Rheumatoid Arthritis|Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms|Arthritis Treatment

Arthritis means inflammation of joints. It irritates and destroys the joints. The major two types of arthritis are-

Osteoarthritis - It is degenerative disease of the joints in which the cartilage which provides padding becomes weak and gradually disappears causing pain and less mobility.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - It affects not only the joints but also muscles, tendons and other tissues of the body. It is due to an inflammation of the lining of the hands.

Thumb Arthritis - In this there is a structured change of cartilage in the joint, at the base of the thumb and the wrist, commonly known as the basal carp metacarpal joint. It is more common in women than men. It restricts the thumb to move in or out from the palm area. The persistent pain and stiffness may affect the whole body and the body may be trapped by osteoarthritis gradually.

Symptoms:

1- Pain and stiffness
2- Swelling at the base of the thumb.
3- Difficulty in movements involving pinching or gripping.
4- Deformed or distorted shape
5- Tenderness at the base

Diagnosis - A doctor can diagnose this by a physical examination or an X-Ray. Further he may recommend:

1- Bone scans
2- CT Scans ( Computerized tomography)
3- MRI ( Magnetic resonance imaging)
4- Orthography

Cure- There is no permanent cure but measures can be taken to reduce the intensity of pain, swelling and stiffness. The treatment can be surgical as well as non surgical. These are:

1- Medication- Doctors may suggest acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin in order to reduce pain and inflammation.
2- Splints- Use of a splint gives support and proper positioning. It restricts movement which helps in reducing pain. These can be worn overnight or for the whole day.
3- Injections- In severe conditions, doctors recommend injecting cortisone.
4- Surgery- Surgery is the last option and it has been found that 80 - 90% proves to be successful and patients get relief from pain and inflammation. The different options available in surgery are:

1- Replacement of the affected part with a metal or plastic component.
2- Fusion of bone and joint together.
3- Bone arching in case of deformity of bone.

Osteoarthritis symptoms are often painful and physically debilitating for sufferers who have the condition. The disease also affects a patient mentally and emotionally because Osteoarthritis often limits normal, daily activities. The onset of the disease often makes its appearance when a person cannot simply stand up from a prone position without serious difficulty. The disease then progresses to include the lower legs, which begin to feel stiff and unmanageable. Osteoarthritis slows its progress into the skeletal system by first affecting the fine bones found in the hands sufferers.

Most people begin to look for help when they realize that they can't get out of bed as easily as they once did. Thanks to drugs like over-the-counter arthritis relief pain tablets and Osteoporosis supplements, many sufferers of Osteoarthritis see some relief from their symptoms. The truth of the matter is that most regular medical doctors can do little to stop the growing degenerative attacks of Osteoarthritis in their patients. What is usually prescribed are pain medications to ease the pressure on the spinal column of bones that are beginning to get brittle and irritate nerve endings.

While Osteoarthritic symptoms of the back and legs restrict the flexibility of a person, Osteoarthritic symptoms in the hands are perhaps the most painful. The cracking of the fingers while doing simple tasks like typing are not only annoying but painful. Another symptom of Osteoarthritis is the limiting of the functions of the small bones in a person's hands. Some Osteoarthritic patients find it impossible to even button their blouses or shirts and pulling up a zipper becomes an impossible task.

This is another case for candidiasis, it is about arthritis and candida die off. Many people ask me whether arthritis could be one of die off symptoms. There is a case where this friend of mine, her arthritis gets worse than normal since she started anti-fungals a month ago. She wonders if it is the die off. So for you who the same or similar case, this article can be taken as a rough idea.

For arthritis, specifically, it is necessary to eliminate all sugars of any kind, and artificial sweeteners, such as Sweet N Low (saccharin) and Equal or Nutrasweet (aspartame). Alternatively stevia can be used. Be sure to read the food ingredients of any packaged foods you use, to make sure that there is no kind of sugar by any name in there.

Eliminate any and all wheat products. Read ingredients labels of packaged foods. And yes, this includes bread, pasta, cakes, cookies, crackers, Wing-Dings, Ho-Hos, Devil Dogs, as well as any packaged seasoning products or food mixes. Also eliminate totally the nightshade vegetables, such as tomato, green pepper, eggplant, white potato. I would also recommend eliminating any and all dairy products of any kind.

Take 3 tablespoonsful of flax oil daily. If you choose the 1,000 mg capsules, that is 14 caps = 1 tablespoon (not very cost-effective or easy to do) This can also be achieved by taking 3 tablespoonsful of ground-up flax seed per meal (3 meals) which will fetch you not only the oil, but also a daily total of 27 g of fiber, which is also important to the arthritic person.

You can put the flax seed oil in a protein shake, on a salad, drizzle it on vegetables, etc. Do not cook it - cooking destroys the Omega 3 fats, which is what you want from the oil.

Some of my friends have mixed it into herbal tea. If your flax seed oil tastes nasty, it is rancid. Get it in a health food store with a high turnover. You should find it in the refrigerator section. Keep it in your refrigerator. If you choose to use flax seed, grind it in a coffee mill, or in your blender (dry), then mix it in a protein shake, or sprinkle it on food, vegetables, salads, anything that occurs to you.

It has a nutty flavor. If you grind it in advance, keep it in the freezer - it goes rancid quickly. You need to grind the flax seed because chewing it will not grind it up enough for you to get the benefit of the oil.

Crepitus can be defined as an unexpected creaky noise coming from beneath the skin or due to joint movement or somewhere around the lungs. Also, referred to as snapping joints, popping joints or creaky joints, Crepitus is a growing problem among people of all ages nowadays.

Derived from a word that means frictional sounds, Crepitus can be categorized into several types depending on the region and cause.

Patellofemoral Crepitus happens when the structure of two very important bones of our body, femur and patella which is the knee cap, is not normal. A disorder called Patellofemoral Syndrome or Chondromalacia Patella takes where the friction between the trochlear groove of the femur and patella is more than 20% of that between two ice cubes,

Crepitus can happen in the knee joint too when there is excessive extension or augmentation of the joint which certainly means injury. The main reason can be degeneration of the patella-femoral joint or damages in other joints or joint capsule. Straightaway affecting the kneecap, knee crepitus can be quite alarming.

Crepitus happens in the neck when it has undergone serious soft tissue injuries or large surgeries. Usually no bone is involved in the neck crepitus, hence using anti-inflammatory medication can easily cure the problem.

Shoulder Crepitus generally happens in people who suffer from various osteo problems such as various types of arthritis, crepitus in shoulder gives a painful experience when there is any movement in the shoulder.

Usually a popping or cracking sound in the knee retropatellar crepitus is an indication of severe damage. The reason for such crepitus is the grinding of the two joint bones of the knee. It directly affects the posterior position of the kneecap.

Causes of Crepitus

Crepitus is mainly caused because of the recent disturbances that the joint has suffered which can be sensitive tissue surgery or some major damages to the ligaments or bones. Also, serious joint problems such as Arthritis can cause crepitus at various regions of the body. Crepitus is basically a symptom of a problem than being a problem as it might indicate damages or unceasing injuries. It can also happen in the tissue of the human body when there is a significant amount of air present in them.

Treating Crepitus

In some cases, elastic supports help in preventing further damage to the knee and eases tension on it. Some individuals also find it effective to apply ice packs for 15-20 minutes after exercising. Sometimes, using medicines like Advil, Aspirin or Aleve can also help get relief from pain and other discomforting symptoms.

A number of ways can be adopted to get rid of the annoying noise. Mostly comprising of exercises, methods adopted will not only improve the physical activity of the sufferer as well as increase the movement of the joint. The things that should be avoided while treating Crepitus of the knee are climbing the stairs, aerobics, bending knees, playing some outdoor sport like football, wearing high heeled shoes etc.

Arthritis is a more general term used to describe a disease where inflammation occurs in one or more joints, which results in pain, swelling, and limited movement. There are many factors that lead to the inflammation which resulted in over 100 different types of arthritis.

One may have joint inflammation for variety of reasons. For older patients, arthritis (also known as rheumatoid arthritis) happened because of general "wear and tear" throughout the years resulted from various physical activities that apply pressure to the joints.

Infectious arthritis or septic arthritis is a fluid and tissue joint infection caused by bacteria, virus or fungus. These infecting agents spread into the joints via bloodstream of adjacent infected tissue. It can also be a direct result of contamination during surgery, injection or injury.

And the most 'popular' type or arthritis in the recent years is gout. Gout is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself because the immune system detected a foreign part in the body. This is same as the self-defense mechanism that is triggered when one get stung by a bee or bitten by an ant: inflammation, burning sensation, and pain. In the case of gout, the pain is so intense that some claim that it is the most painful type of arthritis!

What is the foreign part that triggers gout? It is some fine tiny crystal which is known as sodium urate that formed or crystallized inside the synovial fluid of joints. Naturally, these crystals are not supposed to float around in the joint fluid, so our 'immune police' will classify them as foreign invaders and call for a series of immune reaction which resulted in the symptoms that is known as gout.

Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are two different diseases that are most often confused with each other due to the similar symptoms. What are their differences and is there a common treatment for both of them? Find out the expert answers in this article.

The research paper that has been released by Terrebonne Gen. Medical centre (TGMC) entitled "osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid arthritis" states that the pain should be evaluated by a doctor.

Even though the symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis might be similar, but their long-term effects are quite different. If rheumatoid arthritis is left without treatment, it can lead to substantial damage to the joints and deformities in the other parts of the body.

Another difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis is that while osteoarthritis is the result of "wear and tear" of the joints through many years and is usually found in people around the age of 50; rheumatoid arthritis is not caused due to "wear and tear", but it causes "wear and tear" and is also found in children, adults and elderly people.

Rheumatoid arthritis is considered to be an "inflammation autoimmune disorder". It implies that the body becomes incapable to identify itself to the bottom of its cellular level. As the natural response of the body immune system is to attack the foreign bodies that are not part of the body, so the body naturally launches an attack when it doesn't recognize any part of the body as a part of itself.

In case of rheumatoid arthritis, the body misinterprets cartilage, bone or fluid as an invader and sends signal to the immune system to launch an attack. Therefore, white blood cells are sent to the area as a means of fighting infection and inflammatory compounds are produced, even though the fact is that there is no infection in reality. This leads to redness, swelling and pain in the joints.

The immune system is quite complex and this is just a very simplistic explanation to explain the major differences between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis; so that people can opt for professional diagnosis and take necessary action for early treatment.

In the report "osteoarthritis vs. Rheumatoid arthritis" released by TGMC, the author warns that if left without adequate treatment, rheumatoid arthritis can lead to a serious damage to the joints in just a matter of 2 years. In fact, early diagnosis and effective treatment is required right from the early stages in order to prevent further development of the disease. In many cases, people go into remission period, where the symptoms recede for a temporary period.

Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the most effective, natural and side effect free alternative for treatment of arthritis conditions. There is substantial evidence that they help to reduce arthritis pain, prevent deformities, improve the joint mobility and reduce tenderness in joints and morning stiffness. Fish oil and its purified supplements are one of the best sources of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Similarly, the green lipped mussel found in New Zealand is another wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids. It also helps effectively in reducing pain and joint stiffness, improve joint mobility and grip strength in patients suffering from osteoarthritis.

To sum up, in case you are suffering from osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, an inclusion of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet in the form of fish oil supplements can help significantly to reduce inflammation and provide effective pain relief. You should consult your doctor and take the most appropriate action.

Swelling of the joints is one of the most evident symptoms related to psoriatic arthritis, causing considerable pain to victims. As well as being excruciating, the puffiness also leads to patchy skin. Because this type of arthritis is linked to psoriasis and consequently can be to blame for additional health problems all through the body, together with effects in the knees, scalp, and elbows and the development of sores on the toenails and fingers. Puffy fingers and toes are additionally usually observed in sufferers of this type of arthritis.

While scientists have come to consider that getting this type of arthritis appears to be connected to someone's living conditions and surroundings, as well as their genes, the precise reasons of this disorder are not yet completely realized by doctors. It's critical for a person who starts to become aware of indications normally linked with psoriatic arthritis to go see their physician and discover if their symptoms are associated to this illness.

Identifying this condition can be completed by a physician following a physical assessment that might entail x-rays and blood tests. These tests will permit the physician to ascertain if the cause is psoriatic arthritis or another disorder. It's better to see your physician as quickly as feasible so that you can start to remedy your symptoms appropriately.

If your physician diagnoses you with psoriatic arthritis, you'll receive a number of various treatment choices open to you. A few are easy self-help treatments, whereas others entail taking prescriptions that have been specifically intended to treat this form of arthritis.

Arthritis is inflammation of joints, which results in pain, stiffness and swelling of the affected joint. The word "arthritis" is derived from the Greek word "arthron" which means joint and Latin word "it is" meaning inflammation. Arthritis includes a group of diseases that affects the joints and tissues surrounding the joints. It is one of the leading causes of immobility in people above the age of 50.

CAUSES: Normally a joint is covered with smooth cartilage that protects the joint and allows the smooth movement. When there is breakdown of cartilage, the smooth surface becomes irregular and the bones rub together causing pain and inflammation. Joint inflammation can be due to number of reasons such as:

• General wear and tear of the joint causing osteoarthritis
• Autoimmune disease (rheumatoid arthritis)
• Infection (septic arthritis caused by bacterial infection)
• Trauma or repeated injury (post traumatic arthritis)

In some cases, inflammation is temporary and goes away after some time; whereas, in arthritic joints the inflammation is chronic and may cause long lasting disability. Arthritis affects men, women and children. Person who is overweight is at higher risk of developing osteoarthritis.

TYPES:

• Osteoarthritis is the most common type which results due to trauma, overuse of the joint and degeneration of joint cartilage due to natural process of aging.
• Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, long lasting disease that affects approximately 1% of the population all over the world. It is due to body's immune system attacking own cells and destroying the joint surfaces.
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in children
• Psoriatic arthritis- Psoriasis is a psycho-somatic disorder that affects mainly the skin; but as the disease progresses, joints are also involved.
• Other less common types of arthritis are reactive arthritis, gonococcal arthritis, tuberculous arthritis, viral arthritis, systemic lupus arthritis, adult Still's disease and scleroderma.

SYMPTOMS: The symptoms of arthritis depend upon the type of arthritis, but the common symptoms that are seen in all the types of arthritis are:

• Joint pain
• Joint swelling
• Redness and inflammation of the joint
• Stiffness which is worse in the morning
• Limited range of movement of the affected joint.

DIAGNOSIS: Diagnosis is made by medical history, careful evaluation of the symptoms, physical examination and investigations. Investigations include blood tests, joint x-rays and examination of joint fluid in case of infective arthritis. Blood tests vary according to the type of suspected arthritis case.

TREATMENT: The treatment of arthritis depends upon the cause and type of arthritis, severity of the disease, age and occupation. Treatment focuses on reducing the pain and discomfort and to prevent further progress of the disease. Different treatment options are:

• Medications: Pain relieving medicines which include over-the-counter medicines and prescription drugs are given to relieve the pain. Some of the painkillers are acetaminophen, ibuprofen, aspirin, biologics and corticosteroids. Other group of medications include anti-malarials, immune-suppressants, azathioprine and methotrexate.
• Exercise and Physical therapy: This improves muscle and bone strength, reduces pain and stiffness and helps in maintaining healthy joints. The exercise program for each patient is decided by the physical therapist depending upon type and severity of arthritis. Heating pads and cold packs give temporary relief to the inflamed joints.
• Surgery: Surgery of joints is considered in cases where the above treatments fail. It is done to maintain a normal lifestyle.

Rheumatoid arthritis is related with the chronic disorder of which there is no exact known care. But the debilitating effects of the chronic rheumatoid arthritis can be reduced by exercise as well as with the proper nutrition. It will not be cured completely but to a great degree. In comparison to the general population the risk of the people dying with the problem of rheumatoid arthritis is twice. The risk of dying increased due to reduced mass muscle. Approximately 30% of the muscle mass is reduced of the people belonging to the group of 70 years and if you loose about 40% then you will die.

People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis must eat more protein in comparison to the normal and healthy people. According to some expert's people suffering from rheumatoid must eat about 2.7 ounces of protein daily which is roughly equal to 4 ounce of the breast of the chicken or two servings of beans. But simple eating protein will not help you in building the muscles and in return will reduce the problem of arthritis. Exercises which includes leg lifts and arm exercises using weights is helpful in building muscle and as a result protein can be stored.

People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis are usually deficient of vitamin B. if we are suffering from the problem of arthritis then we must worry about the intake of B6, B12 and folate. Supplements are also very important for the people suffering from the problem of rheumatoid especially the older people who lose the ability to absorb B12 from the food. In such a case and people of that category must take these vitamins with the help of the pills.

'Free radicals' are also one of the probable cause for the damage caused by the rheumatoid arthritis. Free radicals are the destructive and fast moving atoms which are produced by smoking, inhaling pollutants or being exposed to ultraviolet radiation of the sun. Free radicals circulate through out the body and damage the cells. It is believed to be the root cause of many chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer, rheumatoid, Alzheimer's disease and also Parkinson's disease.

According to the European studies, to reduce the affect of free radicals large doses of vitamin E have a good effect. Vitamin E in particular has been very helpful and effective in reducing the pain due to rheumatoid arthritis. People suffering from rheumatoid arthritis have increased free radicals and reduced vitamin E, C, and beta carotene.

Arthritis based joint pain is particularly harsh during the winter months, but can be effectively controlled using the powerful pain fighting properties found in the natural supplement grape seed extract. Little is heard from traditional medicine or the advertisement media about the joint pain healing properties found in grape seed extract, but there is overwhelming evidence to prove otherwise. The Federal Drug Administration doesn't even consider natural supplements like Grape Seed Extract important enough to regulate. However, there have been reports and studies lately to show that grape seed extract is in fact a viable agent in fighting joint pain caused by Arthritis, and similar afflictions, but without the serious side effects that result from prescription drugs.

Prescription drug companies are missing the point, by creating drugs synthetically in the labs that only treat the pain symptom alone, and do nothing about the root cause of Arthritis pain. The pain experienced from Arthritis actually comes from a misdirected immune system, also referred to as an autoimmune disease. In this situation, the body attacks its own cells, including the organs and joints and promotes the development of inflammation, which results in joint pain. Drugs do a good job of eradicating the inflammation and pain but at a great cost; instead of directly attacking the inflammation, drugs simply shut down the immune system completely, leaving it severely compromised in its ability to fight off infections and major viruses, including Tuberculosis. That is why advertisements are always accompanied with disclaimers cautioning users of the risks involved in using their drug. Approximately 50 million people in the United States suffer from the symptoms of some kind of autoimmune disease, which in addition to rheumatoid arthritis; include Fibromyalgia, Systemic Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis and more.

Grape Seed extract with Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins (OPC) has been evaluated in connection with joint health in scientific publications and was proven to not only alleviate pain, but also promote superior joint health. In a study published in 2009 based on collagen-induced arthritis (or CIA) in mice, showed that grape seed extract treatment significantly lessoned the severity of CIA, and reduced the histology scores for synovial inflammation, cartilage erosion, bone erosion and the number of osteoclasts. Osteoclasts are the cells that destruct bones and osteoblasts are cells to build bones. In a later study published in 2010, researchers reported in an immunology letter that grape seed extract regulates inflammatory T cell differentiation and concluded that grape seed extract may serve as a possible therapeutic agent for inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders. Additional research concluded that grape seed extract is both safe and effective in reduction of inflammation in all areas of the body. In addition to helping arthritis, OPC by boosting the immune system's ability to fight inflammation, is capable of, and effective in reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, migraine headaches, asthma, allergies and even cancer.