Arthritis Introduction

The word ‘arthritis’ means ‘inflammation of joints.’ It comes from two Greek words, athron meaning joints and itis meaning inflammation. It is a chronic disease process. In the early stages, the whole body is usually involved and one or two joints may become completely deformed, leaving the patient handicapped and somewhat weakened. It is mostly seen in the elderly. Inflammation is the main feature of arthritis, which is a reaction of the joint tissues to some form of damage or injury and it highly affects joints and bones.

Types of Arthritis

There are more than 150 different types of arthritis and all affect joints and bones. The most common forms of arthritis are:

1. Osteoarthritis

2. Rheumatoid arthritis and

3. Gout.

Osteo-arthritis:- it is the most common degenerative joint disease and occurs after the age of 40. In this the bones increase in size and the space between them decreases, making the bones rub against each other, causing pain. It also results from structure changes in the particular cartilage, in the joints, mainly of spine and knees.

Rheumatoid Arthritis:- It is a serious disease that can occur at any stage of life. It is more disastrous then osteoarthritis as it destroys the ligaments and tendons that join the bones and muscles. It affects not only the joints of the fingers, wrists, hips, knees and feet but also the muscles, tendons and other tissues of the body. It is an autoimmune disorder where synovial membranes that line the joints, get inflamed and thickened, leading to pain and deformity of joints.

Gout:- It is caused by an excess of uric acid that accumulates in the system forming crystals that are caught in the spaces between the joints and cause inflammation and irritation. An excruciating pain is created in thumb, knee or elbow and most commonly the big toe.

Arthritis Symptoms

Arthritis refers to the more than 100 distinct diseases that cause pain and swelling, and limit movement in joints and connective tissue. It is the main cause of severe pain and disability, which limits physical activity. The main symptoms of arthritis are:

1. Joint pain

2. Joint stiffness

3. Inability to move the joint freely and

4. Joint swelling

Other symptoms can include fever, fatigue, flu-like symptoms, lower extremity rash, and nodules.

Arthritis Causes

Many are of a view that living in a damp, cold climate increases the possibility of becoming afflicted with this very painful and debilitating condition and others ascribe it to overuse, for example typists whose fingers become knotted, athletes with swollen knees and troublesome hips, ballerinas with painful feet. It can also be caused by bad fall, a severe jolt or the trauma of an accident. The variety of other factors that cause arthritis are :

1. Joint instability:- Severe or recurrent joint injury from heavy physical activity, excess overweight-excessive body weight, exercise activities such as long-distance running, basketball, etc. performed over many years will result in the development of arthritis

2. Age related changes

3. Hormonal factors:- higher proportion of women suffer from this disease as compare to men and this is the result of hormonal changes which take place during the menopause.

4. Environmental factors:- like some are of the view that damp conditions increases the possibility of arthritis.

5. Psychological factors:- like stress that disturbs the body’s hormonal balance and makes the immune system weak.

6. Food allergy:- a diet rich in animal products, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and wheat.

7. Nutrient deficiency:- calcium, magnesium, manganese, protein, essential fatty acids.

Arthritis Treatment – Home Remedies for Arthritis

1. Try a red flannel wrapped gently around painful joint and leave it overnight.

2. A gentle massage with warm live oil as soon as the pain starts is cheap and effective. One of the good home remedies for arthritis.

3. Garlic, juniper, lavender, cajuput, sage, rosemary, thyme, or sassafras Any one of these oils diluted in the proportions of one part to 10 parts of olive oil and used to massage the painful joint will bring immense relief. One of the well liked home remedies for arthritis.

4. The patient should be given a lukewarm enema for a few days to cleanse the bowels as the first step to prevent arthritis is to relieve constipation.

5. Steam baths and massage once a week are beneficial in the treatment of arthritis.

6. All general cold-water treatments, such as cold baths and cold sprays, should be avoided.

7. An extra supplement of calcium, zinc and vitamin C is often recommended and is worth trying at an early stage.

8. Sea bathing is considered beneficial in the treatment of arthritis.

9. The water should be drunk in the morning with an empty stomach. Fresh juice can also be extracted from potatoes and dilute it with water on 50:50 basis make it the first thing in the morning. One of the well liked home remedies for arthritis.

10. Dandalion is the remedy of choice–its leaf has diuretic quality that increases output from the kidneys, while its root is a mild laxative and liver tonic that enhances bowel movement.

11. Circulation around the joints can be improved through tissue-cleansing properties of essential oils, of Juniper, Cypress and Lemon, whereas oils of lavender, Rosemary and Chamomile have mild analgesic and high anti-inflammatory properties.

12. Take 1-2 capsules of cold liver oil daily, use hot/cold water according to local weather conditions.

13. Take four peeled pieces of garlic, and two grams of Sprague. Powder both and dip in 30 grams of mustard oil and heat slowly. Massage daily with this oil on pains. One of the effective home remedies for arthritis.

14. Take 10 grams of camphor and 200 grams of mustard oil. Mix in a glass bottle and close with a tight cork and keep the bottle in the sun till the camphor dissolves. Massage the affected area daily. One of the best home remedies for arthritis.

15. With feet massage eyesight improves and dryness, swelling and Oil massage should be done at least four times a mouth.

16. The patient suffering from arthritis should not sit idle nor over-exert himself or herself. Immobility may lead to stiffness of joints and over-exertion may be lead to damage of ligaments.

17. Epsom salts (4 TBSP) should be added to bathing water, to reduce inflammation and stiffness of joints.

18. The body should be kept warm at all times. Joints should not be bandaged tightly as this limits movement and interferes with the free circulation of blood.

19. The patient should relax for 30 minutes every night in a tub of warm water in which cupful of sea salt has been mixed.

Arthritis Diet

The diet can go a long way in curing diseases. The diet of the arthritis patient should be planned along alkaline lines and should include fruits and vegetables for protection, proteins and carbohydrates for energy. Red meat and dairy products are destructive whereas a vegetarian diet, or one including fish, with plenty or raw fruit and vegetables can do miracles. Cabbage, carrot, celery, cucumber, lettuce, onion, radishes, tomatoes and watercress may be used for raw salad. The cooked vegetables may include asparagus, beets, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, celery, brinjal, mushroom, onions, peas, beans, spinach, tomatoes, squash and turnips.



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The Meaning of Arthritis

Joint inflammation is what arthritis means. Arthritis encompasses a wide variety of diseases and is not a single disease.

There are more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions, that can cause pain, stiffness in the body and also swelling of the joints.

When one of these conditions damages the joints of the body this is when it is referred to as arthritis. Arthritis effect and disables our seniors and people 65 and older. There are many different forms of arthritis and they each have there own cause.

What do they have in common, 100 different diseases

We have a hundred different forms of arthritis, so what is common with all of them? The answer to this question is without a doubt pain. The arthritis pain will be different among all of the individuals suffering from arthritis, and the location of the pain will also be different.

Some symptoms of arthritis to warn you of possible problems

Swelling of your joints and stiffness are some of the signs and symptoms that you may be suffering from arthritis.

Are you feeling stiffness and swelling in one or more of your joints and have you been feeling this for a couple weeks or more? If you answered yes to the above then you need to visit your physician and have these warning signs diagnosed and treated.

Listing all the different types of arthritis would become quite extensive and I am not about to do that here. I will do another article explaining them, but for now here is a list of some of the most common types and the symptoms that are associated with each type of arthritis.

Osteoarthritis – what you will find is that the pain is worse at night or after rest. Osteo arthritis is a degenerative joint disease that results from wear and tear. Some of the symptoms of this are:

pain tenderness swelling decreased function

The onset of osteo arthritis is very subtle and gradual, usually involving one or only a few joints. Some of the joints most affected by this are:

knees hips hands spine

Rheumatoid – pain is felt in the morning. Sometimes in the elderly and children the pain may not be as pronounced, but some limbs may not want to function.

When you are suffering from Rheumatoid arthritis you are suffering from an auto immune disease. What is happening is the body is attacking itself. This can be a chronic and a disabling problem and can cause the following:

stiffness joint pain swelling loss of joint function

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis remains elusive. Doctors believe that there could be something genetic involved with this. Rheumatoid arthritis in the beginning stages can be difficult to diagnose because again this is gradual and has subtle symptoms.

There are many different types of arthritis and I am going to list some of them now. There is rheumatoid, osteoarthritis, gout and pseudogout, septic, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and many more.

The advances in medicine today have made treating the different types of arthritis many. You can use medicine prescribed by your doctor or even over the counter drugs and also arthroplasty and this is only a couple of ways to treat arthritis symptoms.

When joint pain is so severe that there may come a time when prosthetic joint replacement may become necessary. The people who have had this done are very satisfied with the results.

Arthritis has been around a long time. The first traces of arthritis dates back to 4500 B.C.

Dinosaurs have even had evidence to have had ankle osteoarthritis. The skeletal remains of Native Americans of Tennessee were noticed to have arthritis.

As time and technology advances may be in the future there will be a cure for arthritis. But only time will tell. Right now we try to treat the symptoms of pain and stiffness the best that we can.

There are other treatments besides the couple listed above and I will talk about them in another article.

Today many people struggle because of some form of arthritis, so learn of some Arthritis Prevention Tips now and you can also discover how some of the Celebrities with Rheumatoid Arthritis get by.



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Millions of people suffer from untreated pain for a variety of illnesses and ailments. In fact, since 1986, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that inadequate treatment of cancer and non-cancer pain is a serious public health concern.

Therefore, in the face of this knowledge, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new, controlled release pain reliever in 1995 called Oxycontin.

Oxycontin (Oxycodone HCI controlled-release) is the brand name of a drug that contains the opioid Oxycodone, a very strong narcotic pain reliever with twice the potency of morphine. By 2001, Oxycontin was the most widely prescribed brand name narcotic pain medication, with sales exceeding $1 billion annually. Originally prescribed to help treat the pain associated with cancer, Oxycontin was designed to slowly release Oxycodone over time, allowing patients to use it twice daily and to retain steady relief.

The opioid quality of Oxycontin works to relieve pain by attaching to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are found in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract. When these drugs attach to the opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord they can effectively block the transmission of pain messages to the brain.

However, due to the potency of the drug, if large amounts of oxycodone are released from the tablet all at once, there is potential for a dangerous or fatal drug overdose.

Pharmacological effects of opioid agonists, including Oxycontin, are:

* Anxiolysis (a drug-induced state where patients respond normally to verbal commands). While coordination and cognitive function may be impaired, other functions remain unaffected).

* Euphoria.

* Feelings of relaxation.

* Respiratory depression.

* Constipation.

* Miosis.

* Cough suppression.

Adverse effects of opioid agonists and Oxycontin include:

* Nausea.

* Vomiting.

* Central nervous system (CNS) effects.

* Respiratory depression.

In addition, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), abuse of Oxycontin is associated with serious consequences including addiction, overdose and death. The FDA states the potential dangers associated with Oxycontin and, while it is approved for use, has classified Oxycontin as a schedule II controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 because it has a high potential for abuse and can lead to psychological and/or physical dependence. Schedule II drugs have the highest potential for abuse of any approved drugs.

In early 2000, reports of improper and illicit use of Oxycontin surfaced. Some of these reported cases have been associated with serious consequences including death. Oxycontin, as with any prescription narcotic, carries with it some risk of dependency and abuse. However, due to the large numbers of prescriptions being written for Oxycontin it is difficult to monitor the use and abuse of Oxycontin. Even though Oxycontin was originally intended to help cancer patients treat their chronic pain, more prescriptions are being written to treat moderate to severe non-cancer pain. The prescriptions for Oxycontin, particularly those to treat non-cancer pain, are growing rapidly, with nearly half of the prescriptions being made by primary care physicians.

According to the FDA, there is some concern that Oxycontin is being prescribed by physicians who are not properly trained in pain management. The FDA has cited Purdue Pharmaceuticals twice for using potentially false or misleading medical journal advertisements that violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. As such, the FDA has taken action against Purdue Pharmaceutical. Purdue’s aggressive, and sometimes deceptive, advertising campaign promoting Oxycontin as a “general” pain reliever contributes to the cavalier attitude being taken. These attitudes have led to wide spread abuse of this potent pain medication. Other factors that contribute to the wide abuse of Oxycontin include:

* Availability of the drug: To those that need it and to those that do not.

* The warning label: Warns against the dangers of crushing Oxycontin because of the possibility of a rapid release of the potentially fatal narcotic in fact informed users of how to abuse the drug. All opioids carry a risk of dependency and abuse. For example heroin, a well-known narc otic, is a very potent opioid and comes with a very high risk of dependency and abuse.

* Inadequate research: The controlled release quality of Oxycontin led the FDA to believe it would have less potential for abuse than other pain medications of the same

* caliber and class. However, there was an oversight in the process of research, as the FDA did not consider that Oxycontin could be crushed or dissolved in water. Doing this disrupts the controlled release process and instead causes a rush or “high” in the user.

Congressional hearings were held in December 2001 and again in February 2002 to address the abuse of Oxycontin. Both the FDA and Purdue Pharmaceutical began to take steps to address the problems associated with the use and abuse of Oxycontin. In July 2001 the FDA strengthened the warnings and precautions section in the labeling, issuing a “black box” warning, the highest possible warning level. Together with Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the FDA also developed a risk management program to help detect the abuse of, and prevent abuse of, Oxycontin.

Purdue has also initiated programs to educate health care providers about the risks associated with the abuse of Oxycontin. They have issued a warning in the form of a “Dear Healthcare Professional” letter. The letter informs health care providers of the potential misuse of Oxycontin and reiterates the importance of discretion and necessity when prescribing the drug.

The letter was distributed widely to physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals in an attempt to thwart the writing of gratuitous prescriptions and to ensure that health care providers are communicating accurately and thoroughly the dangers associated with the use of Oxycontin to their patients.

The FDA continues to monitor the use and abuse of Oxycontin and is working together with other federal agencies and drug manufacturers to ensure that this drug continues to be available to those that need it, and that it is being used in appropriate ways. Discounting the abuse and addiction concerns, when properly prescribed and used as directed, Oxycontin is an effective pain medication for moderate to severe pain.



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