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Posts Tagged ‘Inflammatory Response’

From A Nurse: Get Rid Of Your Arthritis Pain Now

18 Aug



Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects joints in a different way depending on their location in the body, causing various symptoms. Arthritis is usually found in the joints of the fingers, feet, knees, hips, and spine.

There’s a little-known natural solution to curing oneself of arthritis pain that I discovered several years ago. I know the secret to getting rid of arthritis pain and it’s not taking drugs.

Joints are designed for normal and painless movement and are primarily supplied by the synovium and cartilage. The ability to make repairs to cartilage becomes limited as cartilage cells age. Cartilage contains chondrocytes, water, proteoglycans and collagen; chondrocytes are the basic cartilage cells and are necessary for balance and function.

The cause of arthritis (osteoarthritis) and the factors leading to the deterioration of cartilage in osteoarthritis is still not understood. One possible cause of arthritis is the inflammatory response due to the over-reaction of the immune system to an injury or other assault in the body, like an infection. As chondrocytes (the cells that make up cartilage) age, they lose their ability to make repairs and produce more cartilage; this process may play an important role in the development and progression of osteoarthritis.

Natural treatment for arthritis is usually a better choice because it’s non-invasive to the body. Many arthritis sufferers have changed their diets and noticed significant or total improvement. Gluten may be a culprit in arthritic diseases including fibromyalgia; avoid wheat, barley, rye, spelt, triticale, kamut and oats (although not a gluten grain it gets contaminated at the wheat mills).

Make smoothies with fruit only using a base of two bananas, adding a cup of frozen or fresh blueberries and mango chunks or substitute any other fruit and add an energy boost of two tablespoons of coconut oil; add one or two leaves of kale for another highly nutritional boost — no one will ever know. Some foods and beverages to avoid that are inflammatory are: caffeine, salt, sugar, meat, dairy products, additives, soft drinks, white flour, white rice, alcoholic beverages, fast food, processed vegetable oils, refined, packaged and processed food.

Make highly nutritious raw applesauce using a food processor and put in 3-4 cored pesticide-free apples, with the skin on, and mix for a minute; so much better for you than canned highly processed applesauce and add 1/4 tsp. cinnamon or two tablespoons of freshly ground flaxseed for another boost.

The first step in managing your arthritis is to change your diet; I think all experts would agree on this. Keep in mind, if you take a joint supplement it should help do three things — build cartilage, relieve everyday joint pain, and enhance your flexibility and movement.

I know quite a few people who are drinking tart cherry juice to relieve their arthritis pain; has to the tart kind though.

I eat a diet of living foods (fruits, raw veggies, raw nuts and raw seeds) to relieve my arthritis pain and this should be tried for at least 30 days, thus eliminating any foods that might be culprits.

A good exercise routine is the key to beating arthritis and arthritis pain. Exercise is good for joints affected by osteoarthritis. If you have pain and swelling in your fingers, try squeezing Thera-putty made for this purpose or exercising with two Chinese chime balls. Don’t just sit there, keep moving.

Keep a bedside basket of arthritic aids for arthritic hands (Theraputty, hand grips, Taiji chime balls, etc.) to be used at bedtime or while watching television. Whatever you do, keep moving; don’t sit when you can stand, don’t stand when you can walk. Even the lightest exercise can go a long way to maintaining your joint mobility and overall health.

Drugs commonly used for arthritis pain can cause ulcers, heart disease and liver or kidney damage. Once you become more informed about arthritis you’ll be able to plan an arthritis treatment program, natural or conventional or a combination of both. If you’re planning to take any of the non-prescription NSAIDS for arthritis, make sure you understand what bad effects they can have on the stomach, liver and/or kidneys and discuss this with your doctor.

Arthritis pain relief is the ultimate goal – understanding arthritis is a good way to get there. Following these suggestions can help you get back in the swing of things and allow you to spend your days enjoying life once more. I got rid of my arthritis pain years ago when I stopped eating dead food and changed my diet to all living foods; you can do it too.

 
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Vitamins And Supplements To Reduce Allergy Symptoms

29 Jul



Allergy symptoms such as sneezing, a running nose, coughing, and watery eyes can make your life very miserable. It is therefore paramount that you find ways to reduce your symptoms so that you can lead a better quality of life. One of the most effective way of boosting your immune system to fight allergies is with consuming vitamins and supplements. Here are some:

- Vitamin C. Vitamin C can act as a mild antihistamine, which can help you to have fewer allergy symptoms when you come into contact with a particular allergen. Two to ten thousand milligrams of this vitamin can be taken in divided doses throughout your day to help keep that antihistamine property throughout the day, since Vitamin C is excreted from the body after four to six hours.

- Beta-carotene. This vitamin works to boost the immune system, which can help you to naturally fight off the histamine or allergy response to specific allergens. Some foods naturally contain beta-carotene, including deep orange vegetables and fruits like papaya or cantaloupe. You can up the intake of these foods or you can choose to take a beta-carotene supplement.

- Magnesium. Magnesium has been found to help make breathing easier. It helps in decreasing the constriction response in the lungs. If this has been one of your allergy symptoms, then magnesium could be an excellent choice for your allergy regimen.

- Vitamin E. Vitamin E is known as an antioxidant that can help boost and increase the effect of your immune system. It has been found very effective in studies in decreasing the symptoms of allergic rhinitis, which an inflammatory response in the nose, eyes, and throat that is caused by allergen exposure.

- Vitamin B Complex. Studies have found that taking Vitamin B Complex can help to reduce your allergy symptoms by half. This is a significant finding, because it can move most allergy symptoms down into a more manageable range that is easier to deal with. Some patients saw their symptoms decrease to almost nothing, which gave them the opportunity to live a normal life for the first time.

Allergy vitamins can strengthen the immune system of your body so that it can work better than before. They can help decrease your histamine response when your body comes into contact with an offending allergen. Taking high quality vitamins and supplements is a much healthier preventative option as compared to treating yourself with over-the-counter medications and/or prescription medications. Be sure to check with your healthcare provider about taking any of the above mentioned vitamins and supplements and their recommended dosages before consumption.

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Arthritis – Fish Oil Connection

26 Apr



For many people, it seems that arthritis is a condition of aging that one simply can not avoid. The aches and pains of life simply catch up with the patient over the course of their lifetimes, resulting in achy and stiffened joints. But what many people do not realize is that arthritis is a condition that can be controlled with various drugs and supplements – leaving the patient to lead a healthy and pain free life.

What is Arthritis?

Though some myths about arthritis seem to still pervade common thought – i.e. cracking one’s knuckles can lead to arthritic joints – science has shown that there is more to the story. Arthritis is a condition in which the joints swell, causing pain, swelling, and stiffness. Some cases of arthritis are linked with the amount of activity that is done over the course of a lifetime, while other cases are the result of trauma to the joint. Aging is another direct cause of arthritis. As the joints begin to weaken from the years of use, the joints can become damaged, leading to the inflammatory response.

The problem with arthritis is that it can lead to a much lower quality of life for those affected. Instead of being able to move around easily, these patients can have bad days in which they area unable to move well, causing them to stay indoors and away from activities they enjoy. Arthritis can also lead patients to avoid certain movements. And this lack of activity can actually make the condition worsened.

There are many forms of arthritis that can affect the patient:

Osteoarthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis

Gout

Juvenile arthritis

Septic arthritis

It’s important to note that some forms of arthritis can affect juvenile patients as well as those not in their later years. Rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile arthritis can affect very young patients, but become a lifelong battle of pain control and mobility problems.

How is Arthritis Usually Treated?

For most patients, arthritis is treated with pain medications as well as medications that help to reduce the amount of inflammation in the joints. By adding physical therapy and other forms of activity as well, you can increase the mobility of the joints without causing more harm to them in the process.

In extreme cases of arthritis in which the joint is severely damaged, the joint may need to be replaced entirely. This is often seen in the case of damaged knees and hips, whether the condition was hereditary to begin with or simply a case of aging.

For more aggressive and painful forms of arthritis, like rheumatoid arthritis, patients may need to have IV medications on a weekly basis to help control the inflammation.

Are There Other Ways to Stop the Inflammation?

This is a question that may have asked in the beginning stages of arthritis. To answer this query, scientists have begun studying the body to see how the inflammatory cycle works and how it can be disrupted. There has been some success with anti-inflammatory drugs like prednisone, but these can have negative side effects that patients do not enjoy. Prednisone especially can cause bloating and excessive weight gain in the patient, which can be uncomfortable as well as damaging to the patient’s mental status.

A team of researchers at Royal Adelaide Hospital found that fish oil might be a good supplement for those suffering from arthritis conditions. Though they were studying the supplement for its effectiveness on cardiovascular diseases, they noticed that not only were patients having fewer arthritis flare ups, but that they were also being protected from heart disease. In addition, they were not experiencing the same side effects as their traditional medications and were able to replace many of their medications entirely.

As an added bonus, these researchers have also indicated that fish oil might work well as a preventative measure against arthritis.

How Can Patients Get Started?

While the benefits of fish oil for arthritis seem to be clear, patients will still want to talk with their physicians before adding this supplement regimen to their life. Fish oil can not always replace other medications, however, but it might be able to increase the effectiveness of the current therapies.

Even if patients are not ready to go for completely supplementation, they can try adding more foods with these essential fatty acids in them. For example, eating more fish and fortified foods can help to boost essential fatty acid levels. You might also want to try other essential fatty acids like those found in flaxseed and nuts and seeds.

Conclusion

While science is beginning to link the benefits of fish oil for arthritis, some patients may still be wary of taking these supplements. However, it is clear that adding a few additional sources of essential fatty acids to the daily diet is a good idea when you have inflammatory conditions. As the benefits become clear to the patient, they can always move onto higher levels of these fatty acids in the supplement form.

 
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Gout – Causes, Stages and Treatment For This Inflammatory Arthritis

28 Mar



What is Gout?

Gout is a type of inflammatory arthritis that occurs in response to a build-up of crystals that are deposited in joints, soft tissue or bone. The crystals are formed as a byproduct of purine breakdown that occur naturally in the body. About 5.1 million Americans are affected by gout. It affects men older than 40 more than women, although after menopause, both men and women are equally affected.

What Causes Gout?

Uric acid is a natural byproduct of purine breakdown which is then eliminated by our kidneys. Our bodies are not very efficient however in eliminating uric acid and thus a build-up occurs which is known as hyperuricemia. Hyperuricemia is the precursor to gout although not everyone who has hyperuricemia will get gout for reasons that are not well understood. This uric acid leads to crystal formations that are deposited in joints, bones and soft tissue. These needle-like crystals can cause excruciating pain that is often likened to breaking a bone.

4 Stages of Gout

1. Asymptomatic hyperuricemia

During this period, the person has no symptoms of gout but none-the-less, crystals are deposited and accumulate which then leads to a gout attack. Again, why this occurs in some people with hyperuricemia and not others is not well understood.

2. Acute gout attack

Left untreated, an acute attack resolves spontaneously in 3 to 10 days. It is believed that the inflammation and lower pH that occurs during the attack eventually causes the crystals to dissolve. In addition, some of the crystals become walled-off in tissue while other types of cells known as macrophages may elicit an anti-inflammatory response. Finally, specific proteins are thought to coat the crystals which also suppress inflammation. These processes lead to a resolution of symptoms within 3-10 days.

3. Intercritical period

This is the period between attacks. Generally, about 68% of people will experience another gout attack or flare within the first year, 78% within 2 years and 84% within 3 years. A small minority will never experience another gout attack. During this intercritical period the individual remains pain free despite the fact that damage to the underlying structures can still occur.

4. Advanced Gout

Over time, the persistence of crystals cause chronic low-level inflammation that leads to joint damage and build up of crystal deposits that are known as tophi. These deposits lead to joint erosion and deformities that are clearly evident on X-ray or MRI.

How is Gout Diagnosed?

The gold standard for diagnosis is to take a sample of joint fluid during an acute flare to analyze it for monosodium urate crystals. However this is not always practicable during a medical exam. If the joint is not aspirated, a very detailed history is taken, the affected joint is carefully examined and blood work is ordered because gout can mimic other diseases.That is why it is very important to see your provider during an acute attack.

How is Gout Treated?

During an acute flare, treatment focuses on eliminating pain and disability as quickly as possible. To this end several types of medications can be used. Since inflammation is an underlying condition, medications that target inflammation are often used.

Treatment of advanced gout focuses on reducing the level of uric acid since gout does not occur without hyperuricemia. The goal is to prevent erosive changes to bones, soft tissue and joint spaces that otherwise occur. Talk to your provider about treatment options that are best for you.

 
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