Medical News

Worldwide there are many sufferers of debilitating arthritis, people of all ages and genders are not immune from this insidious disease that has no age or gender preference and it even attack both children and infants. There is a specific arthritis call Psoriasis Arthritis this is an illness that also affects many millions of people.

At the time of writing there is no known cure for this form of arthritis, it primary attacks the joints and they become swollen added to the arthritis misery the joint that is affected you will get scaly patches of skin. You can see you are really handed a double disease. Arthritis and Psoriasis.

The first thing you need to do is get the condition properly diagnosed by a Dr in order to delve into your medical history and take the appropriate tests in order to completely understand its symptoms and treatment available for both the skin complaint along with medications and other options for pain treatment.

Education is knowledge of this disease and this will help you understand the treatment that is being offered. The drugs you will take will need careful monitoring to get the right mix to as not one medication suits all. There is help at hand, firstly with your doctor he is your number one contact and he will give you information to read up on the diseases, along with providing information to organisations that have support groups.

The internet is a powerful tool to research and on it your will find other support in various forums that are on line and don’t be surprised when you get a reply from around the world. This is helpful when you have made contact as this gives you peace of mind knowing others really do know how you feel.
The most common age for the psoriatic arthritis is between 20-50 years of age.

Some further symptoms are that people could experience swelling of wrists, knees, elbows and finger joints. The skin will appear on the swollen joints as being gray and very dry especially around the front and back of the knees and elbows. The person with this condition can likely have pitted nails and small cuts around the fingernails. Science states the cause is not totally known but believes it may be related to a combination of environment and genetic predisposition.
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The condition is a little tricky for the medical profession as you virtually have 2 fused diseases. Although there are many drugs out for this condition many do have side effects. As a lay person I have taken it upon myself to research these diseases and have made many changes to my diet in order to eliminate foods that could trigger an attack without taking drugs. This has been useful for me to eradicate different foods that kick start my disease. Changing your diet is one thing another is walking or best of all exercises is aqua aerobic class where there is no weight bearing.

When arthritis is mentioned one immediately imagines an illness affecting the elderly. However this disease is no respecter of age as anyone can develop it. It might surprise you that there are many forms of this illness. Painful or swollen joints often indicate an arthritic condition but there are many other causes too. If arthritis is suspected correct diagnosis from a medical professional it essential to determine a treatment.

Should the condition be diagnosed the two forms most of us are familiar with are Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis. Though they may share some common similarities of symptoms such as knuckle pain or swollen joints, they are quite different diseases.

Osteoarthritis is the type expected to affect mainly older people because it is a degenerative, ‘wear and tear’ kind of illness. With this form you may awake in a morning and any joint can be troubled feeling stiff for a while. The wearing away of cartilage and loss of lubricating fluid between joints is the main reason for osteoarthritis pain. Often in smaller joints such as in the fingers bony enlargements can occur and though not always painful in themselves they do frequently cause limitations of use.

Rheumatoid arthritis is altogether different in that it is an autoimmune disease. Its principle symptoms are inflammation of joints causing swelling and pain. Although the stiffness associated with the osteo form is absent significant and increasing deformity of the fingers ensues as the disease progresses. Again this is very distressing and means even simple tasks like buttoning clothes is very difficult to do.

With medical treatment, pain control and in some instances surgery, the illness can be made tolerable. At present there is no known cure for many arthritis conditions but some milder types can be remedied with treatments such as antibiotics or avoiding foods known to irritate the condition.

Another great advance in making many people’s lives easier is through the use of gadgets and disability aids such as specially designed can and jar openers, cutlery and various holders. Making full use of this kind of equipment can vastly improve a sufferer’s daily life.
Hand arthritis is a debilitating illness that causes pain and distress and often leads to extreme frustration when trying to perform minor tasks like fastening buttons, pulling up zips and especially securing a watch strap.

As if growing pains were not enough, there is such a thing known as systemic-onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis which afflicts both girls and boys as they progress from childhood to preadolescence. As a juvenile disorder, it affects children younger than 16 years of age, although there are cases wherein it persists beyond the teens.

What is Systemic JRA?

Think of it as an autoimmune disorder wherein the immune system which normally responds beneficially to fight any infection automatically reacts to combat its own defenses. Even a minor infection which raises the white blood cell count could trigger the autoimmune system of to attack its own body tissues.
Poorly understood, systemic JRA is difficult to diagnose and treat without a series of tests to rule out all other diseases. It can be worrisome because some of its symptoms closely resemble those of leukemia, bone cancer, and other nervous syndromes.

How does it show?

Depending on its severity, the disease is characterized by multiple signs and symptoms such as joint pain, swelling, and stiffness for more than six weeks straight. The child experiences prolonged bouts of high fever and chills which peaks with unexplained measles-like rashes. The experience can be very disheartening and debilitating, which is why pain management should be given importance in systemic JRA.

It is not contagious, because it is neither bacterial nor viral but rather a disease of the immune system. It can be inherited as a third-generation disease, meaning it skips one generation and manifests itself in the next. There is no clear explanation why some children outgrow it completely while others have long symptom-free periods followed by a sudden show of flare-ups.

How do you manage it?

During JRA flare-ups, a child is prone to lose weight and muscle mass which results from lost appetite and limited body movement. On the other hand, prolonged medication and lack of activity would lead to excessive weight gain. Rather than leading a sedentary lifestyle, you could encourage your child to engage in non-strenuous play and sports activities which exercise the joints, bones, and muscles.

As part of pain management care, a child with systemic JRA is attended to by a pediatric rheumatologist. Aside from pain relievers, the usual medications would include NSAIDs and low-dose steroid treatment. The patient may also need specifically-prescribed exercise programs and rehab sessions under the supervision of a physical therapist to completely recover.

How do you deal with it?

When chronic joint pain is recurrent, it goes far beyond what we know of as musculoskeletal pain. The pain is simply indescribable. It could affect the entire body starting from the ankles to the knees, higher to the hips and the shoulders, and even up to the neck and jaws.

As parents of a child with systemic JRA, we only have to deal with it. However, it is our children afflicted with the disease who have to live with it. They will have to cope with its long-term side-effects such as growth delays, accelerated tooth decays and inner eye inflammations which lead to premature scarring and vision problems. With prolonged medication, complications of the heart and liver as well as stomach ulcers are bound to happen.

Aside from our love and patience, we can only lend our children additional support through pain management medications, clinics, and therapies. Keeping informed and updated on current developments in patient care for systemic JRA would help families deal and live with a disease which goes beyond the pains of growing up. Turn to our Fitness Books for more information on pain management and other health matters.

Gout is known as one of the most painful diseases that a person as suffer from as it attacks and damages the joints. Some of the joints that are affected by this type of arthritis are the knee, finger joints, wrist, elbow, heel, the instep which is the arch of the foot and the ankle. Mostly in men gout affects men who are in the age bracket of about thirty years to sixty years. With proper treatment any one who is suffering from gout can be cured using some of the gout pain relief diet.

Foods that cause gout are usually foods that have high levels of purine or any diet that consists of food rich in purines. A diet that has high levels of purine usually causes gout as the purine is broken down to produce the end result which is uric acid, which if not properly flushed out of the body, accumulates in the joints of the body and solidifies to cause inflammations on the joints that are very painful. A good gout diet should have fruits such as strawberries which help to neutralize the uric acid that may be present in the body. Also cherries can be consumed as they as well neutralize the uric acid in the body. A gout diet should include drinking a lot of water about eight to ten glasses a day so as to flush and dilute the uric acid. Gout pain relief diet for out gout cure includes consuming foods which are rich in vitamin C and also citrus fruits such as tomatoes which reduce inflammations that may be present in the joints thus relieving the patient of any pain that he or she may be suffering from.

Gout diet should be high with carbohydrates such as whole grains, vegetables and fruits. Also the diet should have low protein food like soy, lean meat and poultry and the diet should contain more than ten percent of animal fat and thirty percent of calories. Foods to avoid for gout are foods that are rich in purine; these foods include meat extract, gravies, cauliflower, peas, yeast, anchovies, sardines in oil, fish roes and beverages such as beer. Gout treatment includes medicine that is prescribed to the patient to relief pain as well as the swelling on the joints.

In this article, I would like to introduce you to the world of natural health. To your disadvantage, you will not hear about treating gout naturally from your next doctor’s visit. This is because doctors, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies are working hand in hand to charge you more money.

Before you spend your next paycheck on a doctor’s visit or prescription medication, you may want to try some natural remedies.

Natural Remedies for Gout

Here are some less common cures that you can try if you are looking at alternative treatments.

1. Devil’s claw has been proven to reduce levels of uric acid. Experts suggest taking 400 mg of dried devil’s claw extract 3 times per day until symptoms go away.

2. Garlic is one of the heavy weights of herbal remedies and it only seems fair. Eating 3-5 raw cloves of garlic has been shown to be extremely beneficial for eliminating gout symptoms and improving your overall health.

3. Hawthorn, like NSAIDs, is filled with anthocyanosides which are anti-inflammatory. But more importantly hawthorn contains flavonoids which have been shown to be effective in treating gout symptoms.

4. You may also want to supplement both hyssop and juniper which are extremely helpful for neutralizing uric acid.

5. Did you know that your diet and lifestyle habits are probably one of the most important factors for curing this painful type of arthritis? For instance, contestants from the show, The Biggest Loser, are always curing gout by themselves. You can learn more about how they do it naturally!
Treating Gout Naturally Starts Today

Would you try a natural remedy report if it is 100% guaranteed to work? How about if it is doctor-approved? Learn why natural health research is showing that you can cure gout in less than 2 hours! And the best part is you can do it with one trip to the grocery store!

There are simple things if you follow every day, they can most likely help ease your arthritis-related pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased range of motion. In this article I will go over some options that you can consider to apply in your daily life.

Eat an arthritis-fighting diet. You should if possible have this diet very often, which includes a lot of fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and whole grains, with a small amount of processed meats and salad oil (corn, safflower, or sunflower).

Consider taking joint-saving supplement. There are many supplements that can ease the vary symptoms of different arthritis. The list contains antioxidants, boron, vitamin B6, niacin, vitamin D, zinc, flaxseed oil, green tea, glucosamine sulfate, SAMe, bromelain and others.

Exercise Daily. This is probably the best and smartest investment for relieving your arthritis pain. It dose not cost anything! So many studies have shown that proper exercise can help lubricate and nurture the joints by making joint fluid into and out of the cartilage. In other words, without regular exercise, your joints will not get much of this in-and -out action, so cartilage might thin out and become dry. One of the best exercises is brisk walking, because it will not put too much stress on your joints and is easy and fun to do.

Watch your joint alignment. When you stand, sit, walk, run, and lift, make sure you do it correctly and properly. This is to protect your joints from injury or overuse and tear.

Control stress, aggression, and depression. Are you aware that the way you think and feel about your arthritis pain might actually make it worse? Just like stress, anger, hostility, aggression, and depression can have the negative effect. The good thing is that you can make a change by reducing your stress levels and develop your natural potential for relaxation. Never ignore the possible benefit of releasing yourself from depression.

Set up your life for the best efficiency. Many people have said that when they actively face their arthritis and find new ways to cope with physical problems can feel less pain and fatigue. You can enjoy the positive side of your life if you choose to do so.

Antler arthritis is a form of arthritis that makes a person feel sore in the joints. A person suffering from this may feel terrible pain or discomfort in one or several joint areas and may be totally disabled during attacks.

Like other forms of arthritis, the specific origins are unknown, although weight, age, bone injuries, infections, and other illnesses may have something to do with its occurrence and severity.

The usual signs of antler arthritis are the same with the other forms of arthritis. It includes joint swelling, stiffness of the knee/s, tenderness of the joints and the surrounding area, agonizing pain, and a feeling that your joints are going to separate from your bones any moment. This is the reason why people suffering from this could barely move an inch. The major effect of this kind of arthritis is joint abnormality. For instance, bow legs or knocking knees.

When you experience some signs and symptoms of antler, you must consult your doctor right away. It is easier to deal with any kind of sickness at its early stage than trying to do something about it when it has already turned complicated. Imagine having to consume much more expensive medications and even going through surgeries just because you weren’t able to do something about it during the earlier stage.

Doctors advise people suffering from arthritis to eat a balanced diet, do water therapy, exercise regularly, and take supplements that have vitamins and minerals. These will help the person combat stress, which in turn will not trigger the symptoms of arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, is a disease where a person’s own body attacks itself, causing widespread tissue damage. Reactions, sometimes referred to as flare ups, can be caused by a variety of reasons. A person can have a reaction to the stress in their life, infection or even an injury. The traditional treatment for autoimmune diseases, such as arthritis is immunosuppressing medicines. But these medications can be toxic if used for an extended period of time. If at all possible try to use drugs that are not as strong to avoid dependency. Also if you use these drugs for too long, the body will build up a resistance, making them far less successful. Also if a person becomes accustomed to these type of treatments, they will be far less likely to find relief with a natural treatment.

Changes in a person’s lifestyle can help boost the immunity, and there are many strategies that will help with the control of the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Some of the natural remedies and suggestions for the control of the symptoms of an autoimmune disorder are. Eat a diet that is high in carbohydrates, and low in protein. This is accomplished by minimizing the consumption of animal products such as red meat and processed foods. Eliminate all milk and milk containing products. This includes the commercial foods that include milk as an ingredient.

Polyunsaturated oils, such as vegetable oil, vegetable shortening and margarine. Partially hydrogenated oils should be avoided in any form.Caffeine and tobacco are also on the list of substances that can cause a flare up.

A good practice is to increase the intake of omega 3 fatty acids, this can be accomplished by adding more walnuts, freshly prepared flax seeds and fish that are found in colder waters. A fish oil supplement is a good choice for persons who do not like the foods that are naturally high in omega 3. If a person controls the diet in this fashion the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis can possibly be lessened without medications.

Aerobic exercise such as swimming are good for persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis. The water lessens the stress on painful joints. psychological therapy, hypnotherapy and visualization are good for the emotion stresses in a persons life. Eliminate the following foods for 8 weeks, then add them back one by one, this will allow you to find the specific triggers for your symptoms:

1. sugars, all but natural sugars in certain fruit,

2. citrus fruit,

3. soy, wheat and corn.

Fever few is an herb that has shown success in treating the symptoms, as have the following anti inflammatory herbs; turmeric, and ginger. With the proper treatments, you may find your symptoms becoming fewer and less severe.

Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease and degenerative arthritis, is the most common form of arthritis. It involves the breakdown of cartilage in the joints and is primarily found in older adults. Symptoms include aching, soreness, pain, bony enlargements in the center of a joint, and joint swelling. Osteoarthritis is most commonly experienced in weight bearing joints such as the knees and hips. It is typically the result of aging, but can be intensified by other factors such as heredity, injury, obesity, joint overuse, and stress. While there is no cure for Osteoarthritis, there are helpful treatments that and lessen the pain, increase mobility, and enhance the individual’s quality of life. The type of treatment an Osteoarthritis patient receives will vary depending on a myriad of factors. If you suspect you are experiencing Osteoarthritis, it is critical that you discuss your symptoms and treatment options with your personal physician to ensure you are getting the right treatment for your particular needs.

Most common treatments include:

• Physical therapy and exercise. A licensed physical therapist can advise you on specific muscle strengthening exercises that will help support ligaments and tendons and help alleviate pain.
• Supportive devices. Supportive devices increase mobility, prevent falls, and are great for pain relief. A hinged knee brace, can be used to stabilize ligaments and tendons which will significantly decrease pain, while devices like crutches or canes can lessen the direct stress on joints. When selecting a device, make sure it is lightweight, comfortable, and easy to adjust for a precise fit.
• Medication (oral or injected). Your doctor may prescribe you pain-relieving and/or anti-inflammatory medications which can help with Osteoarthritis management.
• Weight Control. Keeping your weight in a healthy range will reduce the stress on your joints.
• Hot or cold therapy. Hot or cold compresses can be administered to reduce pain and swelling.
• Removal of fluid. If excess fluid surrounds the joints, your physician may choose to drain that fluid manually in order to alleviate pressure on the joint.
• Alternative treatments. Some medical research concludes that glucosamine and chondrotin can rebuild cartilage, especially in the knee. There are also other (currently unproven) supplements that are also associated with Osteoarthritis treatment. Likewise, some people swear that acupuncture and bio-electric therapy alleviates pain, though there have not yet been any conclusive studies to support these claims.
• Surgery. If less invasive treatments prove ineffective, your doctor may recommend corrective surgery.

Arthritis affects people from all walks of life and can strike at any age. Whilst it may limit your participation in some activities, the pain does not have to control your life. One of the very first steps toward managing your pain is to have a positive attitude. Your mind will play a very important role in how you react to pain and its debilitating effects. If you can laugh at yourself and keep a sense of humor, you will go a long way to winning in this first line of defense against pain.

There are other ways to help control your arthritis pain. One of the most important of these is exercise. There is the old saying that says “use it, or loose it”! Whilst it is not wise to exercise during times when a joint is going through a “flare-up” i.e. it is swollen, red and painful – exercise does help to maintain a joint’s mobility and range of movement. Exercise also helps to strengthen muscles surrounding the joint and to therefore keep it stable. This is extremely important for later stages when, due to wear and tear, the joint itself becomes less and less stable. If the muscles surrounding the joint are kept strong this will go a long way towards stabilizing the joint itself and thus controlling pain levels.

Exercise will help to maintain general health, which in turn will help with that all important positive attitude. One of the best forms of exercise for people suffering from arthritis pain is swimming because this allows for movement without the effects of gravity. Even those sometimes swollen joints can be gently moved in water so that there is no loss of range of movement.

The final two things to mention in this short introduction, are relaxation techniques and getting adequate sleep. It is very important to learn some relaxation techniques – simple ones – like progressive and targeted relaxing of muscle groups. This will help tremendously when muscles have been tensed to try and hold an aching joint in place. The muscles themselves can eventually go into a spasm which will only add to the pain burden.

And then finally, the importance of adequate sleep cannot be stressed enough. Arthritis is a very debilitating condition and this combined with inadequate sleep will only exacerbate the situation and that positive attitude that you have worked so hard at cultivating, can so easily fly out of the window and leave you in a negative frame of mind. This will rob you of the energy that is so necessary to cope with longstanding pain.