411 Arthritis

How to Prevent Osteoarthritis

2008-12-26T16:48:00.000-08:00

The most popular reasons of osteoarthritis include genetics, overweight, overburden some particular joint or a joint injury (even years ago) - all of that increases a chance of suffering from osteoarthritis. That's why two most endangered groups of people are those grossly overweight and... professional sportsmen!
by AndrewJohn

The most popular reasons of osteoarthritis include genetics, overweight, overburden some particular joint or a joint injury (even years ago) - all of that increases a chance of suffering from osteoarthritis. That's why two most endangered groups of people are those grossly overweight and... professional sportsmen!

The mechanism or osteoarthritis is very simple: the condition is really caused by wearing off the cartilage in the joints. Then, the bones to rub each other while the joint moves, which causes terrible pain, stiffness and finally inability to move the joint. Osteoarthritis is very common - over 21 million people in the U.S. suffer from it. While this arthritis affects mostly those over forty-five years old, it can happen to anyone, regardless of age.

The good news is that while you may be predisponed to suffer from osteoarthritis, there is much you can do to make this disease to come later and in less severe form. The key to that is staying fit. First, you have to reduce your weight - every pound of fat you don't have on you is a few months more in good health. That's why a healthy diet is a must. Then, you need a lot of cardiovascular exercises. They will help you keep a stable weight. More importantly however, keeping your muscles in good shape is essential to reduce the amount of stress put to the joint's cartilage. Do not overexert yourself though, especially if your joints are already aching. The point is to strengthen the muscles, not to stress your joints too much. Also, make sure that your joints - especially wrists and knees - are protected. Injury,

As for the diet, you have to keep in mind that while you should generally reduce the fat intake, some fatty acids like Omega-3 are necessary to keep your osteoarthritis in check. The researches about the influence of Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil have only just begun, but their positive anti-inflammatory effects have been confirmed well enough to make many doctors encourage their patients to increase their intake either by changing their diet or by taking food supplements such as Omega Daily.

The pain and stiffness are two first signs of osteoarthritis. Do not ignore them! Go to the doctor as soon as you notice stiffness in the joints.

About the Author:

About this Author: John Andrews writes on the subjects that are important in helping people help themselves. For more information on Omega Daily and Osteoarthritis just click on the links.

New osteoarthritis drug 'shows good results in Phase IIa trial'

2008-12-24T05:35:00.000-08:00

A new pain-killing drug for osteoarthritis shows good results in a Phase IIa trial, its manufacturers have announced.

CG100649 is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), a class of drugs commonly used to relieve pain in osteoarthritis and other inflammatory conditions.

Its manufacturers, CrystalGenomics in Korea and US-based CG Pharmaceuticals, have said that the drug reduces pain and stiffness.

Researchers studied 248 osteoarthritis patients in 25 centres in Germany, Hungary and Ukraine.

Participants were administred either CG100649 or placebo once a day in the morning.

They were then assessed once a week on days seven, 14 and 21 during treatment and days 28 and 35 for follow-up.

Results showed that the drug reduced pain and stiffness and improved physical function from an early stage of treatment.

Meanwhile, there were no serious adverse effects of the drug. Minor side effects were observed in both groups and there was high gastrointestinal safety.

Long-term cardiovascular risks could not be established, but there was no implication that the drug had a negative impact on heart function.

Dr Joong Myung Cho of CrystalGenomics, said: "Based on these results, we are confident that CG100649 can fulfil the current unmet medical need for an efficacious analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent with potential cardiovascular, renal and gastrointestinal safety advantages over currently available treatments."

A spokesman for the Arthritis Research Campaign cautiously welcomed the findings.

"There is certainly an unmet need for an effective, side-effect-free painkiller for arthritis, but whether this is it remains to be seen," he said.

How to Prevent Osteoarthritis

2008-12-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

by Andrew John

The most popular reasons of osteoarthritis include genetics, overweight, overburden some particular joint or a joint injury (even years ago) - all of that increases a chance of suffering from osteoarthritis. That’s why two most endangered groups of people are those grossly overweight and… professional sportsmen!

Osteoarthritis is the most popular form of arthritis, affecting the lives of about 12 per cent of the human population. It most commonly attacks women above the age of 45, but can happen to anyone. Osteoarthritis is an effect of wearing off the cartilage in the joints. As the amount of cartilage is reduced, the bones in the joint start to rub each other during joint movements, causing serious pain and reducing the mobility of the joint up to the point when it is stuck.

Fortunately, there are loads of things you may do stave off the onset of the disease. First and foremost, you have to keep yourself at top condition. Strong muscles will reduce the rate the cartilage wears off and reducing one’s weight means that there will be even less stress for the joints. Dieting, exercising and consulting with your doctor regularly is generally all you need to prevent arthritis. Just make sure you’re not overdoing it. Too strict diet may cause your organism to weaken and actually cause muscle loss and overexerting yourself may result in damaging your joints rather than helping them. What is also important, remember to protect your joints while exercising. Wrist guards will for example, greatly reduce the risk of wrist injuries while exercising. Ask a doctor if your diet and exercises routine are safe before you start them!

Another important thing is assuring that the diet contains enough Omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the soreness of the joints. Renowned for their anti-inflammatory effects, Omega-3 fatty acids are must-be in the diet of every osteoarthritis’ victim. The acids are commonly found in salmon and herring, but as a normal American diet does not contain enough of those fish, most doctors encourage their patients to take Omega Daily of other food supplements which provide enough Omega-3 fatty acids to reduce the severity of osteoarthritis.

The pain and stiffness are two first signs of osteoarthritis. Do not ignore them! Go to the doctor as soon as you notice stiffness in the joints.

About the Author:
The Author: John Andrews reports on subjects that are important in helping people help themselves.

Diet & Osteoarthritis

2008-12-15T08:37:00.000-08:00

Author: William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

For centuries, we humans have considered that our health is influenced by what we eat. Let's face it, if you eat a taco with hot sauce and have diarrhea followed by anal burning the next morning, the food affected your body!

The concept that diet can, in any way, affect osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) is being evaluated by researchers. Keep in mind that this field is just developing and few hard conclusions can be reached. Here is the latest:

Obesity increases the risk for developing osteoarthritis. Overweight people might reduce their chances for developing or aggravating their osteoarthritis by losing weight. Furthermore, if a person already has substantial osteoarthritis in a weight-bearing joint, such as a knee or hip, weight reduction can significantly improve their ability to rehabilitate after joint surgery as well as decrease their risk of surgical complications.

Vitamin C is important in the development of normal cartilage. A deficiency of vitamin C might lead to the development of weak cartilage. Vitamin C is commonly available in citrus fruits. Supplementation with a vitamin C tablet may be advised if dietary fruits are unavailable.

People with low bone mineral density, such as in osteoporosis, may be at increased risk for osteoarthritis. Exercise and adequate calcium intake, as recommended for age and gender, can help to maintain bone density.

Description of Arthritis

2008-12-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

Arthritis affects the movements you rely on for everyday activities. Arthritis is usually chronic. This means that it can last on and off for a lifetime.

There are over 100 kinds of arthritis that can affect many different areas of the body. In addition to the joints, some forms of arthritis are associated with diseases of other tissues and organs in the body. People of all ages, including children and young adults, can develop arthritis.

Inflammation is a reaction of the body that causes swelling, redness, pain, and loss of motion in an affected area. It is the major physical problem in the most serious forms of arthritis.

Normally, inflammation is the way the body responds to an injury or to the presence of disease agents, such as viruses or bacteria. During this reaction, many cells of the body's defense system (called the immune system) rush to the injured area to wipe out the cause of the problem, clean up damaged cells and repair tissues that have been hurt. Once the "battle" is won, the inflammation normally goes away and the area becomes healthy again.

In many forms of arthritis, the inflammation does not go away as it should. Instead, it becomes part of the problem, damaging healthy tissues of the body. This may result in more inflammation and more damage - a continuing cycle.

The damage that occurs can change the bones and other tissues of the joints, sometimes affecting their shape and making movement hard and painful. Diseases in which the immune system malfunctions and attacks healthy parts of the body are called autoimmune diseases.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Arthritis pain and inflammation of joints has many forms. Rheumatoid arthritis can be one of the most disabling types of arthritis. Its course varies, from a few symptoms to severe and painful deformities.

Three times as many women as men are affected, usually at a fairly young age (between 25 and 50). The disease may come on slowly or appear suddenly.

Rheumatoid arthritis typically affects the small finger joints, wrists, knees and toes. All joints of the body, however, are potential targets.

Along with swelling and pain of joints, some of the early symptoms of the disease may include fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss and fever. Stiffness in the joints and surrounding muscles that lasts for several hours after getting up in the morning is a regular symptom. Sometimes the disease involves other organs, causing damage to the heart, lungs, eyes, skin and nerves.

Many individuals with rheumatoid arthritis feel their arthritis is influenced by the weather, stress, temperature and exercise. A few have periods of remission when the disease seems to have gone away. Unfortunately, in most cases, the symptoms eventually return.

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. Some scientists feel that it may result from an infection, but there is no evidence that it is contagious. For whatever reason, the joint lining becomes very inflamed and thickened, slowly destroying cartilage and bone. The goal of treatment is to halt the inflammation and prevent the destruction of joints.

Medical supervision is a must, because this form of arthritis can be crippling, other organs may be affected and all treatments may, on occasion, cause side effects.

Doctors now have many ways of treating rheumatoid arthritis. Large doses of aspirin or aspirin-like drugs can be effective in reducing pain and inflammation. If the arthritis is aggressive, drugs called DMARDs or SAARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, or slow-acting antirheumatic drugs) such as the anti-malarials may be used. Certain immunosuppressants biologic response modifiers, corticosteroids, or gold therapy may be used. All these drugs require close supervision, since they may have hazardous side effects.

Rest, heat and physical therapy are important adjuncts to drug therapy. A healthy diet and exercise also helps patients retain mobility and strength, maintain or lose weight, sleep better, and even help maintain a positive attitude. Although there is no scientific evidence that eating or not eating certain foods reduces or aggravates symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, some recent studies indicate that omega-3 fatty acids (found in certain fish and plant seed oils) may reduce the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis.

Joint deformity or pain is sometimes so severe that surgery is the best alternative. A patient can have added years of mobility due to the hip, elbow, shoulder and knee replacements that can be performed today. Surgeries include joint replacement (replacing the joint with an artificial joint), tendon reconstruction (reconstructing damaged tendons) and synovectomy (removal of the inflamed tissue).

The use of a splint or brace can also help straighten some joints. Although surgery cannot cure all deformities, advances in the field have given rheumatoid patients, who previously would have been wheelchair-bound, the ability to continue in relatively normal lives.

One form of chronic arthritis (less widely known) is one that attacks children, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. It may start with symptoms as general as fever and rash, and it may take a long time for a definite diagnosis to be reached. Some children complain of swelling and stiffness in a few scattered joints. When the disease threatens the function of the joints, skilled professional treatment is called for to prevent permanent deformity.

The disease in its juvenile form often stops progressing within 10 years, but the damage may be permanent and cause further deterioration of the joints. The major concern for the child, parent and doctor is to provide treatment that will spare the child a deformity that might persist long after the disease itself has disappeared.

Tackling Everday Life With Arthritis

2008-12-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

"It's good for improving the mobility of the joint," says Honolulu-based rheumatologist James McKoy, MD, chief of the pain service division at Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii. "The stronger the ligament and muscles are around the joint, the less instability, the less pain, and eventually, as time goes on, less deformity."

YOGA HELPFUL FOR PEOPLE WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

2008-12-15T07:30:00.000-08:00

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 25, 2008 – A program of yoga poses, breathing and relaxation significantly reduces joint tenderness and swelling for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to research funded in part by the Arthritis Foundation and presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco.
Scientists from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore randomly divided a group of 30 sedentary adults with RA into two groups: one group participated in an eight-week program of yoga and the other was put on a waiting list and served as the control. Those in the yoga group took two one-hour classes per week and were instructed to practice at home as well. Traditional yoga poses were modified as needed to accommodate for limitations due to RA. Also included in the sessions were deep breathing, relaxation and meditation techniques.
The research team found that those who participated in eight weeks of yoga classes had significantly fewer tender and swollen joints than they did before starting class. Those in the waitlist control group saw no significant changes in their tender and swollen joint counts.