Arthritis Resources

Osteoarthritis

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis

 

Dogs & Arthritis

Arthritis Facts

Arthritis can affect individuals of all ages, even children.

Arthritis consists of much more than just minor aches and pains.

There is no scientific evidence that a cure for arthritis exists.

Osteoarthritis is slowly progressive and worsens over years.

Arthritis occurs equally in men and women.

Previous trauma to any joint can cause arthritis.

Ankylosing spondylitis and gouty arthritis are inherited.

Massage can help ease the pain:

Massage therapy can soothe pain, relax stiffness of muscles, and reduce the swelling. Massage helps maintain a joint's range of motion.

Arthritis Pain Check

It is important to know about the pain you have. Check your pain everyday and try to know what condition your joint has.

• Where does it hurt?
• How's the pain in the morning?
• How's the pain during the day time?
• How's the pain in the evening?
• How's the pain at night in bed?
• Do you sleep well?
• What aggravates the pain?
• What activities cause pain?
• How often do you take your medication?
• How effective is your medication?
• Any activities limit you to do because of the pain?
• How does your job affect your condition?

Nutrition & Exercise

Besides the general nutrition guide for overall well being, there are specific nutrients that seem to work particularly on arthritis conditions. A study shows vitamin C protects against arthritis and prevents symptoms. However, the excess intake of vitamin C actually can be bad for rheumatoid arthritis. If you have rheumatoid arthritis and are taking vitamin C supplement, make sure not to take more than the recommended daily allowance. For men, it is recommended to take 90 mg per day. For women, it is 75 mg. per day.

Other supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM are very popular supplements for arthritis. These supplements are available separately, as well as in various combinations with one another. They may often be found in capsule form, creams, liquids, and powders. There are many reports and studies that offer evidence that these supplements can help to reduce arthritis pain.

Another supplement that helps many people is Celadrin. Celadrin is available in both capsule and cream form, and the two forms may be combined for maximum benefit.

When taking an internal supplement designed to reduce inflammation and joint pain, benefits may be seen within a matter of days, but it can often take two months or more to see real effects. For this reason it may be necessary to continue with a supplement for at least two months in order to evaluate its effectiveness for your particular situation.

 
Arthritis devices - knee braces, orthopedic leg braces, wrist support, or other arthritis devices - can be very helpful in reducing the pain. Most braces are designed to support to the joint, and work by limiting the motion in the joint during the activity. This will reduce the pain normally associated with movement.

Resting

Try to relax and reduce the stress on the affected joint. If a patient has osteoarthritis, and the pain is mild or moderate, it is often that he will ignore the condition and neglect to take care of it without knowing because osteoarthritis worsens slowly. Resting is also good to reduce mental stress which may affect on your pain.

Massage

If a joint pain flares up suddenly, especially in a joint that is only rarely affected, it can be very beneficial to massage the joint. Even though it may be painful to touch, a gentle massage that continues for some time can "work out" some of the swelling and cause the joint to return to normal within a day or so.

Body pH and homeopathic methods

Natural health practitioners are increasingly finding that many conditions are aggravated by an acidic body pH, and arthritis is one of the main conditions such people often suffer from.  If this is the cause of your arthritis, you can try several steps in order to remedy the condition. Our first suggestion would be a homeopathic treatment of Magnesium Phosphorus in 30x strength. If this is taken according to directions it can provide a measure of relief within 2 days if an acidic condition is the cause. However, this is really more of a test than a treatment. It will probably continue to be effective for your pain, but you really need to modify your body's pH levels in order to increase your overall health, as many conditions can result from over-acidity.

Other products, such as Cell Power, Alka-Max, and others are available to help balance body pH. Control can also be achieved through diet.

(Note: You should receive detailed instructions of how to take the Magnesium Phosphorus homeopathic. Generally it is suggested to take about 4 pellets at a time. Initially they can be taken as often as 15 minutes apart, or 2 hours apart. By the second day it is generally recommended to decrease to 3 - 4 times per day. These should not be taken within 1 hour of consuming caffeine or mint, and if caffeine or mint was consumed, the mouth should be rinsed before taking. The Mag Phos should not be stored near essential oils or anything with a strong odor, nor exposed to heat. Also, the pellets are generally placed into the lid and then poured directly into the mouth, as the Mag Phos is coated on the outside of the pellet and is such a tiny amount that handling them with the fingers could remove too much of the beneficial substance.)

DMARDS for Rheumatoid Arthritis

The medications are expensive, generally reserved for patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis who have failed treatment with other strong drugs such as methotrexate.

The most common DMARDS are Plaquenil, Azathioprine, Arava, Cyclosporine, Gold sodium thiomalate.

Side effects include low white blood cell counts, blood or protein in the urine, nausea, and skin rashes.

Other supplements for your arthritis

Studies show certain supplements may reduce the arthritis pain.

Chondroitin sulfate, Glucosamine, Essential omega-6 fatty acid, Essential omega-3 fatty acid, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Folic Acid, Green tea, DHEA, Celadrin

Check also Biofreeze - pain relief gel for arthritis.