Basic Types of Arthritis

Arthritis literally means "joint inflammation". The word comes from the Greek words arthro meaning "joint" and -itis meaning "inflammation". Arthritis can occur in any joint in the body, from the small joints of the fingers to the major joints, such as the hips or knees. The two main types of arthritis are degenerative, meaning it is caused by excessive use of the joint, or autoimmune, meaning the immune system attacks the joints, believing them to be disease-causing cells. There are other types, including some caused by an infection of the joint or by the body depositing different substances in the joint, which can cause inflammation. The inflammation, regardless of its cause, can lead to swelling, pain and stiffness. This pain and stiffness can cause movement loss and limit the normal day to day activities of an arthritis patient. However, with treatment, the pain and stiffness can be managed and most daily activities can be accomplished.

Degenerative arthritis types are caused by excessive use of the joint. This means it is more often seen in the elderly than other age groups. However, people who use a joint a lot, such as sports players or factory workers that perform repetitive movements all day may also develop any of the degenerative arthritis types. The degeneration is caused when the tissues surrounding the joint become worn and unable to work properly. The degeneration can be treated with glucocorticoid injections and the pain can be managed with over the counter pain medicines such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

Autoimmune arthritis types occur when a person's immune system attacks their joints. The most common types of autoimmune arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis. The treatment for these diseases is similar; both rely heavily on controlling the inflammation and preventing joint damage. This can be accomplished using either non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). DMARDs are thought to improve rheumatoid arthritis by interrupting the cycle of inflammation and joint damage. Once the inflammation is under control, many people find that their pain decreases to a manageable level. This is done with over the counter pain medications.

Some arthritis, such as septic arthritis, is caused by a joint infection. This is usually treated with antibiotics to get rid of the infection and mild painkillers to manage the pain until the infection and resulting inflammation, has cleared up. Patients usually recover fully from septic arthritis, although many may develop a form of degenerative arthritis later in life. Another type of arthritis is caused by deposits of certain molecules in the joints. This is either gout or calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition disease, CPPD. Gout is caused by deposits of uric acid crystals in the joint. With CPPD, the body deposits calcium pyrophosphate crystals in the joint. Treatment is usually aimed at preventing any more crystal formation and controlling symptoms of deposited crystals. For a single joint this is accomplished by draining the fluid off the joint and injecting corticosteroid, while taking NSAIDs to control the pain. When multiple joints are affected, corticosteroid injection is impractical so an oral course of corticosteroidal treatment is followed. Gout can also be controlled through dietary changes.

How To Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis manifests itself in different ways. One person with rheumatoid arthritis may exhibit symptoms quite different from those seen in other patients. Because of this, a physician will usually observe the disease on a case-by-case basis and set his plan of treatment according to the individual patient situation. No single detailed plan of treatment can be laid out which will benefit every case. Certain medications may work wonders for one case but may not provide a cure for others and in many cases the more potent the medicines are, the more hazardous the accompanying side effects can be. The physician should use his wise judgment and weigh the benefits that will be gained from such medications against the hazards these render to the patient.

This type of arthritis follows different stages. The early stage is often characterized by the destruction of the joint tissues. In the chronic stage, the patient retains and suffers the handicap brought by the early stage.

Treatment therefore should be directed towards the prevention or reduction of any debilitating damage that usually occurs during the early stage of rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment should also include patient rehabilitation. This will enable restoration of the patient's lost functions damaged during the early stage of the disease.

Experts have laid down a basic program that can help people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis especially during the early stages. Most often, this will benefit patients suffering either the severe or less severe form of rheumatoid arthritis. This program may even control the disease for a long period of time especially in less severe cases.

1. A patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis should avoid damaging the joints involved. He should avoid stressful activities and should take ample rest by reducing his activities in order to conserve his vitality. Rest is one vital regimen patients suffering from this disease should take.

2. The patient should be able to adjust to his physical condition and should learn about the nature of his disease. He should be able to accept the disability that comes along with rheumatoid arthritis. Psychological adjustment will enable him to become reconciled with his handicap and should make him plan for his future and still become productive.

3. Pain relief is very important in the management of rheumatoid arthritis. This is usually done by the use of dry heat to the affected parts of the body. Pain relievers such as aspirin are often used as well.

4. Patients who are often taking aspirin to relieve the pain should be periodically checked for anemia. Aspirin can produce damaging effects on the blood-forming tissues that can result into anemia.

5. Patients should undergo therapeutic exercises in order to keep the affected muscles in good condition and prevent or reduce deformity to the area. These will also help maintain the patient's vitality.

6. People who are suffering from rheumatoid arthritis should maintain a well balanced diet. This will provide him the necessary nutrients in order to have good health and maintain his vitality as much as possible. His diet should include plenty of vegetables and fruits.

Patients who are suffering from the more severe cases of rheumatoid arthritis and especially the progressive type should add more drastic program of treatment which should include:

1. An intensive physical and occupational therapy.

2. Some orthopedic devices such as splints can help prevent or reduce deformities.

3. The use of more potent drugs can provide the necessary pain relief. These include the more powerful anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics. Other medicines like corticosteroids, indomethacin and phenylbutazone can also be used.

4. Orthopedic surgery may be performed in some selected cases in order to prevent devastating disability and deformities.

The patient should still make himself useful and productive despite the incapacities caused by the disease. He should learn to accept the disabilities but at the same time understand that there is still a good life ahead despite these physical changes.

Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis - How to Deal With Pain Without Drugs?

Rheumatoid arthritis is not caused by aging, instead this condition is caused when your immune system starts to attack your joints for an unknown reason. When your immune system attacks these areas inflammation results, and this causes pain, problems with joint movement and function, tissue and bone damage, deformities, and even fatigue and a higher temperature. This fever affects the entire body, not just the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can be extremely painful, and affects all ages and ethnic backgrounds. Because of the pain, which can be debilitating at times, many people take narcotic pain medications or other drugs to become more comfortable and increase their movement ability. It is possible to manage the pain of this condition without harmful drugs though, and using alternative methods can be just as effective at relieving your symptoms and pain as anything your doctor can prescribe. In addition there are no risky side effects or mental dullness that pain medication may include with drug free treatments.

One very effective technique that can help with rheumatoid arthritis involves the use of heat and cold compresses or packs. Applying heat or cold to the joints that are affected can give you some relief, and the choice will depend on whether the pain is acute or chronic. A general guideline is that cold compresses and ice packs will work best if you suffer from acute pain, while chronic pain will usually respond better to a heat pack or compresses. Another step that can help minimize your discomfort is to exercise as much as you can within your specific physical limitations. If you do not use the joints then they will start to stiffen up, increasing the pain every time you move them. Exercises for range of motion in each joint will prevent this, and help decrease your pain in the long term.

If you have rheumatoid arthritis it is important that you stay positive and upbeat as much as possible. Your mental attitude plays a big part in the pain you experience, and depression can cause pain to be felt more severely. If you start to feel down or have negative thoughts make a conscious effort to reverse this thinking pattern and try to look at any positive things in your life. Laughter is an excellent way to minimize pain from rheumatoid arthritis, and this has been scientifically proven regardless of the cause of the pain. When you laugh your brain releases chemicals which minimize the pain impulses and improve your mood, making the pain seem much more manageable. Fill your life with people who make you laugh and help you stay in a positive frame of mind. Other treatments that do not involve drugs can include massage, acupuncture, relaxation techniques and training, electrical stimulation which increases the natural endorphins released by your brain, topical applications which will decrease the pain sensitivity of the nerves, and others.

Arthritis Treatment: Medicine Strategies For Treating Osteoarthritis

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

Hyaline cartilage consists of 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 circumstances. They are responsible for nourishing the matrix as well.

However, when OA develops, a distinct change in the milieu of the joint environment occurs. Chondrocytes begin to elaborate destructive enzymes causing cracks in the cartilage, the synovium (lining of the joint) becomes inflamed, and the underlying bone becomes hard and forms spurs.

What causes OA to develop is usually injury or trauma. In any event an injury to the joint appears to be the inciting factor. Genetics play a role as well.

The treatment of osteoarthritis usually begins with non-drug therapies such as weight loss, patient education, exercise and physical therapy.

Medications do play a major role in the management of symptoms related to OA.

Acetaminophen is usually recommended as the first line treatment for OA. While it's more effective than placebo, it is less effective than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). Acetaminophen is used much more commonly than NSAIDS. Recent data has shown that its effect on pain from OA is not that great and the long term consequences of acetaminophen usage are not inconsequential. Potential side effects from long term use include kidney damage, hypertension, and possibly stroke. In addition, it is the most common cause of drug-induced liver failure in the United States.

NSAIDS are more effective than acetaminophen for pain control in OA. They are divided into two groups: NSAIDS that are non-selective in regards to cyclooxygenase (the major enzyme pathway that is blocked by these drugs) and selective COX-2 inhibitors (drugs which block the inflammatory cyclooxygenase pathway only).

The COX-2 drugs have a better profile as far as gastrointestinal side effects but both types of NSAIDS carry an increased risk of cardiovascular events.

Topical formulations of NSAIDS containing diclofenac are effective for patients with a limited area of OA. They have a much better gastrointestinal risk profile than oral NSAIDS but do have more dermatological problems associated with their use.

Injections are also helpful. Glucocorticoids are effective for treating pain short term and there is evidence that they also help restore quadriceps muscle (thigh muscle) strength in patients with OA. They should not be administered more often than three times per year per affected joint because of the danger of inducing further cartilage damage.

Injections of hyaluronates, lubricants that reduce OA pain, are also helpful. These are particularly useful in those patients for whom joint replacement surgery is not a viable option.

Another drug is duloxetine (Cymbalta). This was initially approved as a treatment for depression. However, it also has analgesic properties and was approved by the FDA for treatment of chronic musculoskeletal pain related to OA. This drug can be used either alone or in combination with acetaminophen or NSIADS. The side effects are those found typically with antidepressant therapy.

Discovering an Alternative Osteoarthritis Treatment That Will Work

Osteoarthritis treatment can be as complex as the condition itself. Frequently, the response of doctors is prescribe NSAID drugs to address the pain of osteoarthritis; however, it is quite important to note that this damage that osteoarthritis can do to joints can be so great that joint replacement surgery can become necessary. Addressing the pain and potential consequences of osteoarthritis are of paramount importance.

First it is necessary to highlight the fact that losing weight and eating a healthy diet can play an important role in addressing osteoarthritis in general. Losing weight means less stress on the joints, and that can translate into improving your osteoarthritis symptoms and associated pain.

We know that bad food choices can impact health, and this counts for osteoarthritis as well. Foods that cause inflammation, such as processed foods, fast foods and foods from the "nightshade" category of plants should be off limits. These include tomatoes and eggplants among others. In general, a diet rich in most fruits and vegetables will help improve health, add to weight loss and may decrease osteoarthritis inflammation as well.

Discovering alternative approaches for osteoarthritis treatment is one part experimentation and one part giving alternative approaches the necessary time to take effect. Anti-inflammatory drugs work well and they work quickly, but the long term effects of using such drugs should give one pause. Alternative and natural approaches might take longer, but there is far less concern attached with using these approaches.

The spice ginger has long been valued for its ability to reduce inflammation. Spices were amongst the most valued of possessions in the ancient world and for good reason. Spices and herbs were the medicine of the ancient world, and their health benefits were firmly established in the minds of our ancestors. Today, medical research has varied that many spices do indeed have powerful health benefits.

Ginger can be consumed in a surprising number of ways. Ginger tea is, of course, very common and stands as one of the single most consumed beverages in the world. Ginger root can easily be incorporated into a diverse number of meals, and it can also be used to make fresh tea.

In addition to teas and use in meals, ginger is well suited to pill form and is sold as a means of helping with inflammation. Quite often ginger is paired or suggested to be paired with the other great natural anti-inflammatory agent, turmeric. Together these two spices can achieve impressive results.

It should also be noted that ginger and turmeric are two of the most widely used spices and both are considered quite safe. Give these natural options time to work, and you will likely find that they do help provide at least some relief and assistance with your osteoarthritis treatment.

Knee Osteoarthritis, What It Is And How To Live With It

Knee osteoarthritis is complicated by the fact that the knee takes all the load-bearing strain of the full body weight, which in turn makes the condition even more painful. This is a degenerative disease. It often feels worse in the mornings with stiffness that takes time to resolve.

Osteoarthritis, often located in the knee, is the most common form of arthritis to be found in the United States. It differs from rheumatoid arthritis in that, should there be any inflammation present, it is usually not severe.

It is not fully known what causes knee osteoarthritis in the first place. Certainly the cartilage and bone being subjected to mechanical stresses through everyday movements, coupled with the disease being present, make this a particularly difficult and painful form of arthritis.

Knee osteoarthritis can be difficult to treat. One of the characteristics of this condition is the loss of articular cartilage. This has a poor ability to self-heal, which merely exacerbates the problem. People who are overweight or obese naturally have a bigger problem as their increased body weight makes it considerably more difficult for the knee to cope.

Any treatment of the condition must primarily seek to relieve the pain. Sufferers describe the pain as being deep-seated with a prolonged aching that can stay constant for long periods of time, often with little respite. Certain weather conditions, such as increased humidity, can cause the symptoms to worsen.

There are a number of treatments available. These typically reduce the pain and inflammation, but often cause unpleasant side effects. For this reason, many sufferers of knee osteoarthritis prefer to use chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine sulfate in preference to other pain and inflammation relieving drugs.

Adaptive Eating Utensils For Rheumatoid Arthritis

People with advanced rheumatoid arthritis often experience deformities in their upper body joints that make it difficult for them to complete basic daily living tasks. Eating is one of these basic tasks that can be impaired by upper body arthritic deformities. If you are one of these people, meals may already be a frustrating time of day for you. Here are some helpful tips to increase your independence during mealtimes.

First, move your arms and hands and assess what motions you are able to use. Maybe you can't curl your fingers around a spoon handle anymore, but maybe you can pinch it between your thumb and the side of your hand. Can you move your shoulder? Can you bend your elbow? Can you turn your forearm to make your palm face the ceiling? Move each joint and look at what kind of movement you have or don't have. This will help you determine how you should adapt your place setting during meals.

Next, eat a meal and pay attention to what the main problems are as you eat. Decide if the problem that is really bothering you is a simple one to fix. Maybe the whole issue is that your food slides off your plate and you are unable to stop it. Maybe you can't cut meat. Maybe you can get the food on your spoon or fork, but you can't turn your wrist enough to bring it to your mouth without spilling it. These are just samples of problems that might occur. You might have these or others, or combinations. Try to determine what is causing the problem and how easy that problem is to fix. Having another person help you with this might be a good idea, as another set of eyes may see an issue with a plate, glass, or utensil that you don't notice.

After assessing the situation, you are ready to decide what adaptations you might need during meals. Some adaptations are simple and some are specialized. Here are some examples of simple problems and adaptations to correct them:

Problem: Your plate slides on the table and you can't stop it.
Solution: Place a wet washcloth under it or purchase nonskid shelf liner at your local discount store and place a piece of this under your plate.

Problem: You are unable to tip your glass or cup to drink.
Solution: Use a short straw to drink liquids.

Problem: You are able to hang on to your silverware, but it just does not feel secure or you drop it sometimes.
Solution: Purchase plastic handled picnic ware or similar silverware that has slightly larger handles. These utensils are easier to hang on to than traditional silverware, but are not specialized and are readily available at your local discount store.

If your problems at mealtime are more complicated than this, you may need adapted utensils or dishes. Thanks to the internet, these are also readily available. There are many different types of adapted utensils and the selection can be confusing at times. Here are some sample problems and solutions that involve adapted utensils and dishes:

Problem: You are unable to close your fingers around small handled utensils.
Solution: Purchase large handled adapted utensils or purchase foam tubing to place around the handles of the utensils you have. Foam tubing is less expensive, but wears out faster. Large handled utensils cost more, but are more sanitary and last longer.

Problem: You can't cut your meat.
Solution: Purchase a rocker knife. This type of knife is specially designed to allow you to use a rocking motion to cut, rather than the traditional sawing motion.

Problem: Your food slides off your plate and you cannot stop it.
Solution: Purchase a plate guard or a plate with a lip on it. Both of these items are designed to stop food from sliding or rolling off of a plate.

Problem: You have severe ulnar drift and you cannot hang on to anything.
Solution: Purchase a universal cuff. This is a simple elastic band that slides over the palm of your hand. The band has a pocket in it that will hold the handle of a spoon or fork, allowing you to hold the utensil yourself.

There are many more examples of adaptive utensils available. Adaptive utensils and dishes have been designed to overcome just about any obstacle to eating. Many of these devices are available on the internet at Arthritis Supplies, so please visit their website at http://www.arthritissupplies.com to browse their selection of adaptive utensils and dishes.

If determining what adaptations you need for eating is too overwhelming for you, an occupational therapist can help you decide. You do not need to see an OT for months to do this. Two or three sessions to assess your eating and determine which adaptive devices will work for you should suffice. Check your insurance plan to see if occupational therapy is covered and where an occupational therapist is located in your area. For more information on occupational therapy, please visit The American Occupational Therapy Association at http://www.aota.org/Consumers.aspx

Eating does not have to be a frustrating, humiliating experience. Adapting your utensils and dishes can help you regain your independence and your dignity during meals, so take a look at your mealtime set up and take control of it today.