Living Life With Arthritis And Joint Pain
Arthritis is a combination of diseases that impact millions of Americans today and causes many to go on living life with arthritis and joint pain.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 70 million or one in three adults are impacted by arthritis.
Although when talking about arthritis, most people are referring to rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis, there are actually over 100 different types of arthritis and rheumatic diseases. Arthritis is one of the leading causes of disability today.
Arthritis symptoms can range from mild symptoms to severe and life altering symptoms.
Because of the joint damage caused by this disease, it is important to see your physician and seek care and an appropriate diagnosis in order to begin treatment as quickly as possible.
Pain related to arthritis is a common symptom. Both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis result in destruction to the joints, even though the cause of that destruction is different between these two types of arthritis.
Because it impacts over twenty million adults, osteoarthritis is the most common of all types of arthritis.
The pain and stiffness of osteoarthritis is a direct result of the destruction of the joint cartilage which typically protects the joint.
It is the damage to the joint cartilage that causes the pain and stiffness typically associated with osteoarthritis. The joints of the fingers, knees, hips and spine are the most commonly affected by osteoarthritis.
It is important to remember that some adults are diagnosed with osteoarthritis in a particular joint after excessive wear and tear on a joint.
For example, football players who are diagnosed with osteoarthritis of the knee after a long playing career are a prime example of someone who has had excessive wear and tear on a particular joint which then develops osteoarthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is thought to be an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy areas of body causing destruction.
With rheumatoid arthritis, the joints themselves are attacked causing redness, swelling, and often an accumulation of fluid in the joint space. All of these changes lead to the pain of rheumatoid arthritis. With rheumatoid arthritis, signs of RA are generally seen on both sides of the body instead of just on one side of the body such as with osteoarthritis.
Arthritis can certainly negatively impact your lifestyle. It is important to seek care from your primary care physician who should then refer you to a rheumatologist for a long term treatment plan once a final diagnosis has been made.
There are many options in the field of arthritis care today. With a better understanding of combination treatments, newer medications and physicians leading the way with aggressive treatment plans, arthritis patients today have hope.
Seek care from a rheumatologist who is willing to work with you to create a plan that works best to treat your arthritis.
Common Symptoms Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
If you want to learn more about the symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis that you are experiencing, the learning to identify the common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis, RA, is an important piece of education that you can’t afford to miss out on.
An autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis is characteristically evident by the inflammation found in the lining of the joints.
Current statistics show that RA affects around one or two percent of the population. While it is often more common in women, and usually is seen in middle aged adults, rheumatoid arthritis can also wiggle its way into the lives of very young children, teenagers and even your adults.
One of the challenges healthcare providers have when diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis is that the symptoms of arthritis tend to wane and then flare. This causes a challenge since there is no guarantee that when you visit your healthcare provider you will be experiencing the symptoms that brought you in for a visit in the first place.
It might be helpful for both you and your physician if you keep a health journal to monitor and log the symptoms of arthritis which you are experiencing. This can help to paint a more complete picture for your physician.
Symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis can vary from person to person and unfortunately right now there is no single one test which can diagnose rheumatoid arthritis. Often one of the most common complaint of rheumatoid arthritis which brings patients into the physician’s office is the agonizing joint pain endure each and every day. This pain can truly put a damper on your activities of daily living. It can cause you to change how you perform certain tasks and can even cause you to give up performing others.
Common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis include morning stiffness in and around the joints which typically last for more than 30 minutes and swelling and warmth in the joints themselves. Joints such as those in the wrists, fingers, feet, ankles, shoulders, elbow and even the jaw may be impacted. With RA, joints are typically affected on both sides of the body. Other common symptoms for rheumatoid arthritis include generally feeling poorly, overwhelming fatigue, fever, and even weight loss.
The goal of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis is to reduce the pain and swelling of RA, as well as the joint damage which is occurring. While currently there is still no cure for rheumatoid arthritis there are definitely some exciting new medical advances which has brought hope to many patients who are suffering. Because of the long term joint damage which can occur with rheumatoid arthritis, there should be no delay in your decision to seek treatment for the RA symptoms that you are experiencing.
If you believe that you are experiencing some of the common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis then it is important that you take the first step to healthier days by making a phone call to your physician today.
Signs Of Rheumatoid Arthritis
There are more than 100 different types of arthritis and the signs of Rheumatiod arthritis and symptoms for each vary.
Each of the 100 diseases seem to affect people in a variety of ways.
Literally meaning joint inflammation, arthritis symptoms are most often defined as challenges in the joints in the body.
This seems to be one of the most commonly recognized arthritis symptoms.
However, there are some arthritis related conditions such as osteoporosis and even fibromyalgia which do not directly affect the joints.
These diseases affect bones and muscle instead of the joints themselves.
Common arthritis symptoms are joint pain, redness, swelling, and a limitation of movement around the joint.
Pain in the joints may become persistent.
Pain in the joint which is aggravated by movement such as standing, writing, holding an object, or even turning a key can also be a symptom of arthritis.
The area impacted by arthritis may also appear red and even feel warm to the touch.
The redness and warmth in the joint area are signs of inflammation, which is the body’s natural defense mechanism.
It is important to control the inflammation associated with arthritis because it can often lead to additional joint or cartilage deterioration.
Other arthritis symptoms particularly related to joint inflammation may also include stiffness and fatigue, skin rashes, pain and weakness in the arms, hands, legs and feet and dryness in the eyes and mouth.
Arthritis symptoms may also include evidence of joint deformity, a nonspecific fever, an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion, and even noon unexplained weight loss.
Paying attention to your arthritis symptoms is crucial as aggressive treatment must be started early in the disease and should be adjusted if you have an exacerbation of your arthritis symptoms.
Being an active participant in your own health care as you work with your physician for a treatment plan that is especially designed to treat your unique symptoms is the most important arthritis symptom management of all.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Products
Rheumatoid arthritis products are available to those who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
So many medical advances have been made in rheumatology to the benefit of patients diagnosed with RA.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common form of arthritis. With this autoimmune disease, the body’s immune system makes antibodies against its own tissue.
Some antibodies are formed against the synovium, which is the tissue that surrounds each joint. This attack on the synovium causes inflammation in and around the affected joints.
Over time this causes damages to the joint, the cartilage and parts of the bone near the joint.
Fortunately, there are several rheumatoid arthritis products that can help relieve rheumatoid arthritis pain. Especially in this day and age, there are options available for RA patients.
Methotrexate is one of the most commonly used rheumatoid arthritis products.
Also know as disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) this medication is used to slow the progression of the disease. Many times this is prescribed earlier in the disease to halt disease progression and reduce or prevent joint damage.
Steroids are another rheumatoid arthritis product used for severe flare ups. Generally this is prescribed when NSAIDS, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and DMARDS don’t work.
Another rheumatoid arthritis product is called a biologic response modifiers. These drugs block parts of the immune system called cytolines, which play a role in inflammation.
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are other rheumatoid arthritis products that many people are turning to today for treatment of arthritis. Glucosamine is a form of amino sugar that helps cartilage formation and repair.
Chondroitin sulfate is part of a protein molecule that gives cartilage elasticity. These products can help with morning stiffness and joint pain.
Another rheumatoid arthritis product is Methylsulfonylmethane or MSM. MSM contributes to the repair and maintenance of cartilage. It has an anti-inflammatory action which helps to combat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
There are many rheumatoid arthritis products on the market today to help you get relief from your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.
If you have rheumatoid arthritis and are not getting relief from your current treatment talk to your doctor about switching to a different rheumatoid arthritis product. There are options available. Keep working with your healthcare provider to find the best arthritis treatment plan for you.
Rituxan And RA
Rituxan and RA (rheumatoid arthritis) is helping some of the 2 million adults in the United States that are affected with this disease.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive autoimmune disease that involves inflammation of the joints and surrounding tissue.
Over time rheumatoid arthritis can destroy joints, ligaments, tendons and bone.
There have been several different treatments used over the years to help treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
However, now a drug that is used to treat cancer, Rituxan, has been approved by the Food and Drug administration to be used in combination with Methotrexate to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Methotrexate is an antimetabolite. It interferes with the way cells utilize essential nutrients. Because of this, Methotrexate inhibits the activities of the immune system reducing inflammation.
Rituxan targets a specific B immune cell which are believed to play a role in the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis. Given together, they can greatly reduce the inflammation in the joints.
Rituxan and rheumatoid arthritis helps by reducing the signs and symptoms of the disease in adults who have moderately to severe rheumatoid arthritis.
In order for a patient to be prescribed Rituxan treatment they must have failed one or more of the available drugs currently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
Rituxan is given to patients as two 1000mg IV infusion separated by two weeks and is generally given in an outpatient infusion center. Along with all medications, Rituxan has several side effects.
The side effects of Rituxan include nausea or vomiting, weakness, headache, flushing or dizziness.
More serious side effects include difficulty breathing, chest pain, irregular heart beat and no urine production.
If you experience any of these side effects call your doctor immediately.
The cost of treating rheumatoid arthritis with Rituxan is very expensive.
This treatment method can range from $16,000 to $20,000 a year. However, it holds a promise of eliciting better outcomes than traditional rheumatoid arthritis treatments with fewer side effects.
Rituxan and rheumatoid arthritis so far is a winning combination. Patients are having better results with Rituxan than what they had prior to Rituxan becoming available. If other biologic treatments have failed for you in the past, talk with your doctor and see if Rituxan is right for you.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain
If you have rheumatoid arthritis pain you are not alone. Over 2 million Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system attacks normal tissue as if they were invading pathogens.
Primarily the lining of the joints are attacked causing inflammation.
In some cases however, the lining of the blood vessels, heart and lungs may also become inflamed.
As a result of the joints being attacked, tenderness, stiffness and swelling can occur. This is what causes rheumatoid arthritis pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis pain usually effects joints on both sides of the body equally.
The most commonly effective joints are the wrist, fingers, knees, and ankle. Rheumatoid arthritis usually begins with fatigue, morning stiffness, muscle aches, loss of appetite and weakness.
Joint pain will eventually appear.
If the joint is not used for a while it can become warm, tender and stiff. Rheumatoid arthritis pain is often felt on both sides of the body.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease that progresses in three stages.
The first stage is the swelling of the synovial lining.
In the second stage a division and growth of cells causes the synovium to thicken causing swelling.
And in the third and final stage the inflamed cells release enzymes that may digest bone and cartilage causing deformity, rheumatoid arthritis pain and loss of movement in the joints.
There is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis.
The aim of treatment for rheumatoid arthritis pain is to reduce the pain and stiffness in affected joints as much as possible.
To prevent joint damage as much as possible and to minimize any disability caused by pain, joint damage or deformities are the goals of arthritis treatment.
Many people that have rheumatoid arthritis have antibodies called rheumatoid factors in their bloodstream that are part of the inflammatory process of the disease. Symptoms such as morning stiffness and swelling should be present for at least six weeks before the diagnosis is considered.
Range of motion exercises and individual exercise programs prescribed by a physical therapist can help to relieve rheumatoid arthritis pain.
Rheumatoid arthritis differs from person to person. As treatment for rheumatoid arthritis improves, severe disability and life threatening complications appear to be decreasing.
Consult your health care provider if you think you have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Arthritis Water Exercises
Arthritis water exercises are an excellent way to exercise if you have arthritis.
Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation of the joints causing pain, swelling and stiffness. This creates problems using or moving your joints normally.
Joint flexibility is especially important when you have arthritis.
Stiff joints can mean the inability to perform daily tasks like buttoning a shirt or walking to the mailbox.
It is important to exercise and stay healthy if you have arthritis.
Regular exercises can help keep joints moving, restore flexibility and strength and help to protect joints against further damage.
Conventional exercises can cause even more pain in the joints causing you not to want to exercise any more. It is for this reason that arthritis water exercises can be beneficial. Not exercising at all simply is not a choice for those living with arthritis.
The buoyancy of water makes an ideal environment for relieving arthritis pain and stiffness.
Immersing your body into warm water will raise your body temperature causing your blood vessels to dilate and help increase circulation.
Water also helps to support joints and encourage free movement when doing arthritis water exercises. Water can also act as a resistance force. This helps to build muscle strength.
Muscle strength is important because muscles will help to absorb shock and protect joints from injury.
When first entering the water, relax and enjoy the soothing water. Once your muscles and joints feel relaxed slowly begin your arthritis water exercise routine.
After you are finished with your arthritis water exercises, relax your muscles again before getting out of the water.
The use of a heated pool is often recommended for people with arthritis. There are many benefits of heat with arthritis water exercises. These include muscle relaxation, decreased pain and stiffness and greater ease when performing exercises and daily activities.
Check with your local Arthritis Foundation chapter. Many offer arthritis water exercise classes specifically designed for those living with arthritis.
Arthritis water exercises can help relieve your arthritis symptoms such as joint pain, stiffness, swelling of the joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It is important to work with your doctor to develop an effective individualized treatment program for you.
Once you have done this it is time to get moving and start enjoying life again.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Exercises
Rheumatoid arthritis exercises are important to do if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints, tissues around the joints as well as other organs in the body.
It is an autoimmune disease which is an illness that occurs when the body tissue is mistakenly attacked by its own immune system.
Because rheumatoid arthritis can affect multiple organs of the body, it is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.
An important component in staying healthy if you have rheumatoid arthritis is exercise. Your local Arthritis Foundation chapter is a great resource for providing information on specific rheumatoid arthritis exercises.
There are three types of rheumatoid arthritis exercises that you should commit to performing on a regular basis.
The first rheumatoid arthritis exercise you should do is called flexibility exercises.
This is basically stretching and range of motion exercises. Flexibility exercises should be done every day and is considered the most important of the three types of exercises.
It is important to do flexibility exercises to help protect the joints by reducing the risk of joint injury. Flexibility exercises also help you to warm up for more strenuous exercises.
These exercises get your body moving and help you relax and release tension. Some examples of these exercises are tai chi and yoga. You should do 15 minutes of flexibility exercises a day before moving onto more strenuous exercises.
It is important to remember not to move any joint pass the point of pain or resistance. No two rheumatoid arthritis patients will demonstrate the same amount of flexibility.
Strengthening or resistance exercise is the second type of rheumatoid arthritis exercise you should do.
If you have rheumatoid arthritis, strong muscles help to lessen the stress on your joints.
Strengthening exercises help you to build your muscles so they can absorb shock and protect your joints from injury. Strengthening exercises use weights or resistance to work your muscles harder thereby helping them get stronger.
Strengthening exercises should be every other day after doing flexibility exercises. Again, work within your limitations and do not move joints past the point of resistance.
The third rheumatoid arthritis exercise is cardiovascular or aerobic exercises.
This exercise is considered to be any physical activity that uses the large muscles of the body in continuous motions. Examples of cardiovascular exercises include walking, dancing, swimming, running and bicycling.
Cardiovascular exercises can improve endurance, increase bone strength, improve sleep, help control weight and reduce stress, depression and anxiety. You should try to do this type of exercise three to four times a week. A good example of a beneficial rheumatoid arthritis exercise would be a water exercise class.
Rheumatoid arthritis exercises can help you lead a healthy and more active lifestyle. Pick activities that you can easily work into your day. Find a friend to join you to help encourage you when you need it. Always consult with your doctor before engaging in any exercise program. After your doctor’s okay, get moving to a more healthier you.
Psoriatic Arthritis – Got Your Attention Yet?
No, there are not just a couple of garden variety types of arthritis out there. In fact currently, there are over well over one hundred different kinds of arthritis.
Shocking isn’t it?
Over 100 different types of arthritis make it one very aggressive disease that invades the lives of millions.
One of those little known types of arthritis is known as psoriatic arthritis and it can be as debilitating as some of the more well known varieties of arthritis. So exactly what is psoriatic arthritis and just how does this variety present itself?
We can learn a lot about this disease just from the name of the disease. Guess what? This joint condition is associated with a skin condition often known as “the heartbreak of psoriasis”. I know you’ve heard of that one! Well, psoriasis is a rather common skin condition in which the skin of the body reacts and shows up as red, raised patches on the skin, alligator-like scaly skin and simply an over all, generalized inflammation of the skin. Right now, psoriasis is known to affect around 2% of Caucasian Americans. But it is important to remember that this skin condition can most definitely appear in others besides just the Caucasian population.
Do you have psoriasis?
If so then you know that this aggravating skin condition can attack your belly button, your knees, your elbows, your scalp, and for goodness sakes, it can even affect your anus and genital area! Now that is just not right! At this point in time, health care professionals believe that Aaron 10% of those who suffer with the “heartbreak of psoriasis” also develop a simultaneous inflammation of specific body joints. When this happens, these patients gain a new label known as psoriatic arthritis.
So there you go.
Seems to go hand in hand. Having psoriasis, the skin condition, is a major risk factor for the development of psoriatic arthritis. This is particularly true if your psoriasis has begun to affect the joint. Not typically a young persons’ disease, psoriatic arthritis most often impacts most patients later in life, most often when people are in their forties and fifties. Men and women seem to be equally attacked by this condition. There doesn’t seem to be an increased incidence of occurrence between one sex or the other. In this case, men and women are equal!
The majority of patients experience onset of the diseases at different times. It is common that patients develop psoriasis before experiencing symptoms of psoriatic arthritis. Approximately 80 per cent of psoriatic arthritis patients develop psoriasis before the arthritis.
But of course everything in life cannot follow a definite pattern, since in some patients, they actually get a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis before actually developing a skin condition. This can make diagnosing the condition a bit more difficult. Unfortunately far too many patients suffer with either the arthritis or the psoriasis for way too long before figuring out that they two go together.
Just like with the other kinds of arthritis, psoriatic arthritis is a systematic disease meaning that it can attack many other parts of your body as well. So this leaves you wide open to so many other serious health conditions, including those which can damage your heart, lungs, kidneys, eye and mouth. With serious health concerns such as these lurking, you simply cannot afford to ignore either arthritis symptoms or psoriasis symptoms. Get smart, and get yourself to the doctor.
In the most serious cases of psoriatic arthritis, the impact on your vital organs can be life altering. With psoriatic arthritis, you are also at increased risk for spinal inflammation with can cause increased pain and limited movements.
So just what is responsible for psoriatic arthritis? What is the cause of psoriatic arthritis? While there are many theories on the “why” behind the reasons patients develop psoriatic arthritis, the bottom line is that the cause of this condition truly remains unknown. The majority of health care professionals generally agree that psoriatic arthritis is most probably a result of a combination of factors. These factors can be related to a variety of environmental factors, genetic factors and even an immune system basis. Researchers have been able to identify a genetic marker known as gene marker-HLA-B27- that is often present in the DNA of many of those patients who suffer with psoriatic arthritis.
There are even other genetic markers that are found in cases of psoriatic arthritis which continue to lead to researchers to believe that this condition is genetic in nature. Lab tests can help to confirm these genetic markers if they are present. Some research also indicates that a faulty immune system may also be a causative factor in the case of psoriatic arthritis. Other research shows that environmental factors may be to blame. Any way you slice it, the reasons can vary behind the development of psoriatic arthritis.
So, with psoriatic arthritis, you must work collaboratively with your health care provider so that you have an aggressive management plan designed specifically for you. This management plan must take into account its practicality and your willingness to comply.
Psoriatic arthritis is a battle faced by many each and every day, but it does not have to be a battle that you give up on long before the fight begins. Be your own best advocate if you are facing psoriatic arthritis. Do it well and do it now!
Holistic Medicine For The Treatment Of Arthritis
More natural and holistic medicine seems to be gaining more popularity today.
One of the chronic diseases which has gained attention in the holistic medicine world is arthritis.
Holistic medicine for the treatment of arthritis, an autoimmune disease causing joint inflammation and destruction, focuses on helping to relieve the pain and inflammation of arthritis.
Believers in holistic medicine focus on the theory that arthritis is really a result of multiple body stressors, such as an underlying imbalance with environmental, mental and physical considerations.
Those who follow holistic medicine practices believe that arthritis results from a combination of multiple causes and requires a multi-layered approached to treating it. When you schedule an appointment to be evaluated by a holistic medicine practitioner, typically you will be thoroughly evaluated using a variety of tests, including a physical examination, a full dietary assessment, a psychological evaluation and digestive functioning examination.
These and other tests can help to paint a more holistic picture of what is going on in your body and what those who practice holistic medicine believe can contribute to the development of and long term invasion of rheumatoid arthritis. Physicians who practice holistic medicine look to find the real root of the disease as well as work to build a comprehensive treatment plan.
Holistic treatment for arthritis tends to focus on the theories of traditional Chinese medicine. Treatment modalities include a base of proper nutritional support, stress reduction, Chinese herbal medicine, body detoxification, massage, exercise, and even acupuncture. Holistic medicine physicians who focus on traditional Chinese medicine believe that arthritis, as well as other diseases occur because there are obstructions which impede the energy flow to the organs. Specific herbs are used to restore function and energy to your body so that you can regain your health and by doing so hopefully reduce the impact of arthritis on your body.
Holistic medicine also abides by the theory that nutrition is a major impact on the pain and inflammation of arthritis. Many believe that the symptoms of arthritis are reduced by following a vegetarian diet. A diet which is more based in the traditions of Chinese and much less Western is considered to be better.
Others also believe that following stress reducing techniques, such as yoga and meditation, can help to relieve the stress of your life. By reducing stress holistic medicine believes that your body becomes more centered and focused and less disease-ridden. By removing the toxins in your body, holistic medicine believes that not only it is healthy for those suffering from a chronic disease but it is also healthier for those not living with a chronic disease.
The hallmark of holistic medicine for the treatment of arthritis is that instead of simply focusing on the treatment the individual symptoms, holistic medicine looks to heal the whole body. The focus is on restoring health to the entire you, not just you as a battery of symptoms. Finding a good practitioner who is willing to help you focus on holistic medicine for the treatment of arthritis can help you on your journey to a more vibrant and healthy future.