Arthritis at Cure Help : where every problem has a solution!

 

Arthritis Articles, Tips and Information

How You Can Beat Rheumatoid Arthritis Part 5: "Putting It Into Remission"

The options available for treatment have expanded greatly in the last 10 years.

 

Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs: These help to reduce pain and improve function. They do not have an effect on the underlying disease. Examples include ibuprofen, naproxyn, sulindac, etodolac, nabumatone, celecoxib, and meloxicam.

These drugs suppress inflammation but also have no effect on the underlying disease.

These drugs are effective but they have potential side effects including peptic ulcer disease, kidney and liver damage, rashes, and fluid retention. Another problem associated with these drugs is the slight increase in cardiovascular events such as heart attack and stroke. These drugs require careful monitoring.

 

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS): These drugs slow down the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Examples would be medicines such as methotrexate, sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), leflunomide (Arava), hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), and cyclosporine (Sandimmune).

 

Most DMARDS act slowly.

The workhorse of DMARDS is probably methotrexate. All DMARDS have the potential for significant side-effects and must be monitored slowly.

 

Biologics: Most recently, biologic therapies such as etanercept (Enbrel), adalimumab (Humira), infliximab (Remicade), and anakinra (Kineret) have helped tremendously.

 

These drugs target the cells and cytokines that are the primary cause of rheumatoid arthritis. These drugs work quickly. Etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab are anti-TNF drugs. They block tumor necrosis factor- the major culprit in RA – and by doing so keep it from doing damage. These drugs have a slightly different mechanism of action from each other but they essentially all do the same thing. And they do it well. These drugs have revolutionized our approach to RA.

 

Rheumatologists are using this group of drugs earlier in the course of disease to hopefully prevent damage from occurring. There is also some evidence that early aggressive treatment may prevent some of the long term complications of rheumatoid arthritis such as lymphoma and cardiovascular events.

 

Potential side-effects of anti-TNF therapy include an increased susceptibility to infection, the reactivation of latent tuberculosis, and the development of lupus-like or MS-like syndromes.

 

Kineret, unfortunately, does not have the same salutary effect and is not used very often.

The second wave of biologic therapies are available and offers hope for patients who fail anti-TNF treatment. The two newest drugs are abatacept (Orencia) and rituximab (Rituxan).

 

Abatacept is a co-stimulatory blocker. This means it prevents T cells from being activated to produce cytokines. Rituximab is a B-cell depleter. It removes B cells from a patient’s system. B-cells are felt to play a big role in the development of RA by some experts.

Both drugs are given by intravenous infusion. Side effects include infusion reactions and rashes. The long-term consequence of B-cell depletion is still uncertain.

 

More biologic therapies are on the horizon. These new drugs may prove to be more effective and safer than what is currently available.

In patients with more severe disease, a procedure where blood is passed through a special filter (Prosorba column) may be of use. As one might guess, it is not used very often.

 

Dr. Wei (pronounced “way”) is a board-certified rheumatologist and Clinical Director of the nationally respected Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center of Maryland. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and has served as a consultant to the Arthritis Branch of the National Institutes of Health. He is a Fellow of the American College of Rheumatology and the American College of Physicians. For more information on arthritis and related conditions, go to: http://www.arthritis-treatment-and-relief.com

 

 

We really do care about your health and happiness and are thrilled you are interested in our articles, but please always check with your doctor before trying something new!

 

Relieving Arthritis With Exercise

 

If you think that only old people are prone to arthritis, you are mistaken. The disease is commonly characterized by joint pain, swellings, and inflammation. It can also be experienced by the young in varying degrees of pain. The only difference is, the old are affected worse because of slow regenerative traits that come with aging. But, whatever age you are, arthritis is a debilitating disease that lessens your enjoyment and the quality of your life. Don't let joint pain stop you. There are exercises that can alleviate arthritic pain and prevent future attacks.

 

In fact, exercise is introduced as an aspect of intensive treatment method for joint pain.

 

Research shows that exercise is beneficial to arthritic patients. Exercise lessens stiffness and joint pain while effectively increasing muscle strength, flexibility, endurance, and cardiac fitness. Fat around the joints contribute to arthritic pain, and exercise also alleviates this since exercise reduces fat in the body. True, arthritis reduces mobility and limits the affected person's activities. But exercise is a perfect foil to compensate for little activity. The other aspects of the treatment are relaxation, rest, diet, and medication. An essential part of this treatment that has great bearing on exercise is motion efficiency -- the patients are instructed about energy and motion conservation. Excessive movement often trigger arthritic attack and by making movement efficient, patients are trained not to waste movement, but to make every motion count.

 

Believe it or not, dance is a part of the treatment. Arthritis affects joint by making them inflamed and stiff. Dance, with its variety of movements, increases and maintains flexibility. Gymnastics, yoga, and pilates are also recommended alternative exercises. Like dance, these also maintain flexibility with the added bonus of toning the body. Generally, exercises, which increase muscle coordination and flexibility, are part of arthritic exercise plan.

 

To lessen pain during arthritic attacks, strong muscles are necessary. They provide cushion for the inflamed joint and relieve joint stress. Muscle building and strengthening exercises, like weight training or resistance training, increase muscle strength. Pilates is also a good substitute if resistance training is too hard on the patient. The only difference between pilates and lifting weights is the type of weight lifted. The former uses the body as its weights while the former uses metal bars. Either way, the patient benefits from having strong muscles. Arthritis rarely develops in people with strong muscles.

 

Endurance exercises like swimming, jogging, or cycling are also part of the arthritis treatment. These exercises lessen pressure on the joints by taking out the extra weight. Weight control is important to ease stress and pressure on the joints. Cardiovascular functions and the body's overall function are also improved. Studies reveal that aerobic and endurance exercises lessen joint inflammation.

 

Arthritic people should ask their doctors about exercise options. You might be surprised but doctors actually recommend exercise in arthritis therapy. It is important to consult your doctor first before taking any exercise or sport. Exercise is good, but if done incorrectly, you may end up with an even worse arthritis attack.

 

For more valuable information on Arthritis, please visit http://www.eknowitall.com/eshops/health-beauty/bones-joints/arthritis-relief/

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet: Delayed Food Sensitivities

 

Is there a rheumatoid arthritis diet that can lessen the symptoms or even cure rheumatoid arthritis? For many people the answer is yes.

 

One study published in the medical journal “Lancet” found that 37% of their study participants (who all had rheumatoid arthritis) had food sensitivities that were one of the causes of their arthritis. The list of problem foods was different for each person. But when these individually determined foods were eliminated from their diets, they all felt much better.

For about a third of people with RA, this type of individually tailored rheumatoid arthritis diet can make the difference between suffering with a challenging illness and enjoying good health.

This is because delayed food sensitivities are one of the underlying causes of rheumatoid arthritis. They are not the same as classical food allergies, which usually cause symptoms immediately or within a few hours. Instead, delayed food sensitivities usually take between 24-36 hours for symptoms to occur. This delay can make it hard to track the connection between eating a problem food and worsening of arthritis symptoms, especially if a problem food is a regular part of your diet.

 

To make the problem worse, normal allergy tests are not a reliable way to test for these sensitivities either.

 

Luckily, however, there are ways to test for delayed food hypersensitivities.

 

One way is a blood test called the ALCAT test.

Another way is eliminating all your suspected problem foods for a week and then selectively reintroducing them into your diet, no more than one each 24 hours. When the foods causing delayed sensitivities are removed from the diet, the body goes through a withdrawal period, similar to a drug withdrawal period. It becomes hypersensitive to those foods. If you reintroduce any of these problem foods into your diet during this time, the reaction tends to be quicker and more noticeable than any other time. This is a great aid in getting accurate test results.

 

It takes about 7 days to eliminate all traces of a given food from your body after you stop eating it. That is why the elimination phase lasts a week. The hypersensitivity period begins at this point, so that is why the testing by reintroduction begins then. This hypersensitivity period can last for week to months, so don’t worry about missing it if you have a long list of foods you have eliminated that need to be tested.

 

If you do react to something you test, go back to your safe foods for a few days until your symptoms have calmed down again. The fewer symptoms you are having when you test, the easier it is get clear results when you test a new food. You need these clear results to create you’re the exact rheumatoid arthritis diet you need to heal.

 

If delayed food sensitivities are a problem for you, then identifying your problem foods and eliminated all of them from your diet, will make a huge difference in how you feel.

 

There is no one rheumatoid arthritis diet out there that works for everyone, but this type of individually tailored rheumatoid arthritis diet can work miracles if you do happen to have delayed food sensitivities.

 

At age 25, author Barbara Allan developed a type of arthritis similar to rheumatoid arthritis. Within a few years she ended up using an electric cart to get around. She is now completely free of arthritis and writes about effective arthritis treatment, including rheumatoid arthritis diet.

 

Golf and Arthritis

Good news! If you're an arthritis sufferer, you don't have to give up your golf game! In fact, playing golf can add strength and mobility to your body overall and improve your range of motion.

 

Research shows that one of the best treatments for osteoarthritis is exercise. It can improve mood and outlook, decrease pain, increase flexibility, improve the heart and blood flow, maintain weight, and promote general physical fitness.

 

Usually, osteoarthritis (the most common form of arthritis) comes on slowly. Early in the disease, joints may ache after physical work or exercise. Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint. Most often it occurs at the hands, hips, knees, or spine, all those areas used in playing the game of golf.

 

No worries, though. Golf actually helps increase your range of motion and your balance as well. And the walking, if you can do it, will benefit your health in numerous ways. In short, golf is one of the perfect exercises for someone with osteoarthritis!

Now here's the key - you are probably going to need some special products to make golf a little easier on your joints.

 

At arthritis.org, the Arthritis Foundation shares some tips for golfers to help you keep enjoying this wonderful sport and suggests some products that might help you.

 

For instance, it's a good idea to wear wrist braces and gloves when you play. This will help stabilize the joints in your wrists and hands. Both these items are inexpensive.

 

Try using a lower compression ball.

Golf shoes without spikes will likely be more comfortable for you.

 

Ask your local golf store specialist about the latest helps for making golfing easier on your joints. New products are coming out all the time.

 

Always warm up before you play. Do some basic stretches, take some practice swings. Start out swinging about half strength. Never try to hit the ball too hard. This one goes for everyone - not just folks with arthritis. It's accuracy that counts!

 

Using tees will help.

Drink water while you're playing. (again, a tip for everyone)

If you feel tired, listen to your body and rest a bit. It's not a mortal sin to play less than 18 holes. The key is to enjoy the game.

 

Now, if you’re feeling sore after play, here are some things to try.

 

· Take a warm shower.
· Do some gentle stretching exercises.
· Use an ice pack on the sore area.
· Rest the sore joint.
· Try magnetic therapy.
· Try to keep your weight down. Too much weight can make your knees and hips hurt

 

If playing golf causes pain that lasts for more than 1 hour, it’s too much. Work with your physical therapist or doctor to adjust your game when you notice any of the following signs of too much exercise:

Unusual or persistent fatigue

Increased weakness

Decreased range of motion

Increased joint swelling

Continuing pain (pain that lasts more than 1 hour after exercising)

 

Really, when it comes right down to it, playing golf (along with warming up for your game with range of motion exercises) may be just what the doctor orders for arthritis help!

 

Tyler Powers is a contributing author and webmaster for http://www.discount-golf-clubs-guide.com. You'll find an amazing amount of golf tips and information on how to find discount golf clubs and golf accessories at http://www.discount-golf-clubs-guide.com.

 

Osteoarthritis - A Degenerative Joint Ailment

 

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.

 

Nilutpal Gogoi is a writer and a freelance journalist having more than 18 years of service in several audio-visual and print media reputed organizations in North East India. He has published one popular adventure book for children and has published more than 1000 articles for various sites, as such http://www.healthylivingguru.com/

The Truth About Magnetic Therapy And Arthritis Relief

If you find yourself riddled with pain from stiff, swollen joints, consider looking towards magnetic therapy and arthritis relief .Since this method of pain relief requires no medications, you will not have to worry about drug interactions or potential side effects from adding chemicals in your body.Furthermore, magnetic therapy does not wear off like typical medications, so you can work to sideline the pain without having to worry about proper dosage.Finally, the cost of arthritis medication is often high and out of the budget for many individuals, so magnetic therapy is often more affordable for most arthritis sufferers.

 

Corticosteroids:

Examples include prednisone, methylprednisolone, and prednisolone. Used long term they may have undesirable side effects including ulcers, cataracts, osteoporosis, adrenal gland suppression, thinning of the skin, and diabetes.

 

How Magnetic Therapy Works

Before you begin looking to magnetic therapy and arthritis relief, consider starting at the root of the therapy itself.Magnet therapy has been around for thousands of years, as the ancient Chinese, Indians, Persians, Greeks, and Egyptians turned towards the power of magnets to ease their aches and pains.Even in those days, the success of magnetic therapy was questioned. Just as today, two camps formed: those for magnetic therapy and those against the alternative type of therapy.There are many theories regarding exactly how magnets work to alleviate aches and pains, there have been several studies that have shown that magnetic therapy has success over other forms of pain therapy.

 

Why Magnetic Therapy

Aren't you tired of taking pills and other medications, then consider magnetic therapy.This is a great way to focus on healing your body naturally and avoid ingesting potentially dangerous types of medication.Many individuals find that their arthritis medication can dangerously interact with their other prescriptions.If you have any prescriptions, including blood pressure medication, heart medication, or cholesterol medication that is considered necessary to preserve your quality of life, these drugs take precedence over arthritis medications.

 

Other medications can cause potential problems with your existing medical conditions. Furthermore, other medications have particularly nasty side effects that can be potentially devastating.Magnetic therapy has no known side effects, will not interact with your other medications, and will usually not pose a problem with your other medical conditions.

 

When To Avoid Magnetic Therapy

Magnets can potentially cause problems for some individuals.If you have an implanted defibrillator or a pacemaker, the presence of strong magnets could pose a problem.Especially in the case of mattresses impregnated with large magnets, the magnetic field created could completely shut off the device that is so critical to the health of your heart.

 

Discover treatment options at Relieve-Your-Arthritis.com and see how you DON'T have to give up and just "live with pain and discomfort". Research and Find The Alternative Arthritis Pain Relief That You Need While You Relax At Home In Your Pajamas

 

Still want more on Arthritis? Check out our related articles:

 

Arthritis Medication - When it comes to your dog in your life there are many people that will do anything to help them out. If you find that your dog has arthritis in his or her bones you may need some information of what you need to do. Believe it or not there is arthritis medication for dog just like there is for humans.

Arthritis More Treatment - In a recent survey on pain conducted by the Stanford University Medical Center, arthritis pain was cited as the chief complaint among America's seniors, with thirty-two percent of the senior population listing arthritis as the specific cause of their suffering.

Arthritis Pain Relief - Acupuncture is a form of pain relief that is actually a Chinese remedy. What is acupuncture? Acupuncture is based in the Chinese cultures that allow you to reduce your pain by specific points. These points are located by having a needle placed in your skin for several minutes. They claim that by using this method, you can release your pain neurologically.

Pauciarticular Juvenile Arthritis - A number of are hoping for developments from the natural health area for an arthritis remedy. One specific area which is attracting the interest of researchers is glucosamine chondroitin supplements.

Relieve Arthritis Pain - Many people have arthritis symptoms and don't realize it. It takes a while to get full blown arthritis. It's something that gradually builds up and before you know it, you have arthritis and are seeing your doctor for medication. Any medication you take does not address the cause of arthritis and will not improve your condition.

Rheumatic Pains Joint - Sore, aching knees, hips, fingers, backrest. Pain after excessively much activity. Pain after overly little. Eventually, almost everyone gets degenerative arthritis. Sometimes it's the result of decades of wear-and-tear on the shock-absorbing cartilage that prevents bone from rubbing against bone.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - My name is Cathy Posner and I live in Wauchope which is on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. I was born in 1957 and in late 2004 was told that the aches in my joints were Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Exercises - For individuals suffering from arthritis, the simplest tasks can be both difficult and painful. This condition inflames the tissues around the joint, creating pain and stiffness that can limit both your mobility and your daily life.

Spinal Cord Level - A great place to begin taking charge of you arthritis pain relief and prevention planning is by making an appointment with your healthcare provider and finding out more about your condition and treatment options.

 

Melanoma Skin Cancer - In the course of the past 10 years, the number of cases of melanoma has increased more rapidly than that of any other cancer.

 

Colon Cancer Patients - Colon cancer is a major illness and one that can cause life altering effects. In fact, this form of cancer is one of the most common in the nation. Most colon cancer patients suffer from polyps, which are abnormal cells that form clusters.

 

Cancer Patients - However, if our cells are exposed to carcinogens, viruses or ionizing radiation, for example, the DNA can become damaged creating havoc with this once orderly process.

Control High Cholesterol - Heart disease and Stroke rank highest as the nation's top health issues. Too much cholesterol in the blood often ignites heart disease and stroke.

 

More coming soon!

 

New Articles from Cure Help Health Tips

 

Treating Depression Naturally - Today we know a lot more about depression, this disease is one of the common and dangerous mental conditions we can encounter in all societies and in all cultures, it is in fact, an across the board human situation which, in the last few years, significant achievements have been made.

 

Severe Hair Loss - Experiencing any measure of hair loss can be a painful blow to your ego. It doesn't matter if you’re an older man, younger man, or even a woman, hair loss can cause you to become extremely self-conscious.

 

Cure Help Featured Article Topics

 

Acid Reflux - articles, tips, advice and information about Acid Reflux

Allergies - Allergies can be cured in many cases!

Anti-Aging - Anti aging health tips!

Arthritis - Arthritis cures and suggestions on how to reduce pain

Bed Wetting - Bed Wetting can be cured fast with the right approach

Cancer - Cancer is a major concern as our world gets more polluted

Cholesterol - Cholesterol is an important health concern

Depression - Depression cures can improve your state of mind

Diabetes - Diabetes may not be cured, but there are many tips to make life better!

Hair Loss - Hair Loss is a major concern for both men and women

Lasik Surgery - Lasik Surgery is an increasingly popular option to cure eye problems

Natural Cures - There ar emany natural cures to improve health and ailments

Nutrition - What you need to know about Nutrition and your health

Plastic Surgery - Plastic Surgery is an option to change your appearance

Skin Care - Skin Care is a major concern for children, men and women

Vitamins, Herbs & Supplements - Health tips about Vitamins, Herbs and Supplements

Stop Smoking Cigarettes - Tips for stopping cigarette smoking... yuck!

Teeth Whitening - all about dental methods and teeth whitening

Weight Loss - articles about losing weight and improving your body image.

Looking for something specific? We're proud to offer Google Search for both the web AND so you can find content on our web site! Simply type in a few words and select web or our site and we'll help you find exactly what you are looking for! Happy hunting!   Web www.curehelp.com

Recent Health Tips Articles from the Web

Constipation Relief and Probiotics
The Link Between Constipation and Probiotics         What is the link between constipation and probiotics? Well, the link between constipation and probiotics is this: studies have shown and proven that probiotics are very effective in alleviating and preventing constipation.         Constipation is a condition in which an individual has a hard time eliminating wastes in the body. [...]
 
Newport Beach Pediatrics
Newport Childrens' Medical Group uses a personalized approach that focuses on the unique health care needs for every child. They understand the patience and compassion that is needed to care for children. Newport Childrens' Medical Group offers a full continuum of pediatric care so that parents may feel confident in the continuity of health care [...]
 

New! Just added to Cure Help Health Tips!

Primary Bone Cancer - Leukemia is among the many deadly cancer types. Leukemia is a cancer that affects the blood or the marrow of the bone. This cancer type is characterized by the overproduction of certain blood cells, most common of which is the white blood cells or leukocytes.

 

Cure Help Legal Disclaimer: Arthritis articles, news, tips and information presented as a public service. Cure Help offers information for entertainment and educational purposes. None of the viewpoints or tips and suggestions presented in the articles are endorsed by Cure Help. Please consult a health care practitioner (your doctor) before appl,ying any cure tips,a dvice or suggestions. We care about your health! Be smart and get several opinions before you implement any changes in your life! Please consult the FDA Compliancy Policy Guide for information on drugs and standards.

 

New Cure Help Health Tips Articles - Just Added!

Breast Cancer Prevention - Taking Powerful Drugs - Digital Nutrition Scales

 

Navigation: Cure Help Health Tips - Health Articles - Health Resources - Health News - Contact