Treating Arthritis
Treating, arthritis is commonly treated by means of over the counter drugs. Though, using pharmaceutical drugs can be effective, however, it can also cause side effects and complications. That is why many people are now turning their backs in using synthetic drugs and instead use natural herbal medicine.
Here are few herbs that are used effectively for the treatment of different types of arthritis:
- Yucca – This herbs gives hope to a lot of people suffering from arthritis. The juice extracted from the plant is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
- Nettle – This is a well-known herb used by Chinese doctors in treating arthritis. They are found all over the world and they boost your immune system. Blood pressure, nosebleeds, eczema, arthritis and rheumatism are just few applications. Nettles contain sulphur, sodium, silicon, potassium, iron, chlorine, and calcium.
- Feverfew – This herb is used to treat migraine headaches, tinnitus, dizziness and arthritis.
- Chaparral – This native herbs found in Latin America is very useful in treating various types of arthritis. It is also used as a supplement for cancer patients.
- Celery seeds – The dried ripe fruits of celery seeds is use as an anti inflammatory and anti-spasmodic. This is great in treating arthritis, rheumatism and gout.
- Bogbean –Useful for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteo-arthritis and rheumatism. It also has a stimulating effect on the walls of intestine and colon.
- Black cohosh – The dried root is an effective treatment for neurological pan, rheumatic pain, osteo-arthritis and traumatic arthritis.
- Ginger – Ginger when rub in the affected part helps to relieve pain cause by arthritis. In addition, drinking of ginger tea also has anti oxidant properties that help strengthen your body.
These herbs are available at your local health food store or through the Internet. On the other hand, make sure to ask advice to your dealer on how to prepare them for use. Some herbs are used to ingest, drink or apply topically to the affected part. However, no matter what natural remedies you choose, please consult your doctor to ensure your safety. Treating arthritis with herbal plants should always have a doctor’s prescription.
Traumatic Arthritis
Traumatic arthritis is an inflammation of the joints or bone and occurs as part of the body’s reaction to injury. This type of arthritis is usually temporary; it is the body’s way of protecting the injured bone or joint. However, there are certain points that this type of arthritis may occur with or without a trauma. For example, in the shoulder, arthritis may occur by itself without any impetuous injury to adjacent structures. The joint gradually stiffens due to inflammation and the subsequent formation of scar tissue within the joint casing. This is known as frozen shoulder and usually resolves without treatment.
In most joints, traumatic arthritis is a result of the damage ligaments and other structures within the joints. The injury activates the body’s inflammatory response. For instance, if ligaments in the ankle are sprained, the joints swell. If treated correctly, the joint swelling will be gone when the main irritation to the joint is eliminated, or the injury is addressed and successfully treated. It may take a period of time before it heals. However, if the main injury to the joint or the precipitating is not treated, the inflammation may remain even longer, damaging the joints for a lifetime.
There are several ways to handle traumatic arthritis once you have acquired it. One thing you should do is to take anti-inflammatory medicine or painkillers. Painkillers help to alleviate pain in the joints cause by injury. After you have taken your medicine, try to apply a cold compress in the affected part. This helps soothe the inflammation and swelling for faster recovery of the joints to the injury. In addition, you can try to use oil such as olive oil or coconut oil to massage the affected part. There are also herbs that you can take to alleviate the pain. If you’re interested in taking herbal medicine, seek an herbalist. Herbs are proven to fight certain type of arthritis.
In case the pain persists for a week or two, it’s time for you to seek medical help. Consult your doctor for proper diagnosis and medication. It is important that you treat your arthritis as soon as possible. Traumatic arthritis that is left untreated can be dangerous and may lead to other similar complication.
Spinal Arthritis
Spinal arthritis is a type of arthritis affecting the spine. It can be very painful especially when standing or lifting objects. This is due to the worn out cartilage in the spine. The cartilage in the spine may break, become inflamed and swell. In addition, it may lead to osteoporosis, a type of bone disease occurring in old people.
Most common cause of Arthritis of the spine:
1. Trauma or accident – If you had a history of accident especially of the spine. The damage cartilage on your spine, even if it’s healed already can develop into arthritis. In research studies most spinal arthritis is cause by spinal accidents.
2. Aging – Arthritis of the spine may occur due to aging also. The lack of specific nutrients in the bone may lead to arthritis.
3. Lacks of nutrition’s – People who have calcium deficiency are much prone to have this type of arthritis.
4. Genetic History – You may develop this form of arthritis if you have a medical history of this in your family. This is inevitable; you may develop and passed this degenerative disease in your offspring.
5. Obesity – People who are obese or overweight are prone to develop spinal arthritis. The weight of the body puts much stress on the spine causing the cartilage to worn out and eventually swells. The more weight a person is, the more he may develop arthritis.
There is also treatment for this type of arthritis. Just like other form of arthritis, analgesic, anti inflammatory, and painkillers are the best remedies for this. There are also ointments and oils that you can use topically. This can alleviate the pain of arthritis. Herbs and other medicinal plants can also relieve pain. Most of the herbs are ingested to the body.
However, arthritis is incurable, there is no specific cure for arthritis. What doctors can do is to lessen the symptoms only. For severe cases, however, surgical procedure is the best option in relieving some of the symptoms of arthritis. Nevertheless, the effect of the surgery still depends to individual. Spinal arthritis is a life threatening degenerative disease that needs proper consultation and check up.
Shoulder Arthritis
Shoulder arthritis is a type of ostoearthritis, which affects the ball socket of the shoulders. It is also called tear and wear arthritis or degenerative joint disease characterized by gradual wearing away of the cartilage of the joint. As the protective healthy cartilage surface of the joint is worn away by arthritis, bare bone is exposed causing swelling and pain. However, the other form of arthritis in shoulders is rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the joints. This inflammation can cause severe pain and destroy the cartilage, the joints and the bones.
Shoulder arthritis normally affects patients over 40 years of age. It is more common in patients who have a family history of the disease; meaning to say it is genetically inherited. However, it can also be acquire through injury, trauma or accidents. Another factor is due to the process of aging. When a person grows old, the natural lubricating fluid in the ball socket of the shoulder erodes causing stiffness and swelling of the joints.
The most common symptoms of arthritis in shoulders are:
- Pain with Activities – You may experience pain in your shoulder during such activities like lifting or even a normal hand movement.
- Limited motion – Shoulder arthritis affects your mobility or movement.
Treatment for this type of arthritis includes applying oral ointment to massage the affected part. Others use natural herbs as supplements. These herbs such as the black cohosh when taken as a tea along with the ointment can reduce pain and swelling of the joints. In addition here are other type of treatment that is available at present day.
- Anti-Inflammatory Medications – This medication are also known as pain killers. It can reduce the swelling and pain cause by arthritis. Consult your doctor before taking any anti-inflammatory drugs.
- Cortisone injections – This may help decrease the inflammation and reduce paint within the joints. While this condition is not curable, it may lessen the symptoms and help control the pain
Nevertheless, if painkillers, cortisone injection and other medication don’t work, then your last option will be shoulder replacement surgery. It is a procedure that replaces the damage cartilage using a metal and plastic implant. Shoulder arthritis can find relief using reverse shoulder surgery, which is a total replacement of the ball socket in the shoulder.
Rumatory Arthritis
Rumatory arthritis is a chronic disease, which until now there is no known cure. This disease attacks the cartilage, the joints and the bones. The disease is also genetically inherited, so if you have a medical history regarding this type of arthritis, chances are you will also acquire this disease. Nevertheless, there are certain cases which you can acquire this even if there is no history of this arthritis in your family. Trauma or accident may cause this condition. A damage of the cartilage or joints due to accident or trauma can be a contributing factor of having rumatory arthritis. In addition, certain foods may trigger arthritis such as eating animal meat that are rich in uric acid. Uric acid can damage the cartilage making it stiff and eventually tear it apart.
The symptoms of this disease include sharp pain and swelling on the affected part. This is due to the bone-to-bone friction. The bone-to-bone friction happens when the lining of the cartilage in the bone is torn apart. The tear and the break away cartilage makes the joints and bones to swell sending severe pain to the patient. In addition, deformity of the joints especially in the fingers is one of the severe symptoms of rumatory arthritis.
There are many treatments available today to treat and alleviate the symptoms of this disease. Unfortunately, doctors cannot cure the disease but only lessen the symptoms of it. One popular treatment for this type of arthritis are the used of painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines. This medication can alleviate the pain as well as the inflammation. Another type of treatment is the use of corticosteroid, which is normally injected, in the affected part. It is very effective in reducing the symptoms; nevertheless prolonged use of the medication is not advisable due to certain side effects. In addition, the use of natural plants or herbs as supplements is very essential to arthritis patients. It can alleviate the pain and some certain symptoms of arthritis. However, for severe cases of arthritis, surgery may be required. Rumatory arthritis is treatable using modern type of surgery such as artificial cartilage replacement.