Rheumatoid Arthritis|Psoriatic Arthritis Symptoms|Arthritis Treatment

Recent research efforts from both Northwestern University in Chicago and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center have described work on the use of a new nanofiber gel that promotes cartilage growth in joints.

The material is injected into the damaged joint and stimulates bone marrow stem cells to produce natural cartilage.

The nanofibers allow stem cells from bone marrow to produce cartilage containing type II collagen and repair a damaged joint.

Type II collagen is the major protein component in articular cartilage, the gristle that caps the ends of long bones within a joint.

This is distinctly different from the Type I collagen produced as a result of another procedure used to heal cartilage damage called microfracture. Microfracture is a surgical procedure where small holes are drilled into the bone beneath the area of cartilage damage. This leads to bleeding from the bone marrow.

Ostensibly, stem cells from the marrow create new cartilage.

Microfracture causes the production of cartilage having predominately type I collagen. Type I collagen is the type found most commonly in scar tissue.

Type II collagen is weaker than Type I collagen and probably does not hold up as well. This may be one explanation why microfracture surgery has not been as successful as first thought.

Another type of procedure called autologous chondrocyte transplantation has also been used. In this procedure, cartilage is harvested from a non-weight-bearing part of the joint. The cartilage is then specially treated in a laboratory so that individual cartilage cells multiply. The cartilage cells are then put back into the joint under a small flap of tissue that is sewn into place. Recovery is long and the cartilage produced also appears to contain mostly Type I collagen.

Mosaicplasty where multiple cartilage plugs are fitted into the cartilage defect has also been used. Results are mixed.

Stem cell treatment has the appeal of being less invasive and requiring less recovery time. However, controlled data is nonexistent. Supportive evidence consists of case studies and small numbers.

One issue that has plagued researchers and clinicians alike is the mechanical forces present within weight-bearing joints such as the hip and knee.

When asked his opinion regarding the nanofiber issue, Dr. William Arnold, a Chicago-based rheumatologist stated, "This isn't the first 'cartilage growth stimulator'...and it won't be the last. There's no way that cartilage regrows on the surface of the medial femoral condyle (of the knee) without a mechanical correction accompanying the "regrowth". The shear compression forces in the medial compartment are formidable... and would quickly chew up any flimsy cartilage surface beginning to grow on the surface of the condyle."

Dr. Nathan Wei, a rheumatologist specializing in stem cell treatment for osteoarthritis, concurs with Dr. Arnold to a point. He states, "The impact loading forces on weight-bearing joints such as the knee and hip are one thing to contend with but with the hip there is the added stress of rotational movement and in the knee there are gliding and rotational forces to deal with as well."

He argues though, "Animal models have demonstrated that stem cell procedures are effective. And while human data is sparse, early evidence supports further investigation... I do agree that mechanical forces need to be dealt with through various means in order to allow stem cells to 'take'. We are currently attempting to address this issue. Our results so far are very encouraging."

Osteoarthritis is a recurring disease caused by the deterioration of joint cartilages. It is actually the most common form of arthritis. The deterioration is mainly due to the years of wear and tear of the joints where the body's ability to form new bone margins between bone connections and cartilages have significantly decreased. Osteoarthritis is common in the phalanges and other joints found in the knees and hips.

As a common joint disease, osteoarthritis is widespread for both males and females. Typically, this disease starts to appear at the age of 40 and may get worse as one gets older. In a number of cases, osteoarthritis can cause serious handicap to people as it can decrease the dexterity of the fingers or toes and the mobility of hips, knees and elbows; in fact, osteoarthritis is second only to heart ailments when it comes to work-related disabilities.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis include deep pain in the joints especially after heavy exercise or excessive movement. However, the pain can subside after ample rest. If you suffer from osteoarthritis, you may also experience stiffness in the joints during the morning and after doing heavy exercise. And hearing or feeling that your joints are grating as you move can be considered normal if you have osteoarthritis.

The bad news about osteoarthritis is that it could be permanent as there is no known cure for it. However, there are many ways to relieve its symptoms. Medical attention pertaining to this disease is focused on soothing the pain that accompanies it. As of the moment, the most effective approach to relieving the osteoarthritis pain is to take oral pain pills. Some topical creams are also used to help alleviate pain.

Then, if ordinary analgesic and topical creams are not enough, anti-inflammatory drugs without steroidal derivatives can also be used. For extreme cases, injections with non-sulfated form of polysaccharides, a type of complex carbohydrates, can help in lubricating connective tissues like your aging joints. A process called visco-supplementation together with other surgical treatments, have increasingly become popular especially for osteoarthritis in the knees. But remember, all these measures just deal with the pain and in no way can these cures improve the principal disease which is osteoarthritis.

Instead of totally depending on synthetic medication, osteoarthritis sufferers must also aim to lose weight and do regular exercises. Weight can be a major factor in the overall wear and tear of joints, while adequate exercise can improve the strength of most connective tissues. As for your exercise, you can also add yoga movements. The twists and turns that are characteristic of yoga are proven to build flexibility and strength to connective tissues, plus they can also put a stop to stiffness in your muscles and joints.

Other pain solutions include alternative approaches. Foremost among the alternative means of relieving osteoarthritis pain is acupuncture. In acupuncture, small needles are inserted into certain points of the body. When these points are stimulated, the flow of energy in the body becomes more efficient, thereby releasing substances like serotonin and endorphins which can soothe osteoarthritis pain among other things.

Finally, don't forget traditional hot and cold compress. Rotating hot pads and ice packs on your aching joints can also provide some remedy for osteoarthritis pain. This is similar to the way athletes take care of their injuries sustained in a match or training session. Although the effects can be short-lived, hot and cold compress sure beats grinding your teeth in pain.

If you are suffering from osteoarthritis, you should consult with your doctor. You can also use supplements like Phosoplex to relieve the pain and put you back in motion. For more information about this product, you can visit Phosoplex.com.

Knee Supports For Arthritic Knees

Knee injuries are one of the most common types of injuries that a person can suffer from. It is easy to twist a knee and cause ligament damage or to fall and dislocate one's patella. Of course, a great deal of pain and instability can come from damage which one receives.

Arthritis & "Old Age"

Old age can seem to cause a great deal of pain and this is why a person who is experiencing discomfort should look into using knee supports for arthritic knees. This can help to relieve a great deal of the pain that many people would commonly feel as a simple part of "getting older" and having their joints wear down.

The knee is a joint located between two bones, the femur and the tibia and is filled with ligaments, tendons and muscles which help to connect these two bones to each other while still providing the leg with the mobility to bend, twist and pivot. The rest of the space is filled in with cartilage, which can help to cushion the weight that the body presses down. The normal joint is surrounded by a membrane which produces a thick fluid to help keep the cartilage slippery and moving well.

How Do Knee Supports for Arthritic Knees Help the Pain?

When using a knee brace for an individual who suffers from arthritis, one can reasonably expect to have their pain be somewhat relieved. Sometimes the pain relief is greater than this... Arthritis is a condition which, once it begins in the body, it will have long-lasting effects and the most that one can hope for is to simply relieve the pain which it causes. The knee brace will help to keep the knee from shifting into positions where this pain might be caused. Keeping the knee in proper alignment can help stop any of the ends from grinding and becoming painful.

Specific knee braces, sometimes referred to as OA braces, which are used to help with arthritic pain can help to provide support to your knee. This support will help stop the knee from swiveling in an inappropriate way and causing more pain or damage. The pressure can also help to relieve the swelling, keeping the arthritic pain from affecting a person too much. Using knee supports for arthritic knees will not cure arthritis, but it can certainly help to make mobility much easier for anyone who suffers from it.

Are you having problems with painful knee swelling and wondering what in the world is going on? Well, if you are like one of millions of people who suffer from knee joint problems, this can be an on-going situation. Don't you think it's time to find out if your swollen knees are caused by osteoarthritis or something else?

Many people in today's society are living longer. Degenerative diseases such as osteoarthritis, Parkinson's, and diabetes were not a big concern to researchers in the past because many people did not live past their 40's. Now a days, people are living well into their 60's and 70's and even into their 80's and 90's. They are wanting cures to these debilitating diseases so they can be healthy in their golden years and live free of pain.

The problem with a symptom like knee swelling is that it could be something other than arthritis. Knee inflammation happens when there is fluid build up or bleeding in the joint of the knee or around the joint. Many conditions can cause this namely osteoarthritis, knee joint infection, meniscus or ligament tear, bursitis, vitamin deficiencies and medication toxicity.

Bursitis for instance is a condition that happens when the bursa that surrounds the knee joint becomes swollen due to injury. A bursa is closed fluid filled sac that serves as gliding surface to reduce friction between tissues in the body. When the fluid filled sac around the knee becomes injured, it causes knee pain and inflammation.

Unlike bursitis, cartilage damage induced by arthritis causes fluid to accumulate in the knee joint instead of around the joint. So determining where the fluid is accumulating in the knee is key to a diagnosis. Vitamin C deficiency and toxicity from blood thinning medications like coumadin can cause blood to seep into the joints and tissues but these are less common conditions that can cause the knee to swell.

In the meantime, what can you do to decrease knee swelling. Getting an MRI is one way to determine what is causing knee inflammation. If it is an acute problem which is usually from an injury, an anti-inflammatory can be taken. However, if it is a long term condition such as osteoarthritis, you may want to consider a natural supplement with ingredients such as glucosamine, chondroitin, and ginger which decreases inflammation in the knee and rebuild cartilage.

Whatever you do don't allow knee swelling to continue. Talk with your health care professional. Continuous inflammation in the knee can lead to further knee damage down the road because the last thing you want to have to undergo is knee surgery.

Although both conditions have genetic undertones there are several factors which may contribute or even trigger this degenerative bone disease (osteoporosis takes place where the bone density decreases over time with the potential risks of easy fractures - this can occur with or without osteoarthritis). These are lack of exercise to strengthen muscle and joint structures, nutritional deficiencies, side effects of a number of drugs and, of course, the hormonal changes after the menopause in women. Ageing can affect both genders but osteoporosis occurs much more often in women than in men.

There are several things you can do besides traditional medicine to slow the progress of the disease and perhaps even reverse bone damage. In this section we'll see what homeopathic remedies can do against both conditions and then (second part of this page) what herbal remedies can do against this degenerative bone disease. Bone degeneration and (in the case of osteoarthritis) cartilage degeneration share some similarities, especially in a homeopathic sense. Before continuing, though, bear in mind that this type of alternative medicine works best when it tackles not only the whole cluster of symptoms but also the individual's history, personality, tendencies, preferences, dislikes, fears and so on.

The following is a generic guideline to help your body use minerals and nutrients more effectively to help your bones as well as prevent fractures and promote healing of the bone structure and joints in general.

Calcarea carbonica: a great salt tissue remedy, often useful to those who suffer from bone and joint degeneration but also from chronic tiredness, from anxiety (even if mild) and tend to feel overwhelmed (from work, from stressful or challenging situations and so on). These individuals are often flabby or overweight and their symptoms aggravate in cold and damp environments. Occasionally they may have not only back pain and swollen joints but also specific cravings for eggs and sweets.

Calcarea phosphorica: often indicated for individuals who suffer from bone and joint degeneration but also from sore, stiff, and generally weak bones and joints. They may feel pain in the neck, upper back and in the hips; extreme tiredness may be present and this does not change after exercise. Bone fractures take a long time to heal though some areas of the bones may present irregular calcium deposits (suggesting imbalance in the bone nutritional process and bone repair). The personality of those for whom calcarea phosphorica may be indicated tend to be generally dissatisfied about their life and tend to prefer travelling and change as an attempt to remedy their inner dissatisfaction.

Knee osteoarthritis is the progressive deterioration of the joints and cartilage brought about by the daily grinding and friction of bones. A normal joint have adequate supply of synovial fluid that cushions the cartilage and allows the bones to smoothly slide. Old age decreases the amount of synovial fluid in between the bones and it eventually results to osteoarthritis. There are other options on how to treat and manage osteoarthritis other than weight management (diet and low impact exercise), physical therapy and taking of mild pain relievers.

Some patients take nutritional supplements such as glucosamine (animo acids that repair the cartilage), chondroitin (a form of natural sugar that helps strengthens the cartilage) and methylsulfonylmethane (natural sulfur that is anti-inflammatory found in plants). They take these supplements in conjunction with their lifestyle change program. If the ailment continues to worsen health providers will generally recommend surgery (arthroscopy, osteotomy and knee replacement). For those who are not yet ready or do not want to have knee surgery they opt to have viscosupplementary shots such as Orthovisc or Anika Orthovisc.

Viscossupplementary shots work by supplementing the synovial fluids present in between the knee joints to reduce pain on the knees; for the patient to be mobile and be able to resume normal activities.

Orthovisc: A Review

There are other viscosupplementation drugs available such as Synvisc, Eufexxa and Halgan, but Orthovisc is the most preferred because it contains high molecular weight hyaluran that did not come from avian sources (birds). Therefore, it is safe to use for those who have allergies to eggs and chicken. It was approved by the FDA in February 2, 2005. Its effects will last for six months. There are no serious side effects reported about this drug except for slight pain on the injected area and inflammation which will go away in few days naturally. The shots will be given for 3-4 weeks with 7 days interval. Gradually the knee pain will diminish and patient would be able to walk around with no more pain for 6 months.

It is possible to buy Orthovisc online at the lowest discounted rate. DrMax.biz is an online wholesaler of orthopedic and cosmetic medicines. This company sells Orthovisc from Canada and other brand name quality prescription at the lowest wholesale prices to licensed medical practitioners only. Buying Orthovisc online is very quick and easy. Just visit any online website selling drugs made from Canada.

Osteoarthritis is often seen as an inevitable part of aging. As it turns out, people younger than 65 may also develop osteoarthritis. Even though the majority of osteoarthritis patients are older, osteoarthritis is not a necessary facet of aging. Being overweight, having a family history, decreased bone density, a sedentary lifestyle, and previous joint problems are all risk factors for developing osteoarthritis.

In fact, more than 20 million Americans suffer from Degenerative Joint Disease, or osteoarthritis (OA). Knee osteoarthritis is also the major cause of musculoskeletal pain, disability and impaired mobility in elderly populations. Women are most often affected. However, research also shows that elderly people aren't bound to suffer from osteoarthritis pain. There are many holistic ways to address the condition that can have a long-lasting impact on osteoarthritis and the patient's general well being.

The Osteoarthritis Diagnosis
Osteoarthritis affects the cartilage - the tissue on the ends of bones that merge in a joint - and causes the cartilage to break down and gradually wear away. Cartilage is responsible for helping bones smoothly glide over one another. Instead of gliding, however, osteoarthritis causes bones to rub against one another. This can lead to pain, swelling, and motion loss.

The diagnosis of osteoarthritis is made by assessing the patient's clinical history, and performing a physical examination; an x-ray may be needed. Additional tests, such as taking fluid from the joint, may also be recommended.

Signs of osteoarthritis may include, but are not limited to: persistent, steady or recurring joint pain, stiffness in the joints after not moving for a prolonged period of time (this can include sleeping or sitting for extended periods), joint swelling or tenderness, and the sound of bones rubbing against one another, or a "crunching" sound/sensation.

The above are signs that you should contact your chiropractic doctor. Even though an osteoarthritis diagnosis is not difficult to make, oftentimes it's not immediately apparent whether the patient's symptoms is caused by OA. As such, it's important to rule out other disorders and conditions that may be aggravating the symptoms. Making a diagnosis at an early stage of the disease's onset and providing the right course of treatment will help reduce pain, improve overall function, and stall the degeneration process.

Exercise
One of the best forms of treatment for osteoarthritis is through prevention. One of the ways to accomplish this is through adopting some form of regular exercise. Exercise strengthens the muscles around the joints, as well as aids and maintains the joint's function and ability to move. Exercise also helps with weight management and improves the patient's emotional well being; these are factors that can have a significant effect on decreasing the severity of symptoms.

Here are some exercise tips for dealing with osteoarthritis:

• Go for low-impact activities, such as walking, and light weight training. Avoid heavy weights as they can place a strain on your joints.


• Adopt strengthening exercises targeted at the affected muscle groups.


• Develop a careful exercise approach. You don't want to place too much stress on your knee and ankle joints, especially if you are overweight.


• Try climbing stairs or water aerobics. These can help keep the joints mobile without putting a strain on them.


• Make sure to read your body's signals, which tell you when to stop or slow down.


• Your doctor of chiropractic may also recommend proper supplements that play important roles in osteoarthritis prevention and treatment.

Your Doctor of Chiropractic Can Help
By the nature of their work, doctors of chiropractic are able to detect the degenerative changes in the joints at their earliest of stages. Doctors of chiropractic can see and evaluate the impact of degenerative changes in the spine. They can also see their overall impact in the hips, knees, and weight-bearing joints.

Chiropractors are trained experts, with reliable methods of alleviating osteoarthritis pain which, at the same time, improves joint function. Chiropractic doctors do this with the use of natural therapies, such as chiropractic manipulation, massage, and especially designed exercises, as well as a host of other techniques.

Osteoarthritis like diabetes is a chronic dysfunction. If not treated it can become quite dangerous, and then it is termed as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage - a vital bone tissue -- gets disconnected. It is this cartilage that acts as the grease between the bone joints. When cartilage -- owing to osteoarthritis -- disappears, the bones become stiff. Under such abnormal circumstances whenever the bones rub one feels acute pain.

You would be surprised to know that there are more than 100 types of osteoarthritis. The most common one is osteoarthritis, or OA as explained above. The next in line according to the number of people affected is Rheumatoid Arthritis or RA. In this case, some lacunae in the immune system causes inflammation of the bone joints. Such a syndrome usually begins in the lining of the joints called the synovium. With time, RA damages the bone as well as the cartilage. Importantly, RA strikes both the sexes although it is more common among the womenfolk. RA affects similar joints and that too on the patients' both sides. Rheumatoid arthritis often affects the same joints on both sides of the body.

Mentionably, chronic and acute osteoarthritis are different from each other. The chronic state continues for years on end or may even continue for a person's lifetime. There is still no unanimity as to the exact causes of osteoarthritis, and hence there is still to evolve a precise treatment method for this disability disease.

The best means to control osteoarthritis is to follow the doctor's advice and strictly follow the prescribed regimen. Such a systematic lifestyle can definitely lessen the painful stress. First start monitoring the osteoarthritis symptoms. Then, discuss the signs with your physician and immediately make him aware of the new symptoms that may appear. Heredity can also be a main cause of the disease. At times, several of these symptoms may come together to cause osteoarthritis. Check obesity and regulate your weight to control osteoarthritis. Too much of physical weight puts unwarranted load on the cartilage and joints. Usually, our knee and hip joints carry the lion's share of our weight. Ensure that you do not put that extra load on these sensitive but very useful tissues called cartilage.

The reason why osteoarthritis generally happens with reference to the sportspersons is that they tend to put too much of pressure on particular parts of their bones and joints. This is exactly the reason why many players have to undergo repeated operation of the same portion of their joints over and over again. Hence never overuse the joints, otherwise there may be frequent breakdown of the cartilage. Moreover, repeated surgeries on particular joint parts can not only be expensive and a painful experience but can also weaken those affected portions.

EMS stands for Electro Muscle Stimulation. In simple terms an electronic machine is used to stimulate the muscles. In more complicated terms it is a low voltage waveform, applied through conductive pads, placed at strategic points on the body, to stimulate muscle motor nerves.

Normally when we exercise the brain sends signals via the spinal cord to nerve sensors which cause our muscles to expand and contract. As we continue to exercise lactic acid builds up in and around the muscle and we start to tire.

An EMS machine works by applying a controlled signal to stimulate the same nerve sensors, causing the muscle to expand and contract. The increased blood flow to the muscles helps deliver the essential nutrients for recovery, speeding up the rehabilitation process. The work relaxation cycle of an EMS machine also facilitates the removal of lactic acid from the muscles, allowing them to relax quicker.

The medical profession use EMS machines to treat a variety of conditions in rehabilitation units with encouraging results. Most treatments are specifically for conditions which require muscle stimulation. They are most commonly used on people whose muscles have weakened after long periods of bed rest.

Osteoarthritis of the knee, a condition more often found in older people, is usually caused by general wear and tear on the knee joint from normal day to day activities. Sometimes it can be the result of some old injury sporting or otherwise. Knee problems are often exacerbated by lack of proper support to the knee joint by the surrounding muscles. The end result is deterioration of the knee cartilage resulting in more pain.

Strengthening the muscles surrounding the knee is key to easing the pain of Osteoarthritis sufferers. Health care providers usually start off by having patients work on strengthen their quadriceps (the large group of muscles which run along the front of the leg from the knee to the hip). EMS is introduced as an additional therapy, along with a number of other non load bearing exercises, particularly for osteoarthritis patients, to improve muscle strength. EMS offers great benefits for the elderly, who tend to be the most common sufferers osteoarthritis, as well as other patients with limited mobility.

Another benefit of using an EMS machine is the TENs effect some programs have. (TENs stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation where transcutaneous means through the skin.) Low rate programs usually between 2Hz to 5Hz with a pulse width close to 200uS encourages the release of endorphins which in turn gives pain relief that can last several hours.

EMS machines come in a variety of shapes, sizes and prices, depending on whether they are used for medical or body toning. Most machines used for medical purposes are small compact and portable and will have 4 electrodes, while body toning machines use multiple electrodes and may not be portable.

EMS is a treatment option for a wide range of injuries or conditions caused by or related to muscle weakness, as well as joint, tendon, and nerve injuries. It has also found a place in many other walks of life from beauty treatment to bodybuilding, often with some too good to be true claims. While no EMS machine will give you an instant six pack by sitting around supping beer, it does have a many uses in athletics, rehab and bodybuilding.

EMS machines should only be used on the advice of a doctor or other health professionals. They may not be suitable for certain conditions. Always follow the manufactures instructions supplied with the machine. EMS machines should never be used by people who have a pacemaker or have heart problems. Pregnant women should avoid using EMS machines as the affects on the unborn baby are not known. Never place EMS electrodes on your head or neck

Perhaps you have a stiff back when you wake up. Sore knuckles when you write a paragraph or two or try to open a jar. A "trick" knee that acts up when you take the stairs. Could it be the effects of getting older or something more serious?

If you're experiencing joint tenderness, stiffness or pain, a limited range of motion in your limbs, swelling or cracking noises with movement (such as in the knees or ankles) you may suffer from the most common form of degenerative arthritis - osteoarthritis. Pain, of course, is the primary symptom of osteoarthritis, but because the disease presents differently in different people, you may have osteoarthritis and not even know it.

Unlike other forms of arthritis - such as rheumatoid arthritis - osteoarthritis is a localized disease. In other words, pain is localized in the specific joints affected by the disease. Injury and abnormal use of joints - particularly weight-bearing joints such as the hips, knees and ankles - leads to a breakdown, or degeneration, of the precious cartilage in the joints. As this natural cushion disappears, inflammation increases causing pain.

X-rays and other imaging devices can show evidence of osteoarthritis in some patients, but not all. Knowing your body - and recognizing pain - is key to preventing further damage and pain. Because osteoarthritis is degenerative, use of the arthritic joint only increases pain and, in mild to moderate cases, the only improvement will be experienced with rest. As the disease worsens, patients may find little relief with rest and resort to medical intervention - from invasive surgery to prescription medications.

A visit to your doctor is the first step in diagnosing osteoarthritis although, again, x-rays do not always show evidence of the disease. If you've started feeling pains in your joints, the time to act is now! By putting off what needs to be done, you place yourself at risk for further deterioration and related injuries as your body tries to compensate for painful arthritic joints.

Rather than resorting to prescription medications that put the patient at severe risk and serve only to mask the pain, many people are turning to what some call the most effective non-invasive treatments available to osteoarthritis sufferers... supplementation with glucosamine and chondroitin.

Glucosamine and chondroitin are two naturally occurring molecules that act as the building blocks for cartilage in the joints of humans and animals. Damaged joints have less of these two vital molecules available and this puts the already-damaged joint at a severe disadvantage. When they are made available to the damaged joint, however, the body gets to work rebuilding damaged cartilage and reversing the effects of osteoarthritis.

Arthritis is believed to be the oldest discovered body pain ailment of mankind. Scientists have even found this disease in the joints of some dinosaurs and even mummies!

The term arthritis means "joint inflammation." While there are several-hundred forms of arthritis, the most common are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Regardless of type, common arthritic symptoms include pain in the joints, redness and swelling of the joints and loss of joint function. The pain of osteoarthritis gradually worsens with use over the course of the day, whereas the pain of rheumatoid arthritis tends to be worse on waking and improves as the day progresses.

Despite advances in medical science, the best arthritis relievers are the natural ones. Safe care, no side effects. While store shelves are stocked with the popular arthritis supplements, here are three powerful supplements you may not have heard of but have been shown to relieve arthritis body pain and inflammation.

Hydraflexin

The development of Hydraflexin began by accident years ago when a brilliant and well-respected researcher at the University of Chile, Dr. Juan Hanke, was a hired by a pharmaceutical company seeking a cure for the common cold.

During his research, he came across a rare herb called Andrographis Paniculata-a plant with a long history of use in Ayurvedic and traditional Chinese medicine. Dr. Hanke discovered that at higher dosages, Paractin (the patented, standardized extract from Andrographis) actually helped reduce inflammation and pain-not just colds. That is because your immune system is not just about preventing colds or the flu, it also helps control inflammation signals sent throughout your body.

Research shows that the Paractin in Hydraflexin works directly on the immune system and enables it to block certain inflammatory chemical signals-the very signals that cause arthritis pain. The evidence is overwhelming. For instance:

• According to The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics Paractin (the same amount in Hydraflexin) reduces the abundance of chemical cytokines that cause inflammation which leads to pain.


• Paractin stops (or dramatically reduces) two other significant sources of inflammation sent by your immune system----COX-2 and Nuclear Factor kappa B.


• Paractin stimulates "PPAR-Gamma," a little-known protein in your cells that works to slow down and smother inflammation. But researchers were also shocked when they saw that increased PPAR-Gamma also reduced C-Reactive protein-a dangerous marker of inflammation and heart trouble-by up to 40%!

Chinese Patent Herbal Medicines

Traditional Chinese medicine has a log history of herbal remedies. The 400 most popular of these formulas have been prepackaged into "patent herbal medicines." Two of them are especially good for arthritis.

Kang Gu Zeng Sheng Pian can be taken for a wide variety of joint and bone syndromes, such as: osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatism and general joint and tendon pain. Another formula, Juan Bi Tang, is effective for arthralgia caused by cold and/or dampness. Symptoms can include pain in the neck, back, shoulders and arms, difficulty in movements, numbness in the hands and feet. It is especially good for treating the symptoms of osteoarthritis, bursitis, fibromyalgia and sciatica.

While these formulas are effective and safe, they require a licensed herbalist or acupuncturist to properly diagnose the condition and determine the quantity one should take over what period of time.

Over time joint cartilage simply starts to degenerate, leading to loss of joint mobility and many times pain. Osteoarthritis in dogs is characterized by thinning of cartilage, buildup of fluid within the joint, and the formation of bony outgrowths around the joint. Joint degeneration can be brought about by a number of reasons factors, including: trauma, the body's own immune system, infection, or birth related disorders. Joint degeneration leads to inflammation, and abnormal joint function.

Signs of osteoarthritis in dogs include joint swelling, lameness, wasting away of muscle, and thickening and scarring of he joint membrane. Over time a large amount of joint damage can be done leading to the dreaded bone on bone grating sound. If X-rays are required they should reveal an increase in fluid within the joint, soft tissue swelling around the joint, soft tissue swelling around the joint, the formation of bony outgrowths, hardening and thickening of bone beneath the cartilage, and sometimes a narrowed joint space.

Treatment can include medication, surgery, or natural supplementation. Prescription drugs commonly prescribed are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain and inflammation. While these drugs are initially helpful they can sometimes cause gastrointestinal problems such as lack of appetite, vomiting, and inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Corticosteroids are another option for curbing inflammation, but they too may produce unwanted side effects if taken over a long period of time. You should consult your veterinarian to gain a better understanding of the risk involved with prescription dog osteoporosis medications.

On occasion surgery may be the only alternative, especially if the osteoporosis is in its advanced stages or if joint trauma is involved. Surgical options include joint fusion, joint replacement, cutting of the joint, and even amputation. The prognosis will depend on the severity of the joint disease and the location of the damaged joint.

Natural supplementation has been shown to be helpful in regenerating cartilage and bone without the unintended consequences. There are currently some excellent natural health options available which can be taken as stand alone remedies or in addition to conventional dog osteoarthritis medications. These alternative treatment options for dog osteoarthritis are definitely worth investigating further.

Other potentially helpful treatments for dog osteoarthritis are weight reduction, carefully monitored exercise regimes (only on soft surfaces), and use of joint heat therapy. Joint fluid modifiers may prove helpful in limiting further cartilage loss.