Tag: symptoms of arthritis

Causes of Psoriatic Arthritis

5 April, 2010 (09:31) | Arthritis | By: Health news

Psoriatic arthritis actually consists of two separate condition: psoriasis and arthritis. Psoriasis is very common and involves the development of raised, red skin patches and scales on the skin. With psoriasis, the skin’s appearance changes while arthritis is related to the inflammation of joints.

Autoimmune Disease

Psoriatic arthritis is thought of as an autoimmune disease, meaning that aspects of your immune system, such as cells and antibodies, begin attacking their own tissues. The chances of a person having psoriatic arthritis and not have suffered at one time or another from psoriasis isn’t great. The likelihood of developing arthritis increases when the symptoms of the skin are severe.

Men and women are both equally affected by this condition. Though, men have a tendency to suffer from spondylitic forms affecting their spines, while women are victims of rheumatoid forms that affect the joints. While people of all ages can develop it, those in the range of 35-55 are at the greatest risk.

The causes have yet to be determined, though factors related to the immune system and genetics are thought of as triggers for the onset of the disease. Ultimately, psoriatic arthritis is characterized as an inflammatory process causing a great deal of pain and swelling.

As a matter of fact, one of the key symptoms of is experiencing swelling and pain in their fingers and toes. This is what can result in what’s referred to as ‘sausage’ fingers or toes.

Range of motion is also inhibited in the areas affected from psoriatic arthritis. In the morning, stiffness and fatigue are common symptoms. The ligaments and tendons will have swelling and pain, while fingernails and toenails will being coming up from the skin, or small holes may occur which are referred to as pits.

Hemp Seed Oil Can Help Treating Arthritis

22 October, 2009 (02:41) | Arthritis | By: admin

Many people would dismiss arthritis as a simple and natural process of aging when in fact it is not. It is a crippling disease; slow yet decapitating. Arthritis has many forms and accompanying painful symptoms. Somehow, in the advent of modern-day technology and medical breakthroughs, we look for an organic alternative way of battling arthritis knowing that it is safer and economical yet effective.

Arthritis simply means inflammation of the joints. We have a variety of joints in our body and this condition pertains to the swelling and pain that occurs in the affected area of someone inflicted with it.

What happens to the affected area is coined as “cartilage and bone gravel.” Due to the overstretching of muscles which cause damage to the joints, what is left of the bones as well as the cartilage, would forcefully rub against each other which causes throbbing pain as well as worsening the damage of the affected joints. This continues to happen over and over again; it becomes a painful cycle and it gets worse over time.

Although it seems to be a dead end, there are lots of alternative natural treatment options available and there is one that will suit your criteria perfectly.

In this context, we would like to recommend hemp seed oil capsule, which is said to be “nature’s most perfectly balanced oil” and “the most nutritionally complete food source there is in the world”. Its liquid formulation can be taken with a spoon and really tastes good. This is recommended for long-term use. It has advantage over its other counterparts because it has a perfectly balanced fatty acid profile.

Moreover, this also contains essential fatty acids (EFA’s) and gamma linoleic acid (GLA), both of which are very vital to achieve overall optimum health.

GLA (Gamma-Linolenic Acid) studies have also proven that hemp oil lowers the risk of heart attack and strengthens the immune defenses. The essential fatty acids helps lower blood cholesterol, promote good blood flow, and helps improve overall organ function.

Cannabis sativa is referred as the most important of all crops as it has provided us with useful edible seeds, oil, and medicine. Imbalances in specific fatty acids seem to be correlated to common diseases such as arthritis, eczema, acne, and a lot more. This further promotes the use of hemp oil as it is rich in essential amino acids and essential fatty acids. It is also rich in protein.

It can also be used in cooking delectable and healthy dishes. It has a distinct nutty taste to it which makes it ideal to incorporate in your side dishes with veggies, which make this a must-have for vegetarians. It could also be taken as part of a sumptuous dips and salad dressings. Better yet, it can be taken in its natural form as a dietary supplement.

The Key to Effective Arthritis Treatment

11 October, 2009 (02:08) | Arthritis | By: admin

Arthritis means inflammation of the joints. Contrary to popular perception, it is not a disease that strikes only the old. It can attack any one at any age. It is a degenerative disease with no permanent cure. It is also the leading cause of pain and disability in Americans.

Arthritis can affect the muscles and tendons, and even some of the major organs. There are more than 100 different arthritic conditions. The most common symptoms of arthritis are redness, swelling and pain. Pain may or may not be accompanied by inflammation. The affected area may or may not be hot to touch but it will definitely be painful.

In people who take to sports, the risks of injury are more. When an injury takes place, the chances of inflammation are high as inflammation is the body’s way of healing the injured area. In case of arthritis, this defense mechanism turns against itself. Inadvertently, the body tries to destroy its own joints, leading to continual pain and mobility problems.

Arthritis needs effective care and management so that life can go on in a normal manner. For effective treatment of arthritis, it is important to arrest the inflammation as early as possible so that sufferers can manage the pain and restriction of movement, stay active and live their lives happily.

Unfortunately, most patients leave off going to a specialist until their condition is too far gone.

The aim of arthritic treatmentĀ is two-fold: to arrest inflammation and to manage the pain. Relief can come in a variety of forms, like pain-killers, anti-inflammatory pills, pain relieving ointments or topical creams. In some cases, doctors recommend the use of supports and special shoes to help patients manage pain (examples include braces, splints etc). Physical therapy is another effective form of treating arthritic pain. Patients who are overweight are asked to lose weight so they can avoid unnecessary pain.

In cases where patients are unable to find pain relief through non-surgical treatment methods, surgery may be recommended. The kind of surgery will depend on:

  • Type of arthritis
  • The area of arthritis
  • The impact of the condition
  • The age of the patient

In some cases, more than one surgery may be required. In cases where arthritis treatment begins early, a relatively simple arthroscopic surgery may suffice. As the condition worsens, more complicated forms of surgery may be required to arrest inflammation. Bone graft and ankle replacement are some examples. These treatment options have a high success rate. However, these corrective measures may fail in the due course of aging, in which case, inflammation may return. A repeat surgery solves the problem.

As already mentioned, arthritis does not have a permanent cure at the moment. Doctor’s attempts are directed at helping patients enjoy a high quality of life and delay the crippling pain of arthritis for as long as possible. Diet, exercise, medication and other treatment procedures help patients achieve this.