are many natural dietary supplements that claim to reduce arthritic pain, and improve range of motion, but none have had the scrutiny of the combination of Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate.

With millions of Americans suffering from osteoarthritis (wear and tear arthritis), it is no wonder that this alternative holistic approach has gained in popularity.

As the US population ages, and becomes more obese, the wear and tear of our joints is becoming an epidemic. As with most medication, people take natural supplements to help relieve pain.

Chondroitin sulfate is naturally found protein in the body that gives cartilage elasticity and inhibits an enzyme that breaks down cartilage.

Glucosamine is a combination of glucose and an amino acid called glutamine. Glucosamine is naturally found in cartilage and helps in the formation and repair of cartilage.

It is thought that the combination of these two supplements help reduce pain in arthritic joints, improve range of motion, and help restore damaged cartilage.

There have been some studies that show that people with mild to moderate osteoarthritis report some relieve of pain compared to people taking NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatories).

Lab studies have shown that glucosamine may help stimulate cartilage building proteins.

Whatever the outcome on further research, it is best to consult with your doctor first, before taking any medication or dietary supplement. Some supplements may interfere with diabetic medication and blood thinners. People allergic to seafood should also be careful when taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin as they may derived from cartilage of shellfish. Women who are pregnant should not take any dietary supplement without the approval of their treating physician. Children should also not take any dietary supplement unless consulted with a physician.

One of the best approaches when taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin is to take it three months to judge the effectiveness of the supplement. Do not discontinue taking your current medication. If there is no improvement in your condition, you should stop taking it. A typical dose is 1,500 mg of glucosamine sulfate and 1,200 mg of chondroitin sulfate per day. Please check the label on your supplement bottle. Do not take more than the recommended allowance.

Both supplements appear relatively safe when used as directed. Side effects are usually mild if any, and consist of loose stools and intestinal gas.

Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have wide appeal as a natural supplement in the treatment of osteoarthritis. For patients that cannot tolerate traditional medication due to side effects (GI upset), it is an alternative that should be evaluated.

Thanks to Dr Kenneth Shapiro for contributing this article to our Arthritis blog:

Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis

Can you answer Kelly G’s question about Arthritis?:

I have a 6 year old female shepard mix & she also has some rotweiler in her too. Both breed are very suseptible to arthritis, so I’m worried about her getting arthritis in the future. I take her for daily walks and to the dog park occasionally (usually weekends) so she can run around with our other 1 year old pup. She also swims a lot in the summer. So what can I do?

Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Knee

Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis, affecting about 40 million Americans. It is also the most common cause of disability.

While more than half of patients older than 65 years of age have osteoarthritis changes in the their knees on x-ray, osteoarthritis is not considered a “normal” part of aging.

Certain activities and occupations increase the likelihood of osteoarthritis. For instance baseball players have an increased incidence of osteoarthritis in the elbows and shoulder. Football players have an increased incidence of osteoarthritis in the hips and knees. And ditch diggers have an increased incidence of osteoarthritis in their wrists.

Obesity is a risk factor for osteoarthritis developing in the knees.

Osteoarthritis is a disease that arises from biochemical changes in cartilage which include a decrease in glycosoaminoglycans, an important constituent of collage, an increase in water content, and an increase in the content of destructive enzymes such as matrix metalloproteinases.

These changes lead to structural weakening of cartilage. Small fissures develop, then larger cracks and irregularities also occur. Ulceration of cartilage and further deterioration occurs. The end result is a premature wearing away of cartilage with exposure of underlying bone. Along with this wearing away of cartilage is an increase in inflammation of the lining of the joint, the synovium.

The joints that are affected most in osteoarthritis are weight-bearing areas such as the neck, low back, hips, and knees.

Stiffness and pain are the moist common symptoms.

On physical exam, there are signs that point towards the diagnosis including bony swelling, and distribution of joint problems.

Laboratory testing is usually normal. X-rays may show changes.

Treatment for osteoarthritis is aimed at five primary goals. They are relief of pain, maintenance of function, prevention of disability, control of co-morbid conditions, and avoidance of medication side effects.

Non-drug therapies include patient education, physical therapy, thermal modalities, weight loss if indicated, and exercise.

Drug therapies include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, injections of glucocorticoids or viscosupplements (lubricants), and disease-modifying drugs.

Alternative therapies such as acupuncture, balneotherapy (spas), glucosamine/chondroitin, massage, chiropractic, etc. all have their advocates.

One area that has received much attention is the use of mechanical shifting devices that can unload specific joints. For instance osteoarthritis of the knee, a common problem, has received much scrutiny lately.

A recent study showed that the use of shoes that mimic barefoot walking may help because there is more pressure placed on the middle of the knee joint when people wear shoes as opposed to when they walk barefoot.

Also, the use of a simple device like a cane also reduced the load on the knees.

(Kemp G, et al Arthritis Care and Research 2008; 59: 609-614).

Other studies have found that lateral wedge insoles worn inside shoes can also reduce the load on the medial side of the joint.

Until the day comes when new cartilage can be grown… and that day may be closer than we think, particularly with the emphasis on stem cell research, the above modalities may have to do.



Thanks to Nathan Wei for contributing this article to our Arthritis blog:

Arthritis Pain Relief Cream

Arthritis is a disease that causes pain and loss of movement of the joints. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 55. Arthritis affects the movements you rely on for everyday activities. Arthritis refers to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases and other conditions that can cause pain, stiffness and swelling in the joints. There are many forms of arthritis, each of which has a different cause. Inflammatory arthritis is characterized by inflammation of tissues associated with joints. Connective tissue diseases, crystal deposition diseases, infectious arthritis, and spondyloarthropathies are examples of inflammatory arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune diseases in which the body is attacking itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection. Gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint that results in subsequent inflammation. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is traditionally considered a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disorder that causes the immune system to attack the joints. It is a disabling and painful inflammatory condition, which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. Arthritis sufferers include men and women, children and adults.

RA is a systemic disease, often affecting extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and muscles. Psoriatic arthritis (or arthropathic psoriasis) is a type of inflammatory arthritis that affects around 20% of people suffering from the chronic skin condition psoriasis. It occurs more commonly in patients with tissue type HLA-B27. Treatment of psoriatic arthritis is similar to that of rheumatoid arthritis. More than 80% of patients with psoriatic arthritis will have psoriatic nail lesions characterised by pitting of the nails, or more extremely, loss of the nail itself (onycholysis). Psoriatic arthritis is said to be a seronegative spondyloarthropathy. Degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) is a ubiquitous joint disease characterized pathologically by deterioration of cartilage lining the joints and new bone formation beneath the cartilage. The disease is very common in older persons and is thought to be inherent in the aging process.Degenerative joint disease is marked by a progressive stiffness, loss of function, and destruction of the larger, weight-bearing joints of the body.

Nonarticular rheumatism is a group of diseases, also called soft-tissue rheumatisms, that includes tendonitis, bursitis, tenosynovitis, and fibrositis. Septic arthritis is the invasion of the joint space by an infectious agent. The usual etiology is bacterial, but viral, mycobacterial, and fungal arthritis occur occasionally. Bacteria are either carried by the bloodstream from an infectious focus elsewhere, introduced by a skin lesion. For bacterial infection, Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been found to infect joints, for example in children who have sustained a puncture wound. This bacteria also causes endocarditis. Septic arthritis should be suspected when one joint (monoarthritis) is affected and the patient is febrile. Gout is a painful condition that occurs when the body cannot eliminate a natural substance called uric acid. The excess uric acid forms needle-like crystals in the joints that cause swelling and severe pain. Gout most often affects the big toe, knee and wrist joints. Gout is a form of arthritis (an inflammation of the joints). Symptoms of arthritis include pain and limited function of joints. Inflammation of the joints from arthritis is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling, redness, and warmth. Tenderness of the inflamed joint can be present.

Arthritis Treatment and Prevention Tips

1.Treatment options is depending on the type of arthritis and include physical and occupational therapy, and medications (symptomatic or targeted at the disease process causing the arthritis).

2.Arthroplasty (joint replacement surgery) may be required in eroding forms of arthritis.

3.In conventional treatment, painkillers, such as paracetamol, are essential. Anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, can help with episodes of more severe pain.

4.In recent years a new type of NSAID treatment, called Cox-2 inhibitors, has been launched. These were initially claimed to be less harmful to the stomach and many patients have found that they provided good pain relief for their arthritis.

5.Physiotherapy relieves pain and strengthens muscles around the damaged joint, helping the joint to work better.

6.Regular exercise is beneficial for the same reasons and, once pain is under control, easy to do.

7.Hip and knee replacements are common and usually involve a short hospital visit.

8.Disease-modifying drugs that slow disease progression are available for people with rheumatoid arthritis.



Thanks to Juliet Cohen for contributing this article to our Arthritis blog:

Arthritis Pain Medication

Arthritis is a common term for an illness that covers a broad spectrum that comprises more than one hundred illnesses. The two most common types of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most common, while rheumatoid arthritis is the second most common. Rheumatoid arthritis, however, is the most severe form of arthritis.

What are the Symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis?

How do you know which type of arthritis you have? There are certain symptoms present for different types of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms include:



Paleness

Appetite loss

Low-grade fever

Range of motion is limited

Numbness or Tingling Sensations

Redness of skin

Inflammation of skin

Hand and foot deformities

Swollen glands

Nodules under the skin - round and painless

Pleurisy - inflammation of the lungs



Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can vary - and can include any of the above symptoms or all of the above symptoms. Different symptoms may be apparent at different stages of the disease. Consulting a physician with a list of your known symptoms can help you discover if rheumatoid arthritis is the type of arthritis you have.

Active and Inactive

Rheumatoid arthritis is a form of arthritis that can occur in stages. Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can be active or inactive. When the symptoms are inactive, the patient is in remission - and can have long periods of time with no symptoms present.

Signs of a flare-up can include:



Fatigue

Aches in muscles and joints

Stiffness in joints

Low-grade fever can be present

Appetite loss

Joints can become red, swollen, painful, and tender



During a flare-up of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, your daily routine can become severely limited. Things that you take for granted, like opening doors, opening jars, and sometimes, even walking, become too painful. At times like these, it is important that you understand that it is okay to let others help you.

Remission can occur at any time - there is no rhyme or reason. The symptoms can disappear at any time - and they can begin again at any time. Sometimes, the remission may last a few days and others times, it may last a few months.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

As with any medical illness, you should consult your physician for diagnosis. Once you have shared your rheumatoid arthritis symptoms with your physician, he/she may suggest tests - including blood tests and x-rays of your joints. Your physician uses the results of these tests, along with your symptoms in order to make a diagnosis.

Once a diagnosis has been made, you should discuss your choices with your physician. There is no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis - but many people have effectively managed to control rheumatoid arthritis symptoms by eating healthy, maintaining a healthy weight, and exercising regularly. It is very important to maintain your overall health - physically and mentally - in order to manage rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. One very important thing to remember is that even if your rheumatoid arthritis is in remission and you have not shown any symptoms for months, it is important to maintain your healthy way of life. You should maintain your exercise routine in order to keep the muscles around your joints strong so that when your joints need to rely a little more on the muscles, the muscles will be able to carry the load.

Before you use medicine to treat your rheumatoid arthritis, you should educate yourself as much as possible. Learn all you can about the possible side effects, how the medication interacts with other drugs and foods, and how the medication will affect your daily life. For some people, controlling rheumatoid arthritis symptoms with medication may be the answer. Others may choose not to take the risks associated with the medications available for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

For those who choose not to take that risk, there are many natural treatments that help to control rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. There are many herbal remedies that can be ingested to help ease the symptoms - and many herbal remedies that can be used as massaging oils and liniments to help ease the pain and inflammation of the joints. Many home remedies have been effective for people for years - the key is to find the one that will work for you.



Thanks to Dr John Anne for contributing this article to our Arthritis blog:

Rheumatoid Arthritis Medications