Horse Joint Supplements - Which is Right For Your Horse?

The 2005 Surpass Equine Arthritis Survey indicates that one in two horse owners in the United States has a horse affected with lameness, and that two-thirds of those owners identify joint pain rather than hoof pain as the cause of the problem. Obviously, joint health has become a major area of concern for horse owners, and it's a health issue that deserves serious attention.

At the same time, there are so many joint supplements, injections, and medications on the market today that it can be quite difficult to choose the best product for your horse. That's why in this article I list some of the major products on the market for horse joint health and joint pain-relief, and discuss the pros and cons of each. I hope this article will help you more easily choose the right product for your horse.

Adequan
This is an injectable solution containing PSGAGs (a component of joint cartilage) that may be a good option if you don't think your horse will eat oral supplements or may not absorb them. This solution is good for low-grade chronic joint soreness, and as a way to prevent joint problems in older horses in heavy work. Adequan should be considered for any horse who is having difficulty in training with no obvious cause of pain. The horse could have very low-level joint pain that could be making it hard for the horse to learn and perform what he is being asked to do. The normal dosage of Adequan is a course of 5-7 intra-muscular injections, 5 days apart, followed by once-a-month injections for maintenance.

Antioxidants
These neutralize the free radicals that are produced by heavy exercise, which can thin the joint fluid. Naturally-occurring antioxidants include blue-green algae, noni juice, mangosteen juice, super oxide dismutase (found in wheat sprouts), vitamin C, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, grape seed extract, omega-3 fatty acids (in chia seeds), and certain minerals such as sulphur. Antioxidants support the maintenance of healthy joints, and are excellent for horses in heavy training or on the show circuit.

Bute and Banamine
These are both non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) with effects similar to aspirin. They offer pain relief but can have many side effects, and interfere with healing. These should be reserved for either acute injuries or as a last resort for chronic pain when all other supplements have failed.

Chondroitin Sulphate
This is a single component of joint cartilage. The body cannot effectively use this component by itself, so look for a supplement that combines glucosamine with chondroitin sulphate, minerals, and antioxidants.

Devil's Claw
This herb supports the digestive, urinary, and circulatory systems and has an anti-inflammatory, analgesic, sedative, and diuretic action. Devil's claw works well when fed in combination with yucca, or can be fed individually. Devil's claw is not as irritating to the horse as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, but if the horse has ulcers it can aggravate them. If your horse has ulcers, consider feeding yucca by itself.

Glucosamine
This is a single component of joint cartilage. The body cannot effectively use this component by itself, so look for a supplement that combines glucosamine with chondroitin sulphate, minerals, and antioxidants. Good choices that give you high quality for the dollar include Equine Mobility by Standard Process or Cosequin ASU.

Legend
Legend is an intravenous injection composed of hyaluronic acid, which will thicken the joint fluid and decrease inflammation in the joint. Legend can be used if your horse is sore after a particularly hard workout or show. The initial dosage is one injection a week for 3 weeks. If a horse is in heavy work, the maintenance dose is one injection per month. Remember, if you have the choice, use excellent nutrition and antioxidants before resorting to joint injections.

MSM
This supplement contains high levels of the antioxidant mineral sulphur, which is generally more supportive of muscles and connective tissues than joints. However, sulphur is component of cartilage and also an antioxidant so it can helpful in preventing joint damage.

Yucca
Yucca is an herb that contains organic steroidal saponins. A saponin-effect allows a cleansing penetration and dispersal digestive enzymes, and the steroidal effect limits inflammation. The feeding of yucca can be against some medication rules in performance situations, so if you are competing be sure check this out. Yucca can be fed in combination with Devil's claw, or individually.

At the End of the Day...
I hope this short review of popular horse joint health supplements helps you find the perfect one for your horse. As always, I prefer to rely on a solid nutritional foundation before resorting to joint-specific injections and supplements. However, joint supplements and injections may be called for if you horse is older, has suffered an injury, has a constitutional weakness, or is in heavy work. In this case, choosing the right joint supplement for your horse's situation is important.

Arthritis and It's Treatment

Arthritis is a group of more than 100 diseases that cause pain, swelling, and damage to a person's joints and the surrounding tissues. It is a widespread and serious condition that affects nearly 70 million Americans, or one in three adults. The disease is a complex disorder that includes more than 100 different conditions, it can affect people at any stage of life.

It's often misunderstood, largely due to misconceptions, misinformation, and myths which persist. Arthritis is the inflammation of a joint, usually accompanied by pain, stiffness and swelling. It is a term that is used to describe inflammation of the joints. The disease is the number one cause of disability in the United States. It is a huge problem that does not have a good medical solution, as any sufferer knows.

Rheumatoid Arthritis:

This is an autoimmune disease that causes the joints and the tissue around the joints to become inflamed. Rheumatoid is marked by being tender to touch with warm, swollen and stiff joints. It can also cause inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as in other organs in the body. The symptoms: Did you know that low back pain is one of the earliest symptoms of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common serious inflammatory form of the disease.

Types:

There are over a hundred different types of arthritis joint pain but the most common are osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and gout. There are two main types of osteoarthritis, those that develop as a part of older age, and those cases that develop in connection with other disorders or conditions. Osteoporosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis are the two most common types.

Degenerative joint disease results from inflammation in the joints and is generally divided into two types degenerative and inflammatory according to the source of that irritation. All types of the disease share the common findings of inflammation, joint destruction, and soft tissue changes that cause pain and limited movement. If left undiagnosed and untreated, many types can cause irreversible damage to the joints, bones, and organs.

Treatment:

Treatment plans usually combine several forms of treatment and vary depending on the type of arthritis and the patient. Treatment may vary depending on the severity of the condition. Treatment often includes physical therapy as a method to keep joints and muscles toned and working, and as a pain reliever. Treatment options include: Anti-Inflammatory Medications: These medications can help treat the pain, and also help decrease inflammation and swelling around the joints. Treatment is a cornerstone of therapy of any form of arthritis, is physical therapy and occupational therapy to maintain joint mobility and range of motion. An effective treatment plan for the disease can help manage the pain.

Conclusion:

I hope you find the information and article I have written useful to you in some way. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. Any medical information published in this article is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.

5 Techniques for Managing TMJ Disorder Pain At Home

5 Ways to Manage TMJ Pain with Therapy

TMJ disorder can be very painful depending on the individual. Are you one of those people suffering? Do you feel lost in finding a solution to controlling your pain? Well, there are MANY available medical and therapeutic remedies in existence today.

The most obvious approaching to curing your TMJ pain is to go through surgery which your doctor will probably advise you on. This isn't always the best solution for its obvious risks and now with more research on TMJ pain relief, great alternatives to surgery are available.

It's highly recommended that you first seek medical advice on using such holistic methods as opposed to the more conventional treatments. This is a good step as your doctor can provide you with the piece-of-mind you need before proceeding with them.

Here are some techniques and advice below:

Control Stress

The TMJ joint is used a lot for chewing, talking and general facial expressions. It gets especially overused when we are stressed as we tend to tighten our jaws, grind our teeth and tense our faces. This can cause the joints to erode and cause TMJ pains. To relieve the pain, you simply need to start apply various techniques to relax and reduce stress in your life. Yoga, meditation and a good early night sleep all contribute to reducing stress and relieving TMJ pains.

Stretching

Stretching exercises in and around the mouth are best done in the morning after we wake up. Consult your doctor and get exercises for TMJ. They will have knowledge on exercise that can repair, ease tension and stress in your jaw.

Soft Diet

You can reduce your chewing completely by changing your diet. Eat cooked vegetables, smoothies and other softer foods. Chop and slice up your meats, this will reduce the need to chew and reduce use of the TMJ joints which are greatly overused during eating. Chew and chew gently!

Dietary Changes

There are actual food types that can aggravate your TMJ pains simply due to the ingredients and chemicals in them. Such foods are citrus groups that contain a lot of vitamin C, foods with iron content and high sugar foods. It is best to stay away from them all together especially if your TMJ pain is severe. You should try to eat foods that are high in hyaluronic acid found in animal tendons. These are great for improving the health of your TMJ joints.

Posture improvements

Good posture not only improves your overall physical health and self-esteem it also reduces stress in your body. Bad posture can have a detrimental effect on your muscles causing them to tense up and tighten. This can alleviate overall stress in our lives which we definitely don't want. So take breaks during your work especially if you're behind a computer all day.

Use all the above techniques and advice and take full control of your TMJ pain and begin your course to being pain free!

Advanced Cosmetic Dentistry Solutions - Using Laser for Teeth Whitening

Cosmetic dentistry has definitely gone a long way. Teeth whitening solutions, for instance, have been developed significantly in the previous years. Not so long ago, dental bleaching was exclusively for those with extreme discoloration problems and for the affluent market. These days, many solutions for discolored teeth are available not just through professional clinics but also in supermarkets and drug stores.

But the fastest way to whiten your teeth today is through laser whitening. The light energy used in the procedure can be halogen, plasma arc, or LED. Regardless of the type, the light energy is introduced to the bleaching procedure to further stimulate the peroxide molecules. The step must be done with precision to make sure that the gums and teeth won't be overheated.

Since the whole procedure is painless, no anesthesia is needed. To start the procedure, the dentist will place a light-curable barrier in your mouth. This will protect your gums and other sensitive areas around your teeth from the whitening gel and the light beam. The whitening gel, which contains approximately 25 to 38 percent peroxide, will be applied on your teeth. The light beam will then be directed to your teeth for a maximum of 15 minutes. There may be a necessity to repeat the whitening cycle in the same session. With some light-accelerated whitening treatment brands today, you can get outstanding results in half the time, because they use more advanced ingredients and light equipment.

But no matter how advanced the applied technology is, you should also need to expect only realistic results from the treatment. The whitening effect varies from one person to another. The result is also not permanent as your teeth will naturally get stains from food and beverages. You need to have a thorough consultation with your dentist before the treatment so you won't have any false expectations. You also need to be informed of the safety measures you need to take.

You should also keep in mind that after the initial consultation, your dentist might find out that you're not a good candidate for whitening treatments. This may be due to the condition of your teeth. If your teeth are extremely discolored and have other problems like cracks and chips, your dentist might prescribe other advanced cosmetic dentistry solutions that will give your teeth the total restoration that they need. As a result, you'll have not just better-looking teeth, but healthier ones.

Natural Joint Pain Relief - The Best Remedies

As we all know, many of our elders at home and at our surrounding are very much affected by joint and muscle pain these days. And depending upon their active nature the strength of the pain too increases and decreases from people to people. It is also a surprising fact that the number of youngsters getting such joint pains is increasing day after day. And altogether there is a new quest for natural joint pain relief these days rather than anti-inflammatory drugs, which lead the users to several side effects.

Generally pain has both physiological and psychological components; attempts of relief must be addressing both aspects unlike the usual pain killing drugs. Helping a patient cope with a painful condition can reduce anxiety, which may lessen the amount of medication needed to alleviate the pain, where as using a powerful natural substitute for anti-inflammatory agent will be a good natural joint pain relief solution.

There are several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, aspirin, aleve along with other pain relief drugs such as salicylates, psychotropic drugs, morphine, opiates, and opium. All these in some way or the other tends to be additional dosage for the patients depending upon their age, pain level and allergy factors. Natural joint pain relief is the most safe and best way to cure pain gradually and effectively without getting side effects.

A natural joint pain relief action includes ayurvedic medicines, capsules, syrups, medicated artho oil etc. A good diet also plays a massive role in natural pain relief. An herbal remedy includes ingredients such as boswellia, ashwagandha, ginger, menthol and camphor. All this tends to give a natural way of immune system modulation.

Generally the oil when rubbed over the pain zone provides good result by improving the blood circulation and giving a warm and relaxing sensation from pain. Where as medicines and syrups have to be continued with the adjoin diet suggested. This gradually leads to comfortable movements of joints and muscles.

Diet control for joint pains generally stress on elimination of certain foods from our daily routine which can help greatly. For example: diary products, citrus fruits along with meat category such as meat, pork and lamb, alcohol and vegetable oil when avoided helps to prevent joint pain caused by such foods that provide inflammation.

The possible reasons for joint pains are; over use of joints, injury, metabolism, joint infections or even auto immune disorder. Other causes can also be possible, but for some of them, no causes could be found. Yet joint pain these days are a very common symptom; For which, Other than chemical drugs and natural therapy, there are few other options too for pain relief regarding joints, muscular contraction, chronic pain, spasmodic trouble etc. for e.g.: electrical stimulation, acupuncture and so on. But we ought to agree the fact that nothing can substitute the goodness, which a natural remedy could provide.

What Is The Best Natural Arthritis Joint Pain Relief Remedy?

Arthritis is a joint inflammation disorder accompanied by crippling and bothering pain. The inflammation occurs when joint tissues react to some kind of damage to the bones, cartilages and also muscles, tendons and ligaments surrounding the joint. Arthritis may affect one or more joints. The pain associated with arthritis occurs due to deterioration of bones and over-straining of muscles against stiffness. Of the several types of arthritis, the following are the most common.

1. Osteoarthritis is a degenerative form of arthritis that occurs due to the wearing out of cartilages paving the way for bone friction and formation of spurs called osteophytes. Knee joint and joints of the spine are more prone to osteoarthritis. Aged people suffer from osteoarthritis.

2. Rheumatoid arthritis is a more disastrous form in which the misdirected immune system invades the healthy joint tissues, resulting in considerable damage. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the synovial membrane lining the joint gets thickened and inflamed, resulting in joint deformity. Joints of fingers, wrist, hip, knees and feet are generally affected by rheumatoid arthritis.

3. Gout occurs when uric acid builds up in system and gets caught in the form of crystals in the midst of a joint. Thumb, knee, elbow and big toe are commonly affected by gout.

Apart from joint pain, an arthritis patient also experiences joint stiffness, swelling, warmth, tenderness, crepitus, and redness of skin around affected joint, formation of nodules around the affected joint, fatigue, weight loss and anemia.

Arthritis Causes

1. Natural aging of joint
2. Heredity
3. Joint injury or fracture due to bad fall, severe jolt or traumatic accident, heavy physical activity.
4. Joint infection
5. Obesity
6. Lack of exercise
7. Stress induced hormonal imbalance
8. Nutrient deficiency
9. Damp environment
10. Diet consisting of animal products, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and wheat.
11. Faulty metabolism
12. Faulty joint alignment
13. Autoimmunity.

Best Natural Arthritis Joint Pain Relief Remedy

Jaguar cream is perhaps the best natural arthritis joint pain relief remedy. It is an effective fast acting topical pain relief remedy that treats joint pain, swelling, stiffness, muscle strains and sprains. The potent natural vitamins, herbs and nutrients in the cream soothe pain and inflammation in minutes. The cream uses a counter-irritation technology that stimulates receptors of the skin generating sensations of heat or coolness, barring pain and dilating blood vessels, thereby increasing blood supply to the zone of pain.

The product also applies a technology that sufficiently hydrates the outer layer of skin enabling quick and easy absorption in to the skin. The product is non-allergenic, non-irritating and non greasy on the skin. Jaguar is the best pain relief remedy formulated by a medical practitioner. It exclusively includes ingredients like methyl Salicylate, menthol, camphor, Diclofenac, Australian EMU oil, arnica, MSM, Glucosamine, DMDM Hydantoin, carbomer, sodium hydroxide, tetrasodium EDTA, hypromellose, mineral oil, thyme, eucalyptus, Montana flower extract and water. The potent natural ingredients take away pain from your life and make you more active.

What Are the Underlying Reasons For TMJ Lockjaw

Anyone who has experienced TMJ lockjaw can understand just how frightening the condition can be. Because the problem often starts as something psychological, most people do not even realize they have the symptoms until properly diagnosed by a dentist or a dental specialist. TMJ disorder is a very serious condition that if left untreated, can quickly deteriorate into something very physical and painful.

Unfortunately, TMJ lockjaw is caused, in most cases by stress. Many doctors and dentists believe that stress not only affects a person while he or she is conscious, but the underlying damage is usually done while a person is asleep. If you find yourself grinding or clenching your teeth at night, then chances are you will wake up in the morning to a sore jaw and maybe even a headache.

The bad news is that it is fairly easy to misdiagnose the symptoms of TMJ lockjaw. For one, headaches are usually written off as a result of daily stress or a lack of sleep. In today's highly charged environment, this is not unusual at all for most people. Most people only start looking for a cure when when the condition turns into something serious like lockjaw.

When the tendons in the jaw are overly taxed (which leads to inflammation) or when a person is prone to "jaw clenching", TMJ disorder develops. There is also a possibility that a misalignment can lead to TMJ. This starts a vicious cycle where the stress leads to inflammation which then promotes added tension and so on. The real problem starts once the tendons of the jaw are so inflamed that healing is impeded. The body becomes so accustomed to the inflammation that the body adjusts to the pain and the condition becomes progressively worse.

According to PhysOrg.com, a leading organization on scientific and medical news, "Prolonged inflammation, known as chronic inflammation, leads to a progressive shift in the type of cells which are present at the site of inflammation and is characterized by simultaneous destruction and healing of the tissue from the inflammatory process". Inflammation in itself is a normal response that signals the beginning of the healing process. However, when the body has been under that stress for too long, it impedes the healing process because it changes the cells that are present at the site of the inflammation.

So, what does this have to do with TMJ lockjaw? Well, when the jaw has been inflamed and in pain for an extended period of time, its only response is to lock in place. This prevents a person from opening or closing his mouth. As muscles are connected rather than isolated, this can lead to a whole host of related pain, including excruciating headaches, pain that radiates through the neck or even the tops of the shoulders.

There are a number of ways to manage the pain associated with TMJ lockjaw, but for permanent relief, a person needs to deal with all the CAUSES of TMJ, and not the symptoms. That's right! Most people deal mask the pain by taking anti-inflammatory medications. However, this should only be one part of the cure. Besides treating the inflammation, finding and curing the underlying cause of TMJ lockjaw is crucial.

One effective way to relieve lockjaw is to perform daily jaw exercises that can drastically help relieve the tension in this area. By doing this, the symptoms will automatically disappear as well over time. This course of action is definitely a more efficient way to deal with TMJ lockjaw.