Who Else Wants General Information on Arthritis?

Today there are about 70 million Americans with arthritis...that's one person out of every four who suffer both pain and the expense of this crippling disease. In one year alone, arthritis will be responsible for over half a billion dollars in lost wages. The economic consequences of arthritis are important to review because each year, arthritis takes a devastating financial toll on our society.

Over the course of ten years, arthritis related work loss has been associated with a 37% drop in income for arthritics - all those without arthritis had a 90% rise in income over the same period of time!

If you...a friend...or a relative has arthritis, it's important to know that early treatment can help sufferers continue with their normal daily lives and remain productive members of the community.

The term "arthritis" is derived from the Greek: "arthron" meaning "joint" and "itis" meaning inflammation. Arthritis is a word that describes over 100 different conditions, some involving inflammation and others not.

Arthritis is not a single disease. It encompasses about 100 different conditions, that affect joints and that pose unique problems for diagnosis and treatment.

Some common types of arthritis include osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, pseudo-gout, ankylosing spondylitis, polymyalgia rheumatica, psoriatic arthritis, Reiter's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, and fibromyalgia.

Most types of arthritis involve joint inflammation. Inflammation is the body's natural response to injury or infection.

For an example of inflammation, take a simple scratch...your body automatically releases chemicals that cause fluids to accumulate and white blood cells to gather around the area of the scratch. As your body fights foreign substances and bacteria, inflammation...redness...heat...swelling...and pain occur at the sight of the injury.

In arthritis, unfortunately, this natural defense mechanism goes awry. Elements from the blood designed to fight infection and repair injury attack the body instead.

And, unless this inflammatory process is halted, it will continue to attack the body and cause joint destruction.

So you can begin to see how treatments that just relieve the pain associated with arthritis - but that do not reduce inflammation - may not adequately treat this disease.

Getting proper treatment early on is important...because proper care can help arthritis sufferers lead more active and comfortable lives.

Yet many people with arthritis delay going to a physician. Either they have fear about going to a doctor or they feel that nothing can be done for arthritis. Other reasons include the notion that all arthritis medicines are harmful or arthritis is just a normal part of aging.

Some people try unproven remedies which also delay proper diagnosis and treatment.

Since arthritis may evolve gradually, people often ignore its early warning symptoms or signs. These include persistent pain, tenderness, or swelling in one or more joints...symptoms that should not be dismissed as signs of age.

Other warning symptoms are joint pain and stiffness...especially when they appear in the morning.

Low back pain is one of the earliest symptoms of arthritis. For people over the age of 60, arthritis is the most frequent cause of low back pain.

The activity of arthritis varies unpredictably. Symptoms are cyclic in nature and seem to come and go.

Therefore, it is important to remember that any symptoms or signs of arthritis that last for more than six weeks - no matter how mild - should be checked by a physician. And, if symptoms are severe, then even waiting six weeks might be too long.

The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Joint inflammation is involved in both.

But, these types of arthritis differ in terms of...age of patients who are affected...the joints involved...the pattern of stiffness...and the potential for disability.

Close to 16 million Americans have osteoarthritis - the most common type of arthritis. Although osteoarthritis can occur at any age, it most often begins in people in their 50's and 60's.

Osteoarthritis or degenerative disc disease is a disorder of cartilage - the gristle that covers the ends of long bones. Cartilage is made of cell called chondrocytes which sit inside a framework made up of collagen and proteoglyens. Under normal conditions, chondrocytes make collagen and proteoglycens - in other works - they make the framework they sit inside. With osteoarthritis, chondrocytes behave abnormally and begin to make destructive enzymes such as collagenasese, stromelysin and others. These enzymes degrade cartilage...these enzymes also attract inflammatory cells which secrete substances called cytokines which cause further inflammation and damage to cartilage, underlying bone, and the joint lining.

This process results in progressive pain, stiffness, and loss of function.

Joint pain and stiffness are the most noticeable symptoms of osteoarthritis. Morning stiffness is usually brief lasting less than 15 minutes. Osteoarthritis usually affects weight bearing areas particularly the neck, low back, hips and knees.

It may also affect the fingers and hands and bony knobs may appear at the finger joints. The base of the thumb may also be affected. The typical pattern of osteoarthritis in the hands involves the distal and proximal interphalangeal (DIP and PIP) joints of the fingers, and the carpometacarpal (CMC) joint of the thumb.

Osteoarthritis is considered to be a degenerative joint disease. Along with inflammation, there is wear and tear on the inside of the joint.

This causes damage to the cartilage (the substance that forms the surface of the joints and works as a shock absorber). As the cartilage wears thin, the underlying bone is damaged. This process results in progressive pain, stiffness, and loss of function.

Osteoarthritis does not need to be disabling and with the proper medical care can be managed easily.

Rheumatoid arthritis is the other most common type of arthritis. It is more common in women and affects 7 million Americans...or one out of every five arthritis patients. It may affect any age group, although onset is most common in middle age.

Rheumatoid arthritis is usually characterized by heat, swelling, and pain in multiple joints in both the right and left sides of the body, including the hands, wrists, elbows, hips, knees, ankles, and feet. Spinal involvement also occurs on occasion.

The typical pattern of rheumatoid arthritis in the hands involves the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, the metacarpal phalangeal (MCP) joints, the wrists, and the elbows.

Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis can affect the entire body. People with this disease may feel sick all over...tire easily...lose their appetite...and lose weight.

In rheumatoid arthritis, the tissue that surrounds and nourishes the joints is attacked by the body's immune system. The body mistakenly perceives its own tissue as foreign, and it reacts by sending special white blood cells and toxic chemicals called cytokines to destroy the foreign material. (The cytokine abnormalities that cause the damage in rheumatoid arthritis are different from the abnormalities seen in osteoarthritis.) This process of white cell migration and cytokine release damages the joint.

Although we do not know the cause of rheumatoid arthritis, researchers are investigating several possibilities.

Another interesting point about rheumatoid arthritis is that this disease can affect the internal organs including the lungs, skin, blood vessels, spleen, heart, and muscles.

If rheumatoid arthritis is not well controlled it can damage the joints irreversibly and cause serious disability.

To diagnose rheumatoid arthritis, the rheumatologist establishes the presence of joint pain and inflammation lasting at least six weeks and then looks for signs of the course of the disease that are characteristic for rheumatoid arthritis.

There are also blood tests that aid in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a series of flare-ups followed by a period where there are mild or no symptoms. Usually, the pain and disability of rheumatoid arthritis progresses gradually.

Morning stiffness generally lasts longer than half an hour and may last several hours depending on the severity of the condition.

Most forms of arthritis persist for the patient's lifetime. Medication cannot usually reverse the bone and soft tissue damage caused by arthritis.

However, new methods of measuring inflammation and its response to medication and other treatments offer valuable information to physicians...and can help to evaluate the arthritis sufferer's discomfort.

Magnetic resonance imaging is one such technique. This method using the effects that strong magnets have on water molecules to provide exquisite images of the interior of the body. MRI has been used to diagnose and also assess the degree of damage within joints of patients suffering from arthritis. It is also helpful for evaluating the effect of new drugs.

Although there is no cure for arthritis, proper treatment can help tremendously. The goal of arthritis treatment is to relieve the pain and stiffness due to the progressive destruction caused by inflammation, and to maintain or increase freedom of movement.

Among the advancements that have taken place in the medical treatment of arthritis are various disease-modifying medications that not only relieve symptoms but also help slow down the progression of disease.

Other advances include various cartilage sparing drugs, cartilage growing drugs, and also biologic remedies. These drugs act by blocking the destructive effects of enzymes such as metalloproteases in osteoarthritis and cytokines in rheumatoid arthritis. By targeting specific processes, relief of symptoms and healing of damage can take place with presumably fewer side effects.

What can you do if you think you have arthritis?

First, you can consult your doctor. This is important because medical issues are complicated and your doctor, who understands your health needs, can prescribe the best treatment for you.

The type of doctor who can best evaluate arthritis is called a rheumatologist. These are physicians who have completed four years of medical school, three years of internal medicine residency, and three years of rheumatology fellowship.

While arthritis can be a serious disease that can progress and cause disability, science has come up with some new answers for arthritis sufferers. It is now up to the arthritis sufferer to recognize early warning signs and symptoms and to see a rheumatologist. With proper medical care, the course of this crippling disease may change and people can help to be returned to fully active lives - without pain and crippling disability.

Discovering the Difference Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis

Arthritis can be a very complicated and even painful illness to have. There are several different types of arthritis; in fact about 150 of them have been identified. However, of these many varieties the most common types are both osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

If you believe you have arthritis, it is important that you speak with someone about it so that you're aware of the treatment options available to you. You may find that there are more natural remedies for arthritis; however, a true diagnosis is the only way to determine this.

Many times people confuse both osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, though they are two completely different types. By reviewing the information below you should be able to easily establish the differences between these common types.

Let's start with the basics by first describing what each of these types of arthritis are.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (also known as OA) is described as a serious breaking down of your bone cartilage. Many get this medical condition as a result of trauma, aging, or advanced wear and tear. You will find that the parts typically affected are the hips, lower spine, hands, and knees. In recent studies it has been shown that women can suffer from such symptoms in their hands as early as their twenties and can even cause deformities in your fingers.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (also known as RA) is described as an anti-inflammatory disease that affects the soft tissues around your joints and the linings of your joints. This has been categorized as an autoimmune disease and progresses over time.

More advanced types can seriously affect all of your other organs in the body and several joints as well. Due to the severe inflammation, you will find that it typically leads to more damage to the joints.

RA is also known as one of the more crippling types of arthritis. Should you feel you could have this you should seek your doctor for advice on treatments for rheumatoid arthritis.

Causes of Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a disease that is mainly centered on age. It is basically caused due to the increase of water content and the progressive degeneration of the protein found in your cartilage. Some of the factors that can increase your chances of getting this type are injuries to your joints, problems with being overweight, constantly using and stressing of the joints, and your family history.

Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Causes of RA continue to be a bit of a mystery for medical experts. There is really no underlying cause for the abnormal autoimmune response that comes with having this disease. There are some theories out there that would suggest the link to the disease could be genetic predispositions.

Symptoms of Osteoarthritis

If you're suffering from this disease you will probably feel in most in the joints that bear the most weight which would include your knees and hips. You will likely feel pain in the affected joint if you've used them repetitively.

Many patients complain of more stiffness in the mornings which can last up to thirty minutes and joint pain that can get worse throughout the day. Your joints can swell, have warm feelings, and even become stiff.

Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

RA will target your smaller joints in your hands, feet, and wrists. Patients find that their stiffness is worsened after having a rest typically first thing in the morning. The stiffness can last about thirty minutes or more. Most complain that they are most affected in their knuckles and wrists.

As you can see there are lots of differences that make these two most common types of arthritis stand out. If you feel that you have any of the above symptoms you may wish to speak with your doctor to find out what treatments and/or natural remedies are available to ease your pain.

Joint Pain Relief For the Obese

How much do you know about rheumatism?

You probably know it's related to pain in the joints. Yes, joints are only one affected area. Therefore, rheumatism is a broad term that also includes inflammation of bones, muscles, tendons and even internal organs. But let's focus only on joint pain with you here.

What Causes Joint Pain?

The two most common causes of joint pain are osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Other factors can be sprain, fracture, gout in the big toes, septic arthritis or polyarthritis.

Let's take a closer look at osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

It's a condition where spurs grow and cartilage degenerates in the joints, leading to joint pain. It's also known as "wear-and-tear" arthritis. Some symptoms are:

-- The stiffness in the joints disappears within 30 minutes from the time the patient wakes up but aggravates later in the day after repetitive use or after a prolonged inactivity.

-- Starts with one joint.

-- Often happens in large joints or joints related to knee and hip.

-- An affected joint tends to look a little larger than normal. This is due to abnormal growth of the bone next to damaged cartilage.

-- More common than rheumatoid arthritis.

-- Slow and gradual pain.

-- Usually affects older people.

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

This is an autoimmune disorder due to the malfunction of certain immune cells in the patient's body which attacks the joints. Hence, he'll encounter the following symptoms:

-- Morning stiffness lasts more than 30 minutes.

-- Warmth, swelling and pain often begins with the small joints of hands and wrists near the palm or the small joints of toes.

-- Affected joints are usually symmetrical such as the same joints on both hands.

-- Can also trigger fever, fatigue, depression, loss of appetite, dry eyes and chest pain.

-- Can lead to joint deformities.

How does Obesity Worsen the Condition?

Although doctors have yet to prove if obesity causes rheumatism, they believe excess weight certainly doesn't help the patients. In fact, they believe obesity will increase the risk of both OA and RA.

That's because the excess weight will add more pressure on the inflamed joints, aggravating the pain, especially in the affected joint areas around knees, spinal cord and hip.

Currently, there are no cures for OA and RA but the treatments can help to relieve pain and improve joint movement so that patients can still go about their daily tasks.

The treatment often comes as a program - medications, physical and occupational therapy, reduction of joint stress and sometimes surgery. But if a patient is also obese, weight loss will inevitably become part of the program.

Right Exercise can Help Obese OA / RA Patient

1. Flexibility exercises help to maintain or improve the flexibility in affected joints and surrounding muscles. This contributes to better posture, reduced risk of injuries and improved function.

2. Strengthening exercises are more vigorous to work muscles a bit harder. Stronger muscles can better support the joints and cushion the shock impact to the painful joint. They also assist in better function and reduce bone loss due to inactivity, inflammatory arthritis and use of certain medications such as corticosteroids.

3. Aerobic exercises such as walking and swimming are good for weight control as they work off the excess fats and replace with useful muscles. For even better fat-burning results, you can engage in anaerobic exercises like strength training. But you must consult your doctor and make sure to have a certified trainer to guide you along such high-intensity exercises that can cause injuries pretty easily.

4. Body awareness exercises improve posture, balance, joint position awareness, coordination and relaxation. This is especially important as the patient's sense of balance and coordination may be impaired due to the illness.

Natural Arthritis Diet for Pain Relief

Stay away from acidic stuff like coffee, tea, sugar and alcohol. You should also cut down on intake of meat and seafood since these are high in cholesterol, saturated fats, salt and toxins. For best results, I suggest you include these natural vegetarian foods as a significant part of your diet:

a) Fruits - avocado

b) Vegetables - spirulina, wheat grass products, carrots, seaweeds, sprouts

c) Whole grains - millet, wheat, brown rice, barley and oats

d) Nuts - pecans

e) Soy and seeds - flaxseed, pumpkin and sesame

This natural diet serves to help you maintain a healthy weight. According to the Arthritis Foundation, for every pound of weight lost, there is a four-pound reduction in the load exerted on the knee for each step taken. Simply put, the less heavy you are, the less pain you suffer.

Last but not least, whether you're suffering from rheumatism or not, sticking to a healthy diet and regular exercise regime are always essential.

Joint Pain Relief - Some Effective Techniques

To get rid of joint pain relief it is very important to maintain a healthy life and exercise regularly. It is necessary not to have extra body weight as it puts a lot of strain on the bones. Drink lots of water and eat fruits rich in vitamin c, magnesium, zinc, dark green leafy vegetables foods with omega 3 fatty acids and calcium. Among various joint relief treatments, an all-natural approach can be safe and successful without the dangerous side effects of drugs, chemicals and other methods.

Natural comprehensive joint pain care starts with supplements that will enhance your strength and provide relief from soreness and suffering, along with maintaining balanced bone and ligament structure and composition. Natural herbs and oil massage are one of the best selling supplements for treatment because it offers joint flexibility and effortless movement without pain. Ashvagandha, Shallaki, Ginger, Eucalyptus oil are some of the commonly used and naturally available herbs for Relief. Arthritis most often causes joint pain, drinking lemon, ginger and constant calcium lactate intake with your doctor's advice may help get some relief.

Limiting your movements can increase weakness of the muscle adding to joint pain. Adopt a daily regime of medically administered exercises to get rid of the pain in joints like shoulder, knee, hips, and ankle. Such exercises not only strengthen muscles, they also can postpone and in most cases avoid surgery. As you keep exercising, you feel that the movements are less painful and muscle strength increases. Physiotherapy is an alternate exercise regime, which proves beneficial in joint pain relief. Put an ice pack on the joint pain area and avoid massaging it. Researchers have recommended swimming; Yoga and meditation as they increase flexibility and help maintain right body movements and postures.

Resolving joint pain without surgery may be possible from alternate therapies like homeopathy and reconstructive body therapy on mostly shoulders, knee joints, back, neck, wrist, and ankle joint, these are relatively new and well-researched treatment technique and therapy, these not only have potential to help many patients to enjoy their life and start living without the nagging pain. Sportsmen can increase their endurance and increase their competitive edge.

Hundreds of arthritic type's and conditions may affect the human body, like Osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint ailment, this form of arthritis is omnipresent in many individuals. The cause of Osteoarthritis is cartilage wear out, eventually resulting in painful sores inflammation and joint pain. Surgery is recommended to people who have lost their regeneration capacity due to old age and severity of the joint pain at the time of surgery, activity level of the patient, and dedication to recovery and adherence to surgeon's instructions for post surgery follow up.

Arthritis - Facts and Helpful Tips

The colder months of the year can be miserable for sufferers of Arthritis. The cold and damp can play havoc with joint mobility, causing inflammation and pain. If you suffer from this condition you are far from alone. The information that follows will hopefully provide you with some useful tips to help you get through the winter months with less pain.

The Statistics

• Arthritis and Rheumatic disease affect around 8 million people in the UK


• More than 3 million people have a significant disability


• Osteoarthritis - the most common joint disorder in the UK affects more than one million people.


• It affects 10 - 25% of people aged over 65


• Around 600,000 people have Rheumatoid arthritis


• Arthritis and rheumatic disease are the most common causes of long-standing illness, and account for one fifth of all visits to the doctor.

The Facts

The term "Arthritis" means damage or swelling of joints. Joints are the points where 2 bones meet. The ends of bones are covered by a thin layer of gristle or cartilage, which acts as a shock absorber when you put weight on a joint.

Cartilage is the tough, rubbery coating you can see on the ends of chicken thigh bones. It cushions the joints and ensures a smooth motion.

Joints are surrounded by a membrane called the Synovium, which produces a small amount of thick fluid called Synovial Fluid. This nourishes the cartilage and keeps it slippery. The Synovium has a tough outer layer called the Capsule, which stops the bones moving too much. Ligaments on both sides keep bones firmly in place. These are thick, strong bands usually just outside the Capsule. Tendons are also on both sides and attach muscles to bones. They keep the joint in place and help to move it.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the end result of a number of different episodes of damage to the joint over a period of time. Genetic inheritance may play a part with some people. Being overweight, injury to the joint and repeated minor pressures on the joint, e.g. some sports or occupations involving repeated kneeling or lifting, can also cause this condition.
Osteoarthritis usually occurs at the knee (more common in women), the hip (equally common in men and women), the spine, and in the hands, especially at the base of the thumb and in the fingers. Osteoarthritis can produce a mild ache to crippling pain, when Total Hip Replacement or Knee Replacement may be indicated.

In severe osteoarthritis, the cartilage can become so thin that it no longer covers the bone ends. The bone ends touch and start to wear away. The loss of cartilage, the wearing of the bone, and the bony spurs at the edges can change the shape of the joint. This forces the bones out of their normal position and causes deformity.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory, auto-immune disease where the body turns against itself. Normally, inflammation is our immune system's response to fighting bacteria, viruses etc. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis the tissues and joints are attacked, which damages the cartilage, bones and sometimes the ligaments and tendons, too. When this happens the joints become unstable and deformities can occur.

Rheumatoid arthritis is more common in women and usually occurs between the ages of 40 to 60 but can appear earlier. It can also be hereditary in some families.

With rheumatoid arthritis the symptoms can come and go unpredictably. Sometimes physical exertion, an illness, or an emotional experience may trigger a 'flare up' but other times there may be no obvious cause.

Helpful Tips

Information and education - knowing how and why arthritis occurs can help to slow down or prevent further deterioration.

Weight management - being overweight puts further stresses on the joints, particularly the knees and hips. A reduction in weight can make a significant difference.

Exercise - aerobic exercise where the individual raises their heartbeat, sweats and becomes breathless is good for the whole body and can help in the management of weight. It may also increase general well being. Local strengthening exercise is particularly useful in arthritis of the knee. By strengthening the quadriceps muscle on the front of the thigh, pain can be reduced and balance and stability can be improved, therefore lessening disability. A physiotherapist can teach the exercises.

Frequent breaks in activities - it is sensible to have frequent breaks when gardening or doing housework to avoid mechanical stress.

Sensible footwear - a good training shoe for arthritis of the hip or knee is designed to absorb any impact when walking. Shoes should have a thick sole, no raised heel, a broad forefoot and soft uppers.

Drug therapy - no drugs are totally safe but Paracetamol is usually the first painkiller to try. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen may be the next choice but they have the potential to cause side effects, especially stomach problems, and may interact with other drugs. NSAIDs can inhibit repair of the joint.

Natraflex - a natural, herbal balm containing Boswellia, Capsaicin and MSM has been shown in trials to be effective in over 75% of people with arthritis and is available from Health Food Shops or the internet.

Diet - Nutritionists recommend that we eat a diet which is 80% alkaline and 20% acid. Instead, most people eat the opposite. Acidic bodies also cause calcium to be leached out from the joints, making the condition worse.

Foods that should be avoided

• Alcoholic drinks


• Caffeine-Coffee, Tea, & Chocolate


• Packaged or processed food with artificial additives


• Chinese food (contains Monosodium glutamate)


• Dairy products


• Eggs


• Refined flour


• White sugar


• Salted foods


• Fried foods


• Burnt, charred or rancid food


• Animal proteins-red meat


• Foods containing nitrates


• Citrus fruits


• Aubergines


• Tomatoes

Foods that may help Arthritis sufferers

• Yams


• Celery


• Sea vegetables e.g. seaweed, kelp


• Garlic and onions


• Pineapple -contains the enzyme Bromelain


• Bananas


• Apples, pears and paw paws


• Water - at least 2 litres of filtered water each day


• Herbal tea


• Rice milk


• Oats, oatcake biscuits


• Rice cakes (with no added salt)


• Brown rice


• Millet


• Flax seed or linseeds


• Linseed oil


• Cider vinegar


• Tuna, mackerel and sardines


• Nuts and seeds (make sure they are not mouldy) - Brazil nuts, almonds, hazel nuts, cashew nuts (not peanuts), sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds (Tahini paste)


• Dried fruits


• Pulses -lentils and beans


• White meat -chicken, lamb, and game


• Herbs -basil, coriander, and ginseng

Any allergens or food intolerances should be identified to reduce the load on the immune system, particularly with Rheumatoid arthritis sufferers. Milk, yeast, eggs, grains and citrus fruits are the common foods that cause intolerance (see list of foods to avoid, above).

Fish oils are recommended to help lubricate the joints and therefore reduce the damage. MSM (methylsulphonylmethane) has also been found to reduce degeneration of the joints and can be taken orally or as a skin cream. Glucosamine is also recommended by Rheumatologists as it speeds up joint repair.

Doctors practising in nutrition recommend taking a multi-vitamin and multi-mineral supplement each day, which provides the daily values of all essential vitamins and minerals.

By understanding the facts about arthritis and following these simple diet and lifestyle recommendations, you can help to control or even reduce the symptoms of this common disease.

How a TMJ Disorder Or Syndrome Causes Pain

The term TMJ disorder or TMJ syndrome refers to problems that arise due to a structural problem with the temporomandibular joint.

The temporomandibular joint is located on either side of the head right in front of the ears where the skull meets the jaw. Temporo refers to the skull and mandibular refers to the jaw bone.

Numerous factors may cause the structural problems that lead to TMJ syndrome. Poorly aligned teeth could be one cause. A missing tooth could be another cause. When this is the case, the bite of a person may become unstable and the jaw may get positioned further back than normal. The result is often that the protective disc between the skull and jaw becomes dislocated. Also, the muscles in the jaw area have to work harder in order to compensate for the abnormal jaw position. Pain often occurs because these muscles are overworked and strained over a long period of time.

The jaw or bite may also have become misaligned due to other reasons such as from a fall or accident. Long term grinding or clenching of the teeth is another common cause of a TMJ disorder.

Regardless of the cause of a misaligned jaw, this often forces many soft tissues to adapt not only in and around the TMJ area but also in the head, face, neck and ears. This adaptation causes tension in these soft tissues. And as time passes, these muscles and soft tissues become tighter and tighter. As a result, the persons posture can become worse and this can lead to even more structural problems.

All of this contributes to the involved muscles, ligaments and nerves becoming inflamed and creating additional pressure. It is this pressure which causes the pain associated with TMJ syndrome.

Why The Complexity of TMJ Disorder/Syndrome May Prevent TMJ Relief And Can Lead To Long Term Suffering

One of the reasons why a TMJ disorder is a complex problem is because there are so many muscles, nerves and ligaments in and around the temporomandibular joint. These soft tissues radiate out from the area of the temporomandibular joint itself to many areas of the head and body.

This means that pain due to inflammation in these soft tissues can be felt in areas of the head and body that are far away from the temporomandibular joint.

Quite simply, some people in the health field do not associate a TMJ disorder with pain in distant areas of the head and body. The root cause of pain is therefore not correctly diagnosed as TMJ syndrome. Many people needlessly suffer in pain for years because of this and never get TMJ relief.

The complexity of a TMJ disorder can also make this condition difficult to treat properly. TMJ dentists are a good resource for getting a thorough and complete diagnosis to determine if someone does, in fact, have a TMJ disorder. A TMJ dentist also has years of post-graduate study devoted to the treatment of the fundamental structural problem of TMJ syndrome.

Help Interpreting Your Spinal X-Ray Results

An X-ray is one kind of imaging test done to assess internal areas of the body. They are less thorough but cheaper than the popular MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) test, which can provide a picture of both the body's soft and hard tissues. X-rays provide a clear picture of bones, whereas softer tissues appear as shades of gray.

An X-ray may be ordered if you have back pain to assess the alignment of your spine, its curvatures, the spaces between vertebrae and the condition of spinal joints. X-rays can also indicate the presence of disc degeneration, infections, tumors and bone spurs in the spine.

Many patients are given the reports of their X-rays without receiving an understandable interpretation of what they mean. People with back pain are left wondering what problems are affecting their spines and how severe they are. Online forums are full of people asking for help interpreting their X-ray results. The following explanations may help you understand what your imaging test indicates.

Spinal Anatomy

First, you must understand how vertebrae are named. The top seven vertebrae beginning at the neck make up the cervical spine. Below this, there are 12 vertebrae composing the thoracic spine, 10 of which connect to the ribs. Below this is the lumbar spine, made up of 5 vertebrae. The sacrum attaches to the bottom lumbar vertebrae; it is a large, triangular bone made up of several bones fused together. The coccyx, or tailbone, sits below the sacrum.

The bones of the spine are named with the first letter of the spine section (C for cervical, T for thoracic and so on) and a number denoting its position in the segment (1 for the highest vertebra, 2 for the next one down and so on).

Next, use the following glossary of medical terms to make sense of your X-ray results.

Glossary

Anterior: The front-most part; closest to the front side of the body

Arthritis: Wearing down of the cartilage that protects bone ends at a joint

Arthrosis: A joint

Degenerative Disc Disease: The general condition of discs wearing down, due to either age or overuse

Disc Space: The amount of space a disc takes up and separates vertebrae by. Decreased space means the disc is degenerating, bulging or herniating.

Facets: Joints that connect vertebrae together in the posterior section of the bones.

Foramen/Neuroforamen: The hole between vertebrae through which nerves within the spinal canal exit to reach other parts of the body

Fracture: A break in the continuity of a bone

Fused: A condition that occurs when two bones literally fuse or grow together.

Kyphosis: Outward curvature, naturally found in the thoracic spine. If kyphosis is lost where it is supposed to be, spinal discs will experience excess posterior pressure.

Lordosis: Inward curvature, naturally found in lumbar and cervical spine segments. If lordosis is lost, spinal discs may experience excess anterior pressure.

Posterior: The back-most part; closest to the back of the body

Retrolisthesis: The backward movement of a vertebra

Sacroiliac Joints: Formed where the large hip bones meet the sacrum on each side at the base of the spine; susceptible to hyper- or hypo-mobility

Sagittal Alignment: The alignment of your spine as seen from the side; assesses where the sacrum is relative to the top cervical spine; can show lordosis or kyphosis

Scoliosis: Sideways curvature of the spine

Spondylitis: Inflammation of the joints between spinal bones

Spondylolisthesis: The forward movement of a vertebra

Spondylolysis: The breaking of a facet joint; could lead to spondylolisthesis

Spur: A small fragment of bone that forms due to injury or prolonged friction between bones

Stenosis: Narrowing of the spinal canal in which the bundle of nerves composing the spinal cord runs; caused by bone spur, disc or anything else protruding into the canal.

Transverse Process: Bony protrusions, one at each side of each vertebra, responsible for attaching ligaments and muscles to the spine.

This glossary should help you understand the results of your X-ray. For more back pain terms, see http://www.spine-health.com/glossary.

If your doctor is unable or unwilling to help you understand the results of your imaging test, you will need to do your own research. Understanding the medical jargon and some basic facts about the spine will put you in a position to be an empowered, informed patient.