Posts Tagged ‘Arthritis’

How Can Chiropractic Treatment Decrease Arthritis Pain?

Wednesday, May 27th, 2009

Chicago Chiropractor and Arthritis

Introduction

Arthritis is more often than not confusing to most suffers.When some people hear this word they contemplate a future with crippled and twisted joints.  However, many conditions from benign to severe are filed under the term, arthritis. For our purposes we will restrict this discourse to the most common forms of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis and Chiropractic Care

The most common form of arthritis has many terms: osteoarthritis, degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease (DJD), and spondylosis if it is in the spine. This form of arthritis is not limited to humans, but occurs in all mammals, and is due to the breakdown of the cartilage that protects the joint surfaces. When joint cartilage is harmed, the sensitive bone tissue that is usually preserved by the cartilage becomes stressed causing degenerative changes in the joint. Sometimes the bone around the joint will proliferate and make osteophytes, or what are familiarly called bone spurs. These spurs can produce painful irritation to other tissues adjacent to the joint, thus complicating the already distressing condition. 

Degenerative joints principally occur in the lower neck and lower back, the knees, hips, and fingers. Everyone may experience DJD at one point in their lives, though previous trauma, ones occupation, activities, weight, diet, and heredity influence the degree of the condition and its onset.

Pain and/or stiffness in the affected joints are primary indicators of DJD. If the weight-bearing joints, such as the hips or knees are involved, ones mobility can be affected notably in the more advanced stages of the condition.  As a last resort joints can be surgically replaced with synthetic devices. This should be done only in severe cases where the joint is appreciably worn and movement is unattainable without severe pain.

The best management of DJD is, of course, prevention that involves taking care of ones joints at an early age.

  • One should always make sure that, especially when young, all injuries to joints are correctly managed to insure proper healing to avoid future disability.
  • People involved in occupations that demand standing or walking should wear suitable shoes that give good support and shock absorption.
  • Excess body weight can cause increased stress upon the weight bearing joints of the body.
  • Care should be taken to guard knees from pain aad strain when kneeling on hard surfaces.
  • The natural vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants included in fruits and vegetables are essential for healthy joints and a healthy body.

Recent studies have shown that long-term use of the nutritional supplement, Glucosamine, can not only assist with DJD symptoms, but may actually help to rebuild joint cartilage.

Chiropractic adjustments help to restore proper mobility and function to the spinal joints. Chiropractic care is not only safe, but extremely effective in relieving the debilitating pain of arthritis. Your Chicago chiropractor is highly experienced when it comes to arthritic pain relief. Other forms of chiropractic care may include joint mobilization, massage, ultrasound, cold laser, or electro-therapy, all of which may be helpful in the relief of painful and stiff joints. On occasion a brace is used to help stabilize the joint in an effort to alleviate pain. Movement is vital to the maintenance of arthritic joints. A chiropractor often suggests gentle, mobilizing activities such as stretching, yoga, and tai chi can be beneficial.

Gout

Gouty arthritis is caused by elevated levels of uric acid in the blood and the accumulation of uric acid crystals in the joints. Generally, gouty arthritis is characterized by severe pain and swelling of the joints in the big toes, knees, ankles and wrists. Most people who develop gout are predisposed through heredity, though episodes are usually brought on by binge eating of inflammatory foods, when dehydrated or fasting, or after a major surgery or illness. Particular foods such as red meat (especially organ meat), certain seafood, legumes, and mushrooms have the natural substance, Purines, that are metabolized in the liver to form uric acid. Since individuals with gout cannot efficiently metabolize uric acid, the increase in the bloodstream creates joint problems. In addition to the foods described and additional foods containing Purines, other dietary restrictions must be followed including the avoidance of alcohol.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease, is systemic in nature and thought to be produced by immune system dysfunction. The most common joints affected are the small joints of the hands and fingers, the feet, knees, and shoulder, though other areas of the body can be affected as well. Morning stiffness made more painful by movement is usually associated with the disease. Other symptoms can include general malaise and fatigue, and in its more advanced stages other systems of the body may be affected. There are specific blood tests to help identify Rheumatoid arthritis that can be easily run. Though, currently, there is no cure, in addition to medication and vitamin and diet therapy, treatment should include chiropractic manipulations to mobilize joints and help to relieve the pain and stiffness associated with this disease. Additional modalities such as ultrasound, heat, electro-therapy, and massage may also be helpful. Your Chicago chiropractor is dedicated to helping individuals in getting relief from the pain and suffering associated with arthritis.

Arthritis Back Pain Relief is a Step Away

Saturday, January 10th, 2009

Arthritis does not refer to a single condition, when in fact there are hundreds of possible conditions that fall under the Arthritis banner. Swelling of the joints and inflammation of those joints is caused by Arthritis and effects a large number of people, and it doesn’t matter how old you are.

every man or woman and their cause of arthritis will be very different, depending upon each individuals distinct situation, these may include many things from heredity, atypical metabolism, infections and injury. Many times the reasons are indistinct, such as when dealing with system lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Analyzing Arthritis Back Pain

Arthritiscan cause back pain, that can range in levels of pain from mildly tolerable to excruciatingly incapacitating. Therefore, it is key that if you develop arthritis without back pain or have been suffering from arthritis back pain caused by arthritis, you should seek out your doctor as soon as you can. Then you will be able to find the back pain alleviation that is best for your problem.

Arthritis Back Pain Alleviation

Whether you suffer from upper or lower back pain, procuring the most useful arthritis back pain alleviation can be a snap when you understand the various selections for relieving such back pain. Actually, there are several different arthritis back pain and upper back pain relief options that you will find effective for use.

Be mindful pain medications do not get rid of the cause of the pain, it merely covers up the symptoms you feel. To appropriately deal with and treat your arthritis back pain you will want to find the longest lasting back pain relief, you will need to locate its root cause, which means taking care of your arthritis.

You can do various things to help relieve your arthritis, such as exercising, while alternating your periods of activity and rest. You can also use cold or hot compresses for short term pain relief of the joints and getting into see your doctor for a complete yearly physical exam.

Pay close attention to your diet, while eating a lot of fresh vegetables and fruits, cereals, whole grain breads. Remember to drink enough of water, which is somewhere around 6 - 8 glasses every day.

If you want the best results for treating your arthritis, be sure to work as a team with your physician as well as investing some time researching and teaching yourself on your condition as well as your options.

Arthritis – an overview:

Monday, November 10th, 2008

Arthritis is considered to be one of the widely spread disease in North America. Don’t take arthritis easily, there are lot more, say hundreds and thousands of disease included in this one term called arthritis. Let us get on to more details about this in the coming paragraphs.

Arthritis, if developed once, it is not that easily curable. Arthritis may be with you even for your life time like how your shadow follows you throughout your life.

Arthritis is of different types. Therefore, once you found out that you have arthritis, what you need to do is to find out what type it is. Most commonly or widely spread form of arthritis is Rheumatoid arthritis. According to recent surveys, it is found out that one percent of the total population suffers from this type of arthritis, which in general is in the form of inflammation.

You might be aware of osteoarthritis. In general, we think that only aged people get osteoarthritis and this is not true. What are the parts or areas that are affected? It includes spine, knees, bottom side of thumb and feet, and hips. Other factors that induce osteoarthritis are mechanical and genetics.

Arthritis pain relief:

Nobody would want to live with arthritis for their life time. All of us will definitely look for a solution that would get us relived from arthritis. Why does one look for arthritis pain relief? To lead life normally and peacefully is the reason. Lots of products and various treatments are available for arthritis pain relief.

Are you in the search for any treatment for arthritis? If yes, options that are presented for you are pharmaceutical drugs and natural drugs. You might either go for pharmaceutical or natural treatment based on your choice or preference. However, it is always advisable to consult your doctor before taking up a decision as he better knows about the problem and the relief. When the arthritis problem reaches its high or is severe, natural products are not the right choice. In such a case, it is recommended to use pharmaceutical drugs. It is not necessary to continue this medicine. You can switch over to natural medicines once your arthritis is under control.

Don’t take joint pains or inflammations just like that. Take it seriously and consult a doctor as early as possible. They will do a thorough checkup to determine whether it is arthritis or just joint pain. If it is arthritis, they will be able to find out the type of arthritis and can guide you to the right treatment. Taking treatment is not enough, you need to follow the medication properly if you wish to get improvement.

There is no need to panic if you have arthritis. Proper medication will help you get relief.

For more info visit www.diagolo.com/arthritis.

Arthritis - What Is It And What Are The Symptoms?

Monday, September 22nd, 2008

There are pain syndromes like fibromyalgia and arthritis-related disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, that involve every part of the body. There are relatively mild forms of tendinitis (as in ‘tennis elbow’) and bursitis to crippling systemic forms, such as rheumatoid arthritis. There are forms of the disease, such as gout, which almost nobody connects with arthritis, and there are other conditions - like osteoarthritis, the misnamed ‘wear and tear’ arthritis - that a good many people think is the only form of the disease.

How do you know if you have arthritis? While symptoms and severity vary from person to person, the most common symptoms are: pain, swelling, stiffness, tenderness, redness and warmth. Osteoarthritis is characterized by progressive stiffness without swelling, chills or fever. Rheumatoid arthritis is the painful swelling, inflammation and stiffness in the fingers, arms, legs and wrists, which are prevalent on both sides of the body and are usually worse in the morning. Children with on-off fever, loss of their appetite, loss of body weight and a rash that is blotchy that are on the arms as well as legs may have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. You should call the doctor if symptoms appear suddenly, or if they are accompanied by a fever or rash.

The most common types of arthritis are: osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia and systemic lupus erythematosus. Osteoporosis primarily affects the elderly because it is a degenerative disease resulting from a gradual loss of cartilage. Consequently, both joints and bones in the hips, knees, as well as the spine rub together, which results in both pain and muscle/nerve damage. Rheumatoid arthritis primarily affects those between 25 and 55 years of age and is characterized by a burning, stiff sensation in the hands, knuckles, arms, legs and feet. Fibromyalgia is a widespread pain disorder that never really goes away and is believed to be a malfunctioning of the nervous system. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) sufferers have fatigue, fevers, joint pains, myalgias as well as malaise. Roughly 30% os the people who have SLE additionally show lesions of the skin and 10% also are afflicted with seizures of psychosis. Even though there are symptoms that can range from on-off pain to more serious degenerative disease processes, this is not a thing that you should have to simply suffer through.”

Local community news is usually filled with “Walks For Arthritis,” encouraging citizens to educate themselves about this common pain condition and raise money for those who suffer. Sometimes the best way to beat the disease is to meet with others who have it and combine experiences and knowledge. In support groups, you can hear about treatments that work or don’t work. Because arthritis is such a well known topic at this point in time, a lot of new research is coming out in regards to likely treatment.

To learn more go to Arthritis Medication and at Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet

Take control of Arthritis, and Get Your Life Back!

Saturday, September 6th, 2008

Red, burning, swollen and so stiff you don’t want to move…
that’s what those who suffer from arthritis experience on a
daily basis. If you know this all to well, you are probably
one of the 46 million Americans (that’s 1 out of every 5
people) that are living with arthritis every day. To better
understand how to get relief from this debilitating disease
we need to dive deeper into its root cause.

Some of the types of arthritis which are associated with
inflammation include:

* rheumatoid arthritis
* gout
* tendinitis
* bursitis
* polymyalgia rheumatica

What is Arthritis?

Arthritis actually means joint (arthr) inflammation (itis).
Arthritis can be used to define a group of more than 100
rheumatic diseases and other conditions that can cause pain,
stiffness and swelling in the joints or any part of your body.
Additionally, it can damage the joint cartilage which can lead
to joint weakness, instability and visible deformities that
can interfere and, in severe cases, limit a person’s ability to
perform most basic daily tasks such as walking, climbing stairs,
using a computer keyboard, washing dishes or brushing your
teeth. Arthritis can affect anyone regardless of age and most
commonly affects joints in the knees, hips, hands and spine. If
left undiagnosed and not treated properly, arthritis can cause
irreversible damage to the joints, bones, organs, and skin. Not
to mention dramatically impair your quality of life.

Arthritis-related conditions primarily affect the muscles and
the bones but it is also considered to be systemic, affecting
the whole body. Arthritis can cause damage to any bodily organ
or system, including the lungs, kidneys, blood vessels, skin and
even the heart. The Arthritis Foundation sites two independent
studies (Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and at the Mayo
Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota) both of which prove that the
widespread inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis is linked to
heart disease and an increased risk of early death.

No one really knows the exact cause of arthritis but there are
certain risk factors to keep in mind:

* Genetics - likely to contribute to risk but no one knows
how much.
* Age - the older you are the more at risk you become.
* Weight - maintaining a healthy weight will ease the load on
the joints.
* Previous Injury - major injuries are likely to contribute to
risk.
* Occupational Hazards - repetitive, high demand jobs increase
risk.
* Certain Sports - high level, high demand sports can
contribute to arthritis (however, general exercise is always
a plus)
* Illness or infection - an infection in the joint or gout can
lead to arthritis.

What we do know is that when you have arthritis your immune system
goes into over-drive and causes the joints to swell and become
inflamed. Therefore, treating the inflammation becomes key in
managing the pain and discomfort associated with this condition.

Sadly enough, the Arthritis Foundation reports that half of those
Americans with arthritis don’t believe anything can be done to help
ease their pain. You may be in that situation yourself, having
thrown your hands up in frustration and simply decided to live with
your pain. The good news is that by reducing the inflammation you
can significantly ease the painful symptoms associated with
arthritis.

Here are a few ways to reduce your inflammation:

* Exercise - less weight equals less stress on joints
* Diet - Eat plenty of vegetables, fruits and whole-grain
products; limit sugar, salt and fat (especially saturated fat
found in animal products)
* Rest - a good balance between rest and activity is the key to
joint health
* Over-the-counter and prescription medications - while these may
provide temporary relief by masking the pain they are not always
get to the root of the problem - inflammation. They can also
have serious side effects, especially with long-term use.
* Natural anti-inflammatory supplements - probably the most
promising natural approach to reducing inflammation in a long
while. We recommend looking for supplements containing systemic
enzymes and all-natural herbal ingredients.

By taking these simple steps to reducing inflammation you will be well
on your way to managing your arthritis pain and it devastating effects
on your mind and body. Everyone should strive to achieve a healthy and
active lifestyle for optimal health and wellbeing.


Learn to get your life back.

Arthritis Explained - Useful Information|

Saturday, August 30th, 2008

Are you looking for an Arthritis Cure? Arthritis is a disease that brings on stiffness and pain with swelling and it affects the muscles and the bones, especially the joints where it causes the most damage. The bones are protected in the joints by tissue called cartilage which acts as a buffer between the ends. The cells that the cartilage is made up of are known as the chondrocytes and function just like other glands and organs in the body. All chondrocytes will die and are usually replaced by new cartilage cells. This article will not focus on arthritis cures rather it will explain arthritis.

However, over time inflammation can kill more cartilage cells than the body can replace. This is more so if the body is undernourished and lacks the required nutrients to repair or the joint has suffered an injury. Lack of sufficient cartilage, can cause instability, joint weakness, pain and deformity, all of which affect and interrupt regular activities. Generally, arthritis can be treated with physical therapy, medication, and changes to the lifestyle the individual is used to living. Health care providers use joint replacement surgery as their last resort, once they have tried all of the less intrusive interventions, to try and relieve the discomfort.

Arthritis is mainly categorized into two types, ‘localized’ and ‘generalized’ depending on which areas are affected (body or the joints); they are then sub categorized further. One of the sub-categories is localized conditions which only affect the soft tissue that surrounds the bones or joints, and is used to relate to conditions like tendonitis or bursitis. A sub-category of this affects one or some of the joints like hip or knee joints. In generalized arthritis, the disease affects the soft tissue and muscle where there isn’t any evidence of inflammation or swelling. This condition does not indicate joint damage; a common type in this category is fibromyalgia.

Another sub-category involves inflammation affecting the entire body. Gout, psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are examples of this condition. Still other generalized situations include polymyositis, involving muscles, systemic lupus erythematosus involving the skin, kidneys and or other organs and vasculitis where any organ is involved.

However a person may suffer from multiple kinds of arthritis, in the United States of America around forty six million adults and abut three hundred thousand children suffer from hundred medical conditions. The condition is most common as osteoarthritis in adults age 60 and above but it can start as early as infancy. The numbers are increasing as the American population ages and more and more people are beginning to suffer from arthritis.

Arthritis and related illnesses are the cause of major disability in the U.S. and costs over 124 billion dollars a year in medical care and indirect expenses. By taking the time to follow a couple of simple steps, most individuals can help to prevent osteoarthritis: The ability to maintain the appropriate weight and consume fresh vegetables and fruits are a really good source of vitamins D and C. Consumption of calcium is very important, adults must consume about 1000-1500mg calcium every day, exercising daily is a must and one must avoid injuries that may damage the joints.