Rheumatoid Arthritis - The Basic Effects of Reiki Therapy

If you are tired of trying treatments for rheumatoid arthritis then here is an alternative solution for you. Reiki therapy is a different approach to rheumatoid arthritis that is being used by people wanting a change from ineffective conventional methods of treatment. It has no harmful side effects like conventional medicine and has the potential to make you feel better.

What is Reiki therapy?
It is the transfer of life energy from the therapist to the patient. It is transferred by light touching of the hands over the entire body or by raising the hands directly over the patient. This is just the basic concept. The principle of Reiki therapy is to treat a disease by unblocking spiritual and emotional blocks that may be causing a disease. This is done by unlocking energy and transferring it in the body. It works on a similar principle to acupuncture but no needles are used.

How can Reiki therapy help me?
It helps you to relax and feel better both mentally and physically. It will put you in a state of peace and harmony. It will also energize your body.
If you are in severe pain Reiki therapy can help to decrease it. This is because this treatment helps your body to relax and allows you to absorb energy to combat pain.
When you are relaxed and have more positive energy your body will have more chances of healing itself.
It will help your body get into balance and function better. When your body is stronger you will find it has more resistance to disease and can help to decrease the symptoms of arthritis naturally.
It will relieve stress. Stress aggravates any disease that you have especially a painful chronic one like rheumatoid arthritis. When you relax and are stress free your body will have less pain and it can help decrease inflammation.

How can I get started? You can look up Reiki therapy on Google and you will find many websites advertising this therapy. Check out these places and find some that are in your locality. Make sure that they are experts in the field. Do your research before attending sessions.

Bear in mind that to be effective you will need several sessions until your body is working in harmony with itself. It can only be effective if you are ready to receive the energy from the therapist and come with a positive attitude. Reiki therapy can also be used with aromatherapy to enhance its effectiveness.

How to Detect and Be Treated For Rheumatoid Arthritis

There are many types of arthritis, but the one we most commonly think of is rheumatoid arthritis. White blood cells usually spend their days attacking bacteria and fighting off viruses, but with this type of arthritis, the white blood cells move from the bloodstream (where they belong) into the membranes surrounding your joints.

As a result, there is an inflammation and the release of proteins. Over months or years, the membrane thickens and the released proteins cause damage to neighboring cartilage, ligaments, bones and tendons. Joints can become disfigured, knocked out of alignment or even destroyed.

Signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may include: joint pain, joint swelling and joints that are tender to the touch. Whether you have red puffy hands, firm bumps of tissue beneath the skin on your arms, or morning stiffness that lasts at least thirty minutes, you may have some level of the disease.

Often, sufferers feel tired, lose weight and sense changes in wrists, hands, ankles and feet at first. In later stages, the elbows, shoulders, knees, hips and the jaw and neck can also be affected. Signs and symptoms of pain may flare up and then alternate with periods of relative remission.

Your doctor will perform a physical exam to diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. He or she will ask you about signs and symptoms, then usually perform a blood test to check for an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, which will reveal an inflammatory process in the body.

Other blood tests check for the rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies, which cause joint damage. Additionally, by using a needle, a joint fluid analysis can pinpoint the disease and help rule out other disorders that mimic the symptoms of arthritis. Once diagnosed, X-rays can help track the progression of the disease in your joints.

Surgery options for people with rheumatoid arthritis include total joint replacement (arthroplasty), tendon repair, or removal of the joint lining (synovectomy). These procedures can help restore joint mobility, correct deformities and reduce pain. Additionally, pain management is key to preventing long term joint damage.

Arthritis sufferers should perform low impact exercises regularly, such as swimming, for example. They should eat healthy diets with lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Devices that can assist you with daily tasks, such as gripping tools, non-skid mats, canes and other products, can reduce stress on the body.

Hot packs, heating pads and hot baths have also been known to reduce arthritis pain. Lastly, keeping a positive attitude and relaxing are some of the best techniques to practice.

Causes and Symptoms of Arthritis

Arthritis is a joint disorder that is generally associated with aging. It literally means inflammation of one or more joints where two different bones meet. People laugh about it in TV sitcoms as actors and actresses poke fun at arthritis sufferers, but for real arthritis patients the pain caused by the disorder is no laughing matter and is, in fact, a serious call for alarm.

There are over 100 types of arthritis, each triggered by different circumstances and conditions. Some are related to simple wear and tear of cartilage, like osteoarthritis, and others by inflammation caused by an overactive immune system, like rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis represents one of the most chronic diseases in the United States, an ailment that is likely to last a long time and a source of recurring trouble for life. It has many causes, including injury leading to osteoarthritis, metabolic abnormalities (gout and pseudogout), heredity, infection, and even some unclear causes, like rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Arthritis sufferers literally writhe in pain, experience inflammation of the joints characterized by stiffness, redness and warmth. The inflamed joint becomes tender and extremely sensitive. Since arthritis is also a form of rheumatic disease, it also causes problems which affect the different organs of the body that are not related to the joints. This is why some arthritis victims can also experience fever, gland swelling, weight loss, and fatigue.

It is interesting to note that close to 40 million people in the United States are suffering from arthritis and nearly half of them are under 65 years old. Recent studies also reveal that almost 60 percent of Americans with arthritis are females and over a quarter of a million American children are affected by the disease. Osteoarthritis, a degenerative disease among older people caused by joints wearing out and bones getting softer (osteoporosis), affects more than 27 million Americans, most of them women. This is no laughing matter for arthritis sufferers and the government as well. The cost of health care for osteoarthritis patients in the United States is $185.5 billion a year.

Alarmed policymakers bat for increased awareness and better monitoring to identify patients with osteoarthritis to help delay disease progression and reduce medical costs. Doctors recommend regular exercise, proper medication, and diet to help reduce the cost of healthcare bills for individuals and the government.

Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis

Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis can be difficult since it is a disease in which the immune system actually attacks certain joints in the body, rather than function normally by attacking foreign bacteria or viruses. Rheumatoid Arthritis pain occurs mostly around the joints of the hands and feet, however it can also spread to the wrists, elbows, and knees. It can be serious for many people who must learn how to manage Rheumatoid Arthritis pain and discomfort.

There is no truly known reason as to what causes this type of disease, but some doctors think that it might be due to a virus that affects the Synovium of the Immune System. In such cases as this, an inflammatory reaction can cause destruction in all of the nerves within a particular joint. The symptoms of this disease come and go depending upon how severely damaged these nerves are.

However, if there is no inflammation occurring then the Arthritis is in a dormant state, but if the joints are inflamed then of course, the disease is very active with recurring remission periods. When the RA is active, symptoms can include:

-Fatigue

-A loss of energy

-Lack of appetite

-Low fever

-Muscle and joint aches and stiffness (With the muscle and joint stiffness being the most severe in the morning as well as after prolonged periods of inactivity).

Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis effectively depends on using the right treatments for each patient. Treatments for this disease are as diverse as the symptoms of the patients themselves. For example, the pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis can be maintained with over-the-counter drugs such as Aleve, or Tylenol and prescription treatments, like steroids. There is also the reduction of joint stress through different kinds of therapy, and surgical procedures that can be performed as well.

Although, it is understood that a lot of patients may not be able to afford many different methods for helpful treatments of their Arthritis. In those cases, there are a number of other options available, which are more practical and less expensive. For joint pain, some patients can purchase certain creams such as Ben-Gay, or Capsacin to shrink the inflamed joints and ease pain. Some people find they can control periods in their Arthritis inflammation by eliminating as much stress in their lives as possible. There are also some herbal remedies that patients can consider using such as Boswellia, Equisetum, or (horsetail), Devil's Claw, or Borage Seed Oil.

Lastly, while some of these methods have been officially proven successful for treating the symptoms of RA, there are patients who use alternative methods for relieving their pain. These include acupuncture, message, mineral baths, meditation, and hypnosis. All of these treatments for managing Rheumatoid Arthritis have been tried by many patients and have been shown to help to some degree.

Arthritis Treatment: What Is a DMARD?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory form of arthritis and affects approximately 2 million Americans. A recent study has shown that the incidence of the disease may be declining somewhat; yet, RA still remains a significant public health problem. This is because of the multisystem nature of the disease. RA is a chronic, systemic, autoimmune condition for which there is no known cure.

It has the potential to affect multiple organ systems including the heart, lungs, eyes, bone marrow, skin, and peripheral nervous system.

The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis starts with making the diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is established, treatment may be started.

Symptoms of pain may be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS). These help with symptoms but do nothing to modify the course of the disease.

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) are medicines that have an effect on the disease itself. They slow down and sometimes stop the progression of disease. This is accomplished by acting on the immunologic disturbances that are responsible for RA.

Examples of DMARDS used to treat RA include hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil), sulfasalazine (Azulfidine), azathioprine (Imuran), cyclosporine (Neoral), and methotrexate. The latter drug is considered the workhorse or base upon which all other disease modifying therapies are laid upon. These are generally administered as oral pills or tablets.

Most of these chemical DMARDS were originally used to treat other conditions before finding a niche in RA.
In addition to chemical DMARDS, newer biologic medicines, protein based drugs synthesized to specifically target immune abnormalities are also considered DMARDS. These biologics are administered either by subcutaneous injection or intravenously.

Thus, DMARDS are divided into two groups: non-biologic DMARDS and biologic DMARDS.

While the old approach was to use DMARDS late, the newer approach is to combine a chemical DMARD and a biologic early in the course of disease, generally within the first three months of disease activity. The reason is that that is when the best chance to obtain remission is. In fact, early treatment can actually lead to permanent remission in some cases.

All DMARDS have potential side effects including liver toxicity, bone marrow toxicity, and kidney damage, among others in the case of the chemical DMARDS.

Biologics increase the likelihood of infection, particularly tuberculosis and this mandates the need for screening and careful follow-up, central nervous system dysfunction, and many other potential problems.

Close supervision by an experienced rheumatologist is mandatory. This reduces the likelihood of problems.

What Are the Causes of Wrist and Ankle Pain?

Wrists and ankles are two specific body parts which contain bones, ligaments, blood vessels, and nerves. A patient can experience pain in these two parts. Here we will learn how to manage these occurrences.

The wrist is an intricate joint consists of eight small bones positioned in two pile ups between the bones in the hands and in the forearms. Strong clusters of ligaments connecting the wrist bones, hand bones, and forearm bones. Tendons connect muscle cells to bone cells. Damage to any part of the wrist may cause injury and pain. It can affect the capability of a person to use his hand and wrist.

Wrist pain is a usual report of normal individuals. Various forms of wrist pain originated from a sudden injury that resulted in fractures or sprains. Wrist pain can as well originate from long-term conditions, such as arthritis, CPS or carpal tunnel syndrome, and repetitive stress. Due to the various factors that can lead to this condition, detecting the exact origin of a long-term wrist pain sometimes may be complicated. An exact diagnosis is decisive, nevertheless, because appropriate management will depend on the severity and cause of the wrist pain.

The ankle is the joint where the leg and the foot meet. It is a complicated network of ligaments, muscles, tendons, and bones. This is tough enough to put up with the body weight of an individual, the ankle may be vulnerable to pain and injury.

The patient can experience ankle pain inside or outside his ankle or next to the Achilles tendon. This tendon adjoins the muscles in the lower portion of the leg to the heel bone. Serious ankle pain must be assessed by a physician particularly if it pursue after an injury occurred. This condition can sometimes imply a serious problem. Even though mild ankle pain frequently responds well to natural remedies, the condition may take time to resolve. Consult a specialist when any ankle pain does not resolve within several days.

The primary cause of injuries to ankles and wrists is injury. Injuries may come in many forms. The most usual method of injury in the wrist is the occurrence of a sudden impact on it. It happens when a person falls forward onto his overextended hand and ankle. This condition may cause strains, fractures, and sprains. Repetitive stress or any actions that includes recurring wrist movement, such as driving on extended hours, playing tennis, and bowing a cello, can swell the surrounding tissues of the joint. Arthritis can be a common cause of pain in these two parts. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis can damage the wrist and ankle of a person.

Carpal tunnel syndrome occur when the pressure on the median nerve is increased, which surpasses the carpal canal. Kienbock's disorder usually affects adults and includes the gradual fall down of a single, small bone in the wrist. The condition occurs when the supply of blood to this bone is susceptible. Ankle sprain is one of the most typical injuries on the musculoskeletal system of an individual. Sprain is an injury to the ligaments connected to various bones.

Bone and Joint Problems - Signs, Symptoms, Causes

Bone and joint problems were at one time thought to be a fact of life, things that simply accompanied the aging process. Now we know a little more about the problems. Here you will learn what we know about the symptoms and causes of bone and joint problems.

The early symptoms of bone and joint problems are aches, pains and stiffness. The later symptoms may include any of the following conditions:

Osteoarthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis
Osteoporosis
Frequent bone fractures
Osteomalacia

Bone fractures in the elderly can be deadly. Complications can arise from surgery. The fracture may fail to heal properly leading to permanent disability.

There are risk factors and causes of weak bones and joints. Age is one of the risk factors, but as mentioned above, the problems are not caused by normal aging. Something else is going on.

Other than frequent fractures, the most common symptom of osteoporosis is a hunched appearance. The spine starts to curve in as though the head is too heavy to be held up any longer. People may also seem to shrink as this curvature occurs and for other reasons associated with unhealthy bones and joints.

Osteomalacia is a painful condition that is often mistaken for arthritis, especially when it affects the elderly. Not only is there pain in the bones and joints, there is also pain in the muscles.

Who's At Risk?

Osteoporosis is the most common bone disorder among post-menopausal women. It has been estimated that fractures occur due to osteoporosis every three minutes in the United Kingdom.

Men are not immune to the risks of osteoporosis. Current figures show that 1 in every 8 men over the age of 50 will have a fracture related to osteoporosis at some point in his lifetime. Even more men have osteoporosis, but are lucky enough to avoid a fracture.

What are the Causes?

The underlying cause of osteoporosis and osteomalacia is reduced bone density. Fractures occur because the bones are thinner and more brittle. In the case of arthritis, the underlying cause is loss of protective cartilage between the joints.

What Causes Reduced Bone Density?

Researchers have learned that many things can interfere with the production of new bone, which is an ongoing process throughout a person's life. The process may be slower with age, as most bodily processes are, but it should not stop completely.

One thing not only interferes with the production of new bone. It actually causes the breakdown of bones to get at the calcium stored within them. As you might suspect, lack of calcium in the diet will cause the body to break down bone to direct the mineral to other bodily function. But, there are many minerals stored in bones. So any mineral deficiency can lead to bone loss.

Lack of vitamin D will also cause unhealthy bones. Osteomalacia is actually the adult equivalent of rickets, caused by inadequate vitamin D intake.

Other causes of reduced bone density include physical inactivity, smoking cigarettes, excessive alcohol consumption and diseases that interfere with nutrient absorption. Endocrine and rheumatic diseases are examples.

How to Protect Your Bones

Now that you know more about the risk factors and causes, you would probably like to know what you can do to protect your bones. That is the subject of my next article. Please click the Bones and Joint Problems link below in the resource author box.