Pain Relief – Arthritis

Arthritis literally means joint inflammation, and can affect joints in any part of the body. Joints are places in the body where two bones meet. Arthritis is often a chronic disease, which means it can affect you over a long period of time. Many forms of arthritis cause swelling, redness, heat and pain.

Evaluate and Describe Your Own Pain
A person suffering from arthritis should remember that an important thing he can do to relieve his pain is to tell his doctor or nurse about it immediately. Evaluating and knowing your own pain can help your doctor understand how you are feeling and the best way to treat you. Keep note of where your pain is located, how would you describe your pain, when does it hurt, how severe is your pain.

Just as there are many different types of arthritis pain, so as the ways to for arthritis pain relief.
Medications
Most common arthritis medications used by patients with arthritis for arthritis pain relief are:

Soma/Vanadom (carisoprodol)
This arthritis pain relief medicine belongs to a group of medicine called muscle relaxants. It blocks nerve impulses that are sent to the brain and is used to treat injuries and other painful muscular conditions. How it exactly works is unknown, but is assumed that the sedative properties of this medicine offers relief of discomfort brought about by acute, painful, musculoskeletal conditions.

Tramadol Hydrochloride (Ultram)
Is a non-narcotic analgesic used to treat severe post surgical pain and chronic pain. This arthritis pain relief medicine appears to do two things: binds with certain opioid receptors, this blocks pain impulses from reaching the brain; and it inhibits reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin, altering the way the brain monitors pain signals.

Acetaminophen; Propoxyphene Napsylate (Darvocet)
Is an opioid analgesic used to treat mild to moderate pain. Propoxyphene an arthritis pain relief medicine is a centrally acting narcotic analgesic agent that works by changing the way your body feels pain.

Ibuprofen
Is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that reduces inflammation and eases mild to moderate pain and reduces fever.

Naproxen
Is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It is indicated for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, juvenile arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, tendinitis and bursitis, and acute gout. It is also indicated in the relief of mild to moderate pain.

Arthrotec
Is a combination of Diclofenac and Misoprostol. Diclofenac reduces the joint pain, stiffness, inflammation, or swelling caused by rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Misoprostol is a synthetic prostaglandin shown to protect the stomach lining from irritating effects of NSAIDs.

Celecoxib
Is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), used for arthritis pain relief to reduce inflammation and ease mild to moderate pain.

Some arthritis patients try doing without arthritis pain relief medications because they have the fear of being addicted to these drugs. Although most patients use medications as directed, abuse of and addiction to prescription are public health problems, however addiction rarely occurs among those who use medication as prescribed.

Arthritis is one of the oldest diseases known to mankind. It is characterized by an inflammation of the joints, causing swelling and pain which can sometimes lead to immobility and, in severe cases, permanent disability. Occurring in anyone at any age, the exact cause of arthritis is yet unknown, but there are two theories: infection or a flaw in the body’s immune system which causes it to attack its own joints and surrounding tissue.

There are many treatment methods used to help arthritic patients overcome this painful and debilitating disease, some of them as old as the disease itself (which is very old, indeed).

Some types of arthritis require the cooperation between physician, physical therapist, and orthopedic surgeon, as is the case with rheumatoid arthritis, one of the most common forms of arthritis. Others require only frequent rest balanced with exercise and proper diet. The most common arthritis remedies available are over the counter drugs like aspirins, analgesics, and non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs that can relieve the pain associated with arthritis.

However, with recent reports about undesirable side effects caused by some of these drugs, many people are turning to home arthritis remedies to treat arthritic pain. These arthritis remedies are largely unproven by concrete scientific evidence but have been used by people for thousands of years with relatively effective results. With your doctor’s advice, you can try some of these arthritis remedies and see for yourself:

Blackstrap Molasses

To make these arthritis remedies, you need four teaspoons of blackstrap molasses and one quart of cranberry juice. Dissolve the blackstrap molasses in the cranberry juice. One mixture makes one serving. Drink a glass of this old home remedy to experience the results.

Alternatively, you could also try dissolving 100 aspirins in a pint of rubbing alcohol. Rub it on the affected joints three times a day and observe the results.

Mullein, Elm, Lobelia, and Cayenne Poultice

The ingredients you need for these arthritis remedies are: 2 tbsp. mullein, 3 tbsp. granulated slippery elm bark, 1 tbsp. lobelia, and 1 tsp. cayenne. Mix everything in a bowl thoroughly then pour them in boiling water. When the mixture gets that pasty quality, pour everything on a piece of cloth and spread. Let cool for a few minutes before placing the cloth on swollen joints.

Alternatively, you can try these arthritis remedies, following the same procedure: oil of origanum, oil of lobelia, oil of capsicum, and coconut oil.

Herbal Mix

There are many herbs that can be used as natural arthritis remedies. However, the trend with herbal arthritis remedies seems to be that different herbs are mixed together in order to create a synergistic and more effective combination. Below are some of the more common herbal arthritis remedies used:

* Black cohosh, genitian root, angelica, Colombo, skull cap, valerian, buckthorn bark, and rue. Add a teaspoon of the mixture in a cup of boiling water. Let steep for a few minutes before drinking. The recommended daily dosage is three ½ cups a day.
* Wild cherry roots, burdock roots, Oregon grape roots. Wash three roots of each herb and chop them into tiny slices. Afterwards, place them in a gallon of water and let simmer for 30 minutes. Then, strain the liquid into bottle. A half glass of these arthritis remedies every morning before breakfast should garner some results.

Natural Arthritis Treatments

Arthritis affects over 70 million Americans according to a recent report submitted by the Centers for Disease Care and Prevention (CDC). That means one out of three people in the United States suffer from the painful symptoms and stiffness associated with arthritis.

The good news is that, while medical scientists are working on finding a cure for arthritis, many treatment methods are available to help patients cope with the disorder. And if traditional drug therapies, comprised of either NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs) or narcotic pain relievers, are not enough, then here are natural arthritis treatments that have withstood the test of time.

Note that the natural arthritis treatments featured here have no conclusive scientific evidence to prove their medical claims. Therefore, you are strongly advised to consult your doctor before you resort to any of these natural arthritis treatments. Remember that staying informed may well be your path to finding the right solution to your problem as it would help you form better decisions.

Chiropractic Therapy

Chripractic therapy is one of the common forms of natural arthritis treatments used on patients suffering from this disorder. It emphasizes the relationship between the spinal column and the central nervous system, both of which affects the overall health of a person.

Chiropractic arthritis treatments was founded in 1895 by a Canadian-American, Donald David Palmer, who was said to cure a deaf janitor by putting one of his vertebrae back into its normal position. Since then, Palmer continued to refine his work, expanding the coverage of the therapy to include such chronic diseases as arthritis.

By properly aligning the vertebrae of the spine, it is believed that the normal functioning of the nervous system has been restored, thus enabling the body to heal itself.

Cytil Myristoleate

Also known as CMO or CM, Cytil Myristoleate is another common form of natural arthritis treatments. The first complete human study on the effectiveness of Cetyl Myristoleate, headed by Dr. Len Sands of the San Diego Clinic, was made in 1995. The subjects were 48 arthritic patients, 80%PRCTG% of whom showed significant articular mobility while 70%PRCTG% showed pain reduction.

Another study was a double blind, conducted by Dr. H. Siemandi two years later under the auspices of the Joint European Hospital Studies Program. The results were all positive, showing that Cetyl Myristoleate may be one of the most effective natural arthritis treatments available.

Chondroitin

As one of the many natural arthritis treatments, chondroitin is a substance naturally found in the human cartilage, as well as animal. Besides arthritis, chondroitin is also used to treat several diseases, among which are psoriasis and cancer.

The substance is actually a type of glycosaminoglycan (GAG), one of the most plentiful among that group. It comprises about 5-20%PRCTG% of cartilage tissue, occurring mostly as a sulfate composed of repeating disaccharide units. It has been used for over 30 years in the treatment of arthritis, psoriasis, and cancer.

By taking in supplements of chondroitin, you are providing your body with chemical components needed to maintain structural integrity of the cartilage and prevent its degeneration.

Arthritis is a common debilitating disease that occurs in one out of every three people in the United States. It is characterized by symptoms such as pain in the affected joints as well as inflammation. Some forms of arthritis may also affect other organs besides the joints, while others are caused by a fault in the body’s autoimmune response, causing it to attack its own tissues. But no matter the many distinct characteristics of each type of arthritis, one thing is certain: the patient who suffers from any one of the arthritic and rheumatoid conditions is in constant chronic pain.

So how do you remedy this?

Unfortunately, as far as a definitive cure to arthritis is concerned, there is none yet. Some cases of arthritis are so advanced that there is complete loss of the connective tissue such as the cartilage. Since cartilage degeneration is irreversible, the patient who suffers this condition will have to live with the fact, but with the aim of reducing or managing the pain that is associated with arthritis.

For most patients, drug therapies are the answers. Many arthritis pain relievers are available over the counter without need of a doctor’s prescription. These include non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), analgesics, and narcotic pain killers like ibuprofen. These arthritis drugs are often fast acting, but the effects are also quick to wear off. The other drug option available are much slower acting but are disease modifying – that is, they may halt the disease progression by inhibiting the release of certain chemicals in the body that cause inflammation or pain.

But with reports of a few adverse side effects caused by arthritis medications, many people are turning to more natural methods of managing the disease. One of these so-called natural methods is to keep an arthritis diet.

Although there is no proven scientific claim that arthritis diet can treat the disease, observing proper diet can only have a positive effect on the body. For years, dieticians have been recommending a kind of arthritis diet that is suitable for patients suffering this disease. In addition, studies have shown that a diet high in cholesterol and fat may contribute to the problem. This therefore shows that an arthritis diet, one that is controlled and balanced, would aid in preventing the onset of the disease in the first place.

An arthritis diet is not a strict diet. Rather, think of an arthritis diet as a list of foods that you ought to avoid and foods that may be beneficial for alleviating the symptoms.

Below are the foods that you ought to avoid while on an arthritis diet:

* Fast food restaurant soda
* Starchy foods like potatoes
* Red meat (minimal intake only)
* Foods high in saturated fat
* Greasy foods
* Fried foods

And here are the foods that may help relieve the pain:

* Fruits high in vitamin C, including oranges, apples, and strawberries
* Oily fish
* Foods high in vitamin E
* Grains, such as wheat and brown rice

The inflammatory process that takes place when a person is suffering from arthritis changes the lining of the intestines thus reducing the absorption of some nutrients while increasing the need for daily nutrient requirements. Nutrition is further used up if a person has been on long term medication therapy.  When an arthritis patient is malnourished, joint pain and stiffness increases.  The condition improves with dietary intake of calcium, selenium, zinc, and vitamin E.  Selenium and zinc’s antioxidant nutrients might also be effective because of their ability to stop free radical damage to joint linings that causes the accumulation of fluids, swelling and pain.

The following vitamins are especially known to be beneficial to arthritis sufferers:

Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5 is a water soluble B complex vitamin, also known as pantothenic acid.  Pantothenic acid is more or less found everywhere, from plants and animals to humans.  Natural sources of B5 include eggs, meats, whole grains, and nuts.  Vitamin B5 is used by our body to release energy and also plays a role in tissue generation, creation of antibodies and the healing process.  This arthritis vitamin is good for swelling.

Vitamin B3
This arthritis vitamin helps in reducing tissue swelling and dilates small arteries increasing blood flow.  However Vitamin B3 is not advised for persons with high blood pressure.

Vitamin B6
Is another arthritis vitamin that reduces tissue swelling.

Vitamin B12
This vitamin aids in multiple functions, generally helps with cell formation, digestion, myelin production and nerve protection.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that protects LDL cholesterol from oxidative damage protecting the heart.  This vitamin is also needed to make collagen to strengthen muscles and blood vessels and plays a vital role in wound healing and fighting viruses. This arthritis vitamin acts as an anti-inflammatory, which can relieve pain, and rids the body of free radicals.

Vitamin D
Is a fat soluble vitamin that is used by the body in the absorption of calcium, which is essential for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. This arthritis vitamin in studies has shown that sufferers of the disease who took beta-carotene daily exhibited a decreased progression of this disease.  People suffering from arthritic knees who added vitamin D to their diets were less prone to suffer from arthritis in the future.

Vitamin E
This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that protects cell membranes, LDL cholesterol and other fat-soluble parts of the body. This arthritis vitamin with its strong antioxidants protects the joints from free radicals while increasing joint flexibility.
Vitamin K
This vitamin assists with mineral deposit into the bone surroundings.

COD Liver Oil (2500iu Vitamin/270iu Vitamin D)
Cod liver oil contains EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) that are both omega-3 oils.  These special omega-3 oils, keep blood triglycerides in check, keeping blood from clotting too quickly. This arthritis vitamin is very good for various inflammatory diseases, including chronic kidney disease.

For arthritis patients, these arthritic vitamins can help your diet and aid in improving your condition; however, it should never be used as a substitute for proper medication prescribed by your doctor, it’s always best that you consult your doctor about your condition and follow proper treatment.