Juvenille Rheumatoid Arthritis

September 4th, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that attacks the joints in the body, causing inflammation and pain. It can affect anyone at any age. Children are no exception to rheumatoid arthritis. In children, this chronic disease is called as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and it also causes inflamed and stiff joints.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis mostly affects children below the age of 16. Unlike the rheumatoid arthritis of adults, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a group of several diseases. The only common characteristic of the adult and child rheumatoid arthritis is the “inflammation of joints and pain”.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is a collective disease. The three identified forms are pauciarticular, polyarticular and systemic. In pouciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a child may suffer from inflammation in few joints such as the knee and shoulder. If it is polyarticular, then many joints get inflamed simultaneously, for example knees, wrists, elbows, and so on. Polyarticular rheumatoid arthritis attacks symmetrically; for example, the joints of the left and right hand become inflammation at the same time.

Unlike pauciarticular and polyarticular, in systemic cases, parts of the body become affected along with the inflammation of some organs. Skin rashes, fever, inflammation of the joints and internal organs such as the spleen and liver may accompany systemic disease.

The cause of the disease is unknown, even in the case of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The child complaining of joint pain is often examined to confirm for rheumatoid arthritis. The symptoms include difficulty to get up after sitting down, pain in the mornings while waking up–everything that is caused by the stiffness and swelling of the joints. They are also asked for a family history of rheumatoid arthritis. Once the disease is suspected, preliminary tests are conducted to understand the intensity of the disease. On the basis of the test results, the child is given treatment and medication. While some have an easy recovery, others suffer from more complicated symptoms. Sometimes, in some children, the symptoms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis remain dormant for a period of time. It may suddenly emerge or “flare up” when the child least expects it.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis, Diet As an Alternative Treatment

September 3rd, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

When you are diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis you start of with medicine and treatments your doctor prescribes for you, some of these remedies will work for you while others have so many side effects that it is worse then the illness itself. usually it takes people one ore two years in the regular health care before they start looking for other remedies. A rheumatoid arthritis diet is one of these alternative remedies we want to inform you about.

Of course the symptoms vary, rheumatoid arthritis is a disease where people react totally different to the disease itself but also to the medicine. Some people have severe pains every day and others have mild pain but do have very inflamed joints. Also the way they react to medication can be completely different. Some really have very good results with the prescription drug their doctor gave them while others have severe side effects. All of this is because rheumatoid arthritis is an illness of the immune system and people have a tendency to react different to it.

Is rheumatoid arthritis diet an alternative to regular treatment?

People usually only start looking at alternatives when the regular treatment is not working or the side effects are to severe. A rheumatoid arthritis diet is such an alternative. There has always been much discussion about rheumatoid arthritis diets although you should not see it as a diet in the traditional sense. In fact it is just a list of foods that you should avoid and a list that most people have good results with. But just as with the regular treatments, rheumatoid arthritis diet is something you should experiment with a little. Regular doctors usually do not recommend a rheumatoid arthritis diet because they say it is never proved to be effective and everybody reacts different on it, they are right people do react different on it but they also react different on the regular prescription drugs. So that is a lousy argument especially when you know how many people are suffering from this disease.

It is a diet that you should discus with your doctor because the diet increases the intake of omega-3 fatty acids and as the name already said this can be an increasing of the total amount of fat. We say it can be, because if you look at the other recommendations fresh vegetables and fruits and the things you should avoid the total amount of fat can be much less than your regular diet depending on what you are eating right now. Fatty acids, omega-3, can be found in soybean oil, fish oil, walnuts, avocado oil, walnuts and canola oil.

This might seem like a large amount of fats but these fats are in the food you eat, fish oil can be eaten in many fatty fish like salmon and many other fish. And because you avoid fats from fried and processed foods you will probably eat less fat in total. you should also avoid alcohol and coffee.

A healthy weight is also important

There is one aspect on a rheumatoid arthritis diet that your doctor would agree with, you have to become and stay on a healthy weight. So its is not the list of foods where there is an agreement about but the fact that with a good healthy weight your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms will be much less and that is a good thing to remember in a world with people who are getting more and more obese.

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Antler Arthritis – Symptoms and Treatments

September 1st, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

Arthritis, or the inflammation of the joints, has different kinds and conditions, and one form of this is antler arthritis.

When a person experiences antler arthritis, he or she usually will feel aching and soreness in his or her joints. The main cause of arthritis has yet to be proven. Fortunately, there are already a number of natural treatments that can be used to cure any kind of arthritis. These treatments repair the broken cartilages of your joints. Be careful of simply using medication for relief, as these medicines simply numb the brain so that it does not feel the pain.

In spite of this, the damage is still present in the joints. What is most important in looking for the right treatment is to check whether it rebuilds the cartilage that has been damaged.

Symptoms of antler arthritis include aching, soreness, deformity, and joint distention. Its name comes from the antler of the deer, which is believed to be able to rebuild its antlers if it gets damaged. When the velvet antler of a deer is removed, it can be regenerated in just months. It has then been proven that there is treatment for antler arthritis found in velvet antlered deer.

This treatment has been used mostly in Asian countries to help cure arthritis because it contains elements that are needed to help rebuild the cartilage that has been damaged. Studies have shown that doctors consider this to be the simplest treatment for antler arthritis and the symptoms that it causes including the soreness, swelling, and pain in the joints.

Deer or elk antler velvet has also been used for thousands of years not only to treat antler arthritis but a variety of other medical conditions such as fatigue, high blood pressure, and even impotence.

Antler velvet is specifically the growing antler found in a male deer. It is best used before it becomes hard and calcified. The antler is usually covered in fine hair and is very soft. The use of the deer’s antler velvet is animal-friendly because a male deer will grow a set of new antlers every single year. If not harvested in time, it will just fall out on its own once it grows out a new set. It can also be helpful to a deer when its antlers are removed at an early stage because it might be used as weapons during mating season with other deer.

Antler velvet has components that are very useful such as calcium, iron, potassium, copper, zinc, and sulfur. This is why it has also been proven to increase testosterone production in males, help in healing wounds at a much more rapid pace, as well as help in healing of muscles quickly.

The intake of antler velvet has also been proven to increase one’s stamina and strength. For arthritis patients, the antler velvet reduces the swelling, soreness, pain, and discomfort caused by the damage in the cartilage. It also helps in repairing the broken cartilage because of the aforementioned minerals and components it contains. The effect of the antler velvet can usually be seen within three to six months of usage.

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Effective Natural Arthritis Pain Relief Treatments

August 31st, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

I discovered several years ago a little-known natural solution for curing arthritis pain. I found relief from my arthritis pain, naturally, and you can do it too. To get the arthritis pain relief you’re seeking it’s helpful to understand how arthritis works.

There are more than 100 different types of medical conditions that can affect your joints; it’ll be difficult to treat your condition effectively unless you know exactly what your diagnosis is; get diagnosed. As a result of arthritis, the bone beneath the cartilage undergoes changes that lead to bony overgrowth and the tissue that lines the joint can become inflamed, the ligaments can loosen, and the associated muscles can weaken.

The combination of the collagen meshwork and high water content tightly bound by proteoglycans creates a resilient, slippery pad in the joint, which resists the compression between bones during muscle movement. Collagen is the main protein found in all connective tissues in the body, including the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Damaged joints cause pain and sufferers are constantly looking for ways to relieve the pain.

Aging cells may be a factor in the development of arthritis. Most experts now believe that osteoarthritis results from a genetic susceptibility that causes a biologic response to injuries to the joint, which leads to progressive deterioration of cartilage. Genetic factors are thought to be involved in about 50% of osteoarthritis cases in the hands and hips and a somewhat lower percentage of cases in the knee.

If you really want to get rid of your arthritis pain forever it may take a radical change in your diet and an ongoing commitment. Gluten may be a culprit in arthritic diseases including fibromyalgia; avoid wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, kamut and oats (although not a gluten grain it gets contaminated at the wheat mills). One natural approach is to consume foods that are known to help relieve arthritis pain or prevent arthritis.

Many have told me that going off dairy products and gluten containing foods relieved their arthritis pain entirely. Make highly nutritious raw applesauce using a food processor and put in 3-4 cored pesticide-free apples, with the skin on, and mix for a minute; so much better for you than canned highly processed applesauce and add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed for another boost. Watch your diet closely – load-bearing joints are affected by excessive weight; they are the hips, knees, feet and spine.

One natural treatment method involves avoiding all inflammatory foods. Studies done on antioxidant vitamins question the value of these supplements; it’s clearly better to consume these antioxidants in living foods because they may also need to work with other nutrients present in the foods to work properly.

Try avoiding the eight most allergic foods, wheat being the most allergenic; they are wheat, corn, eggs, milk, peanuts, fish, shellfish and some nuts, not all. For natural treatment for arthritis make an appointment with a naturopathic doctor, called a naturopath; ask around for referrals.

Don’t just sit there, keep moving. Exercise your affected joints every day, to keep them flexible. Fight arthritis through proper exercise! Exercise is good for joints affected by osteoarthritis.

If you have pain and swelling in your fingers, try squeezing Thera-putty made for this purpose or exercising with two Chinese chime balls. Sign up for water aerobics classes at your local community center. For arthritic fingers, a good exercise is to put your finger tips together and press hard and release, then repeat several times.

Conventional doctors may suggest the standard protocol for your joint pain; they tell you to take over-the-counter NSAIDS or prescribe COX-2 inhibitors, of which all have side effects. Drugs commonly used for arthritis pain can cause ulcers, heart disease and liver or kidney damage. For conventional treatment of arthritis – if you do choose to take drugs or medications, be very careful and read the labels thoroughly.

The biggest secret to arthritis pain relief is to change your diet now; eat foods that are alive. One should not only search for relief of arthritis pain but work on preventing it. Following these suggestions can help you get back in the swing of things and allow you to spend your days enjoying life once more.

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Arthritis Treatments Help Ease the Pain

August 29th, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

Do you have arthritis? If you have and you haven’t done anything about it yet, you must be living in pain. You do not have to live everyday as if you are already in hell, you can try any of the arthritis treatments to make your life better. But first, you should consult your doctor for any medication or remedies that he can prescribe. You can also discuss several methods you think will work for you. I do not think the doctor will have any problems with that especially if you do not have any other sickness that might get affected with other medications taken. This is the reason why a consultation with the doctor is needed.

However, if the arthritis treatments are not ingested, such as warm compress or creams that you can apply on the affected area, I do not think the doctor will have any problem with that. Contrary to what many people think, arthritis does not just ail old people. It can affect people from of all ages. As soon as you feel it, have it checked right away. This is to avoid complications and deformities in the future. Do not just stick to one treatment method especially if it is not helping much. Try out several treatment options so you will be able to find the best one for you. Last but not the least, having a healthy lifestyle such as eating right, having regular exercise and minimizing stress can delay the onset of arthritis.

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Pet Arthritis – New and Safe Arthritis Treatments For Dogs and Cats

August 26th, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

It was reported that all mammals will develop arthritis if they live to an old enough age. Medical advancements are allowing cats and dogs to live longer than ever before. However, animals are being diagnosed with more disease due to their extended life span. Our pets can often be exhibiting signs of arthritis for long periods of time before pet owners even notice. Starting on medications before the symptoms are noticed will slow the changes from occurring and can prevent arthritis from becoming severe later in life.

There are many medications on the market for arthritis currently. There are some new drugs that have been introduced in both human and veterinary medicine that have fewer side effects as well as contain natural ingredients.

The most common drugs being used for arthritis are called Non Steroidal Anti- Inflammatory drugs known as “NSAIDs”. These stop pain by inhibiting inflammation around and in the joint. However, they do have some severe side effects including kidney disease, gastric ulcerations and bleeding.

Recently, there have been new ideas for how arthritis should be treated. Doctors are trying to incorporate safe natural drugs called Disease Modifying Osteoarthritic Agents (DMOAAs). DMOAAs are split into two categories called Nutraceuticals and Chondroprotectants. These supplements have not been found to have any side effects and increased research is showing that they are as effective as NSAIDs. When these supplements are used in combination with NSAIDs they decrease the amount of NSAIDs needed to help with pain.

Disease Modifying Osteoarthritic Agents can:

o Rebuild cartilage and stop destruction of the joint surface
o Decrease inflammation which causes pain in arthritic patients
o Remove free radicals which can be damaging to joints
o Provide vital nutrients for rebuilding damaged cartilage

These drugs have also been shown in numerous studies to have:

o Anti cancer effects
o Cure common skin diseases including itchy (pruritic) and flaky skin.
o Prevent cognitive dysfunction syndrome (CDS)- Alzheimer like syndrome

These drugs can be purchased over the counter and should be started at a young age to decrease the chances of irreversible arthritic changes. Make sure to only purchase name brand products since there are not regulated by the FDA and the active ingredients differ greatly between products.

Some of the most common supplements being used are:

- Sam-e(S-adenosyl-L-methionine)
- Omega-3 fatty acids

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Rheumatoid Arthritis and Alternative Treatments

August 21st, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where your immune system attacks your own body tissue. It is progressive disease and primarily affects the joints. However, it can also afflict other organs of the body like the heart or lungs. The disease is extremely painful and causes swelling and tenderness of the joints. As the disease progresses, mobility becomes an issue.

There are medications and drugs to ease the pain but there are some people who want to avoid taking these medications due to the potential side effects associated with them. That is why these people are turning towards alternative treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.

Alternative Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis:
The good thing about alternative treatments for rheumatoid arthritis is that they can be used along with medications or on their own. Either way you will experience some benefit from these treatments.

Here is a list of some of the treatments that people seek to help them cope with rheumatoid arthritis:

o Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese healing method that has been used effectively to deal with the symptoms of pain and swelling. The needles used in this method are inserted in certain pressure points that have therapeutic effect.
o Heat therapy is used effectively to ease the pain in the joints. Here warm wax, electric pads or steam is used. Once the pain eases, movement becomes easy.
o Hydrotherapy is fast becoming popular as it has benefitted a lot of people. Patients are made to do exercises in water, including swimming, to work the joints and remove the stiffness from them. This therapy is usually conducted in lukewarm water.
o Physiotherapy is conducted by a certified therapist and helps with muscle strengthening and joint stiffness. The end result is that muscles become stronger and there is overall reduction of pain. Movement becomes easier through regular physiotherapy.
o Relaxation therapy is a combination of several therapies like meditation, yoga and stretching exercises. This therapy helps a patient to cope with his disease while easing pain and stiffness in the joints.

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Stop Blaming Yourself! Your Anxiety Could Be Caused by Other Factors

August 20th, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

Sometimes people might be feeling anxiety and think that they have an anxiety disorder, when in fact it could be something else entirely. Many things that we put into our bodies or that we experience can produce side-effects very similar to anxiety, such eating certain foods, not getting enough nutrients, taking prescription medication or suffering from certain diseases. Let’s explore some of these now:

Drugs

You can find the known side-effects of medication with a bit of research. Let’s look at some of them now:

SSRIs – These are used to treat depression. They can cause headaches, anxiety, insomnia, impotence, irregular heartbeat, hot/cold flashes, agitation, diarrhea etc.

Statin Drugs – These are used to treat high cholesterol. They can cause headaches, dizziness, tremors etc.

Anti-Inflammatories – These are used to treat arthritis. They can cause anxiety, dizziness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath etc.

Codeine – This is included in some painkillers. They can cause agitation, heart palpitations, nausea, restlessness, dizziness etc.

The list goes on and on. There are many drugs that cause these kind of side-effects. In fact even some of the drugs that are meant to treat anxiety can produce anxiety-like symptoms. So before you label yourself as having an anxiety disorder, take a look at your medicine cabinet. And this includes many types of medication, both prescription and over-the-counter varieties.

Diet

Oftentimes people with anxiety will overeat as a coping mechanism. But there are certain foods that can cause anxiety just by eating them. First of all, it’s good to pay attention to potential allergies and sensitivities that you may have to certain foods. Many people with gluten sensitivity, for example, will experience symptoms that are almost identical to some anxiety disorders when they eat gluten. These symptoms could include shortness of breath, fatigue, problems concentrating, sweating etc. Allergic reactions can also be vary similar to anxiety attacks.

Alcohol can also cause anxiety-like effects in the long-term. It’s actually quite insidious because in the short-term it can actually relieve anxiety. But over the long-term it can cause depression and anxiety. So it can become a vicious cycle where a person drinks to relieve symptoms that were caused by drinking in the first place.

Caffeine is a popular stimulant that is well-known for making people “jittery” and can produce many symptoms similar to anxiety. In fact, speaking of stimulants, if you look at energy drinks today many of these have many additional stimulants like guana, taurine or ginseng. And if they’re drank recklessly, which they often are, they can produce side-effects like tremors, muscle twitches, abnormal rhythms, anxiety etc. It’s definitely not a good option.

And of course there’s also sugar which can cause erratic blood sugar spiking and the inevitable crashes that follow. Of course this can also produce symptoms very similar to anxiety.

Diseases

Certain disease can cause anxiety-like symptoms. It’s good to pinpoint the cause of these symptoms before you label your condition as an anxiety disorder. But having a disease can actually anxiety as you begin to contemplate the consequences of the disease so there are different combinations of possibilities here with experiencing anxiety.

Some diseases can get confused with anxiety disorders are:

Hyperthyroidism – This occurs when your thyroid gland produces too much of its hormone. It can cause restlessness, nervousness, tremors, poor sleep, fatigue etc.

Hormonal Imbalances – As the name implies, this is when your hormone levels are out of whack. This can cause a wide variety of symptoms, including anxiety.

Hypoglycemia – This is essentially low blood sugar. It can cause irritability, sweating, rapid heartbeat, trembling etc.

Meniere’s Syndrome – This is an inner ear disorder. It can cause vertigo, dizzines, sweating, nausea etc.

So as you can see, many of these diseases can be confused with anxiety disorders as well.

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What Are the Most Common Dog Arthritis Symptoms?

August 14th, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

Before we go through the most common dog arthritis symptoms, let us first try to understand what this condition is. Arthritis is a degenerative disease that causes the joints to get inflamed. The inflammation is usually accompanied by pain, heat and swelling in the joints. As the condition advances, it results in increased stiffness and unfortunately, immobility. Humans are not the only ones who can be affected with this chronic disease but dogs as well. You see some changes in your dogs behavior and it’s hard for you to tell if he’s suffering from arthritis or not. What are the most common dog arthritis symptoms?

- Change in behavior. He becomes more aggressive, others become violent. He can be quite withdrawn and he wants to sleep all the time
- Ears lie flat against his head
- Dogs with arthritis often licks the affected area
- Your dog becomes unusually slow and stiff. His level of activity decreases and he may refuse to play, run or go for walks
- Your dog is having a hard time walking or even sitting

Arthritis is mainly caused by the erosion of cartilage lining the joints. Dog arthritis symptoms should be addressed immediately and please do not give your dog just any medicine because you might be causing more harm than good. Depending on the severity of the dog’s condition, your doctor might recommend a stronger dose of medication. Anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed along with dog joint supplements with high concentration of Glucosamine. Surgery can be done but this should be your last option. Try some natural or alternative treatments before you decide to let your dog undergo surgery.

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Arthritis Symptoms – A Guide to Helping You Understand

August 12th, 2010 by Brian B. Marrero

In reality arthritis is an all encompassing terms that is used by many to cover a large group of in excess of 100 medical conditions with the common connection within this group of 100-plus conditions are that they all in some way affect the musculoskeletal system, in particular the joints. When taken as a group arthritis, and other associated conditions are one of the major contributing causes of disability in the world, and unless there are new medical breakthroughs, the overall situations stands to suffer even further.

Since there are in reality in excess of 100 unlike kinds of arthritis, the symptoms as well as the signs of this type of disease are therefore highly variable in nature. Nevertheless, provided that you comprehend just the basics of the various arthritis symptoms, then you will have a more informed knowledge and will be that much more prepared if, in the unfortunate instance, you yourself become afflicted from any of these symptoms or signs.

Some Of The Most Common Arthritis Symptoms

In point of fact there are too many dissimilar arthritis symptoms to add up, particularly in the consideration of all the numerous kinds of arthritis that are presently known and the reality that there are an infinite number of symptoms for each. Nevertheless, there are specific arthritis symptoms that are prevalent through all of the different kinds and it are these specific types which we will cover and discuss here.

One of the most common symptoms reported is that of persistent joint pain, and it can be experienced anywhere in a persons body, even though in most instances you will feel it in the places where your joints are located and used, for instance, your elbows, knees etc. A definite indication that there might be a problem of arthritis is pain or tenderness in your joints, particularly if you feel that it is agitated through the use of movement or activity, for instance, going for a walk, rising up from a chair, or even throwing a ball.

Excess fatigue is an additional type of common symptom, as those individuals who are afflicted from the condition of arthritis have a tendency to feel a sudden as well as unusual dramatic increase in their level or tiredness when they initially began to experience arthritis. This can also be accompanied by a lack of energy, as well as weakness, or an overall sense of malaise.

Treatments For Arthritis

If you have felt and of these previously talked about symptoms above, gone to see your physician and then diagnosed by him, then your next step is treatment. As mentioned previously there are many different types of treatment to select from, the determining factor depends on the specific type of of arthritis that you have and are suffering from.

Options for treatment differ from mild to very serious. for instance there are times when surgery is called for, and so you should work together with your physician so that you can come to the best decision possible for your benefit.

The treatment options vary from mild to very serious, such as surgery, and so you are going to have to work together with your doctor in order for the very best decisions to be able to be determined for you and your particular case.

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