Saturday, February 28, 2009

Understanding Arthritis Pain

Almost anyone can get arthritis pain. Many people make the mistake of thinking that only old people can get arthritis joint pain, but this is actually not the case at all. As a matter of fact, even children can get arthritis; this is known as juvenile arthritis. Arthritis pain can range from being so mild that it is hardly noticeable at all to being so severe that it is basically debilitating.

When it comes to the question of what causes arthritis, there is actually no answer to this. There is no single known cause of arthritis but instead a number of different factors that can possibly be responsible, or triggers of the condition. Therefore you can’t really do anything to avoid developing arthritis, other than living as healthy a life as possible.

There is no cause of arthritis and as of yet there is no cure either. However, there are lots of different things that you can do to deal with the arthritis pain that you are living with. What your doctor will recommend will depend on a few different personal factors including what specific type of arthritis you are dealing and how advanced a state it is in.

If your arthritis pain is very intense, you may want to ask your doctor to put you on some pain pills or anti-inflammatory drugs at least for a specified period of time, so that you can find relief of your pain and stop suffering until you find more of a long term treatment.

You should never expect to rely on medication of any sort to deal with your arthritis pain forever, because this will end up being more damaging to your body than the arthritis would be if left untreated. Instead, the purpose of medication is to relieve your pain and help you deal while you find a better option.

Arthritis pain can be so intense and constant that you can feel as though it is taking over your life, but you don’t have to let this happen. There are so many advanced and very effective options that you have in terms of treatment, and new ones coming out all the time. Hopes are that in the near future there will actually be a cure for arthritis, and so we should all keep our eyes and ears open for this and hope that the cure comes as soon as possible for all those arthritis sufferers out there.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Using Back Pain Therapy to Ease Your Discomfort

If you have back pain, the first thing you should do is rest. Don't exert yourself physically for several days. Usually this is enough for the pain to go away. Even though it's a good idea to rest for a day or two during an episode of back pain, it's not good to remain inactive for too long a period of time. This will often make the condition even worse. Actually, physical therapy that is targeted to back pain treatment consists of movement. Over time, these exercises help to restore the healthy condition of your spine, as well as the adjacent muscles, ligaments and tendons.

Over the counter anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant medications are a great short term choice to help ease the discomfort of back pain. But pharmaceuticals won't actually deal with the underlying reasons for your back pain. That's why you need back pain therapy if you want your spine and supporting structure to improve.

Back pain therapy includes exercises for stretching and strengthening the spinal column, as well as your back muscles and ligaments. Low impact aerobic exercises are also part of the treatment. A back stretching table can provide further benefits. Of course, the treatment will vary depending on the cause of the condition and the amount of pain and discomfort you're experiencing. Only undertake a program of this nature under the supervision of your doctor or a licensed physical therapist. This process much be carefully managed if you don't want to make the problem worse.

The goal of back pain therapy is to ease your discomfort and teach you how to keep your spine and back muscles in better condition. You will learn how to carefully exercise your back without the help of a physical therapist. Once you achieve this, the chances of the problem reoccurring are considerably lowered.

In certain instances, rehabilitative exercises aren't enough to cure the condition. Sometimes a visit to the chiropractor is a useful component of back pain therapy. If all else fails and your pain is undiminished, your doctor might suggest surgery to treat your severe back pain.

Back pain therapy, however, should go beyond the basic treatment options of exercise, chiropractic adjustment or surgery. Lifestyle changes are an important part of the process as well. For example, if you are significantly overweight, you are putting increased pressure on your spine and its supporting muscles. If this describes you, it's important that your back pain therapy includes a healthy weight loss program. Really, your back should be strong and supportive enough to bear the weight of a healthy person.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

What is Arthritis?

Many people are not aware of this, but the term arthritis does not refer to just a single condition. Instead, it actually is an umbrella term that includes over one hundred different conditions. You need to be aware of this and know that there are many more than just one type of arthritis that you can develop.

Although there are more than one hundred different types of arthritis that you can be diagnosed with, there are a few in particular that are very common. Arthritis is a joint disorder that features inflammation and which is frequently accompanied by joint pain as well.

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common types, affecting roughly 1 percent of the population. This is an autoimmune disease that causes chronic inflammation of the joints and while it is a chronic disease, meaning that it can last for years, patients may experience long periods of time without symptoms.

Another of the most commonly diagnosed types of arthritis is psoriatic arthritis. This is a potentially serious inflammatory form of arthritis that is often found in association with psoriasis. Psoriatic arthritis is a specific condition in which a person has both psoriasis and arthritis and it is an autoimmune disease which means that your cells and antibodies fight your own tissues.

There are various other types of arthritis as well that you may be diagnosed with, such as osteoarthritis which is also known as degenerative arthritis. This is the type of arthritis that most people think of as being associated with aging. Osteoarthritis is a type of arthritis that is caused by the breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage and one or more joints.

Arthritis pain can be very extreme and can in fact get to be so bad that it is almost debilitating. Fortunately there are lots of different things that you can do to deal with your pain and get back to living a normal life, or at least as pain free a life as possible. Work closely with your doctor in order to find the one that is right for you and which is going to offer you the most effective results.

It may take a bit of trial and error but once you have found the right treatment you will see that it is more than worth it because you will have relief of your pain and will be able to live as great a life as you can.