International Study & Research Centre on Homoeopathy

ARTHRITIS WORD

What is arthritis?

Arthritis is inflammation of one or more joints. A joint is the area where two bones meet. There are over 100 different types of arthritis. Arthritis is a global form to describe the numerous diseases of musculo-skeletal system. Pain and stiffness are prominent features. Affects all age & ethnic groups. Incidence increases with age.

Classification:

Inflammatory:

• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Reiter’s disease
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Enteropathic arthropathy
• Juvenile chronic arthritis
• Behcel’s syndrome
• Whipples disease

Infections :

• Bacterial
• Fungal
• Viral

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Arthritis involves the breakdown of cartilage. Cartilages normally protects a joint, allowing it to move smoothly. Cartilage also absorbs shock when pressure is placed on the joint, such as when you walk. Without the normal amount of cartilage, the bones rub together, causing pain, swelling (inflammation), and stiffness.

Joint inflammation may result from:

• An autoimmune disease (the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue)
• Broken bone
• General "wear and tear" on joints
• Infection, usually by bacteria or virus

Usually the joint inflammation goes away after the cause goes away or is treated. Sometimes it does not. When this happens, you have chronic arthritis. Arthritis may occur in men or women. Osteoarthritis is the most common type. Other common types include the following-

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Gout
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (in children)
• Other bacterial infections (non-gonococcal bacterial arthritis)
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Reactive arthritis (Reiter syndrome)
• Rheumatoid arthritis (in adults)
• Scleroderma
• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Symptoms and manifestations

Arthritis causes joint pain, swelling, stiffness, and limited movement. Commonly involved joints are knee, hip, spine & hand. Usually the disease remains confined to one or a few joints. Gradual onset of aching pain provoked by use of joint and restricted movement of joint are the common features.

Symptoms can include:

• Joint pain
• Joint swelling
• Reduced ability to move the joint
• Redness of the skin around a joint
• Stiffness, especially in the morning
• Warmth around a joint
• Stiffness On Arising In Morning & After A Period Of Inactivity
• Localized tenderness
• Bony or soft tissue swelling
• Crepitation
• Deformity
• Bone hypertrophy
• muscle wasting
• Subluxation

Signs and tests

Some types of arthritis may cause joint deformity. This may be a sign of severe, untreated rheumatoid arthritis. Blood tests and x-rays of the involved joints are performed to check for infection and other causes of arthritis.

A sample of joint fluid may also be removed with a needle and sent to a laboratory for analysis and examination of its constituents. It helps in assessing the extent of damage and the prognosis.

General supportive measures

Lifestyle changes are vital. Exercises can help not only to relieve stiffness, reduce pain and fatigue, but also improve muscle and bone strength. Exercise programs may include:

• Low-impact aerobic activity (also called endurance exercise)
• Range of motion exercises for flexibility
• Strength training for muscle tone

Physical therapy may be recommended. This might include:

• Heat or ice
• Splints or orthotics to support joints and help improve their position.
• Water therapy
• Massage

Other recommendations:

• Proper sleep, for 8 to 10 hours a night and taking naps during the day, can facilitate recovery from a flare-up quicker.
• Avoid staying in one position for too long.
• Avoid positions or movements that place extra stress on your sore joints.
• Change your home to make activities easier. For example, install grab bars in the shower, the tub, and near the toilet.
• Try stress-reducing activities, such as meditation, yoga, or tai chi.
• Eat a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables, which contain important vitamins and minerals, especially vitamin E.
• Eat foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as cold water fish (salmon, mackerel, and herring), flaxseed, rapeseed (canola) oil, soybeans, soybean oil, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts.
• Lose weight, if you are overweight. Weight loss can greatly improve joint pain in the legs and feet. Conventional allopathic treatment

The goal of treatment is to reduce pain, improve function, and prevent further joint damage. The underlying cause cannot usually be cured. Medications may be prescribed along with lifestyle changes. All medications have risks, some more than others. In some cases, surgery may be done if other treatments have not worked. This may include:

• Arthroplasty to rebuild the joint
• Joint replacement, such as a total knee joint replacement

Most forms of arthritis are long-term (chronic) conditions and the chance of their cure with painkillers and vitamin supplementations is pretty less.

How Homeopathy can help?

Homoeopathy medicines do act curatively for osteoarthritis. Homeopathic medicines used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, gradually desensitize our immune system and are able to optimize this over reaction of the defense system- thus controlling the further onslaught on the joints.

Homeopathic medicines also reduce the inflammation and fatigue in a very natural way and do not produce any kind of side effects. Anemia that occurs in rheumatoid arthritis is very effectively treated with homeopathic medicine. However, it needs to be understood that the therapy leads to clearing out the disease from the body. It doesn’t intend merely to suppress or give temporary relief to the sufferer. Therefore, it may take some time before one experiences relief.

The time frame required for treating arthritis is dependent on various factors- the chronicity of the disease (the duration since the disease has been in the body), genetic propensity, vitality of the patient and the extent of damage to the joints. However, in all kinds of cases, good pain control and prevention of further spread of the condition can be effectively checked and managed by properly selected homeopathic medications.

Do’s

• Take rest until inflammation subsides and the injured tissues heal
• Apply local heat from a heating-pad or moist heat in the form of a hot bath to alleviate the pain
• Controlled application of deep heat and ultrasound (infrared) can soothe the affected joint
• Use physical aids like canes and walkers
• Exercise to rebuild mobility and strength

Don’t’s

• In an acute attack, avoid excess activity and stretching of joints
• In case of people suffering from osteoarthritis, drugs like sleeping pills, tranquilizers and pain killers should be cut down upon