Tag Archive for 'arthritis'

What Is Gout?

Published on February 18, 2009 in Health & Safety. 0 Comments
by Paul Mahon

Gout is caused by the buildup of too much uric acid in the body. Uric acid comes from the breakdown of substances called purines. Purines are found in all of your body’s tissues. They are also in many foods, such as liver, dried beans and peas, and anchovies.

In the normal flow of life your body dissolves the uric acid that you intake via food and drink, your kidneys work to filter uric acids out of your body. Now if you have a kidney disease, have had one removed or maybe have had a kidney transplanted then you may well be suffering with gout as a side effect.

Abnormally high levels of uric acid will result in your body becoming unable to process it and that leads to Gout.The kidneys too can be overwhelmed by the amount of uric acid and they will then fail to cleanse the body adequately.

Heavy consumption of purine rich foods will also cause a build up of uric acid in the body. High level of uric acid in the blood is called hyperuricemia. Although hyperuricemia will not necessarily develop gout but it can lead to its development when the excessive levels of uric acid take a crystalised form.

Gout is generally found in men, The chances that you will deveop gout increase if you have family members afflicted with it. Obesity is a major contributor as well as an above average intake of alcohol. What you eat as well as how much you eat affects your chances of deveoping gout (as well as other illness).

Gout attacks have been known to start with sudden severe pain in a single joint. It is characterised by redness, swelling, and hotness in the area where the gout attack occurs. There are a few cases that gout develops in several joints resembling a rheumatoid arthritis like appearance. In most cases, gout attacks are confined to the big toe.

You are in charge of your gout, you can reduce the frequency and the severity of your gout attacks just by changing what you eat and drink. Keep a diary of what you eat and drink for 3 months and you will see that your attacks almost always follow a bout of eating or drinking either in excess or items that are high in purines.

About the Author:
If you ever ask What is gout then We will help you. The chances are that what you really want to know is whether you are suffering with gout or not. We will help you find out. http://goutassistance.com/what-is-gout
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Synvisc For Arthritis

Published on February 12, 2009 in Disease & Illness. 0 Comments
by Amy Clark

Synvisc injection into a region of the body (often the knee) affected by osteoarthritis (a.k.a. OA) is termed Synvisc therapy. Synvisc is essentially a vicious, elastic substance that is infused via injection into the affected part to protect and lubricate the joints. Synvisc injection is given only to individuals who have already tried more conservative treatment (such as physical therapy, painkillers, etc..

Synvisc

Synvisc is not deemed a medicinal drug, but rather a device. It is derived from hyaluronan, a natural substance found in all living tissues of the human body. It exists in particularly high levels in the fluid that fills the knee joints as well as the joint tissue in general.

Hyaluronan, which serves as a reliable lubricant and shock absorber, is crucial for healthy knee movement. Synvisc is a potent arthritis treatment since arthritis patients suffer from a decreased level of hyaluronan in the body.

Knee Injections

Presently, the only type of Synvisc therapy available is synvisc knee injections. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only permits administering Synvisc in the knee and only for osteoarthritis (OA) cases. The FDA asserts that this is because the safety and efficacy of Synvisc for other areas of the body and for other conditions have yet to be proven. So, to reiterate, Synvisc therapy is applicable only for patients with knee arthritis, not for shoulder arthritis or any other arthritis case.

Synvisc injections are administered in 3 distinct sessions, each at least a week apart. Medical studies have established that a total of 3 injections, each spaced one week apart, is the best approach pain relief. You are recommended to obtain all of the injections to reap the full potential of synvisc therapy.

Synvisc and Potential Side Effects

Different safety tests were done on Synvisc before using it clinically on human subjects. Study results show that synvisc is noninflammatory, non-antigenic, and non-toxic. To this day, synvisc has been given to millions of arthritics.

Overall, synvisc doesn’t cause any side effects. However, because synvisc is injected directly into the patient’s joint, there are isolated cases where patients reported some pain, swelling, or discomfort in or around the knee. Nonetheless, this is extremely rare and the risk of this happening to you is very little.

Exercising or doing anything strenuous is is not allowed in the first 48 hours after being injected with synvisc. Heavy lifting, running, playing tennis, or any action that can put pressure on the knee is definitely not allowed.

Synvisc Therapy and its Benefits

Keep in mind that synvisc injections are not a definite cure for arthritis. As a matter of fact, up to now, there is no cure for this condition. That being said, synvisc therapy is effective in relieving joint pain, and its pain relief effects can last for a minimum of 6 months. Additionally, synvisc therapy will work together with other medicinal drugs or other types of treatment, and you don’t require a prescription to get it.

If you have undergone more traditional or conservative therapies for knee arthritis, and yet you continue to feel extreme discomfort and excruciating pain in your knee, then synvisc might be the perfect fit for you. Ponder your options, visit your physician, and read all information available synvisc treatment.

About the Author:
To grab your copy of the Free Arthritis Relief Guide, and to read more articles related to Synvisc Injections For Arthritis
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Treatment Options for Hand Arthritis

Published on February 9, 2009 in Medicine. 0 Comments
by Ricardo Gibson

Hand surgery might be just about the last thing that comes to mind when medical procedures are mentioned. Your hands, however, play a vital role in your life. Just think about it. Fortunately, most hand issues can be dealt with surgically.

There are a number of reasons why you may need hand surgery. Some of the most common reasons include arthritis, hand trauma, infections, or severe pain. Each of these ailments requires a different type of procedure. The most common types are listed below.

Although your hands can do amazing things, trauma can occur when you overdue it. The pain and agony you feel is tendon damage. Like a rubber band, tendons stretch, but only so far. Tendon surgery is well understood, but it can take three to five weeks to recover.

Joint replacement surgery is another type that many patients suffering from arthritis undergo. This surgery consists of replacing a natural, non-functioning, joint with an artificial one. Various materials including metal, silicone rubber, and plastic are used in this type of procedure.

Ever spilled something hot on your hands? If it is hot enough, it will burn your skin. Surgeons use skin grafts to help you heal. The burnt skin is removed and the grafts placed on the area. Your blood circulation then helps them heal as part of your hand.

Everybody knows someone who has lopped of a finger accidently. Replantation surgery is the medical term for putting those fingers back on. If the finger is lost or cannot be used, artificial ones are often used that will look a bit off, but work like a normal finger.

Plastic surgery even has procedures tailored to hands. Ugly veins, skin issue and the like can all be addressed. This is a relatively new and specialized field, so make sure the surgeon you are using has plenty of experience so nothing goes wrong.

If you are a candidate for reconstructive hand surgery, you should know that complications from this type of surgery are minimal. Almost all patients recuperate from these procedures without any trouble at all. The good news is that you will have the use of your hands once this surgery has been completed.

About the Author:
Do plastic surgery operations like facelifts, eyelid lifts and liposuction give you ideas about changing your body? Author Ricardo Gibson suggests you get an appointment with a plastic surgeon to find out the options available.
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Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis – Those we know

Published on January 12, 2009 in Disease & Illness. 0 Comments
by Max Peykar

What causes our immune systems to turn against our own bodies? This is a mystery scientists have tried to solve for a long time and the causes of rheumatoid arthritis are still not completely clear. But, with the help of research, study groups and many experiments, a few factors and possibilities have been linked to rheumatoid arthritis.

In the US, 1.2 million adults, equaling 0.5 to 1 percent of the population, are rheumatoid arthritis patients. However, the numbers are declining positively, revealing some secrets of the possible causes of rheumatoid arthritis. More research into the decline will be able provide more understanding of how it all begins.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is generally known to affect middle aged or older people when one or more symptoms begin to appear. However, the condition affecting younger people is not exactly unheard of. The condition interestingly shows a gender bias towards women, as it is most often seen in women. Some of the causes of rheumatoid arthritis are now known, and though preventive measures can be adopted, its treatment once the problem sets in, is quite expensive. In fact, the treatment and medication for this disease proves to be a major financial drain on an average income family.

Hereditary factors are still believed to be the main causes of rheumatoid arthritis, even though it cannot become a fully-blown condition unless something triggers it. Environmental substances have being identified as the most likely triggers, although nothing is yet confirmed. Some people have the genetic setting for rheumatoid arthritis and others simply act as a carrier for the gene. While the genetic make-up does point out some clue about how rheumatoid arthritis begins and develops, it must be noted that the condition is not triggered unless external elements act as catalysts or activators.

With regard to environmental factors, which can be the possible triggers, viruses and bacteria are suspected, although the exact catalyst or agent is unclear. Rheumatoid arthritis is not contagious, as it does not belong to any diseases category. Other factors believed to be causes of rheumatoid arthritis are hormonally-induced such as those secreted in pregnant and breastfeeding women. Contraceptives are also believed to modify the possibilities of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

In pregnant women, the primary causes of rheumatoid arthritis are believed to be two immune system molecules ? interleukin 12 (IL-12) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a). These cause the main rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, such as the swelling and tissue degradation in response to various environmental triggers. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause depression, anxiety and a general feeling of incapability and illness in patients, because of the severe physical limitations imposed on the sufferer.

While all the solutions for treating the causes of rheumatoid arthritis are yet to be uncovered, the existing and new experiments, gene therapy, clinical trials and other methods will eventually find the exact triggers and risks leading to rheumatoid arthritis. Someday, there will be a total cure for the ailment too.

About the Author:
About twenty million Americans suffer from arthritis and this number will go up to 60 million by 2020. Find out what are causes of rheumatoid arthritis and how you can enjoy your life despite of arthritis at www.arthritis-treatment-guide.info/news
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Is the Elixir of Long Life our Fountain of Youth?

Published on December 28, 2008 in Health & Safety. 0 Comments
by Lydia Peru

Thousands of years ago people around the world knew of the values of Kombucha tea. This incredible brew continues to reign as one of the most amazing nutritional supplements, and is all natural.

Documented for over two thousand years, the name Kombucha originates in Korea. A medicine man named Kombu treated the emperor with what is known know as Kombucha tea. Over the centuries this elixir of life has spread worldwide.

Kombucha is not really a mushroom or a fungus. It’s really bacteria and yeast working together to form a culture that looks like a spongy pancake.

How does Kombucha tea serve us? Kombucha is often note for its detoxifying qualities. It assists the liver in clearing toxin buildup. Our acid and alkaline levels are also restored by the balancing qualities of Kombucha.

Our digestion is aided by the probiotic qualities of Kombucha. We need our healthy flora to digest, and Kombucha does not interfere with that process. Kombucha even restores our metabolic balance.

Conditions such as rheumatism and skin problems like acne have been aided by this pH restoring drink. Research continues worldwide into the benefits of Kombucha tea in treating tumors and cancer.

This Elixir of life can be consumed and used topically for healthy skin and hair. Pets benefit from this wonderful tea as well. Kombucha tea is known world wide, and has been used as a restorative drink for centuries.

About the Author:
Lydia Peru write articles for public awareness on wellness inhibitors such as arthritis and the benefits of nutrition. Learn more about kombucha tea at www.kombuchajuice.com.
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