You may generally associate arthritis with old age and even though the elderly suffer from this condition, it affects younger persons as well who may even be teenagers. According to the dictionary definition of arthritis is an inflammation of the joints that comes about due to infections, metabolism as well as matters related to the person’s constitution. This means that there are very many different possible causes of this illness.
Joints And Cartilage Become Inflamed
Arthritis is a condition in which joints as well as cartilage of the joints get inflamed, and it is an ongoing disease that leads to degeneration of the joints which makes it very difficult to deal with the condition. It leads to considerable pain which can only get worse in future. Added to the discomfort are the many different types of arthritis of which there are over a hundred different varieties of which the two most common instances are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
The type of arthritis that is most closely associated with old age is osteoarthritis and it is a variant that is commonly perceived as being the only true arthritic condition. However, the other type that is known as rheumatoid arthritis will cause the body into being tricked into taking action as if the joint has been infected. This causes swelling, inflammation as well as considerable pain in the joint as the body tries and combats this unknown infection.
Most doctors will prescribe non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs as a means to treat the condition, and some examples of these medications include aspirin, ibuprofen as well as naproxen. Taking these medications is all very fine, were it not for the fact that they may result in irritation within the person’s intestinal tract and, according to a certain section of researchers, may actually contribute to making the joints even worse.
You may thus want to check out alternative treatments including taking Glucosamine Sulfate, as well as fish oils and turmeric. The idea of course is to build up the cartilage and also rebuild any damage caused to the joints that are a result of having arthritis as well as due to normal wear and tear.
You cannot just expect the treatment of arthritis to work overnight as it does require coping with the problem which in turn will take its time. So, for help with the pain that one feels, it may be necessary to take therapeutic help as well as use pain medications, or any other viable means for treating the condition. There are also instances when your arthritis condition is so severe as to warrant having joint replacement surgery performed to repair the affected joints.
There is little doubt that a degenerative process such as arthritis calls for meeting the challenge firmly as well as timely, and it can often become an extremely painful as well as crippling condition for which exercise can also be used to get relief and feel better. No doubt, finding a cure is very desirable, but failing that, one should find any means required to alleviate the pain and suffering and plan to live a healthy as well as independent life once more.
Filed under Arthritis, Arthritis Care, Arthritis Exercise, Arthritis Joint Pain, Arthritis Knee Surgery, Arthritis Medication, Arthritis Pain Relief, Arthritis Prevention, Arthritis Remedies, Arthritis Surgery, Arthritis Symptoms, Degenerative Arthritis, Inflammatory Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis by on Jun 5th, 2008. Comment. 
Gin-soaked raisins? Cayenne pepper? Could these solutions really work as a natural treatment for osteoarthritis?
For eons, arthritis sufferers have been searching for natural treatments to help relieve the joint pain and stiffness the condition leaves in their hands, knees, hips, back or feet.
And many sufferers find strange-sounding treatments – like cherries, cider vinegar, hot peppers and more.
So do they work? And, if so, how?
Here are some of the popular ones:
- Hot peppers. Peppers contain capsaicin, which is a naturally occurring analgesic that may relieve mild to moderate osteoarthritis pain. Though you don’t eat them to relieve the pain – you apply the capsaicin as a gel or cream. (Although eating hot peppers might also work to a degree, if your stomach can take it. The spicy foods encourage the body to release endorphins, which are feel-good hormones and can help alleviate pain.) Traditionally, however, capsaicin is applied topically. You can find gels and lotions with capsaicin in them at your local drug store. There might be a mild burning sensation at first, which is the cream desensitizing the nerve receptors in the painful area.
- Gin-soaked raisins. Raisins contain compounds (three different acids) that are said to be pain relievers, and gin comes from juniper berries, which has an anti-inflammatory compound. Combine them, and you get both the pain relief and anti-inflammatory benefits! Although there isn’t any study or actual research to prove this works, many osteoarthritis patients swear by its effectiveness. Most use golden raisins, soak for about a week in a thin layer of gin (until it evaporates), then eat just 8-9 per day.
Visit Lifescript.com to learn more about how the hot peppers and gin-soaked raisins work for arthritis pain, as well as learning additional popular, natural treatments for osteoarthritis (including cider vinegar and cherries).
Also, be sure to visit Lifescript’s new Osteoarthritis Health Center, where you can find quizzes, recipes, tips, articles and more osteoarthritis information.
The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not, nor is it ever intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice or professional recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician(s) or other qualified healthcare provider(s).
Filed under Arthritis, Arthritis Care by on Jan 27th, 2012. Comment.
When you have been lately diagnosed as having gout, you must have already experienced one major attack and flares between attacks. You also know the blinding agony that comes with an attack and the feeling of helplessness the first time you experience such agony. The most obnoxious thing about gout attacks is they regularly happen at night.
If you’re unprepared for such attacks, the pain can go on for days and the pain in the affected joint or joints could linger for weeks. Here are a number of critical things worth doing in case a gout attack occurs:
Pain Management. Foremost in your consciousness naturally is to get rid of the pain and swelling immediately! One fast pain remedy is to take nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAID); a number of these are over the counter like Ibuprofen, as an example Advil. Another ordinarily prescribed gout pain medicine is colchicine. Your health practitioner may prescribe a high dose initially to alleviate the intense agony and lower subsequent doses for prevention of attacks.
Remedies at home. Since gout is caused by high uric acid levels in the blood due mostly to the problem of the kidneys to remove them; drinking lots of water is a good home remedy for gout. In reality the North American Dietetic Society suggests drinking 8 to 16 cups (about 2 to 4 litres) of fluid a day, half or more should be water. They also recommend avoiding alcohol, eating small amounts of protein from healthy sources that are low in fats, low fat dairy, eggs and tofu. Limit intake of fish, protein and poultry to 4 to 6 oz. per day.
Medicines that lower Uric Acid . Ask your physician for these options if you have frequent gout attacks or have attacks that are not so frequent but devastatingly painful. Drugs that block uric acid production are called xanthine oxidase suppressants. Ordinarily prescribed includes febuxostat and allopurinol. Drugs improving uric acid removal in the blood vary in availability from country to country, one example is probenecid. There are studies indicating a linkage between Vitamin C and lower risk of developing gout. Studies indicate that taking Vitamin C as supplement in addition to adequate nutritional intake may be beneficial in lowering uric acid in the blood. Be certain to discuss this first with your health practitioner.
At this point, be reminded of an old adage: prevention is much better than cure. Try hard to prevent future attacks. Keep the uric acid in your blood at a good level of less than 6mg/dL!
My website provides easy to understand info and offers some great proven products which will help you prevent gout discomfort. We have a wide range of information for every individual. We discuss everything from how to lower uric acid naturally to info on the various drugs available to reduce uric acid levels in your body.
Filed under Arthritis, Arthritis Care by on Jan 27th, 2012. Comment.