Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms And Natural Pain Relief

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms are very painful and can affect anyone at any age. But simple, highly effective natural rheumatoid arthritis pain relief is possible.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a form of arthritis causing swelling, stiffness, pain and limited movement in the joints - mainly a person's wrists and fingers. However, RA is very different from osteoarthritis, which often comes with older age.

While the cause of RA is unknown, it's clear that healthy lifestyle changes and a good rheumatoid arthritis diet can slow or even stop joint damage and greatly reduce the pain.

Signs and Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA is more prevalent among women than men. It generally starts between the ages 25 and 50 and the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can come and go. Or, they may last for only a short period of time. However the severe form of RA can last a lifetime.

The symptoms usually begin with pain, inflammation and stiffness in the joints of fingers, hands and wrists. These joints may become swollen, tender and warm to the touch.

Loss of appetite, sleeplessness, fatigue and depression are also common symptoms.

RA is an autoimmune disease. This means that it's the result of an immune system breakdown, where the body attacks it's own tissues. Rheumatoid arthritis can therefore affect other body parts besides joints, such as the eyes, mouth and lungs.

If measures aren't taken to safely manage RA, it can spread throughout the body causing permanent damage and severely limited range of motion. However, the unsafe painkillers usually prescribed for RA, such as Aleve, Vioxx and Bextra, etc, provide only risky, temporary pain relief and do NOT strengthen the immune system.

To control the spread of the disease, it's important to begin immediately to safely manage the pain and inflammation and to naturally strengthen the immune system.

Natural Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief

As more and more evidence proves that lifestyle changes and a good rheumatoid arthritis diet can both help prevent the disease and provide symptom relief, a more holistic approach is being taken and people with RA are living happier, healthier lives.

Although any kind of exercise may be the last thing on a person's mind when they're experiencing pain, exercise is essential for improved range of motion and for strong, healthy bones and muscles. Moderate exercise such as walking, swimming and yoga are excellent ways to stay active with a minimum of stress.

For immune building phytonutrients and essential fiber, include more colorful vegetables, fruits and whole grains in your diet. And since cold water fish is nature's richest source of anti-inflammatory omega 3 oil with EPA and DHA, add more fresh fish, such as salmon.

Also, cut back on red meat. People who eat red meat daily have twice the risk of arthritis as those who eat red meat no more than twice a week or not at all.

Drink lots of pure, clean water - at least eight glasses a day.

And since excess weight puts extra stress on the joints, particularly the hips and knees, it's important to reach and maintain a healthy weight by reducing calories, eliminating high glycemic carbohydrates and keeping fat intake below 30% of calories.

Supplements for Rheumatoid Arthritis

The key to effective natural rheumatoid arthritis control and management is basically the same as it is for getting healthy and preventing any degenerative disease.

In the case of RA, begin by avoiding injury and reducing stress, fatigue and depression as much as possible. Then get healthy and fit with moderate exercise and a good rheumatoid arthritis diet that includes whole food supplements, particularly fish oil.

Arthritis Diet: A Fast Guide

When I talk about an 'arthritis diet', I am referring to a specialised diet that a dietician or nutritionist has worked out for your specific case of arthritis. There really is no one, elite diet that will apply to all arthritis sufferers, so I will just refer to some common trends in these typical 'arthritis diets'.

In a nutshell, to fight arthritis, the best diet is one that is high in vitamins and minerals with sufficient good quality protein. Your carbohydrate intake should be from low GI sources and limited in fast-releasing sugar. Your fat intake should be low overall, yet consuming unsaturated fatty food is essential in an arthritis diet. Limiting food that you are allergic to, can prevent an inflammatory response by the body. Foods that irritate the digestive tract and hinder detoxification should be avoided. Typically these are foods containing gluten or dairy. To get the best result for your specific case, getting a dietician to work out a plan for your arthritis diet is a good idea.

A good, well-balanced diet is important for general health, but it becomes especially important if you have arthritis. Often people will need increased amounts of certain nutrients when they have arthritis. A healthy diet is strongly linked to a strong immune system. A strong immune system gives you an advantage for fighting any disease, especially inflammatory and auto-immune diseases like arthritis. You can either consume more whole, fresh foods containing these nutrients, or you can use good quality supplements to make up the shortfall. Most of the current research doesn't really make any strong connection between your diet as cause, or as a way of treating arthritis. Many people however, believe that certain foods can ease inflammation and swelling, while others avoid certain foods that may trigger a flare up.

As a general guide, anyone should eat a diet rich in oily fish, low-fat dairy (unless have lactose intolerance), fresh fruit and vegetables. Greasy, fried foods should be avoided as much as possible. Foods containing lots of refined sugar is not healthy and could lead to many health conditions. There are many claims, especially for different sources on the internet about certain foods and arthritis diets that will 'cure' arthritis. There is little evidence of one specific food provoking or calming arthritis symptoms, except when you are allergic to that food type. Mostly these claims are linked to some kind of commercial benefit for the companies involved. It is however true that specific, goal orientated supplementation can hold benefits for arthritis.

The other key aspect is to make your eating habits a part of your daily life. You should budget time and energy to buy the right foods and plan what you are going to eat every day. If we don't plan, it is so easy to resort to fast food or processed foods.

Here are some healthy arthritis diet basics for arthritis sufferers:

Healthy Arthritis Diet 101

The key to a healthy arthritis diet is variety, balance and moderation. A variety of low GI carbohydrates, low fat proteins, and fresh fruit and vegetables are universal diet basics that all people should follow. So basically, you need carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals in the right proportions for your arthritis diet.

Carbohydrates

Lately, there has been a lot of literature about the weight loss benefits of low carbohydrate diets. You definitely do not want to go this route if you have arthritis. Carbohydrates are the best source of sustained energy, feeding your body with the calories it needs to stay healthy and fight infection and disease. Carbohydrates like bread, rice, pasta and potatoes contain fibre, essential in helping the body to stay regular and remove toxins from the bowel. Carbohydrates also contain nutrients like calcium, iron, and the vitamin B group. Carbohydrates should ideally make up a third of the total calories that we consume. This means that you should consume about 6-14 portions a day, choosing as many wholegrain varieties as possible. As an example, 1 slice of bread, 3 tablespoons of cereal or a bread roll will constitute one portion.

Carbohydrates high in fibre and with a low GI are beneficial because the make you feel fuller for longer and does not spike blood sugar levels. The high fibre varieties are more bulky, so they take up more space in the stomach, making you feel full. This means foods like pastries, biscuits, sweets and too much sugar in you tea and coffee is not healthy and places pressure on the body to process.

Protein

Eating enough protein is essential keeping every single tissue in your body healthy. Protein is found in your organs, bones, muscles and skin. The whole body is made up of about 25% protein. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. There are about 25 different amino acids, 8 of which are essential- this means that the body cannot function without them. The others can be made from these 8. Good sources of protein are fish, chicken, eggs, red meat, dairy products, beans, nuts, seeds, lentils and tofu. These all have about 10g of protein per 100g (10% protein). This means that if you eat enough calories from quality sources, you are likely getting enough protein. In fact, most modern sources say that even if you are strictly vegetarian, you will get all the amino acids you need to stay healthy. However, you would have to eat a varied, healthy diet. These sources also contain the B vitamin group, zinc and iron.

Are you getting enough protein for your arthritis diet? You typically need about two portions of good quality protein daily to keep you healthy. These portions can come from meat or vegetarian sources. Keep lean meat down to four times a week and try to have fish at least 4 times a week. The other portions can be made up of foods like soya, tofu and beans. This amount of protein should roughly equate to about 10% of your daily caloric intake. The World Health Organisation recommends 10%, which is roughly about 35g of protein. A portion is about 100 grams of whatever source you choose.

Since protein makes you feel full quickly, some diets prescribe a lot of protein rich foods and cut out carbohydrates almost totally. This leads to a loss in muscle tissue, something that you really don't want if you have osteoarthritis. This is because your body needs the energy from carbohydrates to feed muscle tissues. People suffering from osteoarthritis need good muscle tone around the joint. So diets that promote high protein intake can be toxic to the body and lead to a reduction in muscle mass.

Fats and Oils

Contrary to what some sources might suggest, fat is an essential part of a healthy diet and especially for an arthritis diet. It provides a lot of energy and helps the body to absorb vitamins. We typically need about 25 grams of fat per day. The typical western diet is unfortunately packed with fat, way too much than what our bodies actually need. The benefits of a low fat diet stretches beyond weight reduction which will improve symptoms in the long term. Patients cutting down on fat intake feel rapid relief from symptoms.

There are however two types of fat, one good for you, and the other unhealthy in high levels. Saturated fat, found in red meat, butter, cakes, pastry, and most vegetable oils are unhealthy because they lead to high cholesterol, high triglyceride levels and most importantly, high homocysteine levels. This has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and other conditions. Homocyteine levels can be lowered by following the guidelins of an arthritis diet and by supplementing with a vitamin B complex. Saturated fats block the conversion of the essential (good) fats from being used to lower inflammation in the body. They also hold bad news for those who want to lose weight. Calories from saturated fat are more efficiently stored as fat in the body compared to calories from proteins and carbohydrates. These 'bad' fats should be scarce in your arthritis diet.

On the other hand, unsaturated fats, found in olive oil, oily fish, nuts, avocados and some margarines have long lists of health benefits. People consuming olive oil every day are less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis. They are good for fighting heart disease, lowering cholesterol and homocysteine and may actually reduce inflammation levels in the body. The ideal arthritis diet is one that is very low in saturated fat and sufficient in essential fats. A vegan diet (one excluding meat, fish, eggs and dairy) will definitely reduce saturated fat, but you run the risk of being deficient in vitamin D and B12. Vegans need to supplement these nutrients.

Vitamins and Minerals

The food we consume, especially fruits and vegetables contain much of the vitamins and minerals we need to keep us healthy. We should eat at least three fruit a day and a lot of vegetables with our meals. Some people with arthritis prefer to cut out some foods that they believe might aggravate their arthritis. When you cut out these foods, you are missing out on the nutrients in that specific food. A good idea might be to take that nutrient in a supplement form. Vitamins are also powerful anti-oxidants, especially vitamin C and vitamin E. Don't make the mistake cutting out citrus and tomatoes from your arthritis diet. There is no evidence that it will relieve the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. This will also mean that you miss out on a vital source of vitamin C. There is quite a lot written about the benefits of taking higher levels of anti-oxidants in your arthritis diet. Anti-oxidants help to neutralise free radicals, chemicals that can damage cartilage and cause inflammation.

Water

70% of our body is water. Water forms an important part of your arthritis diet. For normal daily activities, we need about 1,5 litres of water a day. Drinking fruit juice, flavoured water and herbal tea can also count as fluid. Remember that coffee and alcoholic drinks are diuretics, so you end up with a overall loss of body fluid. Contrary to what some believe, water doesn't lubricate the joints, but it does help the kidneys to flush out the toxins in the body. An excess of toxins might be linked to worse symptoms. Drinking lots of fluids is linked to a strong immune system, since nutrients are carried throughout the body by means of water.

Salt

Salt is necessary to keep the correct water balance in the body. If you have hypertension problems, salt can make things worse. Most people probably eat too much salt. Do you put salt on your food without tasting it first? This can be a bad habit, since your sense of taste can adapt to less salt. More than a teaspoon of salt a day is probably too much already.

Alcohol

Alcohol need not be cut out totally from the arthritis diet. One or two drinks can actually fuel the metabolism, but obviously most alcoholic drinks contain a lot of calories, so it can contribute to weight gain. Alcohol can also exacerbate the side effects of many of the medications of for arthritis. Too much alcohol puts pressure on the liver to detoxify the alcohol. This is important because many of the arthritis medications also put pressure on the liver. Too keep things safe, men should not drink more than 3 units of alcohol a day and 21 units a week. For women, no more than 2 units a day or 14 units a week. A unit is about 1 pint of beer or cider. A glass of wine is about two units.

Controlling your weight

The best place to start a weight loss program is in the office of a dietician. These professionals are trained in the latest, most healthy ways of gaining or losing weight and in selecting your arthritis diet. Avoid wasting your time and money by following diets you found in a magazine or somewhere on the internet. If a diet claims fast weight loss, you should already be cautious, because losing weight quickly is not healthy. If you lose or gain weight, you should also inform your doctor, since it might mean that your medication has to be adjusted.

Overweight

This is one of the risk factors for developing or worsening your osteoarthritis. If you are overweight, it places more stress on the weight bearing joint. More specifically, carrying more weight than you should puts pressure on the cartilage, which may be worn out already. Remember that the cartilage is only a few millimetres thick, so the pressure can grind it away so that you eventually have bone rubbing against bone. The joints in the hips and knees are especially vulnerable. Studies show that by losing just 5 kilograms over a ten year period can reduce your risk of developing osteoarthritis by 50%.

Arthritis sufferers often become inactive because of their symptoms, leading to further weight gain. Depression because of the symptoms and the outlook can also lead to compulsive eating and a lack of motivation to exercise.

Being overweight also seems to make people with rheumatoid arthritis more prone to inflammation. Obesity also limits your options of having joint replacement surgery. Obese people are at greater risk for complications when receiving a general anaesthetic.

Besides affecting the symptoms of your arthritis, being overweight is a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, hypertension and various types of cancer like prostate and colon cancer.

If you want to lose weight there are a few principles to discuss with your dietician:

Eat regularly: Skipping meals will make your blood sugar levels fluctuate and make you feel tired. This could also cause you to be very hungry, leading to you eating too much at once. Eat before you feel hungry.

Eat about 6 small meals that fit in with your 'arthritis diet': This fuels your body regularly, speeding up your metabolism. A sluggish metabolism tends to go into storage mode.

Cut down on sweet drinks and foods: Many foods contain hidden sugar, so read the label. Remember that fruit juice contains a lot of calories, so don't drink too much. Two glasses a day is enough. Use a sweetener or some honey in your coffee and tea.

Snack on fruit and nuts through the day: If you feel hungry between meals, rather have a handful of nuts and a fruit.

An Overview Of The Causes Of Toe Pain

Are you constantly suffering from toe pain, yet are unaware of the cause? Is it preventing you from living your life to the fullest?

Pain in the toes can be really uncomfortable and whilst the majority of causes are not serious, if left untreated, it may lead to something more serious, especially if there is an underlying condition which is causing the pain.

Certain pains may have an obvious cause, such as injury, but it can also be a complete mystery. Often the pain can be diagnosed on the basis of the symptoms experienced. Usually pain is most often experienced in the big toe and this can lead to trouble walking even a few steps.

Conditions That Cause Toe Pain

Below I have listed the common causes of toe pain:

繚 Gout- This condition most commonly affects the joint of the big toe and causes it to become hot and tender to touch. It will also usually become swollen and extremely painful. It is caused by a build up of uric acid in the bloodstream which the body cannot process. The build up of acid results in the acid becoming crystallised in the joints of the toe.

繚 Bursitis- Another type of pain which affects the big toe. Bursitis is caused by inflammation of the bursa: a fluid filled sac situated within the joints that cushion the bones, tissues and tendons. This results in inflammation, swelling and severe pain.

繚 Arthritis- One of the most common causes of toe pain is osteoarthritis. This is caused by a degenerative breakdown of cartilage in the foot. This causes bones to rub together causing pain. Another form of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. This condition leads to the joints and tissues of the toe being destroyed by the body's own immune system. The common symptoms of this condition are swelling and pain.

繚 Bunions- This is a type of deformity in the foot. A bony lump will protrude on the outside of the foot, causing the first metatarsal bone to become displaced. The big toe gets pushed inwards towards the other toes. This condition is extremely painful and wearing shoes can also be difficult.

繚 Ingrown Toenail- An ingrown toenail is where the nail starts to grow into the tissues of the foot. This results in pain, inflammation and swelling. If left untreated the toe can become infected. Sometimes a foot doctor will remove part of the nail or remove it in full.

繚 Hammer Toe- This condition is where the middle of the toe points upwards causing the toe to look like a hammer. It usually appears in the second toe and is caused by a bunion on the big toe pressing against it. Shoes that have a wide toe box may be of help so might padding any callous which has appeared. If none of these work, then surgery is an option to straighten out the toe.

繚 Morton's Neuroma- This is also commonly known as Morton's toe. This type of toe pain is caused by a benign growth between the toes. You will usually notice a tingling sensation or a shooting pain in the toes. The growth is not dangerous, just abnormal. The pain will be more noticeable if you are wearing tight shoes. In certain cases, surgery may be necessary to remove the growth and stop the pain.

The above are the main causes of toe pain and all these conditions can be easily treated. Injury is another common cause of toe pain caused either during a sporting activity or by dropping something onto the toe. In this case you will need to visit a hospital to see if the toe is broken or not.

In order to fully diagnose the causes of your pain, you need to visit a doctor for an examination. Remember to explain to the doctor all of your symptoms. He will then be able to diagnose what the problem is and either provide treatment or refer you to a specialist.

If you need to wait to see a specialist, the doctor will be able to provide you with some pain relief in the meantime.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - A Stitch In Time Saves Nine

It is said, "A stitch in time saves nine". No doubt any issue properly addressed at its initial stage, will prevent long-term trouble. There are people who are too careless about their health, that they just overlook the symptoms of a disease. The symptoms of any disease actually signal the internally occurring disorder. It is better to pay attention to the alarming conditions, rather than letting it get worse. When you start feeling continuous fatigue and weariness along with fever and stiffness of joints, beware it's something getting wrong with your joints. These are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Consult your doctor without wasting any time.

Some people could suffer from weight loss and numbness as well. These symptoms are somewhat vague indications of the illness, but the most evident symptom of rheumatoid arthritis is the occurrence of joint pain, accompanied by swelling and stiffness as well. This condition is quite painful even if it is the initial stage of the disease. This pain occurs symmetrically, which means that if there is pain in one knee, then there will likely be pain in the other knee as well. The most commonly affected joints are the synovial joints in the hands, wrists, knees and elbows.

People suffering from this chronic and debilitating condition find it difficult to perform routine tasks that they never had trouble with in the past. The movement of fingers becomes so difficult, that even buttoning a blouse is difficult. Thus, it becomes necessary for the patient to acquire some medical aid to live life a bit easier. As this is an incurable disease, the patient stays on medication for a long time, becomes dependent on conventional medication having a lot of side-effects affecting other organs of the body as well.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder, causing the immune system to attack the antibodies present in the blood. There is also appearance of lumps under the skin of patients which are called rheumatoid nodules. These nodules mostly appear on knuckles, elbows, and spine, however, their size varies depending upon the severity of the disease. These symptoms when not properly treated can cause rapid increase in the rupturing of tendons, and ligaments. Thus, it is advised to see a doctor as soon as the symmetrical joint pain appears. In the early stages of the rheumatoid arthritis, you will feel improvement just by using proper medication. Otherwise, you will land in a bigger problem of having surgery.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Cure in Your Mind

We used to think that the cure to Rheumatoid Arthritis was either non-existent or totally relied on the use of heavy pharmaceuticals. Today the approach to removing symptoms of this arthritic disease or even sending it completely into 'remission' is very different.

Whilst many still rely on pharmaceuticals to treat certain symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis, such as inflammation, pain, swelling and stiffness, some are resorting more and more to the use of natural cures and this is bearing increasing success. The details of which natural supplements work best are on this further down this article.

Meanwhile, I want to explore what was suggested to me years ago, namely that the mind-boggling onset of Rheumatoid Arthritis (nobody in my family, immediate or distant, ever suffered from this disease) was in my case a psychological reaction to certain events taking place in my early teens (a nasty parents' divorce and an even nastier 'aftermath' in which my whole family ruptured and became highly dysfunctional). Don't get me wrong; it wasn't 'all in the mind': the symptoms were all there and the damage was real; I had X-Rays and other tests done at the early age of fourteen and they all showed I was suffering from Rheumatoid Arthritis.

At the time it was only in my hands, but I was already beginning to have difficulty playing the piano or even writing. When I left home and went to University (and therefore left the dysfunctional family situation I was living in), my symptoms (which had not been treated at all) suddenly disappeared. Doctors believed that I had been suffering from Juvenile Arthritis and that it was perfectly normal for the symptoms to recede years later. I therefore went on with my life thinking the disease was gone.

But, years later, when I started visiting members of my family for prolonged periods, I began to suffer from severe knee pain which, months later, almost prevented me from walking normally. The knee was swollen, inflamed, extremely painful day and night and no amount of painkillers worked at all. Then my right elbow started to feel very stiff and painful; I became desperate and was ready to try anything and everything. I went to a reputable homeopath, who was convinced that my Rheumatoid Arthritis was triggered by certain familial events which were affecting my mind; with homeopathic remedies aimed at treating repressed anger, psychological pain and resentment (as well as disappointment and abandonment), 3 months later my knee and elbow pain was gone and I was able to resume my very active lifestyle (I am an outdoors person, I love to hike, swim and cycle) in full. Not once did I take any painkiller or pharmaceutical. This means that, in my case at least, my homeopath was correct in diagnosing my Rheumatoid Arthritis as mind-based.

Secrets Revealed About The Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet

The rheumatoid arthritis diet can be an invaluable resource in assisting the struggle against rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is categorized as being a systemic autoimmune disease. It's a long-term, systemic inflammatory condition which mainly affects synovial joints but could in addition affect tissues and organs. The disease course of action mostly leads to destruction in the articular cartilage as well as stiffness of the joints. Next to joint pain there may also be resultant irritation in the lung area, pleura, pericardium, sclera as well as nodular lesions within the subcutaneous tissue. Dealing with the main cause of any autoimmune disease is paramount to long-term well being and a rheumatoid arthritis diet is capable of doing that.

RA impacts around 1% of the world's human population, with women 3 times more prone to possess the condition then men. The condition generally starts in between the age range of 40 and 50, however it may also begin at all ages. It's really a agonizing as well as crippling condition, and when not maintained correctly may end up in lack of function as well as mobility. The medical diagnosis is dependent on presenting signs, the physical exam, x-rays and blood tests. This document will in short, talk about traditional remedies just before speaking much more about the rheumatoid arthritis diet.

There are a few treatments available for RA. Typically pharmaceutical treatments include painkillers (in the form of analgesics) and anti-inflammatory drugs such as steroids to treat the symptoms. While the short term benefit of treating the symptoms has merit, in the long term it does little good because the underlying disease process continues. A stronger type of drug called disease modifying antirheumatic drugs are aimed at inhibiting the underlying immune process and decreasing long term damage. Unfortunately, all drugs carry with them severe unwanted side effects. True health can never be obtained from drugs. Restoring true health is the aim of the rheumatoid arthritis diet.

A rheumatoid arthritis diet can be an effective form of treatment, as dietary intervention has proven to be helpful for other autoimmune diseases. At the root of autoimmune disease is an over responsive immune system that is attacking the body's own tissues and cells. The over active immune response results in an array of symptoms. If we just focus on the symptoms, the underlying process and root cause of the problem is still present. Certain foods have proven to trigger autoimmune responses or inflammation. So it only makes sense that if we remove the offending foods from the diet, we can help settle down the immune system and restore proper balance and health to the body.

A rheumatoid arthritis diet approach is just not for all. The difficulties rest in the belief that some of the option of diet or alternative treatment solutions are not necessarily even presented to the sufferer. As opposed to medication, there isn't any damaging unwanted side effects from switching your diet. You're not having harmful chemicals straight into your system or a toxic stress on your own liver. It can be definitely worth a shot. There isn't any harm in trying a rheumatoid arthritis diet plus you've got only your quality of life to gain back.

Arthritis Leg Pain and Arthritis Finger Symptoms Are Similar

Arthritis leg pain is a result of metabolic or degenerative arthropathy that occurs in or in the vicinity of ankles, knees, feet and hips joints. Those who suffer from degenerative joint pains experience pain in their joints when actively using them. On the other hand those suffering from psoriatic joint pain, gout and rheumatoid joint pain undergo bout of pain even when the joints are at rest.

Arthritis in general affects the body joints and musculoskeletal system. Arthritis leg pain can be because of leg problem arising due to rheumatoid joint pain condition. Another form of joint pain condition that is concentrated in leg to produce same type of joint pain is osteoarthritis. The general symptoms of arthritis leg pain are

Swelling - The possible joints pain condition produce a swelling around the joint. With a simple glance inflammation may either be seen or not seen but can be felt. Anti-inflammatory medications are used to ease the swelling from joint pain conditions.

Pain - Pain is a most common symptom of deteriorated joint condition in leg. The pain may be dull or severe depending on the type of joint pain condition. The pain arises from bone or muscles within the leg. In that case stretching gives relief from pain.

Walking difficulty - With time cartilages and joints in the leg deteriorate that makes walking difficult. Pain in the knee joints is the cause of person not able to walk.

Stiffness - Joint deterioration with swelling and pain add up to cause stiffness in the leg. Stiffness in the leg may be felt in the morning after sleep or when sitting or standing for too long.

When you have painful joint condition two major things happen. First the joint tissue or cartilage is deteriorating that produces change in the complete structure of the joint. This further affects rest of the skeletal system as everything is connected. Second in order to accommodate the pain in the body you may start sleeping or walking in different way.

Another painful joint condition in your body can be arthritis finger. Since each hand has 27 bones, there are number of joints in fingers. Also the normal daily work is dependent on fingers. There are two types of painful joint conditions found in fingers same as found in leg. Also the symptoms of arthritis finger are more or less the same as stated above.

Since cause and the symptoms of the painful joint conditions in leg and arthritis finger are almost the same, their treatment is in general the same. The treatment includes anti-inflammatory medications, ice and heat treatment, diet adjustments that are joint supporting foods, supplements, weight control and exercise.

To deal with arthritis leg pain and painful finger joint condition you have to work with combination of therapies and diet with an aim to reduce inflammation. Reduction in inflammation will reduce the pain.

Birth Control Methods and Their Effects on Women With Chronic Health Conditions

The most important thing for you, if you have a chronic condition, is to have an understanding of birth control methods and how they can affect your health. Some of these methods can present specific concerns for certain rheumatic conditions. If you have antiphospholipid syndrome or antiphospholipid antibodies in your blood, lupus or RA, here is what is known about the concerns and the appropriate birth control methods.

Antiphospholipid antibodies and antiphospholipid syndrome: APL or antiphospholipid antibodies are proteins that affect the balance in the blood between clotting and bleeding and are a risk factor for blood clots. APS or antiphospholipid syndrome, is an autoimmune disorder that is characterized by antiphospholipid antibodies, blood clotting, and miscarriages and the syndrome can happen alone or with lupus, even though you have the antibodies you may not have lupus.

If you have antiphospholipid antibodies you are more likely to develop blood clots if you have another risk factor for blood clotting such as a severe illness, surgery, prolonged bed rest, malignancy, or pregnancy or it can be a lifestyle risk factor such as smoking or using combination contraceptives. That's why this second risk factor can be one of the variants in the blood that makes clotting possible. When you have lupus and antiphospholipid antibodies you are more likely to have other medical risk factors for a stroke or heart attack, like migraines, atherosclerosis or clogged arteries, or elevated cholesterol levels.

Contraceptives with estrogen are know to increase the risk of blood clots and when you have moderate to high antiphospholipid antibodies you should stay away from combination hormonal contraceptives. If you have low or borderline levels of the antiphospholipid antibodies, it may depend on whether you have had other risk factors for blood clots, to determine if you should stay clear from the combination hormonal contraceptives. Progesterone-only contraception is a good alternative for you if you have antiphospholipid antibodies and are unable to safely take estrogen. This method is also an effective way to decrease the heavy menstrual flow if you are on blood-thinning medications like warfarin, also known as Coumadin, which is often used to treat APS, Antiphospholipid syndrome.

Systemic lupus erythematosus: It was thought for many years that estrogen increased disease activity in lupus. This assumption was based on the findings in laboratory animals, and the fact that lupus is found mostly in women, 4 out of 5 people with lupus are women, and the reports of birth control pills and pregnancy where women said their lupus got worse. There are early reports that suggested there was an increase risk of lupus flares with the use of contraceptives containing estrogen. But, there are more recent studies that were better-designed, using large numbers of participants and standardized methods of measuring flares that found that estrogen-containing contraceptives are safe in some women with lupus.

And there were two randomized clinical trials published at the end of 2005 that found combination birth control pills don't significantly increase the risk of flares in women with inactive or stable, moderate lupus. The Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment, or SELENA, trial included 183 women with inactive or stable, moderate lupus and compared the effects of a standard combination birth control pill with the effects of an inactive placebo pill. Women who had active lupus, a history of blood clots, or antiphospholipid antibodies couldn't take participant in the study and the number and severity of the lupus flares showed no difference in the two groups. There was another study of 162 women with stable mild-to-moderate lupus that also found no adverse effects on flare rates whether the women used a combination pill, a progesterone-only pill or a copper IUD.

Based on these studies, it would appear that combination pills are safe for you if you have inactive or stable, moderate lupus and don't have antiphospholipid antibodies. Remember, though, that you may not even be able to tell how active your lupus is and often lupus activity can only be detected through blood test or other tests. So if you have lupus and you want to use a combination pill, your rheumatologist must be involved in the decision making. Since about 1/3 of the women with lupus have antiphospholipid antibodies, you have lupus you should be screened for the antibodies before starting a combination birth control pill.

It seems that it would be smart for you if you have lupus to avoid the contraceptive patch, Ortho Evra, given the recent FDA warning that it increases the risk of blood clots above that of combination pills. There's also the birth control pills that contain drospirenone, Yasmin, Yaz, that are more likely to elevate blood levels of potassium, an important consideration for you if you have lupus-related kidney problems. The safety of IUDs, if you are taking immunosuppressive drugs to treat your lupus, is not certain, because the drugs and the IUDs can raise the risk of infection. If you have active lupus, barrier methods or progesterone-only contraceptives are your options. Depo-Provera injections may be a problem if you are taking corticosteroids, because both the Depo-Provera and the corticosteroids increase the risk of bone loss.

Rheumatoid arthritis: There are some who believe that if you have RA you might actually benefit from treatment with estrogen-containing birth control pills because your symptoms improve during pregnancy. But, there's little research into using the pill to treat RA and research does suggest that women with RA have normal estrogen levels but lower than normal androgen levels, so hormonal therapy attempts have focused on supplementing androgens (androgens are primarily male sex hormones, but women have small amounts of them), with mixed results and no clear benefit. Postmenopausal estrogen therapy has also been studied in women with RA but showed no effect on the activity of the RA, and although there are no grounds for saying that combination hormonal contraceptives reduce the activity in Ra, there's no evidence that suggest their use would make a flare more likely to happen. Combination pills or the patch, may be effective and convenient for you if you have RA, but there is a concern that the risk of blood clots from the patch is higher than the risk from the pill. Inserting a vaginal ring or a diaphragm may be difficult if you have severe RA and like with lupus, it's not sure how safe IUDs are if you are taking immunosuppressive drugs such as ethotrexate, corticosteroids, or cyclosporine to treat their RA. There are no studies that have addressed this question specifically with newer RA medicines such as the biologics, among them Enbrel, Remicade and Humira.

There are other concerns as well and they are the hormone containing contraceptives can interact with other medicines, and this can reduce your medicine's effectiveness or increase its side effects. Some of these medicines are used to treat arthritis and related conditions. Some anticonvulsants like anti-seizure medications that are used to treat seizures, headaches, or chronic pain disorders may decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills. There are also, corticosteroids, warfin, and cyclosporine that can interact with the contraceptives even though the interactions are weak. Other medications that are used to treat other health conditions, some antibiotics, may also interact with hormone containing contraceptives and if you are using one of these contraceptives you should always remind your doctor of that fact when your doctor prescribes you new medications.

When you have rheumatic conditions and you have to stay in bed for a while, maybe because of a flare-up of the condition, or after surgery you should stop using combination birth control pills, the patch and the vaginal ring. Also, and especially if you have antiphospholipid antibodies, your doctor should give you low doses of a blood-thinning medicine. If you are planning elective surgery, you should talk to your doctor about stopping you combination hormonal contraceptive two months in advance, because estrogen's effects on blood clotting takes up to six weeks to reverse.

There are so many different types of birth control available to you today that if you have a rheumatic condition you can choose a safe and effective method. There are also many factors that have to be taken into consideration and it's essential that you, your gynecologist, and your rheumatologist work together to decide which of these methods is best for you.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment aims to accomplish several things:

-Reduce systemic inflammation
-Reduce symptom severity and duration
-Modification of the disease process
-Improve general health
-Send the disease into remission

While RA treatment should deal aggressively with the causes of the disease and seek to treat them first and foremost, the patient is certainly entitled to relief from the sometimes debilitating symptoms of RA.

RA Treatment of Symptoms

For mild to medium RA symptoms such as joint pain and stiffness, various supplements and over the counter medications can be used with good results. Both anti-inflammatory drugs and pain relievers can help treat rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

Non-steroid anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) such as naproxen and ibuprofen are quite effective for low-grade symptoms but their continued use is not advised as they have a number of potentially serious side-effects such as stomach bleeding.

Several other pain relievers are available both over the counter and by prescription such as opiodes (hydrocodone, oxycodone, etc.) for more serious pain.

RA Treatment via Surgery

The part of the joint that becomes inflamed by RA is the synovial membrane and surgery is sometimes indicated. The purpose of the surgery is to extract the inflamed synovial fluid which helps preserve the joints. The synovia has a discolored appearance which is indicative of inflammation and is sometimes used as a diagnostic tool to check for RA. This surgery is particularly useful when RA is still relatively undeveloped and has a success rate of about 50%.

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment by means of surgery is usually performed on knees, elbows, ankles, shoulders and feet. The surgery requires the cartilage to still be intact and physical therapy is required afterwards.

RA Treatment With Other Methods

There are many other therapies that an individual can employ to ease RA. Diet and exercise, for example, can essentially reverse much of the symptomatic portion of the disease. Specifically, a highly anti-inflammatory diet that avoids grains and often dairy and is high in protein and high-quality fat. This diet is popularly known as the paleo diet and has significant implications for sufferers of inflammatory diseases.

Light use of medical marijuana and alcohol have been endorsed by RA patients as ameliorative.

Exercise and a low-stress lifestyle can improve general health and immunity substantially and thus help the body help itself. However, it should be noted that too much exercise with insufficient recovery periods can actually have an inflammatory effect.

Certain supplements can be useful for RA patients. Fish oil is a highly anti-inflammatory supplement that is very safe even in large doses as it is essentially a food. Patients with active inflammatory processes often see fantastic improvement with high dose (several grams a day) of high-quality fish oil.

Further, MSM, glucosamine and chondroitin are anecdotally reputed to have joint supportive properties although the scientific literature is conflicting.

One rather fascinating supplement that this author has used for non-RA joint pain is Cissus Quadrangularis. This is a fairly new supplement on the market and studies indicate that it is rather safe. It is highly anti-inflammatory and has a powerful analgesic (pain-relieving) effect on joint pain.

Rheumatoid arthritis treatment can take many forms depending on the rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and progression of the disease but it all starts with the patient taking control of diet and exercise.

A Review of a New TNF Inhibitor for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Up until the 1980's, the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis was less than satisfactory. We used drugs such as gold salts, d-penicillamine, hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), sulfa drugs, and even tetracycline-derived antibiotics. For some patients who responded to these measures, the results were gratifying. But all too often patients either didn't respond or they developed horrendous side effects.

Approximately, fifteen years ago, biologic drugs such as the TNF inhibitors, entered the arena and revolutionized out treatment approach to rheumatoid arthritis.

While there are many biologic therapies with different mechanisms of action, this article will focus on one drug, a TNF inhibitor called Cimzia. The TNF inhibitors work by either attaching to tumor necrosis factor or blocking its ability to bind to its receptor on a cell. This action essentially renders tumor necrosis factor incapable of producing inflammation.

We currently have five TNF inhibitors available. I have adapted some of this information from a recent article by Dr. Phil Mease that appeared in Medscape.

Cimzia (CMZ) is a pegylated anti-TNF drug. What this means is that a polyethylene glycol chain has been attached to the TNF antibody. This attachment is supposed to keep the drug in circulation longer and also to keep it at the site on inflammation longer. This lengthier stay is supposed to enhance the effectiveness of the drug. CMZ is given as a subcutaneous injection every 2 or 4 weeks. One benefit is that it doesn't sting as much as some of the earlier TNF inhibitors such as Enbrel or Humira.

The safety and effectiveness of Cimzia in adult patients with active RA were established in three large phase III clinical trials, in which CMZ was given along with methotrexate or by itself. These studies showed that CMZ reduced the signs and symptoms of active rheumatoid arthritis and prevented the progression of joint damage.

The studies also evaluated factors such as patient reported outcomes and quality of life measures. After all, what good is the science if the patient doesn't feel that the medicine has helped them be able to get their life back?

All the clinical trials were in agreement in regards to the following: CMZ, in combination with or without methotrexate, improved the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis as early as the first week of treatment. CMZ also prevented joint damage as early as 16 weeks. Patients reported significant improvements in quality of life measures. They also had significant relief of arthritis pain and fatigue, following treatment with CMZ.

The potential side effects of CMZ are exactly the same as with all other TNF inhibitors and these potential problems need to be discussed with the patient prior to prescribing the drug.

In our office we also go over a teaching schedule and have a patient sign an informed consent form.

Arthritis - A Deadly Disease

Arthritis is the disease basically associated with the old people but the children may be affected by this disease. People of the age group 65 are mostly affected by arthritis in North America and they together constitute 70% of the total population. Women are at the major risk of getting affected by arthritis as compared to the men and this disease is more prevalent in the women of all ethnic races and cultures. According to an estimate about 46 million of people USA are suffering from this disease and the number increases every year. About one million people are admitted to the hospital just because of the problems they face because of arthritis.

Recital

All the persons suffering from arthritis complain the problem of extreme pain. The pain may be different according to the location and the individual. Rheumatoid arthritis is very worse in the morning and is characterized by stiffness. In the earlier stages the symptoms cannot be easily recognized. In the old individuals and the children pain may not be the major diagnostic feature as the old people move little and the children refuse to move the limb when it is paining. Important features of arthritis include speed and time of onset, pattern of joint movement, symmetry of symptoms, early morning stiffness, locking with inactivity, tenderness and other systemic factors. Physical examination and the radiography may be helpful in the diagnosis of the disease. Arthritis has been known from prehistoric times. Extra articular features of arthritis or joint disease include cutaneous nodules, oedema, ocular inflammation, diarrhea, bursitis, lymphadenopathy and urethritis. Blood tests indicate the presence of rheumatoid factor, antinuclear factor (ANF) and extractable nuclear antigen.

Malady

In USA arthritis is the major cause of disability among the individuals and 20 million people are dependent upon the doctors and the physicians for their survival. It has been found that the 50% of an individual's salary who is suffering from arthritis is lost in the treatment of arthritis. The ability of a person to remain active is lost completely. Some also suffer from obesity, high cholesterol and risk of heart disease. Depression may also be found in such individuals.

Indications

Apart from the type of arthritis the common symptoms are pain, joint stiffness and swelling and a persisting pain around the joints. Other symptoms include inability to walk and move hands, malaise and feeling of tiredness, fever, weight loss, poor sleep, muscle ache, tenderness and difficulty in moving the joints.

Types

Rheumatoid Arthritis

It is a disorder where the body starts destroying its own tissues for some unknown reasons. The attack is not only restricted to the joints but also to other parts of the body. The major damage is caused to the lining of the joints and the cartilage resulting in the erosion of two opposing bones. The joints of the fingers, knee, wrists and elbows are affected in the rheumatoid arthritis. The disease is having symmetry and causes severe deformity in few years. It basically affects the people of age group 20 or more. This disorder in children causes pain, fever, skin rashes and limitations on the day to day activities. Actual cause rheumatoid arthritis is not known till present but the scientists are very actively engaged in finding out the treatments as possible for this disorder. The drugs that are administered against rheumatoid arthritis include intravenous injections of either corticosteroids or monoclonal antibodies. Remicade is a drug which is presently being used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and can be effective for short term only. Surgery can be done to replace the affected joint but there is no complete cure of the disorder. Other dangerous symptoms can also develop in later stages which include heart problems, gait abnormality and skin nodules.

Osteoarthritis

It affects the larger joints of the body like that of the back, hip or the knees. This is generally the result of the wear and tear of the joints. It begins in the cartilage and results in the erosion of two opposing bones. It starts with a minor pain which is experiences while walking and the pain becomes continuous during the night. The pain causes hindrance in the daily activity of the individual. It is basically a disorder very common among the old people especially the women of the age group 65. Osteoarthritis cannot be cured but can be prevented from becoming worse. Weight loss is the most common feature of this disease. Physical therapy of the joints may be helpful in getting some relief. Joint replacement may be of little help.

Severe Arthritis

Arthritis is a dangerous disease and in more intense cases it can result in severe deformities. The majority of the individuals suffering from the rheumatoid arthritis have deformed fingers. The deformity may also be seen in the wrist joint so it cannot be moved properly. Other problems include appearance of carpal tunnel syndrome due to nerve entrapment. In later cases the sensation of the fingers also gets lost. Infectious arthritis is another form of severe arthritis. It is characterized by appearance of sudden chills, fever and joint pain. This condition may be caused by bacteria. This disease can be easily diagnosed and prevented from becoming intense. Psoriasis is another form of arthritis. In this case first the patient develops skin problems followed by arthritis. Symptoms include joint pain, stiffness and swelling. There is no cure for this disease and this occurs on a small scale. Lupus is a collagen vascular disorder that can be frequently found associated with arthritis. The symptoms of lupus include skin rash, extreme photosensitivity, hair loss, kidney problems, lung fibrosis and constant joint pain. Another problem that has been found associated with arthritis is gout which arises due to the deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints leading to inflammation. The joints lose their activity and often swell.

Inhibition

Rheumatoid and the osteoarthritis are not curable but one can prevent himself from being affected by physical therapy, losing weight and eating healthy. The individuals who feel pain in the joints must immediately consult the physicians so that the treatment can be started as soon as possible in order to prevent the disorder from becoming intense.

Ministration

Once arthritis is diagnosed treatments are available for a number of symptoms that are frequently experienced. Rheumatoid and osteoarthritis are not curable. The treatments used against them can help in relieving pain for a short period but complete relief is not possible. Treatments include physical therapy, changing the lifestyle, orthopedic bracing, medications and dietary supplements. Arthroplasty also called joint replacement surgery can also be performed. Physical exercise has given better results in treatment of arthritis.

Medications

Physicians generally start the treatment with the use of drugs. The first choice of drugs is the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Ibuprofen and tramadol are the general pain killers which are basically used. The drugs although effective are also associated with a number of side-effects like the abdominal pain, bleeding, liver and kidney damage and ulcers. The non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs cannot be used for prolonged periods without the prescription of the physician. Corticosteroids are presently being used for the treatment of arthritis. They help in reducing the inflammation and also prevent the joint damage. Corticosteroids are associated with a number of side effects like ulcers, hypertension, cataracts, diabetes, skin bruising, and weight gain. Disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is generally used for the treatment for the rheumatoid arthritis as they are helpful in preventing the joint damage. The commonly used DMARDs are methotrexate, hydrochloroquineand minocycline. They are also having many side effects in the form of liver and kidney damage, bone marrow suppression and possibility of other infections.

Immunosuppressants like cyclosporine and cyclophosphamide can be taken for getting relief from inflammation. These drugs make an individual more prone to other infections. Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors have been used for getting relief from inflammation and joint pain. They are also having some side effects as a person becomes susceptible to the risk of heart disease and other infections.
Occupational therapy and the physical therapy can help the people suffering from arthritis. Physical therapy can teach an affected individual how to relax the limb without damaging the joints. It can also provide splint and braces for the joints. Physical therapy also teaches how to drive the car, take bath and perform household work. Occupational therapy teaches how to reduce on the joints and perform the daily activities. Physical therapy also makes use of ice, heating pads and ultrasound guided massage therapy. Both these therapies help an individual to remain free from some of the difficulties of arthritis.

It can be concluded that arthritis is a very painful disease affecting the joints and there no complete cure for it only one can practice the use of physical and occupational therapy. Drugs can be helpful but are at risk and make an individual more prone to other infections.

Three Natural Remedies For Treating Osteo Or Rheumatoid Arthritis

When it comes to the treatment of either osteo or rheumatoid arthritis generally a doctor will prescribe medication to help relieve the symptoms associated with these diseases. However, the problem with many prescription medications is that they cause unwanted side effects in the users. Instead it is worth considering using natural remedies for Arthritis of which there are many available.

In fact in this article we are going to take a look at just some of the kinds of natural remedies available for helping to treat arthritis. So in the future you may find yourself having far less pain and joint stiffness and swelling to contend with.

Natural Remedy 1 - Fish Oil

This contains the Omega 3 fatty acid and which contains properties that can help to reduce the inflammation caused by this disease. This type of natural remedy should especially be used by those people who suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis. However, you must make sure that the type of fish oil supplement you take is one that has been molecularly distilled. This will ensure that all the impurities in the original fish oil such as mercury; lead and PCB's have been removed.

Natural Remedy 2 - Alfalfa (Medicavo Sativa)

This particular remedy contains large amounts of minerals like potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium all of these have a neutralizing effect on the blood. Plus you will find that it works wonders at helping to remove toxins from the body as well. However, as this particular remedy contains amino acid it is recommended that it only be taken in tea form and three to four cups can be drunk each day for a period of two weeks. Then you need to stop drinking the tea for a week before then drinking it again for two weeks. Again this particular remedy contains properties that along with reducing stiffnes to the joints improve their flexibility.

Natural Remedy 3 - Garlic

For many centuries now this has proven a very effective natural remedy for many diseases and infections. The garlic contains a substance known as allicin which has anti inflammatory properties and so helps again to bring down the swelling and reduce the pain felt. Although you should really take it in its natural form if you don't want to end up with garlic breath then make sure that the garlic tablets you take do contain allicin so they should be the kind where the oil has been extracted from the garlic.

What Other Diseases Masquerade as Rheumatoid Arthritis? Part 1 - The Non-Infectious Group

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis and affects more than 2 million Americans. The diagnosis is not easy to make in many instances. There are more than 100 different kinds of arthritis. Most of them involve inflammation. When a patient goes to a rheumatologist to get a diagnosis, there is a process of elimination in order to arrive at the proper diagnosis. This process of elimination is called "differential diagnosis."

Differential diagnosis can be a difficult undertaking because so many forms of arthritis, particularly inflammatory forms of arthritis look alike. Generally it is helpful to divide the differential diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis into two groups. The first group are the non-infectious diseases to consider and the second group are the infection-related conditions.

Since the discussion is rather long I have chosen to divide the article into two parts.

The following is a partial list of forms of inflammatory arthritis that can be seen and must be considered when evaluating a patient with inflammatory symptoms of arthritis and are not infection related.

RA is an autoimmune chronic inflammatory disease, primarily involving the peripheral joints (hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees, ankles, and feet). It can also affect non joint structures such as the lung, eye, skin, and cardiovascular system.

RA may start slowly with nonspecific symptoms, including fatigue, malaise (feeling "blah"), appetite loss, low-grade fever, weight loss, and vague joint pains, or it may have an explosive onset with inflammation involving multiple joints. The joint symptoms usually occur bilaterally- both sides of the body equally involved- and symmetric. Erosions- damage to the joint- can be seen with x-ray. In about 80% of cases, elevated levels of rheumatoid factor (RF) or anti-cyclic citrullinated antibodies (anti-CCP) are present in the blood. There appears to be a correlation between the presence of anti-CCP antibodies and erosions.

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) occurs in children under the age of 16. Three forms of JRA exist, including oligoarticular (1-4 joints), polyarticular (more than 4 joints), and systemic-onset or Still's disease. The latter condition is associated with systemic symptoms -- including fever and rash in addition to joint disease.

Polyarticular JRA has similar characteristics to adult RA. It causes about 30% of cases of JRA. Most children with polyarticular JRA are negative for RF and their prognosis is usually good.

Approximately 20% of polyarticular JRA patients have elevated RF, and these patients are at risk for chronic, progressive joint damage.

Eye involvement in the form of inflammation- called uveitis- is a common finding in oligoarticular JRA, especially in patients who are positive for anti-nuclear antibody (ANA), a blood test that is often used to screen for autoimmune disease. Uveitis may not cause symptoms so careful screening should be performed in these patients.

SLE is an inflammatory, chronic, autoimmune disorder that can involve the skin, joints, kidneys, central nervous system, and blood vessel walls. Patients may present with 1 or more of the following: butterfly-shaped rash on the face, affecting the cheeks; rash on other parts of the body; sensitivity to sunlight; mouth sores; joint inflammation; fluid around the lungs, heart, or other organs; kidney abnormalities; low white blood cell count, low red blood cell count, or low platelet count; nerve or brain inflammation; positive results of a blood test for ANA; positive results of a blood test for antibodies to double-stranded DNA or other antibodies.

Patients with lupus can have significant inflammatory arthritis. As a result, lupus can be difficult to distinguish from RA, especially if other features of lupus are not present. Clues that favor a diagnosis of RA over lupus in a patient presenting with arthritis affecting multiple joints include lack of lupus features, erosions (joint damage) seen on x-rays, and elevations of RF and anti-CCP antibodies.

Polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM) are types of inflammatory muscle disease. These conditions typically present with bilateral (both sides involved) large muscle weakness. In the case of DM, rash is present. Diagnosis consists of finding the following: elevation of muscle enzyme levels in the blood [the two enzymes that are measured are creatine kinase (CPK) and aldolase], signs and symptoms, electromyograph (EMG)- an electrical test- alteration, and a positive muscle biopsy.

In addition, in many cases abnormal antibodies specific for inflammatory muscle disease can be elevated.

In both PM and DM, inflammatory arthritis can be present and can look like RA. Both inflammatory muscle disease and RA can affect the lungs. In RA, muscle function will usually be normal. Also, in PM and DM, erosive joint disease is unlikely. RF and anti-CCP antibodies are typically elevated in RA but not PM or DM.

SAs -- psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and enteropathic arthritis -- are a category of diseases that cause systemic inflammation, and preferentially attack parts of the spine and other joints where tendons attach to bones. They also can cause pain and stiffness in the neck, upper and lower back, tendonitis, bursitis, heel pain, and fatigue. They are termed "seronegative" types of arthritis. The term 'seronegative' means that testing for rheumatoid factor is negative. Symptoms of adult SAs include:

o Back and/or joint pain;

o Morning stiffness;

o Tenderness near bones;

o Sores on the skin;

o Inflammation of the joints on both sides of the body;

o Skin or mouth ulcers;

o Rash on the bottom of the feet; and

o Eye inflammation.

Occasionally, arthritis similar to that seen in RA can be present. Careful history and physical examination can often distinguish between these conditions, especially if an obvious disease that is promoting inflammation is present (psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.). In addition, RA rarely affects the DIP joints- the last row of finger joints. If these joints are involved with inflammatory arthritis, the diagnosis of an SA is possible. (Note of caution: a condition known as inflammatory erosive nodal osteoarthritis can also affect the DIP joints). RF and anti-CCP antibodies are negative in SAs, although, rarely, in cases of psoriatic arthritis there may be elevations of RF and anti-CCP antibodies.

Gout is caused by deposits of monosodium urate (uric acid) crystals into a joint. Gouty arthritis is acute in onset, very painful, with signs of significant inflammation on exam (red, warm, swollen joints). Gout can affect almost any joint in the body, but typically affects cooler areas including the toes, feet, ankles, knees, and hands. Diagnosis is made by drawing fluid from an inflamed joint and analyzing the fluid. Demonstrating monosodium urate crystals in the joint fluid is diagnostic, although finding elevated serum levels of uric acid can also be helpful.

In most cases, gout is an acute single joint disease that is easy to distinguish from RA. However, in some cases, chronic erosive joint inflammation where multiple joints are involved can develop. And, in cases where tophi (deposits of uric acid) are present, it can be difficult to distinguish from erosive RA. However, crystal analysis of joints or tophi and blood tests should be helpful in distinguishing gout from RA.

Calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD), also known as pseudogout, is a disease is caused by deposits of calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate crystals in a joint. The presence of these crystals in the joints leads to significant inflammation. Establishing the diagnosis includes using:

o Detailed medical history;

o Withdrawing fluid from a joint to check for crystals;

o Joint x-rays to show crystals deposition in the cartilage (chondrocalcinosis); and

o Blood tests to rule out other diseases (e.g., RA or osteoarthritis).

In most cases, CPPD arthritis presents with single joint inflammation. In some cases, CPPD disease can present with chronic symmetric multiple joint erosive arthritis similar to RA. RA and CPPD disease can usually be told apart by joint aspiration demonstrating calcium pyrophosphate crystals, and by blood tests, including RF and anti-CCP antibodies, which are usually negative in CCPD arthritis. A complicating feature is that RA and CPPD can coexist!

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory joint disorder. The majority of patients with this disease have lung disease, with eye and skin disease being the next most frequent signs of disease. Although the diagnosis of sarcoidosis can be made on clinical and x-ray presentation alone, sometimes the use of tissue biopsy with the demonstration of "noncaseating granulomas" is necessary for diagnosis.

Arthritis is present in 15% of patients with sarcoidosis, and in rare cases can be the only sign of disease. In acute sarcoid arthritis, joint disease is usually of rapid onset. It is symmetric involving the ankles, although knees, wrists, and hands can be involved. In most cases of acute disease, lung and skin disease are also present. Chronic sarcoid arthritis can be difficult to distinguish from RA. Although RA-specific blood tests, such as RF and anti-CCP antibodies, can be helpful in distinguishing RA from sarcoidosis, in some cases a biopsy of joint tissue may be required for diagnosis.

Polymyalgia Rheumatica (PMR) is a disease that leads to inflammation of tendons, muscles, ligaments, and tissues around the joints. It presents with large muscle pain, aching, morning stiffness, fatigue, and in some cases, fever. It can be associated with temporal arteritis (TA), also known as giant-cell arteritis, which is a related but more serious condition in which inflammation of large blood vessels can lead to blindness and aneurysms. Also, a peculiar syndrome where use of the arms and legs leads to cramping because of insufficient blood flow (limb claudication) can occur. PMR is diagnosed when the clinical picture is present along with elevated markers of inflammation (ESR and/or CRP). If temporal arteritis is suspected (headache, vision changes, limb claudication), biopsy of a temporal artery may be necessary to demonstrate inflammation of blood vessels.

PMR and TA can present with symmetric inflammatory arthritis similar to RA. These diseases can usually be distinguished by blood testing. In addition, headaches, vision changes, and large muscle pain are uncommon in RA, and if these are present, PMR and/or TA should be considered.

In part 2 of this article, I will discuss infectious diseases that need to be considered in the differential diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. When RA is suspected, it is critical to consult with an expert rheumatologist.

Foods That Can Alleviate Stiff and Painful Joints

If a person is suffering from stiff and painful joints, there could be several reasons for it. It could be due to arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. If a person is active in physical sports, it can also cause pain and stiffness in the joints. According to the Director of Allergy Medical UK, people suffering from stiff and painful joints due to arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can get rid of the pain and stiffness by eating certain types of food and avoiding other types.

One of the main causes of stiff and painful joints among young adults is the posture while sitting and sleeping and wearing high heels every day. Also, eating unhealthy food can cause the joints to become painful and stiff, something that not many people are aware of.

A leading holistic nutritional chiropractor in the United States, Dr. Grady Deal claims that when a person consumes unhealthy food, it causes toxic chemicals to accumulate in the body. It is these toxic chemicals that cause the pain and stiffness. The toxins cause tightening of the muscles due to which the person experiences muscle spasms. Once spasms set in, the joints are pulled out of their normal alignment. In addition, eating unhealthy food can also result in edema, swelling of the joints and water retention. When this occurs, pressure is exerted on the nerves resulting in pain in the joints and subsequent stiffness.

Hence, any food that is considered to be toxic to the body should be removed from the diet. Dr. Deal claims that things such as chocolates, alcohol, dairy products, coffee, foods containing MSG and non-prescription medications are the leading cause of toxicity in the body. So, a person should be careful about consuming food from fast food restaurants and also drinking sweetened carbonated drinks. Instead the person should be looking to consume foods that are rich in calcium, such as kale, figs, yogurt, salmon and broccoli. It is recommended that a person should increase their intake of fresh vegetables. When consuming foods like sandwiches and burgers, adding lots of lettuce and tomatoes can make them healthier. Also, instead of having French fries, the person can opt for fresh green salad or diced fresh vegetables. Another way to make the food more joint-friendly is by increasing the intake of Omega-3 essential fatty acids. These acids are present in fish, such as salmon and mackerel. If a person is suffering from osteoarthritis, it is best to increase the intake of Vitamin C, according to Arthritis Today.

By carefully selecting foods and eating small and frequent meals throughout the day, a person will notice a significant improvement in the condition of their joints.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment and Cure

Most people, especially doctors, will tell you that there is no cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis. Yet, what if I were to tell you that scientific studies conducted over the past 30 years have shown that hundreds - YES hundreds - of people have been able to get off all medications and control their pain and inflammation using only dietary methods alone?

Well not only have I studied the scientific literature and seen these papers first hand, but I have used what I have learned and applied it to myself to completely eliminate my own Rheumatoid Arthritis. I want to share with you below the essential things that need to happen if you are to ever eliminate Rheumatoid Arthritis to restore faith to those who are suffering and who are seeking some serious results.

1. Believe that it can be done.

If you remain skeptical about there being a cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis then you will never be able to overcome the disease. Faith is required that this is possible, and faith is gained by seeing others who have done it.

2. Discipline is required

Nothing of great value is ever achieved without effort. However, we have two types of pain in our lives - the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. I know which one I prefer, and I'm sure most people would opt for the pain of discipline also if they were thoroughly convinced of the effectiveness of an alternative path.

3. A diet change is required

Although overly-academic people will tell you there is little to no link between RA and diet they should be ignored like any ill-informed person should. Rheumatologists are not taught nutrition and rarely does a Rheumatologist ever actually know anything about the disease first-hand. After suffering for 5 years with RA, I know that it's like a living hell and that most people with RA would do anything it takes to cure the disease if only they had the right information.

Well, a dietary change is required because Rheumatoid Arthritis stems from an underlying poor digestive system. A 'leaky gut', a depleted intestinal mucosa, an overgrowth of candida and 'bad bacteria' and and over acidic body all contribute to the autoimmune attack on the joints. This is coupled with food sensitivities, meaning that several foods will cause a worsening of symptoms for sufferers of RA. If you don't believe me, don't eat for 3 days. Just drink vegetable juice (cucumber and celery only) and watch most of your pain disappear. I'm not kidding.

4. Animal products cause the most pain

Food sensitivities tend to trigger an autoimmune response up to 48 hours after eating. Thus, it is tough to work out which foods are causing the inflammation in each person. However, as a general rule, animal products tend to cause the most long-term problems for RA sufferers because animal products cause each of the intestinal disorders outlined in bullet point 3.

In addition to animal products, cereals and soy products are also recorded as being the most common allergens for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

5. The best diet is a low-fat, sugar-free, plant-based diet with lots of leafy greens

What does this kind of diet look like? Buckwheat, Quinoa, Amaranth, Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes and Lentils and Beans of all types. These heal the intestinal environment. Leafy greens such as Romaine Lettuce, mixed greens, baby spinach and so on are extremely alkalising and detoxing for the body and also aid in the digestive process when eaten with the meal (taking pressure off an already compromised gut).

6. It takes time

It took me 2 months of eating like this to get of my 20mg/week of Methotrexate and I've been drug free ever since. As long as I eat as per above I get no joint inflammation and my CRP blood reading reads less that 3mg (well inside normal limits) month on month. If you have had RA for more than 10 years it might take longer. The body can only heal at the pace that nature allows - but healing is healing, and when you're inflicted with RA then healing is not a word you hear very often so you take what you can get.

Clint Paddison

Previous Sufferer and author of the ultimate Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment 'Clint's Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis'

Chronic Urticaria and Angioedema - What's the Difference?

Urticaria & Angioedema are classified as autoimmune disease's very much like Rheumatoid arthritis (immune cells attack the body's own healthy tissues). The resulting flares or attacks in there most aggressive form are also very similar to Rheumatoid Arthritis in as much as they all have systemic effects (i.e. affecting the entire body).

Urticaria & Angioedema can be both acute or chronic, the two may develop individually or as is often the case simultaneously. Recurrent episodes of one or both these conditions for less than six weeks would be considered acute, whereas longer lasting attacks (over six weeks) are considered to be chronic. Both Angioedema and Urticaria are often viewed as varying manifestations of the same pathogenic process.

Post capillary inflammation results in fluid leakage and edema in both of the conditions, the difference being that with Urticaria the release of histamine is localized to the top layer of the skin or the dermis, however the condition known as Angioedema involves vessels in the layers below the dermis (top layer)

Angioedema, & Urticaria, are classified as allergic reactions, hereditary, or idiopathic (no apparent or obvious reason). Symptoms of Urticaria range from small bumps (hives) which resemble nettle rash to defined weal's and welts which can cover only parts of the body or in many cases the whole body. These weal's often grow in size connecting with neighbouring weal's

Symptoms of Angioedema are usually restricted to the head are, severe swelling often occurs around the mouth, eyes and lips, this swelling can at times be so bad that the sufferer may look disfigured and unrecognisable, other complications attributed to Angioedema range from dysphonia or dysphagia to respiratory distress, complete airway obstruction, and death in a very limited amount of cases.

Race

Angioedema, & Urticaria has no racial predilection.

Sex

Women tend to be more predisposed to Angioedema, & Urticaria than men.

Age

Persons who are predisposed have an increase in frequency of attacks after adolescence, with the peak of there condition occurring after they reach around 30 years of age.

Medications used to treat both conditions currently include Antihistamine (histamine blockers), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), biological response modifiers, and corticosteroids. Other medicines that are designed to manage one's own immune system (called Immuno-suppressants) can also be used to fight severe chronic conditions.

Patients should always consult with their doctor about the choice of medication or exercise programmes. Medicines must be used with caution and patients should always tell their doctors about any changes that occur.

What Is the Significant Difference Between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are two widely different forms of arthritis, which is a general term that features over 100 rheumatoid disorders.

Although the two forms can produce a lot of pain like upper knee pain, the biggest difference between them is the fact that rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease whereas osteoarthritis is an organic results of aging. Osteoarthritis (OA) is often known as degenerative arthritis while rheumatoid arthritis is also degenerative.

An additional way to characterize the visible difference connecting RA and OA is that, rheumatoid arthritis is about inflammation of the tissue around the joints while osteoarthritis concerns degeneration of the cartilage involving the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is thrice prevalent in women than in men and exists in about 1% of the total population in the United States. Generally impacts the smaller joints of the hands, wrists, feet and generally takes place concurrently on both sides of the body. It is an inflammatory ailment that affects the synovial membrane surrounding joints, therefore thickening the membrane and consequently causing the joints to lose their normal capability to function.

This ailment can happen in children as well as older people, even though during periods of remission, there is no pain present like Knee Pain.

There is swollen knee pain indicating joint inflammation and may even be warm to touch, systemic symptoms which includes fever, general fatigue or body stiffness enduring more than one hour. Joints are affected on both sides. A positive blood test for RA auto-antibodies. The lungs, heart and kidney may also be affected.

Osteoarthritis is way more common and less incapacitating when compared with rheumatoid arthritis. It is regarded as a disease of aging and while it is common in people over 60 years of age, younger individuals are affected from it since bodies aged at a different rate.

The chief force behind OA is wear on joint cartilage, which work as shock absorbers that prevent bones from rubbing together. When cartilage is impaired caused by excessive use or injury, it results in OA, leading to joint inflammation and swelling in the joints. Whenever bones begin rubbing against each other, Knee Pain develops.

The Terrifying Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis!

What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis? Each person seems to experience RA differently. Sometimes the onset is sudden, other times it can be very gradual. Almost all RA cases involve flare-ups and remissions - alternating stages of chronic pain followed by no symptoms at all. Over time, however, flare-ups become more severe and remissions become few and far between.

One of the main symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is joint pain, particularly in the smaller joints of the hands, wrists, and feet. This joint pain is usually symmetrical, meaning it affects both sides of the body (both hands instead of just one, for instance). The painful areas are often red, swollen, and tender to the touch. One of the early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis is fever, fatigue, and flu-like symptoms accompanied by aches and pains all over.

Additionally, almost all RA sufferers will experience morning stiffness that lasts an hour or more each day. Over time, even resting and remaining motionless for just a few minutes will cause stiffness. Range of motion of the affected joints will also be reduced. Tiny bumps called nodules may also occur around the joints - these are caused by swollen blood vessels.

Over time, symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis become increasingly debilitating. Hand and foot deformities are common, as well as eye problems such as itching and burning. Numbness of the skin, chronic fever, swollen glands, and paleness frequently occur. Anemia is another common symptom, caused by the failure of bone marrow to produce enough red blood cells.

Occasionally, damage to the lungs and spinal chord may occur, as well as rheumatoid vasculitis, which is inflammation of the blood vessels. Rheumatoid vasculitis can lead to skin ulcers, infections, and tingling/numbness. In rare cases, the brain and heart can be affected, leading to stroke or heart attack.

Juice For Arthritis Treatment

Juicing for joint pain and aches is a good long term solution. It is both effective and devoid of any side effects. One of the advantages with natural cure is that it has a holistic effect on your body. It rejuvenates the whole body. You don't have to worry to about over doing it since even at high doses it is safe. Natural cures can be used both as preventive medicine as well as as a cure for affected joints. You could continue using it as a maintenance dose even after you are cured. Below you will find some of the natural medicines which you can incorporate in your diet.

Pineapple juice is good for your joints. Pineapple juice contains and enzyme called bromelain, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Anti-inflammatory agent in pineapple is effective in athletic injuries, joint pain and post-surgery swelling. Juice is also great fuel for your body. Raw pineapple juice contains just about all minerals and vitamins necessary for the digestive system too. 300-350 ml of raw pineapple juice is recommended for daily intake.

Black Cherry juice if good for arthiritis too. Cherries contain chemicals called the anthocyanin which works as an anti-inflammatory agent which can alleviate pain for arthritis sufferers. Pineapple contains nutrients like beta-carotene and copper that helps in treating rheumatoid arthritis.

Experts believe that the results of drinking cherry juice are specific to a person. While for some relief can in few days, for others it might take months of juice drinking to get. Two glasses of juice twice a day

Raw potato juice is one of the most successful natural cure for arthritic conditions. It has been used for centuries. The traditional method of potato juicing is to cut a potato into very thin slices, leaving the skin on, and place it in a glass filled with cold water over night. Drinking this water in the morning on an empty stomach is great.

Other Juices that are highly effective for joint paint and arthritis pains includes the following:

o Green Barley Juice
o Celery Juice
o Bilberry Juice
o Aloe Vera Juice

So you can start juicing your way to pain relief.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - And an Astonishing Way to Heal It

Rheumatoid arthritis can be painful and debilitating, depending on your general state of health.

It is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that mostly affects your joints. Inflammation with the usual soreness, swelling and lack of mobility is the common symptom. And joint cartilage can be destroyed as the disease progresses.

Rheumatoid arthritis can also effect your lungs, heart, pleura and skin.

Medical treatment is typically just managing the pain. But help may be available to you from an unusual source. And it may not cost you anything, except a bit of time.

Diet is all important in your overall health. And yet, the typical western diet is full of pit holes, even if you think it's healthy.

I'm not referring to the typical diet of the 21st century, of fast food, junk food, soft drinks and micro waving everything. I'm sure no-one in their wildest dreams considers this a healthy diet.

No, I'm talking about how dairy is considered the best source of calcium, how animal protein is considered the best source of protein, how a cooked meal is considered the height of a good diet, how cereal and bread are considered nutritious breakfast foods.

In many Asian countries, dairy is not a food for humans. It just isn't produced.

And in these countries, arthritis in any form just isn't a problem. It hardly exists.

So, if you consume any dairy product (milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter, cream) either on its own or as an ingredient in the processed food you purchase, then the chances are that this is causing your rheumatoid arthritis. It may take a month or so for the symptoms to diminish, after you stop consumption of dairy. And maybe longer for them to go altogether, but isn't it worth a try?

But, I love dairy, I hear you cry. And I agree, old habits can be difficult to dispose.

Let's look at some alternatives. Soy is not one of them. Western soy is probably a worse option, for different reasons. Eastern soy is always fermented and that is healthy. Unfermented, western soy is not.

But oat milk or almond milk make excellent substitutes for milk. Personally I dislike rice milk, but others love it.

Margarine is again a less healthy option than butter. Try using coconut oil preferably, or olive oil.

An alternative to cream can be quite creative. Blending cashew nuts with honey is delicious and looks a bit like cream. Experiment with different nuts. I don't think there is an alternative to yogurt or cheese, not one that I know of. So you might have to forgo those while you experiment with your dairy fast.

What about calcium, I hear you ask? Surely I need dairy for the calcium?

That is one huge myth. Agreed dairy is very rich in calcium and all those nutrients needed for healthy, but GROWING bones, in baby COWS. If you are an adult, you were weaned some time ago. Which means you can no longer digest and utilise milk. And if you are not a cow (or goat or sheep, or whatever the milk comes from), then dairy is not your best food.

So what is the best source of calcium and all the associated nutrients to help it digest properly? You're going to be amazed. Because it's green, leafy vegetables. Like spinach, broccoli, silver beet and the like. And blue green algae.

And nuts and seeds.

Dairy tends to give a lot of people mucus. That's a good indication it's not a healthy food.

Even raw milk, considered far healthier than pasteurised, is not the right food for an adult human.

Try it. What do you have to lose? If, after a month you notice the symptoms of your rheumatoid arthritis are less, then life looks rosy for your future.

And you do get used to new habits, in time.

Do you now see why the western diet is so bad for your health?

Why Do People With Rheumatoid Arthritis Die?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not just a joint disease. It is a systemic illness which can kill. Studies have shown that RA has a significant mortality attached to it. Consider this: In the mid to late 1980's, a middle-aged man with RA could expect to have the same life expectancy as if he had non-Hodgkins lymphoma or triple-vessel coronary artery disease.

While these sobering statistics have changed somewhat for the better, the mortality picture for patients with RA is still not rosy.

Why does this increased mortality occur? Because it is a systemic disease, RA can lead to complications. One such complication is vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels). In inflammation of blood vessels occurs in a major organ such as the brain or heart, a significant problem can occur. Inflammation of the eyes can lead to blindness. And RA involvement of the spine- particularly in the neck- can cause compression of the spinal cord. RA patients may develop significant lung disease with progressive interstitial problems leading to end-stage lung function.

Unfortunately, some of the medicines used to treat the symptoms of RA can also impair kidney function.

Patients with RA are also at increased risk for developing lymphoma.

The disability that occurs with poorly treated RA is in itself a cause of increased mortality.

The major discovery though has been the observation that RA patients are at markedly increased risk for developing significant early cardiovascular disease. Early cardiovascular mortality appears now to be the most significant factor leading to the shortened lifespan seen in patients with RA.

Why this occurs is still not clear. The major contributing factor appears to be the chronic inflammation associated with inadequately controlled RA. It is a subject of intense research now to see whether the more aggressive treatments that are being used will lower mortality by suppressing disease activity.

Patients with RA who have other cardiovascular risk factors such as elevated blood lipids, hypertension, cigarette smoking, etc. should be evaluated carefully. These other risk factors must be controlled or removed.

Causes of Arthritis Including Signs and Symptoms

The causes of arthritis will depend on the signs and symptoms as there are approximately one hundred types of different arthritic types known to man. For instance there is osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis as well as infectious arthritis and juvenile arthritis of which are broken up into various other categories. These are the most common forms of arthritis which can present itself at any age. Primarily arthritis is more common in older people than in children. Here are some of the more common types and causes:

Osteoporosis is common and the signs and symptoms develop much slower as opposed to the other types of arthritis, and will worsen as time goes on. One will experience joint pain while active or after an activity. If one applies pressure to the area they will experience tenderness as well as stiffness especially in the morning. The joint once inflamed will loss flexibility and some people will also experience a grating feeling. There may also be lumps as well as spurs surrounding the joint. Commonly affect joints are the knees, spine, hands and hips.

Causes for arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis are inflammation of the joints. One will experience painful swollen as well as stiff and inflamed joints. This type of arthritis affects the arms, legs, fingers and wrists. One waking in the morning one will experience stiffness of these joints as well as tenderness. The fingers and hands may be swollen, red and puffy. There are also bumps under the skin, usually found on the arms. Weight loss is common as well as tiredness.

Infectious arthritis on the other hand presents with swelling, inflammation and fever. Sharp pains are experienced in the joints affected. The causes for arthritis of this nature are due to illness and injury. The most commonly affected joints are the elbows, knees, shoulder, wrist and fingers.

How Grief Makes You Feel Physically

We often discuss the emotional stages of grief, but seldom look at what happens physically when someone suffers a loss.

Emotions have a strong affect on how we feel physically. Described as a mind/body connection, our bodies know when something is wrong and reacts accordingly. Grieving takes an enormous toll that can be felt in every particle of the body.

Physical Symptoms

The physical symptoms of stress may initially not be very noticeable, but in time, stress becomes more apparent, often affecting a grieving person's health. Many grievers will experience an episode of ill health in the first six months following a loved one's death. These illnesses are very often associated with grief.

Physical signs of distress may include:

• Changes in appetite


• Trouble sleeping


• Stomach pains


• Weight loss or gain


• Diarrhea


• Chest pain


• Heart palpitations


• Consistently feeling tired


• Shortness of breath


• Back pain

Physical Effects

While grief is not a direct cause of illness, it can be a strong contributing factor.

The effects of grief can lead to increased heart rates, higher blood pressure, strokes and heart issues. Indeed, there may even be a link between grieving and rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, lupus, pneumonia, colitis as well as alcoholism, malnutrition, drugs and chronic depression.

Stress Reduction Benefits

Stress reduction techniques can help to reduce grief stress symptoms. Taking steps to reduce stress can help grievers cope with everyday challenges during this difficult time, especially in regards to stress related to work, family, or health.

Whether your stress is escalating, or you're on the road to stress recovery, you may benefit from proven stress reduction strategies. Most of these techniques are free or cost very little, can be done anywhere at anytime, and at very little risk to yourself or pocket.

The benefits of practicing these simple techniques can be immense:

• Improving concentration


• Lowering blood pressure


• Reducing anger and frustration


• Boosting confidence to handle life challenges


• Slowing your breathing rate


• Increasing blood flow to major muscle groups


• Reducing muscle tension and chronic pain


• Slowing your heart rate

Grief Stress Reduction Techniques

Stress reduction techniques generally involve refocusing your mind on something tranquil and increasing awareness of your body.

To get the most benefit, these techniques should be used alongside other positive coping methods, such as exercising, getting enough sleep, and reaching out to supportive family and friends.

The three main stress busting techniques are:

• Visualization. Where you form mental images to take a visual journey to a peaceful, calming place or situation.


• Progressive muscle relaxation. Where you focus on slowly tensing and then relaxing each muscle group and become more aware of physical sensations.


• Autogenic relaxation. Where you use both visual imagery and body awareness to reduce stress. You repeat words or suggestions in your mind to relax and reduce muscle tension.

Other common relaxation techniques include:

• Yoga


• Massage Therapy


• Meditation


• Tai chi


• Hypnosis

Staying with It

Most grief stress reduction techniques require practice before you start to feel any benefits. Be persistent and patient. Explore different strategies until you find one that feels right. The mental and physical rewards can help you cope and are well worth the effort.