|
|
|
|
Learn about arthritis and how it can affect you'Rheumatism' is a traditional and non-specific term used in the East and West to refer to a variety of conditions affecting the bones, joints, skin, heart, kidneys, lungs. This term is rapidly falling out of favour in the West today because modern medical science has discovered that most of these conditions have different aetiologies (causes) requiring very different treatments. You can say that it's a word mainly used in Chinese (& traditional) societies; it's also used by a minority of Westerners into homeopathic and alternative medicine. The only common characteristics among these conditions are: 1) they cause long-term chronic pain, and 2) they are very difficult to treat. 'Arthritis' is a broad term refers to inflammation of the joints, but doesn't say anything about the cause. Includes conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, infective arthritis, gouty arthritis, etc. Generally, I'd divide arthritis into 2 big groups: 1) Osteoarthritis (OA) This is primarily a 'wear and tear' condition affecting older people. Arises from overuse (e.g. marathon runners), previous injuries (football players), overweight, heredity. A lot of older Asian women get OA of the knees while the Americans and Europeans get it in the hips. The pain is more mechanical than inflammatory. So you get pain in the later part of the day after a lot of walking and climbing stairs. Because it's mainly a mechanical problem, treatment with painkillers is only a temporary solution. Long-term lifestyle changes are more important - reduce weight, mobility and muscle-strengthening exercises, reduce all kinds of weight-bearing activities (walking, jumping, running, carrying heavy objects). In severe cases, surgery may be warranted. 2) Inflammatory ('Rheumatic') Arthritis This group comprises the various types of arthritis which are mainly inflammatory , not mechanical, in nature. They usually result from an auto-immune condition, which causes the body's immune system to go haywire and attack the joints and other parts of the body. E.g. rheumatoid arthritis (RA), SLE (skin, kidneys, joints, brain), psoriasis (skin, joints), ankylosing spondylitis (back, heart), gout (joints, skin, kidneys), rheumatic heart disease/fever (joints, heart, skin). All these conditions require different forms of treatment. I'll talk a bit about RA, the commonest condition in this group. Unlike OA, RA can occur at any age and is usually hereditary (we now have a test for the RA factor in the blood). Pain is usually in the early morning, worse when it's cold, and gets better with activity and use. That means an RA sufferer suffers from morning stiffness and pain, but gets better in the afternoon when it's warmer and when he has moved around a bit. Treatment, unlike OA, is mainly through drugs - painkillers, anti-inflammatory drugs like steroids, cytotoxic drugs like sulfasalazine and MTX.
In Asia, treatment is mainly through accupuncture, medicated plasters and ointments. With the vast arsenals of drugs and non-drugs alternative treatments available today, RA can be controlled very well and the sufferer can actually lead a very active life. Many OA sufferers on the other hand may eventually require surgery since we don't have very effective drugs for OA. Dr Leong is a Western trained doctor with a keen interest in Chinese medical treatment. He contributes articles to http://www.quick-pain-relief.com. This article may be republished provided acknowledgement is made of the author and the original website.
Can-Fite expands into Korea (Globes Online) - Mon, 01 Sep 2008 16:40:09 GMT Data Suggest CEL-SCI's CEL-2000 Vaccine Prevents or Retards Permanent Damage of Rheumatoid Arthritis (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance) - Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:45:00 GMT Biotech Genmab loses veteran executive (The Star-Ledger) - Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:18:03 GMT |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
You Can Exercise With Arthritis When a person is diagnosed with arthritis, exercise is usually the last thing on their mind. It may be difficult to walk through the grocery store, write a letter or stand on your feet. Many people assume that all exercise should be avoided. This is not true. In fact, with many forms of the disease, arthritis exercise is encouraged. Your Joint Pain May Be Arthritis Are you having problems with one or more joints? Are you aware of the signs which point to arthritis symptoms? If not, you should educate yourself on this disease. If diagnosed early, there is much you can do to keep arthritis symptoms at bay and to keep your joints from becoming severely damaged. Arthritis Information Is a Click Away Everyone who has arthritis should stay up to date with the latest arthritis information. Research on arthritis is continual. You should stay alert and watchful, as an arthritis cure will surely be found soon. Degenerative Arthritis Is the Most Common Form of Arthritis Degenerative arthritis, commonly known as osteoarthritis, is the result of a breakdown in the cartilage between the joints. Cartilage is necessary, as it serves as the padding between the bones. Degenerative arthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Degenerative arthritis affects upwards of 20 million people in the United States alone. Get Arthritis Aids for Your Loved One Individuals who suffer with arthritis can find that the simplest everyday tasks are difficult to perform. This can lead many to slump into depression as they assume they are incapable of functioning normally. These arthritis patients need to understand arthritis aids exist which can assist them in all aspects of their life. You can find many arthritis aids on the Internet. Gout Arthritis Is Treatable One of the most painful disorders which can affect your joints is gout arthritis. Gout arthritis has been around for eons and has been studied extensively by physicians. We now know that gout arthritis is brought on by an excessive amount of uric acid in the body. When your body has an excess of uric acid, many things can happen. Kidney stones can develop, tophi (hard nodules) may gather under the skin, and crystal deposits may also form around the joints. Gout arthritis can affect anyone. Research tells us that men are more at risk, yet women are more susceptible to gout arthritis after they go through menopause. Gout arthritis can be contributed to genetics, foods, alcohol, medication and low water consumption. Is There an Arthritis Diet? There are many types of arthritis, and there is typically no “diet” which an arthritis patient can be placed on. While diabetics are given much information on the foods they should eat, the foods they should avoid and portion size, arthritis patients do not have an arthritis diet to lean on. Knee Arthritis Can Lead to Replacement Surgery Knee arthritis is usually brought about by osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs by excessive stress on the joint. This can occur by being overweight, having an old injury, or by participating in a high impact sport or exercise program. Knee arthritis occurs as a person ages. If it occurs in a young person, they may have rheumatoid arthritis. Many Arthritis Patients Are Choosing Glucosamine for Pain Relief While science has yet to bring us a cure for arthritis, there are many different forms of alternative medicine which can bring arthritis pain relief. While one individual may benefit from magnet therapy and another may see relief through acupuncture, glucosamine dietary supplements are showing themselves to be the leader of the pack in regards to arthritis pain relief. |
| Arthritis Pain Relief Home | Arthritis Directory | Site Map | Privacy Statement |
|
| © 2005 ArthritisReliefHelp.info | Arthritis Pain Relief |
