What is Rheumatoid Arthritis ?

Arthritis is the term used for over 100 rheumatoid and joint related diseases, with the most common being Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The word arthritis refers to “joint inflammation” and rheumatoid arthritis is actually an attack on the immune system where the system turns on itself and attacks the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis causes joint pain and swelling, redness, warmth and can affect other organs of the body like skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood, nerves or kidneys. Rheumatoid arthritis affects approximately 1% of the population, in which 75% of those diagnosed are women. The exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, but scientists attribute this disease to a combination of genetic, environmental and hormonal factors. With rheumatoid arthritis, something seems to trigger the immune system to attack itself. This could happen after a sudden trauma or a surgery, and the severity is not the same in all people. Some theories suggest that a virus or bacteria alter the immune system. Therefore, since the root cause of rheumatoid arthritis is so different from osteoarthritis, of course the treatment and remedies are different also.

Rheumatoid arthritis is diagnosed by a positive Rh factor, (a blood test), and x-rays that show rheumatoid deterioration in the joints. There are many different ways to treat rheumatoid arthritis, which include medication, rest, exercise and surgery. The medications fall into two specific categories, NSAIDs and DMARDs, and attempt to reduce the pain, swelling and inflammation. Humira, one of the latest discoveries, attempts to isolate the diseased cells so they cannot reproduce and cause more harm.

In the past 10 years, alternative medicine has also taken a predominant place in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Some of these non-prescription methods include:

• ibuprofen

• herbs such as cat's claw and white willow to reduce pain

• glucosamine and chondriton are used to promote new cartilage growth

• warm baths in Epsom Salts

• application of menthol ointment to the affected joints

Rheumatoid arthritis is not to be taken lightly or ignored, so investigate the treatments and choose the best for yourself.

Learn more about arthritis and what you can do to treat it: go to Arthritis Relief and Prevention

Arthritis Pain Can Be Difficult To Cope With

There's no doubt about it - the pain associated with arthritis can be intense. Depending where your arthritis is located, you might have pain in your joints or your back. You may even find it difficult to move about when your arthritis pain flares up. The frustrating part is that quite often your arthritis could start acting up, and you can't even pinpoint what's aggravating it. Perhaps it's the weather, or maybe you sleep in the wrong position - but you don't know for sure.

Arthritis pain can be extremely hard to live with. Arthritis in the back is one of the most painful forms of arthritis, and can interfere with your daily life extensively. If it flares up during the damp season, for example, it may be that you feel obliged to stay at home for days on end. Strolling around the shops or playing golf may be out of the question for you. You may spend a great deal of time sitting or lying down in an attempt to cope with the level of pain.

Having arthritis pain in the knee is also extremely tiresome. Moving about requires your knee joint to flex, and if that's painful, you may feel it's easier to cut down your favourite activities so that you can do less walking. You might also find your knee aches badly when it's cold outside, and may even start to ache right before the weather changes. Some people find their body acts as a type of weather meter, which has its advantages, but the arthritis pain generally outweighs that.

Reality is that no matter whereabouts in your body you have arthritis, there are times when arthritis pain can be unbearable. If you have a family history of arthritis, and find that you're suffering consistent pain in your shoulder, back, neck, hip or knee, then it's a good idea to visit your doctor for a check-up. Your doctor will be able to make sure that it's arthritis that's the problem, not another condition, and will be able to prescribe pain relief for you. If the pain is mild or infrequent, your doctor may suggest that you use over the counter pain relief for your arthritis.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Quick Arthritis Pain Relief. He provides more information on arthritis symptoms, causes and arthritis pain relief that you can research in your pajamas on his website at http://www.quickarthritispainrelief.com

You Can Help Eliminate Arthritis

Are you aware that today over 66 million people have arthritis or chronic joint pain? On average, that is approximately one in three people that are suffering from arthritis at this moment. That is almost as large as the population of Virginia...times 10!

Do you think the chronic joint pain caused by arthritis is reserved for the elderly? It isn't limited to those that are older. Arthritis affects all ages. There are nearly 300,000 children in America with some form of arthritis or rheumatic disease.

If you happen to be one of the fortunate who is not currently suffering from arthritis, don't think it is not affecting you. Arthritis costs the U.S. economy $86.2 billion annually. That is not a mistake. The cost to our country is in the billions of dollars each year.

I know several people whose lives are impacted by arthritis and related diseases. My wife is one of those. Kim continually experiences joint pain due to arthritis and lupus. She takes medications daily and frequently visits doctors and physical therapists to cope with the hurting. Surgeries have also taken place in the past.

Do you know someone with arthritis? You might be surprised at what he or she has to go through to deal with the hurting. You might also be surprised at the limits it places on daily living.

I decided to make a difference. I became a volunteer for the Arthritis Foundation. They are the only national not-for-profit organization that supports the more than 100 types of arthritis and related conditions with advocacy, programs, services and research. They partner with organizations to offer exercise programs and courses specifically for those affected by arthritis. They offer these programs in my own hometown of Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Each year the Arthritis Foundation holds walks across the country to raise funds and awareness. My team, the Pain Killers, participated in the Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk this past May. We helped raise more than $33,000.00 in Fredericksburg for the Arthritis Foundation. I now have the honor of being selected as the chairperson for the 2006 Fredericksburg Arthritis Walk.

I encourage you to honor that person you know with arthritis by helping with the Arthritis Walk in your area. Get your friends and coworkers involved as well. There are many ways to get involved. You will make new friends and have fun while working to eliminate the #1 cause of disability.

To learn more about arthritis and to find an Arthritis Walk in your area go to http://www.arthritis.org or call 404-872-7100. To join or donate to Team Pain Killers go to http://arthritiswalkfredericksburg.kintera.org/faf/r.asp?t=12&i=150101&g=1161782. Roger Carr is the founder of Everyday Giving (http://www.everydaygiving.com) and a volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation, Virginia Chapter.

Arthritis Information & Supplements That May Help

There are number of abnormalities associated with bones and joints. Some are caused due to injuries and some are attributable to harmful reactions of bacteria, viruses etc. Swelling and stiffness of joints accompanied with joint inflammation are the main features of arthritis. Generally, almost all types of arthritis are chronic in nature owing to prolonged arthritis condition. Arthritis can affect almost all parts of the body. The pain and swelling produced by certain types of arthritis is temporary in nature. Some forms of arthritis may surface conditions like warmth, redness and swelling of joints. Though the some symptoms produced by certain forms of arthritis are less serious in nature, these can lead to gradual damage of joints.

Usually, arthritis is classified in following categories.

Osteoarthritis: It is considered as one of the most common health condition in older people. Wearing away and ragging of cartilage is the main cause behind occurrence of this type of osteoarthritis. Stiffness of joints and mild pain are main symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis is autoimmune in nature. This form of arthritis is result of body immune system on the joint lining as if the body immune system is combating and injury of a disease. Besides affecting joints, this form of arthritis may attack other body parts like heart, muscles, nervous system, blood vessels and eyes.

Gout: Gout is the most painful form of arthritis. Accumulation of uric acid is considered as main cause behind occurrence of this type of arthritis. Besides affecting various joints, gout can lead to swollen skin.

Apart from the above, Ankylosing spondylysis, Reactive arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and temporomandibular joint arthritis are some uncommon forms of arthritis.

Symptoms of arthritis include stiffness, swelling and prolonged pain of joints, feeling of tenderness or pain (after touching), warmth and redness of joints and abnormality in joint movements.

Generally, medications and steroid injections are used for treating arthritis. In certain severe cases, surgery may be recommended. The main aim of arthritis treatment is to reduce the pain and inflammation. Combination of NSAIDs (Non-Steroid Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) and DMARDs (Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs) are used commonly.

Intake of nutritious diet (that has adequate quantity of minerals, vitamins etc), use of certain dietary supplements such as colloidal silver and colloidal gold and regular physical exercises (specifically recommended for arthritis patients) can help in reducing pain. However, dietary supplements are used for enhancing the body immune system and preventing development of bacteria, viruses etc, and should not be considered as medication for arthritis.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Pain Relief

Rheumatoid arthritis is a very common medical condition. In fact, it is estimated to affect 8 million people in the UK alone. About 75 percent of those affected are women, and 1 in 3 women can develop rheumatoid arthritis in their lifetime.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a disease that affects the joints. It is a systemic inflammatory condition of the joint lining. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 65. But if your thinking arthritis is something that only affects older people, think again. The universal perception is that arthritis is a disease of the older generation, but the majority of people with arthritis are under the age of 65, and unfortunately, it is a long-lasting disease, affecting people over many years.

The specific causes of rheumatoid arthritis are unknown. About 90% of the people with rheumatoid arthritis ultimately develop symptoms related to the foot or ankle. Symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, and fever may be associated with early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Early diagnosis and treatment can make all the difference for people with the disease.When it flares up, even straightforward tasks can seem like challenges.

When the first signs of arthritis appear, you may feel bewildered and you will have many questions. So call your health care provider if you think you have symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Symptoms of arthritis include aching, pain or stiffness in or throughout a joint. They may start gradually or as a sudden attack.

So if you caught the early stages of the disease and you have had treatments, this will help decrease further joint damage and help control symptoms of arthritis.

We continue to hear claims that foods, special diets and supplements may help to cure or improve symptoms of arthritis. It is widely thought that eating a balanced diet and a variation of foods can help to reduce the symptoms. Exercise plays a vital role in arthritis relief. A number of surgical interventions can help provide arthritis relief, however why not give these helpful tips a try;

1) Yoga -is very helpful for arthritis relief. Yoga is a slow, non-heart racing exercise.

2) Tai Chi, which is also a fantastic way to help Arthritis.

In addition,

3) Omega 3 and olive oil is another superb remedy for relief.

4) Drink raw potato juice this will help ease the pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

So go on, try a little bit of yoga or Tai Chi and keep taking omega 3 and or olive oil, and I am positive you will see fantastic results!

Terri-Leigh Bennett http://www.athritis-advisor.com/arthritis