Joint swelling
* Stiffness, especially in the morning
* Warmth around a joint
* Redness of the skin around a joint
* Reduced ability to move the joint

Self-destructive immune response of R.A may be caused by a combination of genetic susceptibility and an environmental trigger. Changing hormones may also play an important role in disease, possibly in response to an infection of the environment.

More than one gene has been linked to the risk of R.A. Specific genes may increase the likelihood of a person developing the disease, and could also partly determine how serious his condition is. However, because not all people with a genetic predisposition to rheumatoid arthritis actually have the disease, other factors should be important.

A specific environmental trigger has not been found, but some research suggests that infection by a virus or bacterium leads to rheumatoid arthritis in people genetically susceptible. That does not mean that rheumatoid arthritis is contagious. People with rheumatoid arthritis appear to have more antibodies in the synovial fluid in their joints, suggesting that there may be an infection. Low levels of hormones of the adrenal gland are common in people with rheumatoid arthritis, but how hormones interact with genetic and environmental factors is unknown. Changes hormone can contribute to the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis may occur independently of other conditions, but its causes and its relationship with other diseases are not well understood. A different way of chronic arthritis can sometimes develop in rheumatoid arthritis. It is also possible that infections or other environmental triggers exist that may cause rheumatoid arthritis in people who already have a gene for the disease.

Common Arthritis Symptoms

Arthritis affects millions of elderly people daily as it interferes with their daily tasks such as doing household chores, gardening or even simply using walking in short distances. Even necessary movements such as reaching for objects, using gadgets like scissors or knives, or holding the rails of stairs when climbing. This happens because arthritis symptoms are usually painful as caused by the damaged joints from year of wear and tear. As a result, the joints are inflamed and people are somehow immobilized since certain parts of the body like hands, knees, hips and back have become stiff. A little physical exertion on their part would cause so much pain.

Understanding early onset of arthritis symptoms can make us prepare for the onset of this disease. Also, as soon as arthritis symptoms are detected we can immediately consult a health professional to give us proper medical advice about arthritis. Although there are many types of arthritis classified with rheumatoid arthritis as the most common, the symptoms are basically the same.

Common arthritis symptoms signifies pain that is located near the joints. The Mayo Clinic pointed out these symptoms as: joint pain, swelling of the joints, joints feel tender to touch, red and puffy hands, general feeling of weakness or fatigue, fever, loss of weight and firm bumps of tissue under the skin of the arms commonly known as "rheumatoid nodules". It is very common from arthritis sufferers to experience morning stiffness that can last for some hours thereby preventing them from walking or using their hands for simple tasks. Indeed, arthritis can be debilitating for an elderly.

The arthritis symptoms are felt first occurring in smaller joints of the body like the hands, wrists and ankles. Later on, the ailments develop and pain is also felt in larger parts of the body such as elbows, knees, hips, arms, shoulders, as well as the neck. Arthritis symptoms occur symmetrically most of the time, so for example, both legs feel the pain which is a burden. Another thing about arthritis symptoms is that are not chronic and pain can disappear for some time. Although this rest periods offer relief, arthritis would come again as soon as the joints become swollen.

Reduce Arthritis Pain With Super Foods

Arthritis affects about one in every five people in the United States according to the National Institutes of Health, That's a lot of people... and as the population ages it will be even more people.

Actually, Arthritis is not one single disease but a category that includes many conditions and disorders that involve your joints. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common of these diseases.

Most of us don't realize how much good nutrition may improve the way we feel. Many doctors don't support nutrition as part of the treatment for arthritis because they feel the clinical evidence is not strong enough for them to suggest it to patients. Even so there are a few studies that show there are foods that can irritate arthritis (saturated fat, trans fat) and make it worse and there are some foods that can help ease the pain.

Here are a few of the foods that can improve the way you feel with arthritis:

Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids

Omega-3s help decrease inflammation by suppressing the production of cytokines (Cytokines are small secreted proteins which help regulate immunity and inflammation.) and other enzymes that erode cartilage. Several studies report that omega-3 fish oils can reduce the painful symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. There is not much evidence whether fish oil can affect osteoarthritis, but most physicians recommend a omega-3 rich diet because it has such positive effects. Foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids are salmon, herring, sardines, flaxseed, trout and walnuts.

Foods that contain extra-virgin olive oil and canola oil

Cooking with olive oil instead of vegetable oil or butter is good for you because olive oil is the good, monounsaturated fat. It protects your body against inflammation because it contains antioxidants called polyphenols ( Polyphenols act as antioxidants. They protect cells and body chemicals against damage caused by free radicals and reactive atoms that contribute to tissue damage in the body.) Be careful, however, not to pour it on. It is an oil and has calories.

Antioxidants - vitamin C, selenium, carotenes, bioflavonoid

Free radicals develop from inflammation in response to your body's natural processes. Antioxidants protect the body from the effects of free radicals and are an important part of an anti-inflammation diet. Some of the important free radicals are:

Vitamin C:

Vitamin C is important for the production of collagen which is a major component of cartilage. People who eat a low vitamin C diet are at a higher risk of developing arthritis. On the other hand, long-term high-dose vitamin C supplements may make osteoarthritis worse. That's one of the reasons why many doctors recommend that their patients get their vitamin C from food sources rather than from supplements. Foods which are a good source of vitamin C include: guava, sweet peppers, organs, grapefruits, broccoli, kale, kiwi, brussel sprouts and mustard greens.

Selenium:

Patients with low levels of selenium are more at risk for severe arthritis
compared with those who ate a selenium-rich diet. Good foods containing selenium are: tuna, crab, lean beef, shrimp, whole grains, turkey and wheat germ.

Carotenes:

Many fruits and vegetables contain carotenoids, a group of powerful antioxidants. Carotene is the best known among them . Some of the best foods for beta carotene include: sweet potato, carrots, kale, spinach, sweet red pepper, apricots and cantaloupe. Research in the U.K. found that people who ate diets high in carotenes were half as likely to develop inflammatory arthritis.

Bioflavonoids - quercetin and anthocyanidins:

These are both antioxidants. The anti-inflammatory effects of quercetin are similar to medications such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Good sources for quercetin are: onions, leeks, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, and apricots, The anti-inflammatory anthocyanidins seem to inhibit the production of certain inflammatory chemicals. Good food sources for this antioxidant are blueberries, eggplant, cherries, strawberries and plums.

Spices - ginger and turmeric

Spices, like salt, are a part of nutrition. They are derived from plant sources and they can have positive effects on your health. Some spices, like ginger and turmeric, have anti-inflammatory effects and can reduce arthritic discomfort. However, ginger can also act as a blood thinner so those taking a blood-thinning medication should discuss adding ginger to their diet with their physician before they do anything.

To incorporate more ginger into your diet, grate fresh ginger into stir fries, or enjoy ginger tea and low-fat ginger muffins.

Always eliminate the possibility of a food allergy if you're trying something new. To reduce your pain from arthritis, avoid meet, eat lots of foods with fish oils and include ginger in your diet.

There are dozens of foods that can ease the symptoms of arthritis and probably help prevent it in the first place. Hopefully, these suggestions will give you some relief.

Using a Far Infrared Sauna As an Arthritis Treatment

If you read my last article on using Far Infrared Portable Saunas as a means to combat your body aging, then you may already see where I'm going with this. But let's summarize real quick for those of you who are new.

Last time I wrote about how the human body at the tissue level is made up of proteins which happen to be polymers. And polymers can be heat treated to remove defects, soften the tissues and repair damaged material. Since human tissue is a polymer then human tissue can also be heat treated using Far Infrared Portable Saunas to repair damaged tissues, imperfections, and soften the tissues, which restores them to a more natural and healthy state. For more info please take a look at the links at the end of this article.

Well if you're familiar with Arthritis then you probably know that there are tons of different types, but mostly they all involve damaged cartilage and tissues in the joints, along with inflammation and severe pain. The inflammation comes from the damaged fiber particles from the joints blocking fluid movement in the joint. This causes swelling (inflammation) and heat in the joint from the fluid friction caused by the blocked passages. Between the swelling, pressure and damaged tissues there is considerable pain. There are all types of treatments, including drugs, dietary, physical therapy and more. But none of these treatments help repair the damaged tissues or cure the Arthritis. They mainly deal with helping reduce the pain and the inflammation or in the case of dietary treatments, reducing the weight placed on the joints in order to lessen the damage being caused. Physical therapy is highly recommended as it helps increase the joint tissues strength and flexibility while stimulating your body's metabolism and its natural defenses.

What You need to know is that since the tissues are hardening and defects are being created due to the damage being done the use of heat via a Far Infrared Portable Sauna can help anneal the damaged joint tissues. This will help soften the tissues, increase the strengthening caused by physical therapy, help remove defects and lessen the effects of Arthritis on the victim.

I will advise caution in one area though, if you use a Far Infrared Portable Sauna to help as an Arthritis Treatment you need to be careful of the inflammation as the sauna heat may make it worse during an episode of bad swelling. Typically I would recommend a cold ice pack to bring down the swelling in a soft tissue injury but since the damage is in the joints cartilage, heat may help as it will expand the fluid passages in your joints. But if you try the heat during a bad case of inflammation and it seems to make it worse, then stop and try a cold treatment. The Far Infrared Sauna is probably most beneficial if used when there's little or no inflammation so that it doesn't make the inflammation worse. The Far Infrared Portable sauna should be able to help repair the damaged joint tissues and increase your flexibility and reduce the affects of Arthritis in the joint by annealing the polymers that make up your bodies tissues.

Since physical therapy is so highly recommended I would suggest that you use the Far Infrared Portable Sauna as a quick warm up of your muscles as it only takes 5 minutes to come up to temperature. Just turn your sauna on and sit in it for 10 minutes to warm yourself up prior to physical therapy. Then when your exercises are done get back in and cook for 20 minutes then turn off the Far Infrared Portable Sauna and just relax in it for 15 minutes while your body slowly cools down. Then don't take a cold shower, but a warm shower would be fine. Cooling down to room temperature slowly is very important because during the cool down is when the polymer molecules are reforming, and a slow gradual cool down lets them do it without defects.

Hot packs are not an effective means of putting heat into a joint, they are slow and the heat doesn't penetrate well as the heat is only transmitted via conduction. Heat by conduction alone creates a heat gradient in the tissue, which means un-even heating as the heat isn't the same at all levels of the tissue. The heat that does manage to penetrate is so low that it's not effective and if you got the heat source hot enough to be affective then the outside heat may damage the skin. It just isn't a good way to get heat where you want it.

But a Far Infrared Portable Sauna is affordable, easy to use and most importantly the infrared rays emitted by the sauna will penetrate your body and be absorbed evenly within the joint tissues at a mild temperature that won't damage your tissues. Also, you'll be helping treat the other tissues of your body that a normal heat pad wouldn't touch. Don't forget your bodies a complete system, if you suffer from Arthritis in one area of your body then other areas are susceptible. At the very least the Arthritis pain you're currently dealing with is producing toxins that aren't helping your body. Relaxing in a Far Infrared Portable Sauna is a method to help combat the additional stresses placed on the body to help prevent Arthritis spreading to other joints.

In conclusion remember that a Far Infrared Portable Sauna is an emerging method for applying heat therapy for people who suffer from Arthritis. Heat therapy has been recommended by Doctors for years now there's an effective way to get the heat to the tissues that need it.

What Is Psoriatic Arthritis?

Most people aren't aware of the fact that there are over one hundred different kinds of arthritis, and each one comes with its own unique set of symptoms. One of the lesser known forms or arthritis is called psoriatic arthritis. This type of arthritis is associated with psoriasis, a skin condition that is evidenced by red, raised or patchy areas of skin as well as the classic joint pain symptoms that are common to just about all forms of arthritis.

While this type of arthritis usually doesn't develop before the 30s, it has been known to afflict all age groups, up until the age of 50 or so. The condition is not gender specific, although it may be considered hereditary, as parents or siblings with the disease show a high rate of development in family members.

Knowing and understanding the signs of psoriatic arthritis are an important first step toward finding adequate treatment measures, for both the psoriasis and the arthritis. This may be easier said than done however, as many people experience different symptoms, at different rates, and flare-up occurrences typically delay treatment.

Many people go for years without being diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis because the symptoms can come and go. Only recently has the disease been recognized as both progressive and with the ability to worsen from mild to severe forms. In some, chronic pain and inflammation of joints offers early detection of the disease, but its similarity with several other types of arthritis often make diagnosis difficult.

Psoriatic arthritis is considered an arthritis that will affect the spine, and may also mirror the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Most often, pain and swelling is noticed in the wrists, knees and ankles, as well as fingers and toes.

In some, swelling at the tips of digits creates an almost sausage-like appearance. Many people suffering from this type of arthritis feel pain in their lower back, as well as buttocks, accompanied with grey, scaly areas on the scalp, elbows and knees.

Five types of psoriatic arthritis exist, which may often overlap in one individual. Determining what you are suffering from takes the expertise of a physician, and more often than not, patients are referred to a rheumatologist. Only an expert will be able to tell you whether you suffer from one type or another.

Some forms of this disease occur on one side of the body only, while others develop on both sides. Other forms of this type of arthritis can affect the spine, while another form, Arthritis Mulitans Type Psoriatic Arthritis, while rare, can be severe as well as disabling.

If you feel that you might be suffering from any form of arthritis, keep a list of your symptoms, when they occur, as well as how long you have been feeling pain or have noticed warmth or swelling in your joints. While there is no cure for arthritis, with a proper treatment plan and perhaps even medications, most people diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis lead otherwise normal, healthy lifestyles.

Adjustable Air Beds For Arthritis Pain

Your mattress is the most important piece of furniture in your home. Why? Simply because you spend a third of your life sleeping. Therefore, if you a sufferer of arthritis pain your mattress has to be supportive and pressure relieving. An innerspring mattress can provide support, however, can create uncomfortable pressure points and body impressions.

With technology these days an adjustable air bed is one of the top preferred sleep systems for pressure relief and body support. Imagine a mattress that is so innovative in design that is has the combination of advanced convoluted comfort layers of material for pressure relief and adjustable air bladders for advanced support. In addition, fifty different personalized comfort settings. You can actually adjust your air bed to your very own customized comfort level. Sound to good to be true?

It gets even better. Adjustable air beds come with the most advanced latex and memory foam layers with three to five zoned convoluted support. Relieving pressure off your sore aching hips and shoulders by up to fifty percent and supporting your back and legs by sixty percent more than a traditional mattress. Furthermore, the advanced comfort layers of material are body impression resistant.

Adjustable air beds are widely used in hospitals around the world for bed ridden patients. Why? An adjustable air bed is the only bed that can be adjusted to a particular comfort level, therefore speeding up the recovery process by eliminating pressure and providing proper support for the patient. Allowing proper circulation and blood flow throughout the body increases blood oxygen levels, therefore increasing a more speedy recovery. That's why it makes perfect sense if you suffer from arthritis pain an adjustable air mattress would be the ultimate source to give you the pain relief and a more rejuvenating nights sleep.

So imagine waking up in the morning feeling more refreshed and alert ready to take on the day with joy and less pain. Sure medications are available and should be used when prescribed by your Doctor. Nonetheless, your medications probably have side effects that cause other underlying health problems. Bottom line is that if you can naturally eliminate a fraction of your pain and lower your doses or even eliminate your medication simply by investing in an adjustable air bed. That alone would be worth it. Sometimes it is the smallest adjustments in our lives that you see the greatest results.

Suffering from arthritis pain is not taken lightly and limits the activities that you enjoy. Getting your life back starts with giving your body the proper rest and rejuvenation it needs to reduce your pain. Therefore, reducing your stress and managing your pain will give you back the quality of life you deserve. An adjustable air bed will be one of the best investments you can make in your lifestyle and well-being.