Natural Remedies for Arthritis - Try These Before Using Medication

There are various natural remedies for arthritis. Arthritis is a muscular disorder that affects muscles and joints. Symptoms of this condition include limited joint movement, inflammation and joint pain. The inflamed joint is red, swollen and warm to touch.

In every joint, there is a lubricating fluid inside the protective capsule. The smooth and slippery cartilage is responsible for the easy, fluid movement of the joints. If the cartilage lost due to a degenerative process, narrowed or damaged, the joints get inflamed and movement becomes painful. Most people suffer from this condition with aging. Signs of this disease become evident in most above the age of 50. With usage over a period of time, degeneration of joints takes place naturally.

Managing this is easy with a combination of rest, exercise, medication, nutrition, weight management and in extreme cases, surgery. This condition is diagnosed by doctors through x-rays and blood tests after which the best treatment method is worked out.

This disease can stay with you through your life and with the right treatment and lifestyle changes, it can be effectively managed. For this, it is important to have the support of friends and family and a positive outlook.

This complex disorder can affect at any stage of life. There are many different types of this disease including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid, juvenile rheumatoid, infectious and gout. Two of the most common types include osteoarthritis and rheumatoid.

Osteoarthritis causes stiffness and pain in the joints. Rheumatoid on the other hand mainly affects the joints and is a long lasting disease. Swelling in the joints is caused by the immune system. The surrounding cartilage and tissues are damaged when the inflammation spreads.

Children are affected by juvenile rheumatoid arthritis which is characterized by swelling, stiffness, pain and loss of joint function. The cause of this autoimmune disease is unknown and this condition is not hereditary.

When uric acid crystals resembling needles deposit in the joints, the patient suffers from pain in the joint, swelling and inflammation. This condition is known as gout and it mainly affects the knee, ankle and foot.

Infectious agents such as viruses and bacteria also cause this disease. Joint damage can be minimized with early diagnosis and treatment for infection.

Fibromyalgia causes pain in hips, spine, neck, head, shoulders and elbows. Patients suffering from this condition experience severe pain and the affected areas are highly sensitive to touch. Symptoms of this condition include stiffness, disturbed sleep and fatigue.

Other types of this disease include Ankylosing Spondylitis, Tendonitis and Bursitis, Lupus and Polymyalgia Rheumatica.By Jim Bessios

Antioxidants and Arthritis

There are over 100 different forms of arthritis, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and related autoimmune diseases. Arthritis is defined as a health condition with characteristics of redness, swelling, accompanied with pain and loss of function due to inflammation that occurs around the joint, damages to the joint.

There are 2 types of inflammation

a. Acute inflammation
Acute inflammation happened in a short period, the symptoms may only last for a few seconds but no longer in a few days due to increased blood flow, permeability of the and migration of neutrophils out of the venules and into interstitial spaces.

b. Chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammatory disease may persist over av long time days, months or years. In chronic inflammation, the system has gotten hung up, and instead of protecting the organism (our bodies) it starts to kill the organism, slowly but surely, leading to connective tissue become inflamed and swollen in the joints.

1. Symptoms
Depending to the types of conditions

a. Stiffness on awakening or after prolonged rest
b. Pain in a joint during or after use
c. Discomfort in a joint before or during a change in weather
d. Swelling and a loss of flexibility in a joint
e. Bony lumps (nodules) that develop on the end or middle joint of the fingers
f. Pain and swelling in the smaller joints of the hands and feet
g. Overall aching or stiffness, especially after sleeping or periods of motionlessness
h. Joints that are swollen, painful, and warm to the touch during the initial attack and ensuing flare-ups
i. nodules, or lumps, that most commonly occur near the elbow (but can occur anywhere)
j. Etc.

2. Causes
a. Genetic or inherited

Although the cause of arthritis is not unknown, researchers suspect it may be caused by alternation of gene such as NOS2 or on the X chromosome that inherited from you parent.

b. Autoimmunity
Autoimmunity is a disorder of immune system has lost its sensitivity to differentiate the body cells and foreign invaders, as it begins to attack the cells of the body, leading to inflammation due to effects of free radicals.

c. Wear-and-tear
Some theories suggested that wear and tear over the year may increase the risk of suffering of joint injuries such as people works in a job that puts daily stress on the joints, athletics, etc.

d. Bacterial or viral infections
Due to an abnormal immune response that destroys the body's own tissues - in the case of RA, the joints are the target.

e. Gout
Gout and Pseudogout are caused by crystal deposits within the joints. 80% of gout sufferers are men. It is a medical condition usually characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammatory arthritis-a red, tender, hot, swollen joint due to elevating levels of uric acid in the blood which crystallize and are deposited in joints, tendons, and surrounding tissues.

f. Etc.

3. Free radicals and Arthritis
Researchers found that rheumatoid joint fluid contains significant amounts hydroxyl radical. Its presence suggests a failure of the normal immune defense system within the joint as transferrin has no longer performed its normal function in chemicals binding, leading to inflammation.

Other study suggested that once the inflammatory condition is progressing, free radicals and the chain of free radicals reaction cause radicals occur in high numbers in the affected area, elevating the swelling and promoting degeneration as it becomes a cycle process.

4. Antioxidants and Arthritis

a. Vitamin C
Vitamin C beside is vital in restoring the antioxidants vitamin E in scavenging the free radicals before they can become harmful to the body, it also protects the capillaries by preventing them from breaking off, triggering an inflammatory reaction. Other study found that vitamin C also reduces the risk of cartilage loss and developing knee pain.

b. Vitamin E and fish oil
In genetically altered mice study, researcher found that diet included fish oil plus vitamin E significantly reduce the levels of inflammation by analyzing the pro and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the blood serum.

c. Glucosamine
Since glucosamine, a compound of the simple sugar glucose and the amino acid glutamine, is a precursor for glycosaminoglycans, and they are a major component of joint cartilage. Study found that supplemental glucosamine may help to prevent cartilage degeneration and treat arthritis.

d. DLPA (dl- phenylalanine)
DLPA, a mixture of D-Phenylalanine and L-Phenylalanine, is a nutritional supplement amino acid. Researchers found that DLPA effectively reduces arthritis pain and joint inflammation in many patients.

e. Glucosamine and Methylsulfonylmethane
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study with osteoarthritis of the knee were given a combination of glucosamine and MSM, or placebo. After 12 weeks, the results suggested combination of MSM and glucosamine may improve arthritis symptoms as compared to placebo.

f. Etc.

By Kyle J Norton

Avoid Foods That Create Inflammation and End Joint Pain

If you have swollen, inflamed joints you may have realized certain foods create inflammation. If you avoid them, you may be able to reduce your pain without harsh medications.

Now, there can be a lot of reasons for aching joints.

In the case of osteoarthritis, the degeneration of cartilage at the joints is the main culprit. Bursitis is another condition that causes joint pain, in which the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that cushion the bones at the joints become inflamed. There are also autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, that can cause pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joint areas.

In autoimmune disorders, the body's immune system fails to tell the difference between healthy tissues and harmful substances in the body. This results to a hypersensitivity reaction that destroys even healthy body tissues.

One of the body's first responses to irritations of this sort is inflammation. This accounts for the swelling, redness, and pain in the joints felt by persons who suffer from autoimmune diseases. However, research has recently shown that swelling can be aggravated by foods that create inflammation.

Foods high in linoleic acid, a kind of omega-6 essential fatty acid, are known to increase have inflammatory effects. Examples of these are corn, peanut, and soy.

On the other hand, foods that are rich in omega-3 such as tuna and other coldwater fish, have a soothing effect on joint pains. Roughly 100 years ago, most Westerners had a well-balanced diet rich in both omega-6 and omega-3 food sources. However, now nutritionists agree that omega-6-rich foods that cause inflammation far outweigh omega-3 foods in the high-carbohydrates and low-protein diet that most Americans eat today.

Here is a list of some of the foods that can create inflammation and joint pains:

• Dairy products such as cow's milk and cheese contain lactose, a substance that can cause allergic reactions, which may trigger swelling of the bone junctions in the body.

• Refined sugars like white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and confectioner's sugar are also best avoided if you suffer from joint pains. Opt for natural sweeteners like honey instead.

• Grains with gluten like wheat, oats and rye can quickly trigger an inflammatory reaction.

• Polyunsaturated oils like sunflower, corn, soy, safflower and peanut oils are high in linoleic acid, which can have an inflammatory effect on the body.

• Caffeine, which is present in coffee, soda, or tea, is known to increase inflammation in cases of people who suffer from joint pains.

• Red meat such as beef, lamb and pork too can increase aches and pains in your joints. If you eat more chicken and fish you may notice less pain.

There are surely many foods that can create inflammation and result to joint pains. However, this doesn't mean that you have to eliminate these foods entirely from your diet.

You can experiment by avoiding them all at once, then slowly reintroducing each one back into your diet, just to see which foods would really trigger the inflammation and joint pain reactions in your body. Or, you can cut back gradually. Doctors say adding omega-3 fish oil supplements to your diet can help balance your fatty acids and relieve inflammation too.-By Jennifer P. April

Tingling Sensation Every Morning? Is It Arthritis?

The aging process brings many unpleasant things, like developing poor eyesight, feeling sore and achy in the morning and having thick, unsightly toenails thanks to nail fungus. It can also bring mysterious symptoms that seem to pop up out of nowhere. Morning soreness and stiffness is pretty common, but what if you wake up with a burning or tingling sensation in your feet or hands? That could be a sign of something more serious that you really should see your doctor about.

This tingling sensation is one of the many symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis. This is a bit different from osteoarthritis, which occurs when your joints experience wear and tear with age. Rheumatoid arthritis is actually a long-term autoimmune condition that develops when your immune system sees healthy tissue as an enemy and attacks it. With rheumatoid arthritis, this ends up causing inflammation in the joints and the tissues around the joints. In more serious cases, it can lead to inflammation in the organs as well. You don't necessarily have to be older to get this condition, but it does tend to occur more in people, especially women, who are middle aged or older. No one knows exactly what causes rheumatoid arthritis, but it might have something do with genetics, hormonal changes or infections.

A tingling sensation in your feet or hands usually isn't the first sign of this condition. You might have experienced earlier signs of it without realizing it. The first signs of rheumatoid arthritis are typically mild pain and stiffness in the joints in certain areas on both sides of your body, like your feet, fingers, knees or wrists. Your joints might also feel a little warm to the touch when you first wake up. The pain and stiffness usually lasts for about an hour in the morning. Fatigue is also another early sign of this condition. Tingling and burning can gradually develop over time, as well as chest pain when you're breathing in, burning or itchy eyes, trouble sleeping and a dry mouth and eyes.

Making an appointment with your doctor is very important since rheumatoid arthritis needs to be carefully managed in order to avoid serious complications, such as organ inflammation and permanent joint damage. Your doctor will run tests to see if you have this condition. If so, your doctor will recommend a treatment plan, which generally includes antirheumatic or anti-inflammatory medication, regular exercise and physical therapy. Even if you haven't experienced any of the other symptoms of this condition, it's still a good idea to make an appointment with your doctor. This kind of tingling can also be caused by other conditions, including carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetes and nerve disorders.

Having a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis doesn't mean you're doomed to a life full of joint pain. The earlier you start managing this condition, the better off you'll feel overall. So, don't ignore that morning tingling in your hands or feet. Set up an appointment with your doctor, so you won't have to keep worrying about what's causing it.

By Sandy Getzky