A Real Drug Free Cure For Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is considered one of the most debilitating of diseases, and is clearly the most common type of musculoskeletal disorders.
Our population has become riddled with this terrible affliction, with millions of new cases reported annually. The overall cost to society is estimated to be in the region of $100 billion.
While Osteoarthritis is not thought to be gender related, it is apparent that the disease is far more common in women, than in men.
Although age is an obvious factor in many cases of osteoarthritis, it's also very clear that there are other areas of concern, such as sports injuries, or perhaps a previous auto accident, Any previous injury, broken bone etc. can become a contributing factor in later life to one's osteoarthritis condition.
Obesity is a worrying problem in our modern world and has a significant effect on those suffering with OA. Osteoarthritis is most commonly found in the hands, knees, hips and back, and can be especially problematic in the load bearing joints.
Osteoarthritis tends to be less prevalent in the shoulder joint, but not unheard of. OA pain in the shoulder region, or glenohumeral, will when in most cases be attributed to a previous injury.
Discovering the actual cause of one's OA can be like searching for a needle in a haystack, some factors are known however and should be considered, such as what strain certain types of occupation may be having on the condition.
Being overweight is a modern day epidemic, one which can have serious consequences for all of us especially arthritics suffering with osteoarthritis. Losing those excess pounds will lessen the strain on the load bearing joints, which in turn can only help one's OA.
Osteoarthritis is unfortunately an on going condition (chronic)
Osteoarthritis isn't typically thought of as an inflammatory disease, but researchers have found that people with osteoarthritis have higher levels of inflammatory cells in their joints, tests concluded this as fact after measuring levels in OA patients against people without the disease.
OA as we know is a very common and unfortunately an on going condition, which does tend to kick in as our body's get older, however more recently reported cases of OA indicate the conditions apparent rise amongst a younger population, which is set to become a significant health issue in the near future. So, while it is still true to say that OA is more prevalent with age, it is not true to describe osteoarthritis as an inevitable part of growing older.
The Demise of the Joint
The breaking up of the cartilage can cause Inflammation of the surrounding joint capsule, though often mild, compared to that which occurs in rheumatoid arthritis.
The swelling is brought on by tiny pieces of the damaged bone finding its way in to the synovial space (the protective area between the joint). Many severe cases of swelling attributed to OA may even restrict joint mobility.
The Dread of Night for those with Osteoarthritis.
The pain, the swelling, and the stiffness is normally at it's worst last thing at night, Resulting in lack of sleep and re-charge for the body's natural defence. Constant restless and sleepless nights will eventually take their toll on anyone, especially those suffering with such an aggressive disease.
Joint Replacement.
In many cases of OA especially in older patients, the outcome of OA is more often than not surgery, such as joint replacement, this is not always the case for younger sufferers however. A younger person with OA will normally only require surgery in a very advanced or aggressive case.
Hip and knee surgery is the most common type of joint replacement carried out today (load bearing joints), most operations are successful, however in the long term the replaced joint will only have around an 85% chance of still being intact, after around 15 years, so joint replacement must always be the last resort.
Osteoarthritis Relief Through Exercise
Low impact exercising is not thought to be damaging to those suffering with OA, In most cases simple exercising is encouraged as a way of re-gaining some mobility in an effected joint, an ongoing exercise program can also help to strengthen the area around the joint, which aids support. Exercising on a regular basis is known to be beneficial for numerous reasons, apart from OA.
Before anyone suffering with OA begins any type exercise program it would be wise to speak to their doctor, your doctor knows your condition well, so should be able to point you in the right and safe direction as far as exercising goes.
Not All Arthritis Supplements are Regulated by the FDA
Don't be tempted in to taking supplements that promise the earth, yes they just might work for you, however unless they are governed by the FDA (Food and Drug administration) who knows what your taking, you may end up with a container full of capsules containing nothing more than, ground rock and chalk. Only use FDA approved products.
Treat Arthritis The Natural Way
In many cases arthritis drugs carry so many side effects, and occasionally make the condition worse, not better. Many old and indeed new alternative treatments exist which have been shown to relieve arthritis, I believe they work by tackling the underlying elements of the condition (even in OA)
Flush the Toxins from Your Body - And Start Recovering!
Drink as much filtered water on a daily basis as you can, you should aim to consume around 2 litres a day where possible. Drinking excessive amounts of water helps remove the harmful toxins trapped in the body, and can ultimately help relieve symptoms of arthritis.
Avoid using water straight from the tap as it will probably contain heavy metal deposits, which are also damaging to the bones.
People suffering with osteoarthritis may like to experiment with their diet, foods which are known to be good for OA and indeed most types of arthritis are,
fresh fruit due to the fantastic natural antioxidant properties they contain (not the citrus variety),
Oily fish is especially good for those suffering with arthritis due to it's high content of fatty acids and vitamin E.
Treating your own OA, or any arthritic condition, naturally and without drugs may seem a bit of a daunting task, but from experience I can tell you that it can be done with only a little effort on your part.
Alternative treatments or just simple little life changes can and do make a difference, natural methods may at first seem slower, this is because they attend to the underlying cause, instead of drug therapies which offer only symptomatic relief. You really can relieve your own condition if your willing to try. There are many free sites on the web dedicated to natural treatments, why not take a look.
by Mark John
As Health Care Reform Looms – Take Measures For Surgery Safety
Whether for better or worse, our country is on the verge of major health care reform. In times of rapid change like now, the risk of medical mistakes heightens. According to the Institute of Medicine, an estimated 98,000 hospital patients are killed every year as a direct result of medical malpractice, constituting one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States; surgical mistakes are high among the common causes.
Examples of surgical errors are: mistaken identity, surgery performed on the wrong body part or wrong site or side, receiving the wrong procedure at the correct surgical site, surgical instruments left inside the body after surgery, and unneeded surgery related to misdiagnosis. The best thing you can do to prevent becoming a statistic is take an active role and empower yourself. Use this safe-surgery checklist to help avoid the devastating consequences of becoming a victim:
1. Do you need this surgery and do you need it now? As trustworthy you may be of your doctor, it never hurts to obtain a second and, perhaps, a third opinion. Then, weigh your surgery options and make informed decisions.
2. Upon checking in for surgery, read your ID bracelet. Is all of the information accurate? If not, get it corrected both on the bracelet and in your medical record.
3. Be impolite. Prior to surgery, ask medical professionals who want to touch you if they have just washed their hands. Even go so far as to ask them to wash their hands in your presence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that "Keeping hands clean is one of the most important ways to prevent the spread of infection and illness." Similar sterilization rules apply to medical instruments. For example, stethoscopes should be sterilized with alcohol. If it's not happening before your very eyes, request it.
4. Prior to surgery, a member of the surgical team should confirm with you and identify the type of procedure you're having, the site of the surgery on your body, and your consent to have it done. The surgeon should be the one, and the only one, to mark the operative site and do so with a permanent marker-type pen.
5. A pulse oximeter, a medical device that indirectly measures the oxygen saturation of a patient's blood, should be placed on one of your fingers. When the pulse oximeter is positioned on your finger, ask "What is my oxygen saturation?" to assure someone looks at the oximeter and makes sure it's functioning.
6. Have you ever had trouble being anesthetized? If yes, inform the anesthesiologist and the surgeon.
7. Do you have any drug allergies? Inform a member of the surgical team and tell them to write it down in your surgical data. Do the same for any other important details regarding your medical history or problems that the surgical team needs to be aware of. Any minor-seeming detail about a patient's life can result in potentially disastrous surgical errors.
8. Check that the surgical team has your important x-ray files for display in the operating room. This effort helps prevent mistakes such as wrong-organ removal.
9. Begin antibiotic treatment prior to surgery. Studies show that the rate of infection may be reduced by 50% or more if a patient is administered a preventive antibiotic within one hour prior to surgery (the initial cutting). And, double-check that the antibiotic you take is the one your doctor prescribed.
10. Don't be embarrassed or hesitant to postpone your surgery if there are inaccuracies or things seem helter-skelter in the pre-surgery complex and/or during pre-surgery procedures. Never feel intimidated to question things. It's your body, and your right.
11. Have an "advocate" - your protector, enforcer, and defender - with you. Ask someone you trust - a friend, relative or a professional patient advocate - to take you to and from the surgery facility, and be with you at the hospital or surgery facility the entire time.
12. Get post-surgery orders explained to you and your advocate not only verbally but also in clearly written take-home instructions. Ask questions if there's something you don't understand.
Colorectal Cancer Treatments From Surgery to Chemotherapy
Treatment of colorectal cancer completely depends upon the stage it is at. In its initial stages, colorectal cancer can be treated successfully. However, as the disease advances, it becomes severe and therefore, the treatment also becomes complicated. Though there are a number of colorectal cancer treatments available these days, the success rates at advanced stages still low. So, one must try to avoid reaching this stage.
The most common treatment of colorectal cancer is surgery. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are also popular treatments but they are advised according to the stage of the disease. Surgeries can also be classified in to various types, namely curative, bypass, palliative, open and close and fecal diversion. For a localized tumor, curative surgery is performed. In the early stage of surgical removal of polyp within which the cancer has developed is the best treatment. Curative surgery for the colorectal cancer involves the lower anterior resection.
When the tumor has reached the metastatic stage, palliative surgery can be performed. This surgery helps to reduce the morbidity of the tumor, resulting in to comparatively lesser pain and severity. If the tumor has enlarged to the extent that it invades the premises of other organs, doctors prefer to perform the bypass surgery of the tumor or fecal diversion through the stoma.
To avoid the worsening of the situation and bring the tumor under control, chemotherapy is performed. The metastatic stage of the tumor is the most dangerous stage and to control the tumor, chemotherapy is performed. It can be applied either after the surgery or before it.
Radiotherapy and immunotherapy are other effective treatments for colorectal cancer. Usually, radiotherapy is not used for colon cancer. It is difficult to target the particular part of the colon. However, radiation can be used for rectal cancer. This therapy is given in the metastatic stage. In case the tumor extends beyond the rectum, this therapy is given before the surgery. To increase its effectiveness, doctors also use the chemotherapy agents to perform radiotherapy.
Immunotherapy is another very common and effective therapy for treating the colorectal tumors. In this therapy, the immune system of the patient's body is used to battle cancer. The immune system is boosted and made strong enough to fight it. There are different types of immunotherapies for different types of cancers. Fighting colorectal cancer with immunotherapy is a new and effective method.
Apart from these methods, there are certain natural and alternative ways to fight colorectal cancer. In case you observe any of these symptoms, contact your doctor and get screened to avoid the worsening of disease. There are a number of colorectal cancer treatments available and it is best advised to seek them to avoid the fatal consequences of the disease.
How to Get a Better Nights Sleep During a Hip Or Knee Replacement
After having either a hip or knee replaced, getting the required amount of sleep in those first two to three weeks after the surgery can be a daunting process. You will find that you slept better when you were hospitalized then when you return home and the reasons are many.
One reason was that you were better medicated. medication schedules for the most part are better regulated then when you arrive home. Many patients will either postpone taking their medication for pain or forget altogether. You are less distracted at the hospital in regards to family and friends you find you will rest better in the hospital then when you arrive home.
Now there are cases however where this is not always a fact. It will depend on your experience at the hospital some of you may feel much better in your own bed. Something however will change when you get home causing the replacement to create more discomfort and in turn reduce your sleep.
I find the patient that has had a knee replaced will suffer more then the hip replacement patient as having the knee replaced is more painful. keeping the knee comfortable during the night is something that you have to work at. The knee will wake you up at night as it starts ache and you will develop muscle spasms once it has sat still for awhile. The trick here is when you wake up to start moving the knee as soon as possible and you will find the pain will relieve itself.
Here are several things you can do to help yourself get a good nights sleep after returning home after joint replacement surgery.
1. Be sure not to complete your last set of exercises right before going to be. I suggest you do your last exercise session roughly two hours before going to bed.
2. Be sure to take your pain medication before going to sleep. I found this to be helpful in my case and it will help relax you and begin to decrease the pain at the surgical site.
3. Keep your room cool and comfortable. Have found many patients that have tried to sleep with the room temperature higher then normal due to the fact they are not active and feel cold to begin with. Having a room temperature that is higher then normal will keep you uneasy and tossing and turning as well. Use a temperature that is comfortable to you.
4. Monitor you overall workload during the day. Many people when they get home begin to get involved in to much around the home. Remember these joint replacements will not let you know you have done too much until later that night and the next day. By over doing things around the home more exercises then has been prescribed or household chore will also cost you a good nights sleep.
After getting home and re-established, you will find your sleep patterns will begin to get back to normal within two weeks. The first two weeks will be hit and miss. this is something I have found of course that will vary from patient to patient. Sleeping will be a challenge when you first arrive home so try and prepare yourself accordingly.
Cataract Laser Surgery
What are cataracts? Cataracts affects the lens of the eye causing clouding of the vision. Once cataracts have set in, light is scattered or is fully or partially blocked out. This clouding impairs the vision of the person with cataract.
Though cataracts are an abnormality in vision, it is a normal occurrence in aging. More than 90% persons older than 75 years old have cataract. Most of the time, cataracts affects both eyes but one eye is more affected than the other.
Cataract symptoms may be minimal so that persons affected may not even be aware of it. However, severe cataracts cannot see good enough to function normally in their daily lives.
How do you know if you have cataracts?
One of the telltale signs that you are starting to be affected by cataracts is having foggy, fuzzy, cloudy or filmy vision. There may also be changes in color vision. Night driving becomes difficult because headlights seem glaring, as do lamps and sunshine. Double vision also becomes a problem.
How can cataracts be treated?
The most common way is to change glasses with magnifying lenses and stronger bifocals. But if this method is not enough, surgery maybe required. The treatment will be undergone by removing the eye lens and replacing it with artificial lenses known as implant.
Cataracts can also be removed through surgery and your physician will explain the different options of surgery and how you can prepare yourself.
Laser surgery is one way of removing cataracts. Laser surgery for cataract is still experimentally tested. It utilizes light instead of ultrasound in dissolving cataract. LASEK and LASIK processes fall in laser surgery category.
In LASEK or laser epithelial keratomileusis, the cornea's surface layer will be treated with alcohol and peeled back to reshape the layer underneath. The process prevents complications associated with cataract.
In LASIK or laser in situ keratomileusis, the surface layer of cornea is scoured away. This is done to reshape the underlying cornea surface. LASIK began in the mid-nineties and has largely replaced the old process of PRK or photorefractive keratectomy since then. With LASIK, a flap is created on top layer of the cornea to allow access to underlying surface of cornea. LASIK prevents most problems of postoperative pain, slow rehabilitation and corneal haze which are seen in the traditional PRK.
Both LASEK and LASIK procedures are effective, predictable and safe for also treating low to moderate near sightedness or myopia. Cataract laser surgery is not performed in the doctor's clinic because it still needs surgical incision requiring an opening in the eyes.
It will take some weeks to completely heal an eye which undergone the laser surgery. It is advised for patients who have cataracts in both eyes to let one eye heal first before treating the other eye.
Undergoing cataract laser surgery treatment gives benefits as it improves your everyday activities, self confidence, work and safety. Consult your doctor about the available cataract laser surgery treatments available to you.
Acupuncture Works For Knee Pain
Acupuncture is well proven for pain relief. Everyday, thousands of people in the United States alone receive acupuncture for their pain. A recent study sponsored at the National Institutes of Health shows conclusively that acupuncture is effective for the relief of knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. In fact it reduced the need for pain medications by 40% at the same time increasing functionality be 40%. A study from Demark even showed acupuncture to reduce the need for knee replacement surgery. It can also help reduce pain and swelling from tendonitis, bursitis, injuries and from rheumatoid arthritis.
If you are in pain, 40% reduction sounds pretty good. No two people have exactly the same level of response but, generally speaking, I like to see 80% reduction in knee pain within eight treatments. Being able to lower your pain medication also means that you lower your risk of side effects associated with long-term drug use. Speaking of side effects, acupuncture has proven to be very safe with a very low incidence of minor side effects. In fact, most people, rather than suffering negative side effects, have a sense of well-being and relaxation after acupuncture. Now that's good medicine!
We don't know exactly how acupuncture works. There are two main scientific theories. Gate Theory and endorphins. The Gate Theory suggests that stimulation of the acupuncture needles inhibits certain nerve fibers from relaying the pain message. Another theory suggests that acupuncture stimulates the release of endorphins, a powerful morphine like substance that occurs naturally in the brain. Both theories may have merit, but we are still far from understanding exactly how acupuncture works scientifically. Don't worry. We don't know exactly how some commonly used drugs, like Tylenol work either.
Does it hurt?
Acupuncture needles are much smaller that most other needles. A good acupuncturist can often insert needles without any pain at all. Once the needles are placed you may feel unique sensation associated with the stimulation of the acupuncture point. Normally six to twelve of the tiny needles are placed near the area of pain or on various other areas on the body. I have treated knee pain successfully using only one point but usually several are needed to affect relief.
How long does it take to work?
Most of my patients have relief the moment they step off of the treatment table! Some patients will take up to six treatments before experiencing significant relief. Lasting pain relief will usually take several treatments. In my office, I suggest two treatments per week for three weeks, then one treatment a week for two weeks. At this point we will reassess to see if more treatments are needed. Some patients will not need to come in after the course of treatment, while other with chronic conditions, find that regular maintenance treatments are needed to keep the knee pain at bay. There are cases where it doesn't work but, they are relatively infrequent.
Acupuncture may be the only treatment needed for knee pain, but it's good to know that it works well with other therapies like anti-inflammatories, pain relievers, exercise, physical therapy and massage. Most acupuncturists, including myself are very happy to work with doctors and other therapists when it means getting better results for you.
Good Luck and Good Health!
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