Arthritis
The first sign is chronic pain, usually followed by a loss in mobility and resulting stiffness. Pain manifests itself as a sharp ache, with a burning sensation experienced in muscles and tendons. Crepitus (‘crackling noises’) may occur when joints are moved or touched, while joints may fill with fluid and nearby muscles and tendons go in to spasm.
Arthritis commonly affects the hands, feet, knees, hips and elbows. Stemming from the ancient Greek arthro-, meaning ‘joint,’ +itis, meaning ‘inflammation,’ there are over 100 different types of arthritis with different underlying pathophysiologies – osteroarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gouty arthritis, fibromyalgia and systemic lupus erythematosis account for 90% of all cases. It is the experience of pain and swelling around the joints that forms the primary definition of this degenerative disease, making arthritis in all its collective manifestations Australia’s – and probably the world’s – most common cause of disability and chronic pain.
Symptoms
- Sore joints
- Swelling
- Inflammation
- Stiffness
- Impaired mobility
- Pain
Causes
As we get older, our joints, and the layers of cartilage that prevent our bones from rubbing directly against one another, begin to show the signs of constant use and abuse over a lifetime. They wear thin and deteriorate. As the water and collagen within cartilage deteriorates, bone begins to grind against bone. This is one of the primary causes for inflammation in the most common form of arthritis: osteoarthritis.
New adventitious bone outgrowths, known as osteophytes (or ‘spurs’), may accompany osteoarthritis, causing further pain and inflammation and impeding normal movement as they grind against bone, muscle and tendons.
In the case of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune forms of this condition, the body’s own inflammatory mediators begin to attack the joint lining, bone and cartilage, giving rise to severe pain and inflammation.
Treatments
Because arthritis is a degenerative condition, in most cases it is irreversible, and is in fact likely to only get worse over time. Consequently, the vast majority of modern arthritis treatments focus on the management and relief of the symptoms associated with the condition: joint pain and inflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and analgesics have therefore become the cornerstones of all arthritis treatment regimes. Yet, unfortunately, these medications fail to provide a sufficient level of relief to many arthritis sufferers.
Natural Therapies
A considerable amount of interest in complementary and adjuvant therapies for arthritis has emerged in recent years:
- Low impact exercises which facilitate greater joint mobility such as tai chi, yoga and water aerobics are considered helpful by many sufferers.
- Studies have confirmed that glucosamine and chondroitin may act as synergistic co-factors to assist in the maintenance and repair of cartilage and joint patency, providing clinically effective symptomatic relief from arthritis.
- The trace element manganese may be effective in promoting the synthesis and repair of degraded cartilage associated with arthritis.
- Used in Japan for spinal and joint pain for thousands of years, ginger extract (zinziber officinale) may be effective as an anti-inflammatory for the relief of arthritic pain.
- Relatively recent clinical evidence has shown omega-3 fish oils to be extremely effective in providing relief from the inflammation and cartilage degradation associated with arthritis by limiting the production of inflammatory mediators. To read more on the recently discovered therapeutic applications of omega-3 fish oils, click here (link)
- The herb Phellodendron amurense has been used for centuries in Asia and North America for the treatment of joint inflammation. Studies have shown phellodendron amurense to function as a unique NSAID, selectively suppressing the inflammatory actions of the cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) receptor.
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