Disease, Illness and Condition Library
Arthritis
An astounding 80 percent of all Americans develop some type of arthritis by the time they are 60. Arthritis is more common in women over 45 and men below 45. As a society we tend to think of arthritis as a disease that only affects the elderly but young children, teens and athletes can be slowed by arthritis. In the United States alone there are over a million new cases diagnosed each year. The most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid. These two diseases alone could keep you favorite doctor busy and it is estimated that a third of office visits to primary care physicians are attributed to arthritic symptoms. Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis is the number one most common form of arthritis. I know you must have a friend who just can’t get those joints moving in the morning but once they get loosened up, watch out! Morning stiffness is common with osteoarthritis and is usually located in the hips, ankles, feet, knees or back. It only tends to stay with you about an hour or less. Every joint contains cartilage which acts as a shock absorber and keeps the bones from rubbing together. Over time the cartilage simply starts to deteriorate. Once this starts to occur the bones can start to rub together causing the body to respond by putting out more calcium. The excess calcium produced will form osteophytes or bones spurs. These spurs can hinder joint movement. They have also been known to chip and leave deposits within the joint itself. Until recently doctors felt Osteo was just an unavoidable part of growing older. The thought was that high levels of physical activity or use over time created the condition. Now there seems to be a growing consensus that there is often a precipitating factor involved such as an injury or chronic overuse. Treat your joints wisely, like you would any other part of your body and perhaps you will be one of the lucky ones who avoid osteoarthritis. Continue Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Rheumatoid Arthritis is the less common of the two varieties of arthritis we are investigating. This is probably a good thing because it is the most disabling of all of the rheumatic diseases. It is though that 2 percent of the world’s population suffers from RA. Symptoms normally start to be noticed between the ages of 20 and 50 and RA is an equal opportunity employer, affecting an equal number of men and women. Women tend to experience the most severe symptoms which in many cases will require medication. Where Osteo tends to be localized RA does not. Rheumatoid arthritis can present special challenges due to the fact it tends to be a whole body disease, capable of not only causing painful joints but anemia, fatigue, fever, weight loss and even depression. Their has been and continues to be much discussion about the cause of RA but many researchers are drawing the conclusion that RA causes the bodies own immune system to turn on itself. When this happens harmful substances are released within the joints that not only harm the synovial membrane but ignite toxic reactions elsewhere in the body. This is a dangerous and unpredictable disease that is still a mystery. Most doctors will tell you RA is difficult to prevent but many of the symptoms can be avoided or controlled. Continue
Psoriatic arthritis is a type of joint inflammation that occurs in some people who have psoriasis of the skin or nails. The disease resembles rheumatoid arthritis but does not produce the antibodies typical of rheumatoid arthritis. Psoriatic arthritis occurs in about 7% of people with psoriasis (a skin condition causing flare-ups of red, scaly rashes and thickened, pitted nails). A severe form of psoriatic arthritis can occur in some people with AIDS. Symptoms and Diagnosis Inflammation frequently affects joints of the fingers and toes, although other joints, including the hips and spine, are often affected as well. The joints may become swollen and deformed when inflammation is chronic. Arthritis often involves joints less symmetrically than in rheumatoid arthritis and involves fewer joints. The joints at the end of the fingers neighboring the diseased nails may be involved. The skin and joints symptoms sometimes appear and disappear together. The diagnosis is made by identifying the characteristic joint inflammation in a person who has psoriasis or a family history of psoriasis. There are no tests to confirm the diagnosis, but x-rays help show the extent of joint damage. Prognosis and Treatment The prospects for psoriatic arthritis are usually better than that for rheumatoid arthritis because fewer joints are affected. Nonetheless, the joints can be severely damaged. Treatment is aimed at controlling the skin rash and relieving the joint inflammation. Several drugs that are effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis are also used to treat psoriatic arthritis. They include gold compounds, methotrexate, cyclosporine, sulfasalazine, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. Another drug, etretinate (which is used for severe acne), is usually effective in severe cases, but its side effects may be serious. Because etretinate can cause birth defects, it should not be taken by pregnant women. Furthermore etretinate remains in the body for a long time, so women should not become pregnant while taking the drug or for at least 1 year after discontinuing it. Some people take methoxsalen (psoralen) by mouth and undergo ultraviolet A light (PUVA ultraviolet light with psoralen) treatments. This combination relieves the skin symptoms and most of the joint inflammation but may not help inflammation of the spine.
Reiter’s syndrome (reactive arthritis) is inflammation of the joints and tendon attachments at the joints, regularly accompanied by inflammation of the eye’s conjunctiva and the mucous membranes, such as those of the mouth and genitourinary tract, and by a distinctive rash. Reiter’s syndrome is also called reactive arthritis because the joint inflammation appears to be a reaction to an infection starting in the intestine or genial tract. This syndrome is most common in men aged 20 to 40. There are two types of Reiter’s syndrome. One occurs with sexually transmitted diseases such as a chlamydial infection and occurs most frequently in young men; the other usually follows an intestinal infection such as shegelosis or salmonellosis. Most people who have these infections do not develop Reiter’s syndrome. People who develop Reiter’s syndrome after exposure to these infections appear to have a genetic inclination to this type of reaction, related in part to the same gene found in people who have ankylosing spondylitis. There is some evidence that the chlamydia and possibly other bacteria actually spread to the joints, but the roles of the infection and the immune reaction to it are not fully understood. Symptoms Commonly, symptoms begin one to two weeks after the infection. Inflammation of the urethra (the channel that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body) can result either directly from infection of the urethra or even from a reaction to the intestinal infection. In men, inflammation of the urethra causes moderate pain and a discharge from the penis or a rash on the glans of the penis (balanitis circinata). The prostate gland may be inflamed and painful. The genital and urinary symptoms in women, if any occur, are usually mild, consisting of a slight vaginal discharge or uncomfortable urination. The conjunctiva (the membrane that lines the eyelid and covers the eyeball) can become red and inflamed, causing itching or burning and excessive tearing. Joint pain and inflammation may be mild or severe. Several joints are usually affected at once – particularly the knees, toe joints, and areas where tendons are attached to bones, such as at the heels. Small, painless or tender sores can develop in the mouth. Occasionally, a distinctive rash of hard, thickened spots may develop on the skin, principally of the palms and soles (keratoderma blennorrhagicum). Yellow deposits may develop under the fingernails and toenails. In most people, the initial symptoms disappear in 3 or 4 months. In 50% of the people, however, joint inflammation or other symptoms recur over several years. Joint and spinal deformities may develop if the symptoms persist or recur frequently. Only a small number of people with Reiter’s syndrome become permanently disabled. Diagnosis and Treatment The combination of joint, genital, urinary, skin and eye symptoms leads a doctor to suspect Reiter’s syndrome. Because those symptoms may not appear simultaneously, the disease may not be diagnosed for several months. No simple laboratory tests are available to confirm the diagnosis, but x-rays are often performed to assess the statues of joints. A sample taken from the urethra with a swab or a sample of joint fluid may be tested, or a biopsy (removal of tissue for examination under a microscope) of the joint may be performed to try to identify the infectious organism that triggered the syndrome. When the disease affects the genitals and urinary tract, antibiotics are given to treat the infection, but treatment is not always successful and its optimal duration in not known. Joint inflammation is usually treated with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Sulfasalazine or methotrexate, and immunosuppressive drug, may be used, as in rheumatoid arthritis. Corticosteroids are generally not given by mouth but by direct injection into an inflamed joint, which sometimes helps. Conjunctivitis and skin sores do not usually need treatment, although severe eye inflammation may require a corticosteroid ointment or eye drops.
Ankylosing spondylitis is inflammation of the spine and large joints, resulting in stiffness and pain. The disease is 3 times more common in men than in women, developing most often between the ages of 20 and 40. Its cause is not known, but the disease tends to run in families, indicating that genetics play a significant role. Ankylosing spondylitis is 10 to 20 times more common in people whose parents or siblings have it. Symptoms Mild to moderate flare-ups of inflammation usually alternate with periods of almost no symptoms. The most common symptom is back pain, which varies in intensity from on episode to another and from one person to another. Pain is often worse at night and in the morning. Early morning stiffness that is relieved by activity is also very common. Pain in the lower back and the associated muscle spasms are often relieved by bending forward. Therefore, people often assume a stooped posture, which can lead to a permanent bent over position. In others, the spine becomes noticeably straight and stiff. Loss of appetite, weight loss, fatigue, and anemia can accompany the back pain. If the joints connecting the ribs to the spine are inflamed, the pain may limit the ability to expand the chest to take a deep breath. Occasionally pain starts in large joints, such as the hips, knees, and shoulders. Approximately 35% of the people with ankylosing spondylitis have recurring attacks of mild eye inflammation, which usually does not impair vision. In a few people, inflammation of a heart valve results in a permanently damaged valve. If the damaged vertebrae press against nerves of the spinal cord, numbness, weakness, or pain can develop in the area supplied by the affected nerves. The cauda equine (horse tail) syndrome is a rare complication. Diagnosis The diagnosis is based on the pattern of symptoms and on x-rays of the spine and affected joints, which show a wearing away (erosion) of the joint between the spine and the hip bone (sacroiliac joint) and the formation of bony bridges between the vertebrae, making the spine stiff. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), a test that measures the rate at which red blood cells settle to the bottom of a test tube containing blood, tends to be high, indicating inflammation. In addition, a specific gene, HLA-B27, is found in about 90% of people who have this disease; however, because this gene is also found in about 6 to 7% of healthy white people, its presence is of limited value in diagnosis. Prognosis and Treatment Most people develop some disabilities but can still lead normal, productive lives. In some people, the disease is more progressive, causing severe deformities. Treatment focuses on relieving back and joint pain and preventing or correcting spinal deformities. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can reduce the pain and inflammation, thus enabling people to do important exercises to retain posture, including stretching and deep breathing. Sulfasalazine may help the pain in joints other than those of the back. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors etanercept or infliximab can relieve the pain and inflammation. The long range goals of treatment are to maintain proper posture and develop strong back muscles. Daily exercises strengthen the muscles that oppose the tendency to bend and stoop. It has been suggested that people spend some time each day – often while reading – lying on their stomach propped up on their elbows; this position extends the back and helps to prevent too much flexing.
Skepticism abounds on this subject but researchers seem to be seriously considering the benefits for food and nutrition for the first time. One interesting study dealt with Omega 3’s. This study reported a 33 percent reduction in joint stiffness after taking 15 capsules of fish oil daily for 14 weeks. They also reported being free of fatigue for over 2 hours each day. If fish oil capsules aren’t your bag, then consider reducing vegetable oils in your diet and eating fresh or canned fish several times a week. You will probably achieve good results. Non-fish sources of omega 3’s are tofu and soybeans. Natural Arthritis and Joint Supplements
doesn’t just mask the symptoms – it contains 100% natural nutrients to help your body build stronger, denser bones and cartilage. - $47 - Summary - Buy - 2 for 2 - 3 for 3 - On site review JointEase Plus - Supports joint and muscular-skeletal system health and mobility - $25.95 Summary - Buy - 2 for 1 |
| Purchase Remedies Home |
| Library Index |