tips4you

Not surprisingly, there are nearly as many arthritis pain relief methods as there are types of arthritis. Incredibly, a keyword search indicates that there are greater than 100 distinct conditions. Having such a large number of conditions and symptoms creates a major diagnosis and treatment dilemma for the medical professionals charged with treating the disease. Many of the disease conditions involve inflammation. On the other hand, some have no inflammation at all and wouldn't even be recognized as an arthritic condition by most people. Almost all types can be incredibly painful. Some are even debilitating. So any discussion about arthritis pain relief should begin with a review of the disease itself and some of the different conditions and symptoms. First, when an injury or infection occurs the body uses chemicals and white blood cells to help repair the body. Fluids gather around the affected area and inflammation is one of the results. But the system doesn't always work the way it was designed. Chemicals that should be fighting the injury or infection sometimes attack the body instead, which causes damage to joints.

Without a doubt this disease is a painful affliction and a life-long tribulation for some people and effective arthritis pain relief is highly desired. Nothing is more trying than constant pain and suffering with no end in sight. One of the greatest virtues a person can posses in this case is patience or tolerance. The Bible uses the word affliction or tribulation often. Affliction is usually used in a manner that urges people to focus on a power outside themselves and to not lose faith in God or love for others. "Let love be without dissumulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned on to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer." (Romans 12: 9-12) The final verse of this passage is important. People afflicted with any type of arthritis will not get rid of the disease. Doctors, science and technology can control the pain and suffering, but have yet to find cures. Therefore, having patience and continuing to pray is an important part of therapy.

Unfortunately, treatments that provide arthritis pain relief alone and do not stop the inflammation process will not prevent further damage to the joints from happening. Listing every single condition would be impossible in such a short article, so a few of the more common types will be briefly described. According to an online source, the most common type is Rheumatoid. Although Rheumatoid is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis, it reportedly affects only one percent of the American population. Because Rheumatoid does most damage within the first year of onset early diagnosis and treatment is imperative. Researchers believe this form of disease is capable of reducing life expectancy by nearly twenty years. Fibromyalgia has been getting increased attention over the past few years. Many people may not know that it is a form of arthritis that affects soft tissue. Lyme disease is associated with a deer tick bite. And rightfully so because that's how the disease is transmitted. If the disease is diagnosed early, antibiotics are effective.

Gout targets the joints and kidneys. Basically, what happens is that monosodium urate crystals get deposited in these areas. This happens because the body can't get rid of uric acid. According to health care professionals, diet changes and taking medications are effective therapy in combating Gout. The list of afflictions goes on and on. For details about specific types of arthritis and treatments consult a physician or perform an online keyword search. All treatment programs have the same primary goals. First is arthritis pain relief. At the same time, inflammation must be stopped to halt the spread of damage to the body. Controlling the potential side effects of the therapy program is also important. Education is a prime concern, too. Patients who have been educated about the disease and available treatments are more able to adjust lifestyles to combat the problem. Treatments will hopefully prevent disability and increase a person's quality of life. Medicines and lifestyle changes usually combined for an effective arthritis pain relief program. Doctors have numerous types of medicines at their disposal.

Following are a few of the medicinal types that are commonly used for arthritis pain relief. The list is a very basic overview. Consult a drug reference, doctor, or pharmacist for more details. Biologics are use to combat Rheumatoid arthritis. Basically, they work on the immune system. Anti-inflammatory drugs are useful medications, but they do not work for every patient, and they reportedly have many side effects. Glucocorticoids are basically anti-inflammatory steroids. Gout has a specific group of medicines. Again, this is a very condensed list of arthritis pain relief treatments. Treatment programs are designed and tailored to specific individuals. A program that works for one person probably won't work exactly the same way for another. Discuss medications with a doctor or health professional. Know what is being prescribed and why one particular drug is better than another. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Many of the drugs have side effects. And some of them are potentially dangerous, if allowed to progress. Despite the differences in arthritis symptoms, at least two principles apply to everyone being treated for the disease. First, take the medication exactly as prescribed. Second, don't stop taking the medication without consulting with a physician.

View the original article here

Disc replacement surgery is one of the options for some patients who are facing the prospect of continued pain from a compressed nerve injury. A vertebrae disc or cushion is a gel like cushion with a fibrous outer shell that allows the bones of the spine to float as movements occur. An injury or aging can either create a cushion that bulges and may compress a nerve in the spine, or the cushion may deteriorate and turn into an oatmeal like consistency that also can compress a nerve. In some cases, the cushion may actually have to be removed. Bulging discs can often respond to physical therapy and the pain may subside to a livable degree. In some cases the surgeon may remove the oatmeal like cushion altogether and leave the space open, but much of this depends on where on the spine the anomaly has developed and how the surgeon views the long term implications for the patient. Often the surgeon may choose to do a fusion of vertebrae bones so that the area without a cushion moves with a bone that has cushion protection.

A physician treating someone who has a degenerative disc condition will always attempt first to treat the pain and the condition with anti-inflammatory medicines, physical therapy and epidural steroid injections. But often those conservative procedures don't bring the kind of relief that the patient needs for a normal lifestyle. In that case, the options facing the patient and his surgeon may be limited to bone fusion or if possible, disc replacement surgery. The fusing of vertebrae bones has long been the standard operating procedure (no pun intended) for surgeons following the removal of a damaged cushion. If the surgeon recommends fusion, a bone will be grafted to the empty space on either side of the vertebrae and the bones will eventually grow together. The goal is to stop any abnormal movement that the empty space might be subject to without the disc in place. The bone will either come from the patient or from a graft from a bone bank.

The problem with fusion is the issue of range of motion that may be quite limited by the fusion operation. This may be particularly true if the disc is in the cervical area of the spine. That is the area near the shoulder and neck area. There are a number of risks that are associated with fusion surgery such as the two segments not fusing together. Additionally, there is the possibility that the vertebrae nearest the fusion location will develop problems, usually years later. The surgeon performing the disc replacement surgery will no doubt talk about the possibility of blood loss and infection with the fusion surgery as well as the risk of damage to the spinal cord in rare cases. Because of all these risks there has been an intense push by major medical prosthetic companies to develop artificial discs to replace those that have failed in one way or another and these artificial substitutes for the real thing have made disc replacement surgery a viable option.

Disc replacement surgery is possible because of state of the art prosthetics that have been approved by the FDA. One design of these discs is made of plastic and cobalt and has a middle core which slides back and forth giving the disc the opportunity to move when the patient's spine moves. The ends have teeth that secure them to the bones above and below the disc space. Since these same materials that make up a modern prosthetic replacement are used in other places in the body such as a replacement knee prosthetic, there is less chance that the body will reject the piece. Because there are risks inherent in replacement surgery, there will always be some fear and some anxiety about the decision to have the operation. Christians facing this operation can pray like David: "Be merciful to me O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast." (Psalm 57:1)

Depending on the type of replacement that is used, entry to the spine is either through the front or the back. If entrance is gained through the front, the organs of the patient are gently moved aside so the surgeon gets a good look directly at the area in which the disc replacement surgery will take place. This kind of surgery may mean that there will be the possibility of a number of possible side effects from this operation. Some of these include spinal cord damage, bleeding, bladder problems and infection. Disc replacement surgery patients are usually in the hospital for between one and four days and rehabilitation will begin during that time.

Because there are more patients who have disc replacement surgery for lower back issues than cervical issues, there is less information on its benefits for cervical spine issues. In many ways, the information on replacement surgery for cervical anomalies is still somewhat sketchy, although there are smaller prosthetics designed for the neck spinal area. The decision to have such surgery, either for lumbar or cervical cushion replacement should not be taken lightly. The patient should do as much reading as possible and not rely solely on the physician's recommendations. If need be, seek a second or third opinion on the recommendation until one is comfortable with the final decision, whatever that might be. Be it fusion surgery or replacement surgery, there is help on the way for that chronic spinal pain.

View the original article here

Glucosamine is the way the body can offer comfort to the joints. This is found in the body naturally, but wears out over time and can be replaced using supplements. Cartilage replacement is important to mobile people wanting to continue activity. Though cheap glucosamine is very popular, it is not always effective in each person and may not offer lasting relief. Stretching every day along with proper warm up and cool down procedures when exercising are crucial to maintaining current joint movement. Stretching will not improve a current condition, but will decrease the rate at which joint degeneration happens. In fact, there is no evidence that shows discount glucosomine suppliers can cure joint problems. Regular exercise appropriate for the current mobility of a person is crucial to the stability of joint movement.

Check the labels and research companies before spending money on any cure. Even discount glucosamine suppliers regulated by the FDA are sometimes not truthful about their products or are sneaky about the way they present their information. If the label says 100% glucosamine, studies show there is approximately a 10% chance that is true. In addition, there is about a 50% chance that the cheap glucosamine is a quality product. So each product has about a 95% chance of failing to truthfully tell the consumer what they are buying. In addition, the amount of active ingredient may vary from capsule to capsule. The result for the consumer is a waste of money and deteriorating faith that anything will help joint pain. However, through research and purchasing cheap glucosamine in liquid form will offer much better results.

When a person swallows a pill it has to travel to the stomach and then dissolve. In addition, fillers are most likely added to pills to save money for the suppliers. Liquid form offers a more effective, faster acting option and will ultimately cost the consumer less due to its success rate. Whether a person chooses liquid or pill form, studies show cheap glucosamine to have a much higher rate of success than over the counter pain relief products. This is due to the goal of the product. Over the counter pain relief is addressing the pain caused by arthritis whereas these companies offer a solution to the underlying problem. When the body is not properly warmed up before exercise and even when getting out of bed, it endures much stress on the joints that results in the deterioration of the cushion between the bones. Ultimately this results in less movement due to pain and frustration. Additionally, there are much fewer side effects using discount glucosamine suppliers that over the counter pain relievers. This is due to the replacement of a natural ingredient to the body to solve a problem versus using foreign objects to cure the reaction to an underlying problem.

Proper diet is a great way to accomplish a healthy lifestyle as well as reduce pain and degeneration of joint fluid. A diet of green leafy vegetables, protein, no starches, and lots of fruit is proven to decrease the effects and speed of joint pain. A multivitamin is a great way to start a road to healthy eating, but the same rules apply as with choosing discount glucosamine suppliers; Research companies thoroughly and look for the highest amount of nutrients for the money. Undergoing a total body detoxification will help the body be able to better accept nutrients and begin to heal. Other health problems may surface as the layers of foreign matter are removed from the body. Though joint pain is generally due to the overuse and misuse of the joints, a person may find spinal problems causing unneeded stress on certain parts of the body. "Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, [according] to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof." (Ezekiel 4:9)

When physical pain issues are not addressed properly or at all depression may result. It is completely normal to feel hopeless if activities that were once enjoyable now cause pain or are impossible due to the amount of pain a person is in. Careful management and realistic changes to lifestyle are necessary to maintain the most enjoyable life possible. In addition to using discount glucosamine suppliers, healthy diet, and moderate exercise, simple changes around the house may aid in a less frustrating way of life. Lowering frequently used items to lower level shelves and raising lower level cabinets decreases the amount of bending and stretching the body does thus decreasing the strain on joints. Other changes include replacing handles or doorknobs to decrease the amount of fine motor strain on a person's hands and even putting all items needed for living on the first floor to avoid the use of stairs. When deciding what changes are reasonable consider the time and cost of the changes compared to the aggravation and harm caused by abuse to the joints.

View the original article here