Arthritis - Things That
Work
by Joseph Vishnev
On of the most troubling and frustrating things
to see in any aspect of life, let alone a limb or
joint, is deterioration of something that is good
and beautiful that has transformed into something
that is ugly and useless. That in a nutshell is
what arthritis and joint inflammation does to you,
it slowly deteriorates everything in its path, making
it deformed, ugly, painful and virtually useless.
There are many different types of arthritis, close
to 100, of different types and variations of this
disease. The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis
which tends to come on more with ageing and that's
where the cartilage, the smooth cartilage at the
end of the bone that's meant to be there as a shock
absorber starts to break down and then the bone
underneath breaks down – that’s when the real pain
and suffering starts.
Although there are many ways to fight this progression,
we will just concentrate on some things that make
most dramatic and quick results. Mind you, there
are no “magic bullets” or “quick-fixes” – everything
presented here are just common sense, good practice
advice and treatment that can substantially slow
down arthritic progression to what we hope would
be a pace much slower than without doing these treatments.
So, here we go (not in any specific order).
Exercise:
As often as we hear it, we never take it seriously,
but yet another benefit of regular exercise is a
dramatic slowing down, and in rare cases even reversal
of arthritic deterioration. Almost any exercise
will be beneficial, but when it comes to arthritis,
Tai Chi is the one most studied and it does have
some unique properties in terms of balance and proper
perception, sort of the joint knowing what position
it's meant to be in and toning the muscles around
the joint. Certainly, aerobic exercise, jumping
up and down and sometimes the heavy impact is good
also although if someone is very overweight and
they are doing heavy impact exercise, that might
actually be harmful. But by and large you must find
exercise programs that anyone can do, even if they
have a painful joint. One of the most important
advise when it comes to exercise is regularity,
stick with it!
Omega 3 supplementation
Much has been written about benefits of a good diet,
but unfortunately making sure that the patient stays
with the diet for any length of time is largely
a psychological problem, rather than physical. So,
regardless of the diet you currently subscribe to,
one of the most beneficial “ingredience” in fight
against arthritis has been the Omega-3 supplements
as well as anything else that is rich in fish oil.
The Omega 3 supplementation has been studied in
randomized trials and can contribute to the reduction
in the joint swelling and the joint pain quickly
and painlessly. The supplements are readily available,
relatively inexpensive and contribute no ill effects.
Add this to your diet today.
Cherries
Cherries have been receiving a lot of attention
of late due to their beneficial effects on fighting
and slowing down arthritis. According to arthritis
researchers, cherries contain anti-inflammatory
properties that may work even better than over-the-counter
drugs. Researchers have largely focused their attention
on tart cherry juice. According to studies, tart
cherries contain something called anthocyanins that
prevent free radical damage and inhibit cyclooxygenase
enzymes better than some anti-inflammatory drugs
that work as Cox inhibitors. Bottom line: Add cherries
and cherry juice to your everyday dietary intake
and reap benefits while enjoying awesome cherry
taste.
Medicine
The usual treatment for arthritis is through the
use of painkillers. Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory
Drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin can help relieve the
pain of arthritis. But they only target the symptom
and not the disease itself. Studies even show that
the continual use of these NSAIDs may even cause
joint deterioration thus making arthritis worse.
Modern medicine does not have much to offer for
the cure of this disease.
As we can see, the traditional temporary arthritis
pain relief medications available leave a lot to
be desired, largely because they are driven by short-term
effects (to get you to buy quicker), rather than
a long term benefit.
Massage therapy, hydrotherapy and cold packs are
a few of the simple methods of pain management that
may work just as well as drugs. Herbal remedies
such as ginger, willow bark and the well-known cartilage
constituents glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin
sulfate are also promising a lot in revolutionizing
the treatment of arthritis. Aside from the symptomatic
relief they offer, they actually interfere with
the origin of the disease. They are also being considered
to help the body rebuild functioning joints. Fast
acting,in cream form, they increase mobility and
optimal repair of joint structures as they help
reinforce the body's protective linings and lubricating
fluids by recovering cell stability and function
to stop further damage.
In conclusion, although there are no instant cures,
some common sense advice and foods work well, but
only when used in early stages of arthritis. Therefore,
it is very important to not only be vigilant of
your body and joints, but also to seek proper medical
attention and diagnosis early on. Once detected
early, the approaches outlined here can minimize
arthritic effects and provide you a long, bountiful
life.
Joseph Vishnev loves things that actually work
and make an instant, positive difference in people’s
lives. He has researched and dedicated a site to
provide information and news about arthritis how
to beat it and effective ways to slow down its path.
See: http://www.JointsPain.com
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