The Best Relief From Arthritis Pain

Arthritis means inflammation in the joints. Inflammation gives rise to pain, swelling, redness and increase in the temperature of the local area. This is of several types.

Osteoarthritis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Gouty arthritis, Juvenile Rheumatoid arthritis (JRA), Arthritis after Rheumatic fever- to name a few.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is by far the most common arthritic disorder involving human being. By default, arthritis is referred to Osteoarthritis.

Knee or hip arthritis has affected more than 100,000 persons in the United States leading to so disablement that they are unable to move across the rooms. Even they are not capable to go to toilet. The basic reason behind OA is destruction of the articular cartilage of the joint spaces (the cartilaginous material that covers two ends of the bones forming a joint).

Rheumatoid arthritis occurs after bodily response to certain types of infection. It is a host-infection type reaction. RA (Rheumatoid arthritis ) factor gets increased in the body. The joints are mostly affected giving rise to pain and deformity.

There is deposition of Uric acid crystals in the joint spaces in Gout.

All the types of arthritis cause pain in the joint. And to get relief from arthritis pain, the following procedures are followed by the doctors. In the infants and adolescents, the specific type of arthritis occurs what is called JRA. JRA is genetically determined. Rheumatic fever also causes some specific types of joint deformity.

Reduction of weight- Osteoarthritis causes destruction of the articular cartilages. And if the person suffering is overweight, there will be more loss of cartilaginous tissues.

So the first and foremost criterion in virtually any kind of arthritis is reduction in the load of the joint. Weight reduction by various methods is very much helpful to achieve this. Only 24% of the patients suffering from the report that they are involved in some kind of physical activity. But sedentary lifestyle also increases the risk of other diseases like Diabetes, Hypertension, and Coronary Artery Disease etc.

For this reason, doctors prescribe some form of free hand exercise initially to reduce weight in the patients suffering from Arthritis. Gradually, the amount and the magnitude are increased.

Pain relief from arthritis [http://www.arthritissymptoms.org/arthritis-pain-relief.htm] with Thermal modalities- hot fomentation is one of the commonest and age old treatment modalities. Various forms of hot fomentation techniques are available in the market. Hot water bath is the best method in regard to patient compliance.

Patient education- for effective pain control among the patients suffering from Arthritis, reassurance, encouragement, proper guidance towards useful pain relief and recommendations regarding actions to unload the arthritic joint may become fruitful in a comprehensive pain relief from it.

Medication- first line drug for any type of pain in the body is NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drug). Drug therapy for arthritis is only palliative. Arrays of NSAIDs are available in the market. Still the first generations Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Nimesulide, Diclofenac or the combination of these are prescribed by the doctors.

Modern Selective COX-2 selective inhibitors have proved their efficacy for successful pain control. Intra-articular injection of steroids is helpful to suppress the arthritic pain for a prolonged period of time although this is an invasive procedure.

Intra-articular injection of Hyaluroran is beneficial to relieve Osteoarthritis.

Prominent Symptoms of TMJ Disorder

TMJ or the Temporomandibular Joint Disorder has myriad symptoms, which can sometimes be confused with other malignant pain or disorder. It is also stated that TMJ is one of those problems faced by human body, which even the doctors diagnose in a wrong way, so little can be said about the knowledge of the patient regarding the symptoms of TMJ. Thus, it is vital to point out few of the most significant indicators that play a role in showing that an individual is inflicted by TMJ. The TMJ specialist has incorporated many alarming symptoms for the diagnosis of TMJ disorder and the most pertinent of them are mentioned below.

One of the prominent symptoms is a defining pain in the ear, lowering of hearing sight or ringing in the ear. One take of these symptoms could be that there is an ear infection, but if the doctor finds no infection and if also there is a sign of light headaches or a feeling of vertigo inside the brain, it is most probably a TMJ disorder. In such a case, asking the TMJ specialist about a detailed examination of both the ear and the jaw is recommended.

If a person hears a click or a crack of his or her jaw when they are opening or closing, this certainly suggests a dislocated jaw. Even if you yourself are in doubt of the sound and a friend sitting next to you hear any type of sound such as a grinding, you should immediately consider this a great symptom of TMJ. This would probably be followed by a pain, which will eventually increase in intensity. Many TMJ specialists have state of the art equipments to relocate the jaw without causing even a hint of a pain.

Persistent pain in many areas of body including head, jaw, face, shoulders, and scalp or in and outside of the eyes is another major indicator of TMJ. Research has shown that many of these problems are side effects of TMJ, which not treated and diagnosed at its earliest can certainly lead to increase of pain channeling it to other areas of the body. As far as eyes are concerned, individuals who are facing blurry sight or when exposed to light, they squint accompanied with water suddenly appearing in their eyeballs should be concerned about this and talk to a TMJ specialist. From the research of TMJ specialist, it is shown that if a person is feeling intense pressure in his or her eyes or they have bloodshot eyes, the magnitude of TMJ disorder is certainly high and the doctors of TMJ have prescription to eradicate the disorder at every level.

Although, it is not agreed by a large majority of doctors and medical practitioners, but women in the age bracket of 30 and 50 are more prone to get Temporomandibular Joint Disorder. Many of the population do not realize about this disorder until and unless it visibly intrudes in their personal lives and affect their everyday routine. Staring from the very basic of eating to a small headache or a mild migraine, the TMJ disorder is considered by many TMJ specialists to be a critical problem, which should be rectified as soon as its starts showing its adverse symptoms.

TMJ specialist not only provide you with the best of consultation, but take into account the medical history of your teeth and ask for conducting specific teeth test, which can be very crucial in determining the status of TMJ disorder.

Shoulder Pain: A Careful Look at Your Job Tasks and Their Effects on the Shoulder

For most people, pain and tension in the body are daily experiences. There are several non-work factors that affect the body and the body's vulnerability to injury, like age, daily activity, and stress. However, shoulder pain is frequently a result of work-related activity, and it is not always so obvious.

For most people, pain and tension in the body are daily experiences. There are several non-work factors that affect the body and the body's vulnerability to injury, like age, daily activity, and stress. Certain pains are easy to connect to work-related causes, like neck and low back conditions. However, shoulder pain is frequently a result of work-related activity, and it is not always so obvious. This is for two main reasons: the relationship between the neck and shoulders, and some activities don't seem as harmful as they are. In an extensive study published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), it was found that the relationship between shoulder activity on the job and shoulder pain was too strong for non-work factors to be the reason for pain. The shoulder is influenced by a variety of movements and postures, and can result in several acute or chronic conditions if not treated properly.

The shoulder is complex not only because of its range of motion, but also because of its connection to the neck and arms. The rotator cuff muscles are the most recognized source of shoulder pain, but the trapezius and deltoids are often involved when the shoulder is either moving or stabilized. A frustrating experience to have is when pain is not eliminated through manual manipulation (like massage.) This indicates that the source of pain is not where the pain is felt. For example, the scalenes, located on the side of the neck and move the ear to the shoulder, may be taxed in activities that primarily affect the neck and not the shoulders. However, problems in the scalenes very commonly produce pain in the shoulder and arm. As a result, people whose work involves only minimal shoulder movement may not connect shoulder pain with work activity.

The work-related movements most greatly contributing to shoulder pain are repetitive motion and posture. The greater the angle of the arm to the shoulder (think overhead work) and weight of object lifted, the greater the risk of injury. Similarly, the more repetitive the shoulder movement is, the better the odds are of developing a shoulder condition. Interesting, though, is the risk of shoulder condition to tasks that have minimal repetition. In some cases, low-repetition tasks are more damaging to the shoulder because the muscles are still working to stabilize the joint. Static postures, or holding the shoulder in one position for an extended period of time, lead to cell death and limited circulation that cause fatigue and wear on tendons and muscles. Over time, this can create pain and limited range of motion that impedes the ability to perform basic tasks involving shoulder movement.

Pain and dysfunction in the shoulder can be experienced in a number of ways. In an examination, shoulder issues would be characterized based on when and how pain is felt. Constant pain, or pain upon resting, is different than pain produced by specific movement. Pain can be felt as sharp, dull, stabbing, constant, acute and chronic. Limiting a specific movement to avoid pain can actually exacerbate symptoms rather than allow the muscles to rest. Pain isn't the only determiner of dysfunction; often times stiffness, instability, and weakness of the shoulder joint are red flags that the joint needs treatment. Additionally, a health care practitioner would check for local redness, numbness, and swelling to determine the problem.

One of the strongest correlations between shoulder pain and work is that of highly repetitive shoulder movement and shoulder tendonitis. Tendonitis commonly arises from overuse or degenerative wear and tear, both of which may happen with repetitive activity. This is not only a painful condition, but contributes to limited range of motion and shoulder instability. Other dysfunctions that may arise from work-related shoulder stress are frozen shoulder, bursitis, degenerative joint disease, impingement syndrome, and arthritis.

Anyone who has exercised knows that repetitive activity actually strengthens muscles and tendons. This is very fortunate; however, this can only happen when there is sufficient recovery time between activities. Recovery happens during rest. Rest can be accomplished by: changing activities to use different muscles, taking breaks, waiting longer between bouts of activity, or even incorporating ergonomic solutions that demand less repetition, static postures, or forces applied to the shoulder. Initiating smarter work habits now can not only reduce the risk of injury, but also give your body the time it needs to heal and reverse some of the negative effects already sustained.

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ) - How Acupuncture Can Relieve Pain and Resolve Symptoms

Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJ) is a common disorder that affects the joints of the upper and lower jaw. It may cause pain and discomfort in the jaw joints, as well as other symptoms such as headaches, ringing in the ears, and neck and shoulder pain. The pain is often so intense that it limits food choices and adversely affects quality of life. Though determining the cause of the pain is often fairly straight forward, treating and managing the pain can be more challenging.

There are a number of muscles and tendons that help support the TMJ. We use them consciously during the day when we speak, chew, yawn, etc. and they often get used subconsciously during the night as well. This usually presents as grinding of the teeth, often a symptom of stress or anxiety, and one of the primary causes of TMJ dysfunction. Other causes of TMJ dysfunction include structural issues within the joints, muscle tension and pain, arthritis, and hypermobility. Any of these conditions may put excessive strain and pressure on the muscles and tendons of the joint, as well as disrupt the natural conformation of the bite. Either of these situations may result in pain of the TMJ or surrounding area.

TMJ dysfunction is most commonly diagnosed by a dentist or doctor doing a physical exam. Clinical presentation of the joint and surrounding muscles and tendons, as well as symptoms described by the patient are usually enough to diagnose the condition. Treatment is generally approached in two ways: use of a plastic Splint that is fitted for either the upper or lower teeth and worn during the day or night, and use of analgesics (pain medication). In more severe cases where muscle tension is the primary cause of discomfort, muscle relaxants may be prescribed. A number of patients do experience some relief of their symptoms when these two modalities are used, however, further relief and resolution of symptoms can usually be accomplished with acupuncture.

Acupuncture has been shown to be a highly effective method for reducing the pain of this disorder as well as restoring effective joint function. It can help to relax the muscles surrounding the joints, as well as treat the underlying stress that often accompanies these overworked muscles. One of the great benefits of acupuncture is that it can be used on its own or in conjunction with western methods of treatment/management. A complimentary approach is often the best choice for optimizing pain control as well as addressing many other aspects of the condition.

When pursing treatment with acupuncture, a complete health assessment is performed to determine the underlying reason for the condition. This assessment is done from an eastern medicine perspective, to make a diagnosis based on the concepts of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). The result of the assessment determines how each individual case will be treated. Just as western medicine will diagnose different reasons for the TMJ dysfunction, TCM will also diagnose a particular pattern or differentiation for each patient. One of the general premises of TCM is that where there is pain, there is obstruction. This can be an obstruction of the flow of vital energy called Qi, poor circulation of blood, poor supply of oxygen, etc. The goal of treatment is to remove the obstruction, improve free flow of qi and blood, and thus relieve the pain. This is accomplished by using special acupoints on the face, ear, and other areas of the body.

The thought of having needles put in ones face may seem somewhat daunting, however it is really a relatively painless procedure. The use of special high quality needles that are extra fine, laser sharpened, and lubricated are used to substantially reduce if not eliminate any discomfort. The acupoints that are typically used to treat and manage TMJ dysfunction are located on the cheeks, fairly close to the ear, and directly in front of the ear. These points will act to relax the muscles around the joint and allow a more natural alignment of the jaw. They improve the circulation and movement of Qi, allowing a better supply of qi and blood to nourish the joint. This will also help to clear out any built up toxins and residual materials from the joint. Depending on what the TCM pattern or differentiation is, other points on the hands, wrists, arms, and feet and legs may be used as well.

As an adjunct to classical acupuncture, Auricular acupuncture can also be used as a very effective add on to manage this condition and quickly help to relieve pain. Auricular medicine is based on the theory that the ear holds a hologram of the whole human body. By treating the corresponding points on the ear, you can affect these points on the body. Instead of needles, special seeds can be used to stimulate points on the ear. A single seed is placed on a small square of adhesive tape, and this is affixed to the ear on the point(s) of interest. These are then stimulated with massage by the patient three times a day for 30 second intervals. The seeds stay on for 3 to 5 days, helping to extend the effectiveness of the acupuncture treatment, as well as supporting the actual treatment of the condition. This combination of classical acupuncture with auricular medicine is a highly effective method to relieve the pain and resolve the symptoms of TMJ dysfunction.

TMJ is often a painful, debilitating, and chronic condition that can severely compromise ones quality of life. Using acupuncture and TCM principles to address the cause and symptoms may enable you to achieve fast, effective pain relief and may promote long term resolution of symptoms. Correction of the underlying imbalance that allowed the condition to manifest will reduce the likelihood of recurrence. As acupuncture can be used alone or in conjunction with treatment that your dentist or doctor recommends, it is an ideal solution to the difficulties that treatment and management of TMJ presents.

Rash on Legs With Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Often when women feel the onset of rheumatoid arthritis - more excruciatingly the joint pain, a rash on the leg or both legs may appear and it can be extremely difficult to find the right solution or supplement to put it to rest.

Psoriatic arthritis tends to be ones first suspicion as to the cause, but what is clear though is that rashes appear at many different times and should not be strictly associated with the ailment you are suffering from at that time, although it's perfectly acceptable to draw a correlation between the two.

So, if you are using NSAID's to treat the swelling around the joints then these themselves could be the culprit as the effects of these are well documented today.

Common prescription medicines for rheumatoid arthritis include Plaquenil, Norco and Ibuprofen, and aside from such treatment affects as liver damage, heart disease and heart palpitations or arrhythmia which can lead to cardiac arrest, they can also give you a rash.

If you are using more than one prescribed NSAID then don't be afraid to chop and change between the two.

NSAID's are just one way to treat joint pain and you shouldn't feel they are the only means you can seek pain relief.

In fact prescription drugs do nothing to stop the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, rather they just numb the pain so if you are using these solely to treat rheumatoid arthritis, in no way are you helping the remission process.

If you want to keep using NSAID's but resorting to just one supplement still doesn't help, then you should seriously start thinking about changing your lifestyle habits so you can incorporate different therapies to treat the pain.

Exercise is the best form of treatment, specifically swimming. By increasing your muscle strength you immediately provide support to the joint and an almost instant lift in your health and how you feel.

Low impact sports are best so as to avoid stress on the joints, and don't be afraid to use natural supplements which include omega 3, 6, 9 proteins, ingredients like reishi and capsaicin, and supplements like vitamin D and magnesium, which is the only element which has been proven to increase bone density by some 11% over the course of 9 months, as was carried out by the Journal Medicine in 2009.

Once you're off the NSAID's and in to a more proactive and positive lifestyle, it's highly unlikely that any rash on the legs will remain.

The All in One Source of Hip Injuries Information

The Hip Flexor inherently has a lot to do with the Hip Joint. Hip Joint pain is often intertwined or confused with Hip Flexor pain; hopefully this article can clarify on the former.

The hip joint is the joint where the leg is attached to the upper torso, in other words the top of the leg connects with the pelvic bones. This is an extremely intricate area much like the Hip Flexor region because of the overlap, and many people suffer pain for many different reasons. Inflammation, tears, trauma, wear and tear, and many other factors can cause several serious conditions.

Hip Joint Pain Causes

Inflammation

Inflammation is basically the swelling of a body part when it is engorged by blood. It is a biological response in response to certain pain or other stimuli that signal that the body is being damaged or has been damaged.

Tendon Inflammation

Tendons are the strong tensile tissues that connect muscles to bones for the most part. In all cases they are attaching something in your body to another. When these become inflamed they can cause significant pain by not being able to operate correctly and by interacting with other internal parts they are not designed to. The result of this kind of inflammation is more often or not some sort of tendonitis.

Inflammation of Bursas

Bursas are little cushion like structures filled with fluid at all your major joints. Think of them like a pillow in between your head and the ground if you were lying on the floor. While your head and floor would hurt if they were directly moving against each other, with a pillow (bursa) in between any pain is ideally diminished during movement. When these bursas become inflamed however, they can become sensitive to movement and have functioning problems which leads to pain during movement.

Surrounding Injuries

Since the Hip Joint is central to a lot of body movements and functions, it depends on surrounding muscles and inner workings to function properly. When there are surrounding issues like lower back pain, Sciatica, Hip Flexor Tendonitis, there is often a correlation to Hip joint pain.

Wear and Tear

This is really the only truly age dependent cause of Hip joint pain that occurs somewhere just after middle age for many people. Any bad habits of posture, walking, etc. eventually start to catch up with you once you get older. The years of stress on the Hip can accumulate and emerge in different ways, but the result is usually a lot of pain, and in many cases this is why people need Hip replacement surgery as they age.

Common Conditions and Injuries

Arthritis

There are many types of Hip arthritis, but the most common is Osteoarthritis. This type of arthritis is caused by wear and tear because it usually affects elder people. In a joint there are many contributing body parts that help to ensure proper functionality; one of these is protective cartilage. In this condition the cartilage is slowly grinded down until only bone is left in the joint, and at this point a tremendous amount of Hip joint pain is suffered.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is caused by inflammation of the tendons connected to body parts, usually muscles. It usually occurs as a result of overuse of a certain body part, in this case the Hip Joint. Overuse in this case is a relative term that is measured in terms of bodily capacity (the fitness level) that can occur at any age.

Osteonecrosis

This condition results from a lack of blood flow to an area, in this case the Hip joint. There can be many reasons for restrictive blood flow which need to be diagnosed in person by a qualified physician. The reason for Hip joint pain with this condition is that the lack of blood does not allow for proper upkeep for cells, particular near the bones. Over time this leads to weaker bones that can become brittle and even collapse.

Developmental Diseases

From being a fetus to a child to an adult there are many ways in which people develop. Sometimes there are issues with development though because of diseases. The general term for this is Developmental Dysplasia, which is when a part of a person does not develop properly, like the Hip. There are numerous negative effects of this that usually reveal themselves first in some form of impaired walking and movement. Overtime these impairments will result in different types of Hip joint pain.

Treatments

As seen from the above section there are a wide variety of different Hip injuries that can occur. All of these need to be treated individually based on the specific case. It will be necessary at some point to see a physician in order to have any issues found or treated, the earlier you find the problems the better.

Pain Prevention

There are some things that you can do to prevent Hip joint pain from occurring in the first place. First of all, perform Hip Flexor strengthening to strengthen all the parts around the Hip joint. Strong muscles and tendons are necessary to prevent injury.

Take precautions if you are older. As people get older they become less mobile and durable, it is crucial to plan for this. Make sure that everyday things are organized properly, don't leave clutter around that someone can trip on, and get rid of anything slippery. If you live in a cold climate make sure to shovel and get rid of any ice around the house.

For women specifically, who have a higher risk of hip and back fractures in general, it is important to try to prevent injuries by getting all necessary nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and bisphosphonates to keep bones strong.

A final word on this subject - If you have any Hip joint pain or feel at risk, go visit your doctor to get more information, it is always better to be on the safe side.

Surgical Treatment For Canine Hip Dysplasia - Will This Help My Suffering Dog?

The therapy for canine hip dysplasia (CHD) is usually targeted toward inhibiting additional break down in the hip joint and reducing pain. Different medicinal and operative treatment options are usually offered these days that may relieve a dog's pain and regain mobility. The kind of procedure will depend on a number of aspects, for instance chronological age of the dog, the intensity of this situation and monetary factors.

Care for this ailment commonly includes physical exercise restriction, weight supervision and symptomatic pain relief with pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications.

Even though each and every effort is usually designed to take care of the dog's suffering by means of diet and lifestyle modifications as well as using anti-inflammatories together with pain killers, it might at times end up being essential to get operative treatment. This really is especially true regarding elderly dogs.

One of the basic surgical treatments for canine hip dysplasia is - Femoral Head Ostectomy (FHO)

During this process, the particular injured rough-edged top of this femur will be taken off. The remainder section of the particular femur will act as an artificial joint with muscle tissue, ligaments as well as tendons within the region.

Despite the fact that that artificial joint isn't as a genuine joint, a substantial decrease of suffering will be the common result.

Although nearly every size of dog may go through this kind of surgery, it can be a great deal more beneficial with smaller sized dogs. Overweight dogs and the ones having substantial lack of muscle mass really don't fare similarly.

FHO is really a relatively uncomplicated surgery and dogs which have this kind of surgical procedure could go back to practically usual performance. This artificial joint is actually significantly smoother and even enables going for walks, exercising not to mention actively playing.

Even so, the brand new artificial joint is not really an ordinary joint. It could show reduced hip extension; your pet's gait will be very different, however the joint will be ache free.

Dogs which have gone through FHO can be a little bit different that's why early on physiotherapy needs to be emphasized.

If your dog doesn't make use of the leg a lot right after operation, skin damage might limit scope of hip movement as well as leg performance. A variety of movement routines can assist flex and even stretch the particular hip after operation, increasing the functionality as quickly as possible. Easy, slower leash walks are usually very helpful at the beginning. Relaxed strolling beyond any gait can motivate the pet to make use of this afflicted leg.

Certain dogs recuperate more quickly compared to some others. When it comes to FHO, the majority of dogs are going to be making use of the particular leg in about 6 weeks or so. With dogs which have gone through FHO, complete recuperation could take a couple weeks to a few months. Performance is going to be eighty to eighty-five percent related to the way the dog used to be, however the dog is going to be able to exercise, go walking as well as playing and end up ache-free.

After reading the above information, dog owners that are worried about their dog having to go through FHO can make an easier decision knowing that chances for the dog getting better are very good.

Know More About TMJ Disorder

Your jaw hurts. Actually, a lot of your body parts hurt, from your head, your temples, your neck, and your shoulders. You hear this strange popping, clicking, or grinding sound every time you open your mouth, and you can't even keep your mouth open for a long period of time because your jaw tends to feel tired easily for some strange reason. If you have all these symptoms, then you just might have TMJ syndrome. TMJ syndrome is what a lot of people tend to refer to as TMJ, which makes others wonder "What is TMJ?" TMJ is actually erroneously used to refer to TMJ disorder; actually, it refers to the temporomandibular joint. Any pain connected to that joint is called TMJ syndrome, TMJ pain, or TMJ disorder.

The temporomandibular joint is situated on either side of the jaw and is made of two parts--the mandible, or the lower part which is connected to your lower jaw, and the upper temporal bone, which is connected to your skull. In between these two bones is the articular disc. The entire joint helps move your mouth smoothly, whether you're simply opening and closing them, sliding or rotating your jaw around, among other various movements.

TMJ disorder hits you because of various reasons. It could be because of the improper alignment of teeth. It can also be due to direct impact to the jaw area, or even overuse of your mouth and jaw thanks to excessive gum-chewing, fingernail-biting, or grinding your teeth in your sleep. These activities can wear out the bones in your TMJ and may also cause the articular disc to slip, causing direct contact between the TMJ bones. The pain you feel from TMJ disorder, however, isn't due to the bones, which have no pain receptors, but rather because of the surrounding soft tissues in the area.

When suffering from TMJ disorder, it is always best to handle the pain first, taking pain medication, applying warm or cold compresses as needed, and working the jaw and the mouth as little as possible to prevent further harm. Naturally, you should also see your physician and find out which specialist you should go to in order to best address your TMJ syndrome.

Reduce Hip Joint Pain and Inflammation With These Methods

Hip joint pain can arise from structures within the joint or structures surrounding the hip joint. It joins legs with torso of the body, the thigh bone femur swivels in the joint made up of pelvic bones, this structure is like a socket and contains space and very less fluid in it. This socket like structure is called acetabulum. Any injury or infection fills this space with fluid or blood which restricts the free movement of the head of the femur causing pain, stiffness, and even locking of the joint. Inflammation, swelling, redness and warmth are few symptoms of this pain.

Muscles and tendons are attached to hip joint which in concert enables the movement of the joint, apart from the movement, muscles also ensure joint stability. In the hip joint large brusaes are present which are sacs filled with fluid and these are attached to the intersections of muscles to help tendons and muscles glide smoothly and without friction. Thick band of tissues and sciatica nerve is also attached to the hip joint.

Any inflammation caused to the structures of the joint or to those which are attached to the joint can cause pain in the hip joint. Inflammation or damage to the muscles attached to the joint can create problems during the movement, inflamed tendons commonly due to tendinitis or swelling of brusaes due to trochanteric bursitis can also cause mild to severe joint pain in the hip. Osteonecrosis is also one of the most common reasons for hip joint pain which occurs when there is inadequate blood supply to any part of the skeletal structure of the joint. The other reasons for hip joint pain are muscle pulls, and fractures either directly of the bones involved in the joint or to the femur and stress fractures which occur due to over use of the joint particularly by athletes or sportspersons. Many types of arthritis can also cause hip pain as they can infect tissues and muscles and also damage the brusaes to avoid smooth movement of femur in the acetabulum and of muscles and tendons.

Inability to walk properly or reduced stride are very common and early symptoms of hip joint pain. Bending and getting up from sitting position require lot of effort and the joint pose resistance during such activities. Pain in the hip while lying and resting also suggests some problem to the joint. Pain accompanied by redness, fever or swelling at the joint signifies serious joint problem in the joint. People having strained or pinched sciatica nerve or suffering from herniated disc may not be having any problem in the hip joint but they might experience some pain due to these problems.

NSAID are recommended by the doctors along with the treatment to control pain and enable the patient to move the joint. Herbs like echnacea, ginseng, winter cherry and ginger are also helpful in controlling pain and inflammation. Massages and exercises are always helpful in reducing the frequency of the painful episodes. In case of complete immovability of the joint, hip replacement surgery is the last option.

Joint Pain Relief Natural Remedies That You Can Try At Your Home

Joint pain can be caused by many conditions mild to serious but whatever may be the reason the pain can hinder normal day to day activities if not relieved. There are over the counter pain killing medicines for relieving the pain but these may have some side effects whereas over the counter ointment and creams for pain relief are safer to use.

Joint pain caused due to muscle strain or sprain can be cured by application of pain relieving creams and gels or massage by warm mustard oil. The pain relieving ointments contain ingredient which can break in to the skin and provide warmth and promote blood circulation to help muscles recover from exhaustion while massage with ordinary warm oil too promotes blood flow for similar effects.

For reoccurring joint pain there are many alternate remedies which can be helpful in relieving it and also to reduce its frequency. Consumption of ashwagandha or withania somnifera is very useful in relieving all sorts of pain as it is a natural pain reliever. It is also capable of relieving pain caused due to rheumatic conditions and improves strength and fitness. Ginger has amazing properties of inhibiting secretion of certain hormones which are associated with pain and inflammation, this property of it makes it helpful in relieving reoccurring joint pain too. Consuming a tablespoon of a mixture made by mixing equal parts of lemon juice and carrot juice in the morning on an empty stomach also helps the body in relieving joint pain.

For immediate relief one can make a rubbing mixture of eucalyptus oil, methyl salicylate, camphor and menthol, this mixture can be rubbed on the aching joints for quick relief. Warm apple cider vinegar is also an instant relief remedy, for some people having sensitive skin the application of vinegar can be irritating, in such cases it can be diluted with water before heating. Another useful pain relieving remedy can be made by mixing two parts of olive oil and one part of kerosene oil to form a paste, rubbing this mixture on aching joints can bring instant relief. Massage of the aching joints by warm mixture of camphor oil and sunflower oil also helps. Warm olive oil massage is also helpful in providing immediate relief from joint pain.

Hot and cold compresses can also bring quick relief by improving blood flow and relaxing the muscles and ligaments of the joints. Hot water bath also relieves all sorts of pain in the body. Light exercises like aerobics, swimming, jogging and walking can also be helpful in relieving pain by improving their strength and endurance. Yoga poses like 'gomukhasana' is very helpful in relieving joint pain. Breathing exercises in yoga can improve the functioning of cardio-vascular system and oxygenation of the whole body which is helpful in treating all sorts of pain and disorders of the body. Hydrotherapy, TENS and mobilization therapy are also useful methods of relieving joint pain if the pain is persistent and progressive, normally such pains occur due to underlying medical condition like arthritis.

Glucosamine For Dogs - 3 Must Know Ways to Treat Arthritis in Dogs

We all love our pets, and in most cases they are considered a special part of the family. As a dog and cat owner myself I would do just about anything to ensure my pets are safe, healthy and happy. Unfortunately many dogs will suffer from some form of arthritis or joint pain. Don't lose hope because there are several inexpensive and effective ways, including glucosamine for dogs, to alleviate and help prevent the onset of dog arthritis and joint pain.

If your dog shows signs like: hobbling, not wanting to walk, fear of climbing stairs, no desire to jump or play, lagging behind on walks, pain when rising from the resting position, and disliking normal touch. There is a good chance that they may be experiencing the symptoms of arthritis in dogs.

Some common causes of joint pain and pet arthritis include: Degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis, dysplasia, obesity, over strenuous exercise, and poor diet.

A fairly high percentage of dogs, especially larger breeds, will suffer from some form of dog arthritis or joint pain. Fortunately there are many simple and affordable ways to prevent and alleviate dog arthritis and joint pain. Glucosamine for dogs is one of the best ways to achieve this.

Keeping your dog within their ideal weight range is the first step in minimizing the impact on their joints and will also contribute to their overall good health. Switching to a low calorie food with less fillers and added omega 3's is important in achieving the best results.

Excessively strenuous activities can lead to an increase in the pain your dog experiences, so limit exercise to two or three daily walks of moderate intensity and distance.

You should consider utilizing the benefits of glucosamine for dogs when treating joint pain or arthritis in your dog. Side effects are minimal and results can be astounding. Glucosamine for dogs has the ability to regenerate joints and its anti-inflammatory properties can reduce pain. As with many supplements, it may take three to four weeks to see the maximum results, but many have seen improvements in the first week of supplementing with glucosamine for dogs.

Supplementing with glucosamine for dogs allows us, as their trusted caretakers and friends, to see that our dogs live the happy and pain free live that they deserve.

Knee Replacement Surgery - Your Last Option to Get Rid of Arthritic Knee

People that have generative joint disease or arthritis of their knees, often suffer from chronic pain for quiet a long period of time. Conservative treatments such as steroid injections, pain management and therapy are sometimes not enough to get rid of the pain and stiffness. Knee replacement maybe right for you, if you have a great decline in your daily living activities, that is related to pain with decrease in knee mobility and function.

The knee is the largest joint in the body. A person needs a healthy knee to be able to perform daily activities such as walking, climbing and running. More people ages 60-80 years old, that have some type of chronic arthritis such as Osteoarthritis, often choose to have a knee replacement. It is also performed on younger adults, depending on the severity of pain and damage to the knee. Your Orthopaedic surgeon will determine if you are a good candidate to undergo a knee replacement. You will be expected to stay in the hospital for several days after surgery.

Knee replacements are one of the most painful joint surgeries and dealing with post operative pain is one of the most important aspects of your care. Your therapy usually starts right after the surgery and it is important that you take pain medication prior to your therapy sessions to be able to participate fully with therapy. Your pain usually subsides in a few days, to a week and it may differ from person to person.

Most common complications after surgery are blood clots in the leg veins and you will be given a blood thinning agent to prevent this complication. You will also be taking iron supplements, depending on your laboratory result after surgery, since post operative anemia is also common to patients that undergo a knee replacement. Wound infection although rare will also occur so it is very important that you check your incision daily for signs and symptoms of infection.

Your therapy will usually focus on your balance, strength and mobility. You will be expected to use assistive devices during ambulation, such as a walker to prevent accidental falls for a few weeks. You will notice a marked improvement of your knee function, usually within 2-6 weeks of continued physical and occupational therapy, with a safe and fast recovery as a main goal.

3 Easy Ways to Minimise Knee Pain When Crouching Or Squatting

Crouching and squatting usually affects muscles in the lower back and limbs. If, after crouching and squatting, you feel pain and weakness throughout your limbs, you are likely to realize that actually your body does not react well to this sort of physical movement. It may be a good idea to start doing less prolonged and vigorous exercise in this form, especially if your occupation involves sitting down all day.

Here are 3 quick tips to minimise your knee pain when squatting:

1. Do your squats properly. Some forms of squatting are also very bad for your knee joints. They basically are not designed to take weight in this way. If you watch young children or toddler's squat, they do this more like trying to sit on a low stool. Their knees don't go beyond their toes. This is actually a much better way to squat or crouch.


2. Limit how far you lower yourself. Often just restricting how far you squat will make a big difference to the stresses on your knees and supporting muscles. You will often find that by halving the movement, you can stop or minimise the pain.


3. Don't hold the position for a long time. This multiples the stresses and makes it more like that pain or injury may occur. Another problems is that the synovial fluid that lubricates your joints can literally get squeezed out of your joints and it takes movement to get this back into your knee. In the mean time they can get painful and stiff.

The rectus femoris muscle is the cause of pain in the knees, as well as the adductor magnus muscle, which is at the inner part of the knee or thigh. Pain at the back of the knees is caused by from the hamstrings. In the outer aspect of the knees, stress may be due to the tensor fascia lata muscle.

The main muscles which a prone to injury are rectus femoris, tensor fascia lata and the hamstrings. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that they cross both the hip and knee joints, so are probably going to be more easily injured by crouches and squats. Many people expect that the quadriceps muscles are most likely to be injured. However, this is wrong because the quadriceps only cross the knee joint.

In disagreement with what most people think, posterior thigh pain is not actually the most common type. Anterior thigh and knee pain is actually more common. As human beings, we often remaining sitting for long periods of time. This is just because of how our generation has been brought up. When we sit the knees are always bent, so the muscles in the knee, in which the function is to extend the knee, are often weakened and stretched to the limit, in contrast to the hamstring muscles, which bend the knee and become short and tighten easily. This is due to the imbalance of power in the muscles. It is often called the see-saw principle. The muscles in the front of the hip are often shortened by this prolonged sitting, whereas the muscles in the back of the hip are lengthened and weakened.

Excessive shortening and lengthening in the knees is a very common cause for knee injury. This is often because of exaggerated and tougher exercise, such as crouching and squatting. Therefore, the rectus femoris and tensor fascia lata muscles become shorter and tighter in the hip areas, and longer and more outstretched around the knee.

When a person does crouches or squats, their muscles around the knees, thighs and hips become strained, as they are put under a lot of stress. The muscles at the back of the hip are lengthened to excess, whereas the knee contracts, becoming very short. Therefore, the muscles at the back of the hip are much bigger and stronger then muscles in other body parts, such as the knees. The hamstring muscles have extremely concentrated power, which is directed towards the knee. When the hamstring muscles pull harder, they are using more power.

For all the above reasons, after crouches or squats, discomfort and heavy pain can often be felt, which may be the beginning of future knee and thigh pain. Pain in the hips may also occur. It is better to either squat correctly, like a child, or avoid these altogether. There are also more specialised squats such as the 'Hindu Squat' that some health gurus believe actually help to repair knee damage.

Pain Relief Cream

A convenient and effective way to manage ailments such as joint pain, stiff and sore muscles, back pain and arthritis is by using a pain relief cream. There are many different types of topical pain creams that claim to work for many different ailments. This article will take a look at some of the main ingredients that you will find in the most popular pain relief creams and go over which ones are the safest and most effective.

Salycilate Pain Relief Cream

Some of the more well known and popular over the counter pain creams contain salycilates such as "Methyl Salycilate". These creams include Ben Gay and the Icy Hot Patch. Most people do not know this, but this ingredient can be toxic and can cause an overdose if used in excess. There was recently a reported case of a teenage track star who died of a methyl salycilate overdose due to overuse of Ben Gay.

Most of these type of pain creams also have a high dosage of menthol which can be effective for short term pain relief as it provides an immediate shock to the tissues it is applied to. However, the downside is the overwhelming smell and the fact that it does not provide long lasting relief of pain.

Pain Cream Containing Capsaicin

Capsaicin is the active ingredient in chili peppers and can also be found in certain topical pain creams. Zostrix is an example of an over the counter pain cream that uses capsaicin. This type of cream can be effective for fibromyalgia, joint and muscle pain as well as back aches. Pain cream containing capsaicin works by depleting the body of substance P (a chemical that transmits pain). This helps to provide short term pain relief. The only downside is that it may not be as convenient for long-term relief of conditions such as arthritis and chronic back pain as it needs to be applied continuously for relief of pain. Some side-effects may include an uncomfortable burning or itching.

Pain Relief Cream Containing Celaplex

Celaplex is a combination of several anti-inflammatory ingredients that when combined work to relieve pain and rebuild damaged tissue and cells. Celeplex uses a nano-delivery system to deliver these natural compounds such as Cetylated Fatty Acids and Deodorized Garlic Oil deep into damaged tissue and cells. This provides not only immediate relief of pain, but helps to rebuild tissue and damaged cells for long term relief. Celaplex works on most types of pain caused by inflammation and is ideal for use as a pain relief cream for arthritis, joint pain, back pain and most common sports injuries such as tendonitis, sprains and strains and sore muscles from exercise.

MYO-MED is an example of a pain cream that uses Celaplex. The advantages of using this type of pain relief cream are that it provides both long term and immediate pain relief and because the ingredients are natural and free of salycilates, it is safe to use as often as needed and there are no side effects.

What Causes Morning Back Pain?

Many people wake up to back pain every morning. Morning back pain generally wears off in a few minutes but serves as a highly unpleasant introduction to your day.

A number of things can cause stiffness and soreness in your back upon waking. Some common causes are muscle rigidity and joint problems.

Muscles in the Morning

Muscles require motion for flexibility. As a muscle contracts and relaxes, blood is pulled in and pushed out. This pump action allows blood whose nutrients and oxygen have been expended, along with metabolic waste products like lactic acid, to be flushed from the muscle and pulls fresh blood in to nourish the muscle and provide it with oxygen that it can convert to energy.

This is why people warm up before rigorous physical activity; muscles literally need to be warmed by fresh blood. After remaining for the most part in static positions throughout the night, your muscles become rigid. They don't have what they need to do work, so those first few movements of the day can not only be painful, but can create muscle strains.

If you have sore, stiff muscles when you wake, the process of getting out of bed should be a gentle one. While still laying down, slowly begin to stretch your arms and legs. Move your neck from side to side. Rather than pulling yourself up from bed, try rolling out of bed by swinging your legs off the edge, rolling to your stomach and slowly bringing yourself upright. Continue to stretch for a few minutes once you're out of bed. See http://www.spineuniverse.com/conditions/back-pain/back-pain-and-stretching-exercises for a list of morning stretches that will help relieve muscle stiffness.

Joints in the Morning

People who have joint pain and stiffness in the morning may have a form of arthritis. Joint stiffness and pain that is worst in the morning is a symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, which involves inflammation of the joint.

People with rheumatoid arthritis have an excess of fluids surrounding their joints. Joints, much like muscles, depend on motion to push fluids out and pull them in. Inactivity causes fluids to pool around joints. For those with rheumatoid arthritis, the pain they usually feel from inflammation is exacerbated by inactivity.

People with arthritic morning pain should focus on range of motion stretching exercises. These simply involve moving your joints through their ranges of motion. It is important to move slowly and not exceed your range; this could lead to further pain and inflammation. Fish oil supplementation is now believed to help reduce morning stiffness if taken for at least three months.

Joint and muscle pain in the morning can also indicate harmful sleeping position and a mattress that does not support the body sufficiently. It is best to avoid sleeping on your stomach altogether, and to put a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side. Your mattress should be firm enough to hold your spine and other joints in alignment.

For many people, simple stretching in the morning is enough to either eliminate or significantly reduce morning back pain. If you have severe joint stiffness in the morning, it is necessary to seek medical treatment as this is a sign of rheumatoid arthritis. Pay attention to where your pain is located and how long it lasts. This will help you to identify and resolve the causes of your morning back pain.

Natural Joint Pain Relief - How You Can Eliminate Joint Pain Naturally

By now, your joint pain is probably threatening to ruin your life. You were probably forced to abandon some sports and activities that you loved. Sometimes you can't even sit for long, you can't stand or walk for long and simple daily activities like going to the grocery store or just playing with your kids - become controlled by your next "pain attack". Affected joints may be red, swollen and painful to touch and joint mobility may be restricted.

What Causes Your Joint Pain?

The most common causes for joint pain are Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoporosis and Bursitis (inflammation of the bursae).

In fact, millions of people who suffer from various aches and pains like arthritis and joint pain, back pain, fibromyalgia and others do so because of chronic internal inflammation. The pain you feel is your body telling you about an injury or damage. The swelling is your smart body stopping you from moving to protect you from more damage.

Then what happens is your body producing proteolytic enzymes. These enzymes fight the inflammation and repair the damage. They also clean your blood, break down scar tissue and even fight viruses and bacteria. The problem is that after the age of 25, your body produces dramatically less amount of these enzymes (we can't stay young forever...). In addition, there are more factors that cause increased inflammation, like chemicals in our food and air, bad nutrition, allergies and even stress.

This is how your body is flooded with inflammation it can not control anymore. Your pain increases and out of nowhere you are diagnosed with arthritis, chronic fatigue, heart disease and the list goes on and on.

Most Common Treatment and Why It's Dangerous

Unfortunately, most doctors simply write prescription after prescription for drugs like Celebrex, Bextra and Vioxx - that have been proven to have side effects often much worse than the pain they are supposed to be treating.

A study by the National Cancer Institute found elevated risk for heart attacks and strokes. Another study by Pfizer (Bextra's manufacturer!!) found elevated risk of heart and blood clotting for patients that have undergone cardiac surgery. Several drugs have been recalled in the past few years such as Vioxx, Bextra and others. And what about those plain old side effects like cramping, headaches and even damage to the liver and kidneys?

Natural Joint Pain Relief - What is Systemic Enzyme Therapy?

Nature has its solutions for all our conditions and diseases. Your Pain is one of them. Natural joint pain relief is as effective as prescription drugs - but safer.

Remember those enzymes we talked about earlier?

Enzymes are basically the main line of defense against inflammation. They reduce inflammation by neutralizing the bio-chemicals of inflammation to the point where your body can repair injured tissues. They promote healing without the side effects of prescription drugs. Enzymes also Break down scar tissue and fibrosis, support a healthy immune system, clean the blood and fight viruses and bacteria.

Joint Pain - Simple Home Remedies

Joint pains are very disadvantageous because they can interfere in the normal functioning of people. From an Ayurvedic point of view, joint pains occur when there are digestive problems in the body, which leads to the buildup of toxins in the spaces between the joints. Hence, when the joints are moved in the slightest, pain is felt in them.

Some people live with excruciating joint pains that don't go despite treatment. They look upon these pains as a part of growing up. However, with the right kind of medicine these pains can be totally eliminated.

Treatment with Simple Home Remedies

Remedy # 1

Take the juice of a ginger. Crush some vidanga (Embelia ribes, False Black Pepper) to a fine powder with some rock salt. Mix all of these and take them in quantities of three grams each time with honey. Lick on this thrice a day.

Remedy # 2

Massage the paining joints with the oil extracted from the seeds of the Bishop's weed. Warm the oil a little before massaging. A similar kind of relief is obtained by massaging with the oil of neem (Azadirachta indica, Indian Margosa).

Remedy # 3

In case of joint pains due to cold weather, add a fistful of Bishop's weed seeds and one teaspoon of salt in two cups of water and boil it. Keep a sieve on this, and then keep a cloth on the sieve. The cloth will get moistened with the warm fumes of the solution. Use this cloth to foment the painful joints. This will remove the pains.

Remedy # 4

Some joint pains are felt more acutely in the knees, fingers and shoulders when lifting some heavy weight. These are very persistent pains in most cases, and they do not dissipate despite treatments. In such pains, tomatoes are the best solutions due to their rich vitamin C content. Eat four to five raw tomatoes in a day, and eat one bowlful of thick tomato soup twice a day - in the morning and the evening. This provides great relief within a fortnight of continued use.

Remedy # 5

If there are sharp and sudden joint pains in any part of the body, then grind an amalaki (Emblica officinalis, Indian Gooseberry) in water that is a little warm. Then add a slightly crushed piece of cardamom in the water. Drink this concoction once a day. This will retain the zest and vigor of the body and also prevent all the inexplicable pains that arise suddenly in different parts of the body.

Remedy # 6

Take a petal of the yellow oleander flower, known as kaner in Hindi, and grind it to a paste in groundnut oil. Apply this paste regularly on the regions where the joint pains arise. Continuous use will totally eliminate the pains.

Remedy # 7

You can also grind some cloves of garlic and apply the paste on the affected joints. This will remove the pains in a short while. But the problem with this remedy is that the garlic paste needs to be washed off within a few minutes, or it will lead to boils on the skin.

Remedy # 8

Prepare a paste of mustard seeds with a little water. Apply this oily paste onto the affected joints. The pains will be eliminated in a short while.

Remedy # 9

This is a regimen that will take care of joint pains, but it takes some patience. Every morning after waking up, eat castor seeds in the following manner. On the first day of the routine, eat one peeled castor seed, on the second day two and so on keep increasing the number by one till the seventh day. From the eighth day onwards, begin reducing the number of castor seeds by one. Do this till the number comes down to one. The joint pains will vanish by then.

Remedy # 10

Cook some seeds of Bishop's weed in water. Let the water boil and the fumes come out. Bring your affected joints in contact with the fumes. This will make the joint pains disappear.

Remedy # 11

Put some bitter oil in a pan. Add some seeds of the Bishop's weed and some cloves of garlic. Use this oil to massage deep into the regions where you get frequent joint pains. This remedy has the potency to remove any kind of joint pains if done diligently.

Remedy # 12

Crush two cloves of garlic and add them to some sesame oil. Warm the oil and massage it deep into the paining joints. You will find immense benefits from this therapy.

Remedy # 13

If the pains are not that severe, then a simple steam fomentation with a cloth will also help. The cloth must be moistened with the vapors and then pressed deep into the affected areas. Fomentation must be done for at least twenty minutes a day, and preferably at dusk.

Remedy # 14

Prepare a brew of ginger juice in castor oil. Take no more than 10 milliliters of castor oil and a teaspoonful of the juice of ginger. Drink this twice a day - at dawn and at dusk - on an empty stomach.

Treatment with Special Ayurvedic Methods

Since joint pains are related to the accumulation of ama, the first step in their treatment is to remove all the toxins. This is done by making the patient fast for a day. After this, fomentation is applied on the swollen joints with dry heat. Castor oil is used extensively in Ayurveda to perform massage in case of joint pains. Herbs prescribed in various potencies are galangal, garlic, guggul and punarnava. Dashamoolarishta is the preparation most commonly prescribed, and treatment is generally carried on for three weeks.

Yoga - The Antidote to Arthritis and a Key to Healthy Aging

Forty years ago, when I first became interested in yoga and therapeutic exercise, I was assisting an older woman who was immobilized in her wheelchair by arthritis. Long before I understood the degree to which yoga can rehabilitate the body, I was helping people who were unable to dress, bathe or feed themselves independently due to the pain and stiffness in their joints. This has helped me understand the extreme suffering that can be inflicted by arthritis.

Back then, people with joint pain and swelling were advised by doctors not to move! The thinking was "If it hurts, don't move it." We now know that inactivity is one of the worst responses for someone with arthritis.

As Loren Fishman, MD, points out in his book, Yoga for Arthritis, "Arthritis restricts movement, yoga increases range of motion-these two were made for each other."

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in this country, limiting everyday activities for millions of people. Drugs, surgeries, and steroids can alleviate some of the discomforts, but study after study has shown that exercise is most beneficial to most forms of arthritis, specifically low-impact, flexibility-enhancing exercises such as yoga.

Osteoarthritis, a painful and often debilitating condition caused by decades of wear and tear on the joints, is considered to be one the side effects of living longer. By the time we reach age sixty-five, X-rays for at last a third of us will show some signs of osteoarthritis, the most common of a group of diseases collectively referred to as arthritis.

Arthritis in its many forms affects more than seventy million (or one in three) American adults, according to estimates by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Arthritis is so common in our culture that most people consider the pain and discomfort it brings to be a normal part of aging. Arthritis makes normal activities increasingly painful and difficult and diminishes or destroys the quality of life.

An Overview of Arthritis

The word arthritis means "joint inflammation." Modern medicine recognizes more than a hundred varieties of conditions that produce deterioration in joint structures. The common thread among these conditions is that they all affect the joints-those nearly 150 ingeniously designed structures located where two or more bones come together.

Arthritis-related joint problems may include pain, stiffness, inflammation and damage to joints. Joint weakness, instability and visible deformities may occur, depending on the location of the joint involved.

Arthritis is classified into two main types. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder, resulting in stiffness in the joints and muscles, joint erosion and pain. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disorder that erodes the cartilage in joints, which leads to bones rubbing together. Osteoarthritis frequently occurs in people who are overweight or whose joints are painful from extreme overuse.

In spite of the prevalence of arthritis, be careful not to jump to the conclusion that your achy joints are necessarily due to it. Overuse and injuries can also result in tendonitis, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and other fairly common conditions that are unrelated to arthritis.

Arthritis and Exercise

To remain healthy, muscles and joints must move and bear weight or they will lose strength. This weakness, coupled with joint swelling, will make the joints unstable. Joints in this condition are vulnerable to dislocation, increased injury and pain. Thus, regular gentle movement helps to reduce pain and to maintain mobility.

Physical movement promotes health in many systems of the body. It increases circulation, which in turn reduces swelling and promotes delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the tissues. With immobilization, a cycle of deterioration begins.

Because movement is crucial to so many physiological processes, the arthritic person's overall health tends to deteriorate without it. The normal functioning of the immune system declines, infections and illnesses occur, and the person often becomes frustrated and depressed. This cycle is self-perpetuating.

When someone comes to me with arthritis, I teach them how to practice yoga safely with the support of yoga props. For those who are new to yoga, the term "yoga props," simply refers to any object, such as a wall, a sturdy table or a chair, a folded blanket, a firm pillow, a strap or other item that makes practicing yoga safer and easier. Yoga props are especially helpful for older beginners who may have balance problems and are coping with common health issues such as arthritis and osteoporosis. In addition to common household objects that can be used as yoga props, there are professional yoga props such as a sturdy wooden bar known as the "yoga horse," yoga wall ropes, yoga bolsters in many shapes and sizes, yoga straps, special yoga chairs, yoga blocks, firm yoga blankets and more elaborate props like yoga backbenders that give people with arthritis and other common health conditions new hope and confidence.

Physicians are increasingly advising regular gentle exercise for people with arthritis because it tones muscles and reduces stiffness in joints. Yoga is an ideal form of exercise for this because its movements are fluid and adaptable. Yoga loosens muscles that have been tightened by inactivity, stress and tension. In yoga we progress gradually, beginning with simple stretches and strengthening poses and advancing to more difficult postures only as we become stronger and more flexible.

If necessary, you can begin with gentle movements while sitting in a chair or lying on the floor. You can gradually add weight-bearing standing postures, with the support of a wall, counter or table, wall ropes, chairs, blocks, and other props.

The weight-bearing yoga standing poses are among the key poses for safely increasing range of motion in all the joints as well as increasing strength and flexibility.

It's important to note that weak muscles are considered a risk factor for osteoarthritis. Be especially aware of weakness in the quadriceps, the large frontal thigh muscles: The weaker the quadriceps, the higher the risk of developing osteoarthritis in the knee. Yoga standing poses are valuable for strengthening the quadriceps without wear and tear on the hip and knee joints.

Practicing yoga can help improve respiration throughout the day. Calm, slow, rhythmic breathing helps to release both physical and emotional tension by flooding the body and brain with oxygen. The regular, daily practice of deep relaxation is restorative to every cell of the body.

I encourage those of you with arthritis to seek the help of an experienced teacher who can help you learn to distinguish between good pain and bad pain and to make yoga part of your daily life.

The positive effects yoga can have on mood and overall outlook are especially important to someone with arthritis. A yoga class offers positive support and the opportunity to connect with people who are health-minded and have experienced the benefits of yoga. Numerous studies emphasize the value of group support in coping with health challenges such as arthritis.

With arthritis, as with any injury or disease, listen to your body with focused attention to avoid injury and determine which movements are most healing. Take classes with a teacher who is knowledgeable about arthritis. If you are new to yoga, I recommend a few private lessons, if possible, or start in a small group class with individualized instruction, where you can practice at your own pace.

Guidelines for Practicing Yoga in Class and at Home

1. Respect pain. All yoga students, but especially those with arthritis, must learn the difference between the beneficial feeling of muscles stretching and the pain that signals harm. Learn to distinguish between the normal discomfort of moving stiff joints through range of motion, and the pain caused by a destructive movement or an excessive demand on a joint. Sudden or severe pain is a warning. Continuing an activity after such a warning may cause joint damage.

In general, if pain and discomfort persists more than two hours after a yoga session, ask a knowledgeable teacher to check your alignment and help you modify the pose. Try moving more slowly, practicing more regularly and experiment with how long to stay in a pose. There is no set answer to the perennial question "How long should I stay in the pose?" Stay long enough so that a healthy change has been made but not so long that your body stiffens from staying in a position too long.

2. Balance work and rest. Balancing activity and rest applies to yoga as well as to other daily activities. Do not exercise to the point of fatigue. Stop before you are exhausted! Weakened, fatigued muscles set the stage for joint instability and injury. Balance your active yoga session with yoga's deeply relaxing restorative poses. Restorative poses are passive poses that help your internal healing processes to work. If you are fatigued, practice restorative poses first. You will benefit more from active, more challenging poses, if you are well rested.

3. Practice with focus and awareness (pay attention to how you feel) and breathe properly. Avoid mechanical repetitions and counting while exercising. Watch the flow of your breath and your body's response to a particular pose or exercise. Without fully expanding your lungs, the muscles you are exercising cannot be adequately supplied with oxygen. Holding your breath while stretching inhibits relaxation. Smooth, peaceful, rhythmic breathing through the nose reduces pain and tension and increases the feeling of deep relaxation that follows a yoga session. Learn to tune into what your body is telling you.

4. Learn to use yoga props. People with arthritis may already be quite stiff by the time they start yoga. The use of props helps improve blood circulation and breathing capacity. By supporting the body in a yoga posture, props allow the muscles to lengthen in a passive, non-strenuous way. Props help conserve energy and allow people to practice more strenuous poses without hurting or over exerting themselves.

Yoga for Arthritic Hips and Knees

The areas most commonly affected by arthritis are the hips, knees and hands. With decreased movement, the muscles and soft tissues around the hip shorten, putting additional wear and tear on the gliding surfaces. If a person becomes more sedentary in an effort to minimize pain, bones and cartilage receive less weight-bearing stimulation. Bone spurs may even develop to further limit movement.

Lack of exercise also weakens the thigh and calf muscles. Their strength provides stability and support for the knee. When the soft tissues of the joint swell, this causes compression and reduces space in the joint even further.

Standing poses are crucial for stretching and building supportive strength in the hips, buttocks and thighs. Moving the head of the femur in the hip socket helps distribute synovial fluid, thus lubricating the joint and all points of contact.

The same standing poses recommended for hips are also critical for knee rehabilitation. They create more space in the knee joint for synovial fluid circulation and develop the strength of the thigh and calf muscles for better support.

Sit on the Floor Every Day!

I encourage all my students, especially those with osteoarthritis of the knees, to sit on the floor every day, in various cross-legged and other bent knee positions, as part of their daily life routine. This helps assure that you do not lose the ability to sit comfortably on the floor. Sitting with the legs crossed loosely is a simple, natural position that helps remove stiffness in the hips and knees. To help you sit comfortably on the floor with your back straight, sit on one or more folded blankets, a firm bolster, large dictionary or other height. Avoiding sitting on the floor will only make your hips and knees stiffer with the passage of time.

Hint: If there is pain in the knees, try increasing the height under the buttock so that your pelvis is higher than the knees, and place folded blankets or yoga blocks under the knees. A knowledgeable yoga teacher can help you adjust your props so that sitting on the floor becomes easy and comfortable. Increase the length of time you sit gradually, and be sure to cross your legs the opposite way (opposite leg in front).

Caution: Do not strain your knees by attempting to sit prematurely in more advanced, bent-knee positions such as the classic Lotus Pose. Forcing your body into any position can result in serious injury. STOP if you feel pain, and consult a knowledgeable teacher.

Arthritis and Spondylolisthesis

The term arthritis refers to inflammation of a joint anywhere in the body, including the spine. The condition may result from, or be associated with, various disorders including infection, degenerative disease, metabolic disturbance and tumors. Types of arthritis include ankylosing rheumatoid spondylitis, a chronic progressive disease that usually affects the spine and adjacent structures.

Osteoarthritis affects mostly the weight bearing joints, but also others such as the facet joints, and rheumatoid arthritis, which can sometimes produce crippling deformities. Osteoarthritis related degenerative changes in the spinal bones and joints, which are common among people over forty, are known as spondylosis.

The prefix spondyl means vertebra. They can result in an abnormal curvature of the thoracic chest spine in older people, a condition known as kyphosis. For accurate diagnosis, x-rays are required. Treatments include rest immobilization, pain relieving and anti inflammatory medication, followed by graduated exercise and postural training by a physiotherapist.

Surgery is necessary only in extreme cases. What is spondylolisthesis? In this condition, one vertebra slips forward or subluxates on top of another. This movement narrows the spinal canal through which the spinal cord passes. Although it can occur anywhere along the spine, it most frequently involves the slipping of the bottom lumbar vertebra over the sacrum.

Spondylolisthesis may be the result of trauma, a spinal fracture or arthritis. Its symptoms include mild low back pain, muscle spasm and sciatica, or it may produce no symptoms whatsoever. Practicing good postural habits and strengthening the muscles of the trunk are good preventive measure to take.

Normal disc is the inner soft core is held within the tough, fibrous outer shell. Bulging disc with aging small tears may occur in the outer shell or annulus fibrosus, allowing the inner core or nucleus pulposus to bulge. Herniated or prolapsed disc is when tears in the outer shell increase in size or number, the inner core may spill into the surrounding area and impinge on an adjacent nerve, causing both inflammation and pain.

Stenosis of the Spine - Spinal Stenosis, A Huge Spinal Problem

The spine is perhaps one of the most important groups of bones in the body, considering that it houses and protects the spinal cord, which is essential for any person to live a normal life. Any injury that may happen to the spine can have serious repercussions, such as severe back pain, which may extend from the neck, lower back, and down to the legs, weakness and a tingling sensation both often occurring in the lower extremities, permanent paralysis, and even death. One often serious problem with the spine and the spinal cord is the stenosis of the spine.

Spinal stenosis is basically the narrowing of the spinal canal, resulting in the impingement of various nerve roots and even the spinal cord, by bony spurs from fractures or other soft tissues, such as in the case of a herniated disc. Though spinal stenosis may occur anywhere in the spine, the lumbar or lower back area is the most vulnerable to spinal stenosis, which is known as lumbar spinal stenosis.

In general, spinal stenosis occurs due to a number of factors, though it is commonly caused by degenerative arthritis. Similar to the arthritis of other joints in the body, degenerative arthritis manifests as we grow older. This can lead to the loss of cartilage in the joints, formation of bone spurs, occurrence of degenerative disc disease, which is the deterioration of the spinal discs, and overgrowth of the ligamentous structures. Each of these can cause the narrowing of the spinal canal, which in turn can cause the impingement of the nerves. Other less common factors that can cause spinal stenosis are tumors, infections, and various metabolic bone disorders.

Lower back pain and weakness, numbness, pain, and loss of sensation of the lower extremities can often be experienced with spinal stenosis. In many cases, the severity of pain increases while standing or walking and diminishes when at rest, leaning forward, or lying down. Awkward positions like bending backwards can make the situation even worse. Over time, especially when caused by degenerative arthritis, spinal stenosis worsens, considering that degenerative arthritis is a progressive disease. When left untreated, the nerve impingement can lead to the Caude Equina Syndrome, which is exhibited by weakness or loss of function of the legs, as well as loss of bowel and bladder control, and loss of sexual function.

When it comes to spinal stenosis treatment, there are many readily available medications, exercises, and procedures that can improve or fix the situation. In most cases, physicians would recommend the use of various conservative treatments, such as medications for the reduction of inflammation, short courses of oral cortisone medication, and various pain medications. Some medications that are primarily used for nerve pain can also help with spinal stenosis, such as gabapentin and pregabalin. Steroid injections may even be injected directly into the affected area to reduce inflammation and swelling around the nerve tissue.

For a more drastic measure, spinal stenosis surgery may be recommended by the physician, especially when conservative treatments do not provide any relief. Basically, common surgical procedures done for spinal stenosis are laminectomy, laminotomy, and foraminotomy, which focus on removing the cause of the nerve impingement. In some cases, spinal and lumbar fusion may also be done together with the above mentioned procedures. However, many patients and physicians treat surgery as a last resort because of the many complications that may arise during and after the surgery and the long recovery period.

One of the most popular treatments for the stenosis of the spine is natural or home remedies, such as stretching exercises, physical therapy, and the use of the spinal decompression machine. Through various stretching and back strengthening movements, nerve impingement can be relieved. Spinal decompression therapy with a decompression machine can also help improve the situation by using traction on the affected area.

Magnetic Therapy For Drug Free Pain Relief

From times of yore, magnetic therapy has been in vogue for treatment of body pains and aches. Though the medical community is divided over the effectiveness of magnetic therapy in providing beneficial health effects with associated pros and cons, actual users have declared immense health benefits in terms of getting drug free pain relief and a sound night's sleep.

Origins Of Magnetic Therapy

The healing powers of magnets were recognized early on in the ancient Chinese and Indian cultures. The Greek and Egyptian cultures embraced it in a big way using magnetic therapy extensively in medical treatments. In fact, the word magnet is of Greek origin and is attributed to Magnes, a shepherd in ancient Greece who is said to have discovered this rock.

The post Renaissance period in Europe saw magnetic therapy gain popularity. Despite cases of quacks promising cures for all kinds of ailments, this alternative therapy gained ground steadily and was used to heal bones and alleviate pains from rheumatism and sciatica. The 20th century has seen it grow in leaps and bounds with development of powerful ferrite magnets at low costs that has brought magnetic therapy products within easy reach of the common person.

With the rapid strides made in clinical research and medical technology, the power of modern day treatment techniques are matched by equally powerful side effects, sometimes causing more damage than the actual procedure itself. Viewed in this light, it is therefore natural for people to expect solutions to their health problems that are devoid of harmful consequences. Magnetic therapy fits the bill admirably.

Are Magnets Effective?

Magnetic therapy at the outset looks innocuous but it is a very effective alternative treatment. With advancements in production of powerful quality magnets, its power is today harnessed to alleviate various types of joint pains such as arthritic pain, sciatic pain, back pain and fibromyalgia.

An age old home remedy to reduce aches and pains is to apply heat to the body region or joint that is inflamed. Magnets are effective agents in focusing heat along with improved blood circulation to relieve the pain.

People using magnetic mattress pads and toppers attest to the fact that they have been able to get a good night's sleep with little restlessness to show. Magnets help in the production of melatonin, a hormone secreted by the pineal gland in the brain. This hormone plays a crucial part in the sleep-wake cycle and is actively associated with the onset of sleep. Sleeping on a magnetic mattress pad or topper is an effective way to counter sleep disorders.

A Safe Alternative Treatment

This is a non-invasive procedure and its therapeutic qualities have been experienced first hand by numerous people all over the world. Although the medical fraternity is divided over its acceptance of magnetic therapy as an effective healing technique, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is on the verge of supporting this alternative healing method. As of date, the number of success stories coming from users bears testimony to its expanding sphere of influence as the alternative therapy of choice.

Magnetic Therapy As It Stands Today

The development of powerful magnets has also contributed to the success of this form of treatment in the modern age. Starting with the magnets of fused cobalt, nickel, aluminum and iron in the early thirties of the twentieth century, magnets evolved into ceramic and ferrite magnets in the fifties. Of late, the advent of rare earth magnets like neodymium have made magnetic therapy a force to reckon with in the alternative therapy sector.

With the power and compactness of the magnets today at hand, a slew of magnetic therapy products of all shapes and sizes created for treatment of various disorders is the order of the day. Magnetic jewelry combines charming looks with therapeutic benefits in the form of bracelets, necklaces and rings. Other kinds of wraps, supports and belts are in demand for knees, ankles, shoulders and elbows.

For increased healing effect on the human body, the scientifically engineered arrangement of powerful healing magnets embedded in magnetic mattress pads and magnetic mattress toppers goes a long way in providing drug free pain relief and a great night's sleep as the human body in reclined position is the best form of close contact with the healing magnets. The strength of the magnets plays a crucial part in the success of the product.

CONCLUSION:

How would you react if you were made aware of magnetic therapy products that are an explosive combination of luxurious wool and powerful healing magnets that take comfort and coziness to an all new high and at the same time offer fantastic drug free pain relief and a great night's sleep? Follow the link here on magnetic therapy products to get a magical cure for your body aches and a great night's sleep.

TMJ Lockjaw - What You Need to Know to Stop This

The Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) allows you to open and close your mouth. Hence, you are able to speak, chew, bite in, grind and clench your teeth with the help of this joint. It is a very delicate joint located in the front part of the ears and connects the lower jaw to the skull.

In case of any tension or pressure created on the TMJ the individual can experience what is known as the TMJ disorder. This is accompanied with pain, inflammation, popping of the jaw out of the socket when the disc slips as well as TMJ lockjaw.

As well as this disk, it may involve the muscles, joints and ligaments of the jaw. So it is important to get some help for this right a way so that it does not get too bad.

One can suffer from the open lockjaw and/or the closed lockjaw. A lock jaw is exactly what the name suggests; your jaws are locked rendering you unable to move them until they have been unlocked.

In case of open lock jaw the patient is sedated into relaxation so that the Dentist can move the open jaw up, forward or backward until the disc has settled on the socket and the ball is in place.

If it is a case of a closed lock jaw then the patient has to be completely asleep. Once this is achieved then the doctor can massage the triangular hollow beneath the earlobes and slowly increase the pressure on them. Hot compress is also a good idea in such a situation. Eventually the jaw can be pried open very gently.

Most people who suffer from this problem grind or clench their teeth both consciously or subconsciously.

They often suffer from jaw pain.

Don't Wait To Start Working On Your Jaw Problem

Again, I will stress that at the first signs of a problem with your jaw, it is good to start some therapies.

Acupressure on certain points around the jaw may be helpful. One can sometimes find acupressure books with these points listed.

To help reduce a spasm, you may find that moist heat applied to the jaw is helpful. Just apply a moist hot washcloth to the face and remoisten it when it gets cool. Try this for 10 minutes a few times a day and see what it will do for you.

Water Your Joints

You've heard the hype about drinking water, but did you know that maintaining proper hydration can do far more for your body than just helping you lose weight? In fact, fluid intake will help to promote circulation and help to reduce the toxicity that leads to joint inflammation. It might well be the key to relieve joint pain.

Nobody knows more about water and its many benefits than Dr. Fereydoon Batmanghelidj. "Dr. B." is the author of Your Body's Many Cries for Water and he outlines the following facts pertaining to water and joint pain:

Water prevents and helps to cure arthritis.

Rheumatoid joint pain - arthritis - is a signal of water shortage in the painful joint. It can affect the young as well as the old. The use of pain-killers does not cure the problem, but exposes the person to further damage from pain medications. Intake of water and small amounts of salt will cure this problem.

Water prevents and helps to cure back pain and relieve joint pain.
Low back pain and ankylosing arthritis of the spine are signs of water shortage in the spinal column and discs - the water cushions that support the weight of the body. These conditions should be treated with increased water intake - not a commercial treatment, but a very effective one.

Not recognizing arthritis and low back pain as signs of dehydration in the joint cavities and treating them with pain-killers, manipulation, acupuncture, and eventually surgery will, in time, produce osteoarthritis when the cartilage cells in the joints have eventually all died. It will produce deformity of the spine. It will produce crippling deformities of the limbs. Pain medications have their own life-threatening complications.

If you're experiencing joint pain, and you've tried everything else, maybe you should consider drinking more water! It's worth a shot, and you've got nothing to lose but the pain.

Joint Pain Relief - What Doesn't Kill You Only Makes You Stronger

OK, so I admit the title of this article is a little off but I wanted to give you some information on joint pain relief and my experience with a few of the natural ingredients that are normally used in joint supplements.

My particular problem was with finger joint pain. I first went to the chiropractor who didn't really think it was a joint problem, or a bone problem because I didn't have any noticeable inflammation. But he sent me to the hand specialist anyway.

The hand specialist also couldn't find anything wrong after doing a few tests, so he sent me to the arthritis specialist (even though he had done arthritis test and found nothing). But I wanted my pain diagnosed and treated so off I went to another doctor - who, of course, did a few more of the same tests and found nothing.

Since he didn't have anything to work with, he sent me home with a prescription for an over the counter chondroitin sulfate joint pain reliever. I bought some from the local drug store and took it until it was gone. It was helping a little. But then I found a glucosamine mixed with chondroitin sulfate at Costco which was much cheaper so I bought a large bottle of that.

It seemed to be working, but then my whole body started to ache. I assumed that my undiagnosed joint problem was really something else and that I was surely dying! I ached all over and could barely move some mornings. But since I had already been to three doctors, I didn't want to start that process over again, so I just stopped taking everything!

Well, almost everything. I did start taking some Omega 3 fish oil tablets since I heard those were good for joint pain. After a few days, my body got better! Unfortunately, my fingers still hurt but at least my entire body didn't hurt anymore.

And that's when I learned an important lesson. What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. I stayed on the fish oil and went back to just the chondroitin sulfate and I am happy to report that now my fingers have no pain. So don't just try one thing and give up. Each person responds differently to different substances and you will need to find something your body will accept without having it go into a different area of the body.

Fish Oil for Natural Pain Relief

Healthy, natural, pain relief - killing two birds with one stone.

Pain killing drugs may work well (for pain) but they are not good for your health. The most commonly used pain killers are called NSAID's for Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. And drugs like these kill. Prolonged NSAID use is associated with kidney problems, GI bleeding, ulcers, and even heart disease.

Killer NSAID's

The Associated Press reported the results of a research study on over-the-counter pain killers like Aleve, Motrin and Advil. The study found that anyone taking any of these drugs for at least 6 months had "twice the risk of dying of a heart attack, stroke or other heart-related problem".

Tylenol is no better.

Many people, hearing of the dangers of NSAID's turn to acetomenophen (Tylenol). Unfortunately acetomenophen is "the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States".

A particularly diabolic drug combination is found in Vicodin. Vicodin contains opiates which are addicting combined with acetomenophen which damages the liver. Vicodin is also the most prescribed drug in the United States. In giving Vicodin to a patient a doctor is giving and addictive drug that damages one's liver.

Vicodin referred to by surgeon as "Candy and Poison".

The foregoing information on acetomenophen is found in an article titled The Danger Of Mixing Candy And Poison. It was written by a liver transplant specialist at the University of California. No doubt this doctor is seeing personally the ill effects of Vicodin in his liver transplant patients.

Pain also causes damage.

I would never suggest that anyone suffer pain. Pain is also damaging to the body. One study followed chronic back pain sufferers for one year. MRI scans of the brain were taken at the beginning and end of the twelve month period. These MRI's were compared with MRI's of matched subjects who did not suffer any pain whatsoever. The difference was astounding. Normally as we age, we lose grey matter in our brain. The MRI scans could measure the amount of grey matter in the brain of each test subject at the beginning and end of the one year time period. The brains of the group suffering chronic pain aged the equivalent of 10 years when compared to the pain free group.

Healthy pain relief found with fish oil.

So what's a solution? How about natural pain killing omega-3 fats that relieve pain with no negative side effects, only spectacular health benefits?

By now most everyone has heard of the benefits of taking fish oil, flax oil (oils containing Omega-3 fats). The important component of Omega-3 fats when it comes to pain is EPA. EPA is a building block for a potent anti-inflammatory hormone found naturally in the body. Most Americans are woefully deficient in Omega-3 fats and EPA. When our body doesn't have enough of the building material to make this critical anti-inflammatory substance, it cannot control inflammation. (Chronic pain is often associated with chronic inflammation). EPA is especially concentrated in certain fish oils.

Research studies show the pain relieving effects of fish oil.

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons published a study entitled "High-Dose Omega-3 Oils used to Treat Non-Surgical Neck and Back Pain". This study involved 250 patients who suffered from chronic neck pain and who were taking NSAID's for relief. Researchers gave the patients high doses of fish oil daily. After 75 days nearly 2/3's of the patients (59%) had stopped taking their pain drugs for pain, saying that the oil provided satisfactory relief. 88% of the entire group in the study said that they planned on continuing with the oil after the study.

Many types of pain are relieved by fish oil.

Another study published in The Clinical Journal of Pain was titled "Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Neuropathic Pain: Case Studies". Neuropathic pain is nerve pain. This pain arises directly from the nerve and is different than the pain of arthritis, a strained muscle or a bruised knee. Neuropathic pain is usually harder to treat and is often more severe. The study followed the cases of five patients. Each patient had a different ailment causing pain. They suffered a cervical radiculopathy (a pinched nerve in the neck), thoracic outlet syndrome (nerve compression in the chest/shoulder), fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and one a burn injury. The patients were given high doses of omega-3 containing fish oil. Here's how each of these patients fared after just taking oil.

Pain from pinched nerve and herniated disc relieved.

Patient #1 was a 53 year old man, had a disc herniation in his neck pinching a nerve, which caused radiating pain into his arm. Previous treatments such as physiotherapy and NSAID drugs did not help. After 2 翻 weeks taking fish oil his pain lessened. After taking 8 months he had improved so much he started playing competitive hockey again. After 19 months he felt he was cured and had no restrictions whatsoever. However, if he stopped taking the oil for more than 4 days, his pain began to return.

Fibromyalgia pain and thoracic outlet syndrome relieved.

Patient #2 was a 48 year old nurse who was injured at work. She was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and thoracic outlet syndrome. (Thoracic outlet syndrome is a compression of nerves as the travel from the neck to the arm through the upper chest and shoulder). Previous treatments with pain drugs and physical therapy had not helped. After 7 months of taking high doses of fish oil she had improved greatly. After 13 months she felt she was cured of both conditions.

Man with disabling pain after an auto accident gets relief with fish oil.

Patient #3 was a 50 year old man who suffered from chronic neck pain and arm pain as a result of being in a car accident. This patient remained disabled even after treatments including chiropractic, massage, physiotherapies and NSAID drugs. After taking large doses of fish oil his pain began to improve. Eventually he was able to resume working out at the gym without pain. He also reported that he was thinking more clearly and had better concentration.

Patient with carpal tunnel syndrome avoids surgery and gets pain relief with fish oil.

Patient #4 was a 47 year old man with carpal tunnel syndrome. After 8 months of taking high doses of fish oil his pain symptoms improved significantly. A nerve conduction test also showed significant improvement in nerve function. He improved so much that he was able to avoid surgery.

Patient with 2nd and 3rd degree burns gets off of morphine and relieves pain with fish oil.

Patient #5 was a 54 year old man who had suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns to 30% of his body. He was hospitalized for over a month and had extensive skin grafts. His pain levels continued at such a high level that he was on morphine. Taking high-dose fish oil alleviated the pain so much that he was able to get off of the morphine.

Fish oil supplementation provides tremendous health benefits. Some of the documented health benefits include relief of inflammatory joint pain and chronic spinal pain, improvements of autoimmune diseases, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, improvements and reduced risk of depression, and relief of pain in fibromyalgia syndrome.

Things to be careful of when taking high doses of fish oil.

• Fish oil is a blood thinner. If you are taking a prescription blood thinner, you should start at a low dose while monitoring clotting times. If you are going to have dental work, surgery or any other invasive procedure (like a colonoscopy) you should stop taking fish oil two weeks before, because of its blood thinning effect.


• Before taking high doses of fish oil you should have a blood test that measures the ratio of Omega-6 (AA or Arachidonic Acid) to Omega-3 (EPA or EicosaPentaenoic Acid). An ideal AA/EPA ratio for heart health is 1.5/1 to 3/1.


• Take only "clean" fish oil. Better products are cleaned of contaminants and toxins commonly found in today's ocean fish (mercury, PCP's, dioxins). The gold standard cleaning process is called molecular distillation.