Arthritis - The More You Know, The best You Go!

Arthritis - The More You Know, The best You Go!

I am a chiropractor and I treat patients in a chiropractic and massage wellness town in uptown Seattle. I work with patients that have many dissimilar forms of arthritis and joint conditions everyday. This record will generally focus on arthritis and its dissimilar forms (I will focus on two of the most coarse which are Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis). I will also discuss preventative measures as well as treatment options (natural) for existing arthritis conditions.

Finger Joint Swelling

Most habitancy think of Rheumatoid when they hear "arthritis." There are many other forms, but I will develop on this one. Rheumatoid arthritis (Ra) is carefully an "autoimmune disease" where the immune system in the body attacks itself and causes damage, inflammation, swelling, and often disfigurement. It is unknown what is the actual cause for this disease and response. Ra can occur at any age and is more prevalent in women. Symptoms that occur with it consist of fatigue, loss of appetite, low fever, weakness, swollen glands. These are symptoms that occur in many diseases. Later in the development "morning stiffness" starts happening and it last for about an hour and starts persisting longer, then warmth and tenderness may start occurring and the joints can become stiff again with slight use as quickly as an hour. The joint pain is felt on both sides of the body and commonly felt in the fingers( but not fingertips), and can be felt in the wrists, elbows, hips, knees, ankles, toes, neck, jaw but are most commonly felt in the wrist, hands, knees, ankles and feet. Numbness, tingling, burning in the hands and feet is also a coarse symptom.

As the health progresses, range of petition is decreased and as mentioned earlier deformities can occur. Tests can be done to resolve if rheumatoid arthritis is gift and they include: unblemished blood count, c-reactive protein, rheumatoid factor test, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, x-rays, and synovial fluid analysis. As for treatment, beginning a diet high in anti-inflammatory foods is very beneficial. Some great ones are Kelp, Wild salmon, shitake mushrooms, green tea(tea in general), pineapple, turmeric, blueberry, papaya, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and extra virgin olive oil. If you can keep these commonly in you diet you will feel more energetic and the inflammatory process in the body will be slowed down significantly. Performing regular range of petition exercises such as stretching your fingers and wrists into prolongation and flexion to keep the joints loose. Of course, chiropractic is a big factor because we focus on keeping joints moving in their full range of motion. Strengthening exercises such as grip and prolongation exercises for you fingers and wrists are very beneficial. All of these treatment recommendations are also preventative measures. Whats even more beautiful is that they are all natural and have no side effects except good health.

The next arthritic health I am going to discuss is osteoarthritis (Oa). This is the most coarse arthritis, most coarse joint disorder, and it is definitely the most coarse I see at my office. Oa is carefully "aging" or "wear and tear." everything we do contributes to Oa which is why it is so leading take care of ourselves, ensue prevention, and seek treatment. In Oa cartilage is worn down between joints and bones become closer together and more stress is put on the joints causing more damage and aging. Bones begin production "spurs" which are bony deposits on the bone as a ensue of increased stress, weight bearing, and wear and tear. These spurs can be very damaging and disruptive. Also, ligaments and muscles around joints become more stiff and less flexible because they are now taking on a role of splinting and bracing. Oa commonly begins showing symptoms in middle age. Increased risk factors consist of house history, being overweight, overuse, trauma, sitting too much, computer work, and lack of activity.

The most coarse symptoms consist of stiffness and pain. You may even observation a rubbing, crackling, or disagreement of the joints and this is because of decreased cartilage (joint space) and bony issues such as spurs. Activity "warms" them up and causes symptoms to subside, but as habitancy age it gets worse and worse. X-rays are a coarse diagnostic test. Eating and anti-inflammatory diet is beneficial, massage can help, strengthening and stretching is helpful, and yoga is also therapeutic. Chiropractic is very helpful with restoring joint function, decreasing arthritis symptoms, and preventing arthritis. It helps treat, and forestall Oa tremendously by increasing range of petition and keeping the joints loose and mobile. This helps the joint keep its "space," heal, and stay well.