Arthritis

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Arthritis is a joint disorder featuring inflammation. A joint is an area of the body where two different bones meet. A joint functions to move the body parts connected by its bones. Arthritis literally means inflammation of one or more joints.

Arthritis is frequently accompanied by joint pain. Joint pain is referred to as arthralgia.

Although the term arthritis is applied to a wide variety of disorders, arthritis means inflammation of a joint, whether the result of a disease, an infection, a genetic defect, or some other cause. Arthritis inflammation causes pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints and surrounding tissues. Many people, however, perceive arthritis as any kind of pain or discomfort associated with body movement, including such localized problems as low back pain, bursitis, tendinitis, and general stiffness or pain in the joints.

For many, although by no means everyone, arthritis seems to be an inevitable part of the aging process, and there are no signs of real cures in the immediate future. On the positive side, advances in both conventional medical treatment and alternative therapies make living with arthritis more bearable.

The causes of arthritis depend on the form of arthritis. Causes include injury (leading to osteoarthritis), metabolic abnormalities (such as gout and pseudogout), hereditary factors, infections, and unclear reasons (such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus).

Some of the risk factors that can cause arthritis include:

Genetics - Exactly how much heredity or genetics contributes to the cause of arthritis is not well understood. However, there are likely genetic variations that can contribute to the cause of arthritis.

Age - Cartilage becomes more brittle with age and has less of a capacity to repair itself. As people grow older they are more likely to develop arthritis.

Weight - Because joint damage is partly dependent on the load the joint has to support, excess body weight can lead to arthritis. This is especially true of the hips and knees that can be worn quickly in heavier patients.

Previous Injury - Joint damage can cause irregularities in the normal smooth joint surface. Previous major injuries can be part of the cause of arthritis. An example of an injury leading to arthritis is a tibial plateau fracture, where the broken area of bone enters the cartilage of the knee joint.

Occupational Hazards - Workers in some specific occupations seem to have a higher risk of developing arthritis than other jobs. These are primarily high demand jobs such as assembly line workers and heavy construction.

Some High-Level Sports - It is difficult to determine how much sports participation contributes to development of arthritis. Certainly, sports participation can lead to joint injury and subsequent arthritis. However, the benefits of activity likely outweigh any risk of arthritis.

Illness or Infection - People who experience a joint infection (septic joint), multiple episodes of gout, or other medical conditions, can develop arthritis of the joint.

Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of joints. Inflammation of the joints from arthritis is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and warmth. Tenderness of the inflamed joint can be present.

Many of the forms of arthritis, because they are rheumatic diseases, can cause symptoms affecting various organs of the body that do not directly involve the joints. Therefore, symptoms in some patients with certain forms of arthritis can also include fever, gland swelling (lymph node), weight loss, fatigue, feeling unwell, and even symptoms from abnormalities of organs such as the lungs, heart, or kidneys.

In children, intermittent fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and anemia, or blotchy rash on the arms and legs may signal juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Treatment of arthritis depends on the particular cause, which joints are affected, severity, and how the condition affects your daily activities. Your age and occupation will also be taken into consideration when your doctor works with you to create a treatment plan.

If possible, treatment will focus on eliminating the underlying cause of the arthritis. However, the cause is NOT necessarily curable, as with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Treatment, therefore, aims at reducing your pain and discomfort and preventing further disability.

It is possible to greatly improve your symptoms from osteoarthritis and other long-term types of arthritis without medications. In fact, making lifestyle changes without medications is preferable for osteoarthritis and other forms of joint inflammation. If needed, medications should be used in addition to lifestyle changes.

Medication - To reduce pain and inflammation in mild cases of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis, your doctor will probably prescribe aspirin or another nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen. Your doctor may also suggest acetaminophen for osteoarthritis.

In more advanced cases, your doctor may recommend corticosteroid joint injections - strong anti-inflammatories - to ease the pain and stiffness of arthritic joints.

Surgery - Various forms of surgery may be needed to reduce the discomfort of arthritis or to restore mobility or joint function. Synovectomy is the removal of damaged connective tissue lining a joint cavity, and allows the body to regenerate new, healthy tissue in its place. This operation is most common in the knee.

Pain Management - Because one of the most trying aspects of this disease is learning to live with arthritis pain, many doctors recommend training in pain management, including cognitive therapy. The National Institutes of Health has found that cognitive behavioral therapy, using education and behavior modification alongside relaxation techniques, is better than routine care for relieving arthritis pain. Such programs focus on improving patients' emotional and psychological well-being by teaching them how to relax and conduct their daily activities at a realistic pace.

· Jihad Farraj said, "Five years ago and before I was introduced to the Herbalife products. I was suffering from a problem that was stopping me from enjoying more than 80% of the food that every one could eat. I had a few more problems that I was suffering from like Arthritis, Cholesterol and fatigue, and I was on 11 different medications. Because I promised a friend, I started the products using the Quick start with the Aloe Vera, FloraFiber, and HerbaLifeline. Two weeks later, I noticed that I stopped taking the ( Rolaids ) and my heartburn was gone. Five months on the products, I`ve lost 52 lbs, I became a medicine free and since then I`ve been enjoying all kinds of food."

· Esteban Lopez tells Herbacall, "For as long as i can remember my mom always sufferd from pain in her joints and bones because of arthirtis. But now thanks to Herbalife she is pain free!! I remember years ago she would lay in bed for 1 to 2 weeks at a time because of the pain - it got so bad one year she was in the hospital for 3 days. She got started on the Ultimate Green program and after 2 weeks of being on it she noticed her body wasn't so achey. We then added Xtra-Cal and Joint Support (other supplements also) specifically for her arthritis, and after 1 1/2 months she is literally pain free. She used to have to take perscribed pain killers at times just to be able to function. Now all she takes is her Herbalife nutrition and supplements and feels great!"

· Rick Romeo said proudly, "Before Herbalife I had very bad Arthritis in my hands. I live on a golf course in FL and could not hold a club let alone swing one. My arthritis was so bad that I could not even open up a jelly jar. I have been on the Herbalife Ultimate program since May 1, 2002. I have had good results in the area of weight loss and energy gain, yet the miracle to me has been the improvement of my arthitis in my hands. I am also on Joint Support (1 in the morning and 1 in the evening). 90 days into the program I have virtually no pain in my fingers. I am able to play golf and open jars with no pain."

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