What your joints need

Rheumatoid Arthritis, also known as “RA” is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints. It is a disabling and painful inflammatory condition, which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and muscles.

The symptoms that distinguish Rheumatoid Arthritis from other forms of arthritis are inflammation and soft-tissue swelling of many joints at the same time, also known as polyarthritis. The joints are usually affected initially asymmetrically and then in a symmetrical fashion as the disease progresses. The pain generally improves with use of the affected joints, and there is usually stiffness of all joints in the morning that lasts over 1 hour. Thus, the pain of rheumatoid arthritis is usually worse in the morning compared to the classic pain of osteoarthritis where the pain worsens over the day as the joints are used.

As Rheumatoid Arthritis progresses the inflammatory activity leads to erosion and destruction of the joint surface, which impairs their range of movement and leads to deformity. The fingers are typically deviated towards the little finger and can assume unnatural shapes. Classical deformities in Rheumatoid Arthritis are the Boutonniere deformity and swan neck deformity. The thumb may develop a “Z-Thumb” deformity with fixed flexion and subluxation at the metacarpophalangeal joint, leading to a “squared” appearance in the hand.

Rheumatoid Arthritis occurs most frequently in the 20-40 age group, although can start at any age. It is strongly associated with the HLA marker DR4. Hence family history is an important risk factor. The disease is 3 times more common in women than men and up to 4 times more common in smokers than non-smokers.

The cause of Rheumatoid Arthritis is still unknown to this day, but has long been suspected to be infectious. It could be due to food allergies or external organisms. Mycoplasma, Erysipelothrix, Epstein-Barr virus, parvovirus B19 and rubella have been suspected but never supported in epidemiological studies.

Pharmacological treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis is divided into disease- modifying antirheumatic drugs, anti-inflammatory agents and analgesics. Disease- modifying antirheumatic drugs have been found to produce durable remissions and delay or halt disease progression. This is not true of anti-inflammatories and analgesics.

Common disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs used to treat RA include Humira, Remicade and Enbrel.

Typical anti-inflammatory agents include Glucocorticoids and non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs.

Analgesics include Acetaminophen, Opiates and Lidocaine.

Other therapies include weight loss, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, joint injections, and special tools to improve hard movements.

Severely affected joints may require joint replacement surgery, such as knee replacement. However, when drugs and surgery compound problems of rheumatoid arthritis rather than solve them, many people find relief by making consistent, lifelong changes to diet and lifestyle.

Many natural healing practitioners attribute rheumatoid arthritis to toxemia, which can be caused by several things, including but not limited to the many poisons that enter our systems through food, air, and skin.

The course of the disease varies greatly from patient to patient. Some patients have mild short-term symptoms, but in most the disease is progressive for life.

Disclaimer – The information presented here should not be interpreted as medical advice. Please talk to your doctor for more information about Rheumatoid Arthritis.

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This is footage of a 1999 Protest, in where a man ask tory chritman, a former scientologist, turn activist against Scientology, is asked if indeed dianetics can cure arthritis. Tory Christman was one a high ranking scientologist. So she knows way more the most scientologist and more than tom cruise about scientology. NOTE: when she talks about her mother being cured by dianetics. It is false, in one of her anti-Scientolgy speechs at a university. she says her mom was not a scientologist and …

So your dog has arthritis?

Well, even though it is hard to hear, you must realize that you are not alone. Arthritis in dogs is one of the most common sources of chronic pain the veterinarians treat in their clinics today. Research seems to indicate that one in every five adult dogs is hammered with arthritis and the pain that goes along with it.

If your pet is suffering from arthritis you may see some signs that your pup is favoring one leg more than the other, she may sleep more, or seem to have more trouble standing for sitting. If your dog has arthritis you might also notice that she is more hesitant to climb stairs, run or jump. It may even seem that her joints seem sore or that she has no interest in playing. In some cases, dogs with arthritis also begin to show signs of weight gain.

If you are concerned that your dog may be suffering from arthritis, then it is quite important that you take your pet in to see the vet for an accurate screening and diagnosis. With an appropriate diagnosis, the treatment for dog arthritis is quite similar to arthritis treatment for humans.

For dogs suffering with arthritis, regular exercise is important to help maintain a proper body weight. NSAIDS or non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs are the most common form of pharmaceutical arthritis treatments for your dog. Over-the counter dog arthritis treatments such as glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, omega fatty acids and Boswellin may also be prescribed by your veterinarian.

Glucosamine absorbs and releases water with each step, acting as a shock absorber for the joints. It also stimulates the production of glycosaminoglycans, important proteins found in cartilage, which helps to slow the deterioration of joints and ease your dog’s arthritis pain.

Chondroitin attracts fluids into proteoglycan molecules which draws nutrients into the cartilage and increases the flow of fluid into the cartilage which adds resiliency. Chondroitin also helps protect existing cartilage from premature degeneration and provides structure and flexibility to the joints. Giving more life to your doggy’s joints.

Other options for medications for arthritis include Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids which are constituents of fish oils. These fatty acids act as anti-inflammatory agents helping to further reduce the pain from inflammation.

Boswellin may also be recommended by your vet for its ability to improve the blood supply to the joints and maintain the integrity of blood vessels. It is also known for helping to improve mobility in stiff joints by reducing swelling. Less swelling, less pain for your best friend.

While there are varying arthritis treatments for dogs you will need to talk with your vet to determine the best course of action for you’re your pet. Some therapies may take a few weeks to completely work, so don’t get discouraged. Seek the best treatment for your pet, after all isn’t that what they deserve!

Arthritis treatment for your dog is too important to ignore and if your dog is suffering, then she deserves your full attention and the most comprehensive treatment plan that your vet can design.

No dog should suffer needlessly, so if arthritis is slowing your pet down make the call to your vet today to screen your dog for arthritis.

Living with the pain is the most difficult thing to accept among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, but this is not necessarily true for those people who seek ways for pain relief.

There are traditional and natural treatments as rheumatoid arthritis pain relief. Short-term relievers are drugs such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and cortisone-type of medications. The use of drugs in the long-term medication has shown negative results among patients as certain complications developed over time.

Examples of these complications are the development of osteoporosis and gastrointestinal problems in the long-term use of aspirin. Side effects such as headaches, vomiting, nausea and gas problems are also among its known negative effects. Cortisone, usually given through injections are harmful in the long run because it promotes dependency as one of its side-effects.

Taking control of the situation is the first step towards rheumatoid arthritis pain relief. It should start with knowing what type of arthritis it is, its causes, symptoms and how to treat it. Get to know the medical terms that are used to refer to the condition and the other terminologies associated with it.

There have been books which are available in the market written by those who have suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and who found ways on how to eliminate the pain. A detailed outline about the condition and its causes are well explained in the books. These people have found the effective treatments by studying and experimenting on the different methods that help cure arthritis.

Natural rheumatoid arthritis pain relief includes losing weight, proper diet, fish oil, exercise and the use of natural food supplements. Alternative pain relief treatments are hot and cold treatments, positive thinking, relaxation techniques, massage, electrical stimulation, topical lotions and lastly, a good sense of humor.

Heat applications are useful for chronic pain suffered by those with rheumatoid arthritis. There are a lot warming techniques you can experiment on. Sometimes, the use of cognitive behavioral therapy is called for in cases where the physical pain has greatly altered the lifestyle of the patient by affecting his or her emotional and psychological health.

Food supplements are known to be the most effective pain relievers because they actually work on the main cause of the pain to relieve the symptoms such as swelling, redness and pain. Chemicals known to draw fluid to the cartilage to enable the mobility of joints are present in these food supplements such as chondroitin and glucosamine sulfate. One food supplement is available in the market that combines these chemicals to better repair the affected joints.