Arthritis

Types of Arthritis

Major Types of Arhtritis

• Osteo Arthritis
• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Other Forms of Arthritis

• Ankylosing Spondylitis
• Bursitis
• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Fibrositis
• Infectious Arthritis or Septic Arthritis
• Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
• Lumbago
• Polymyalgia Rheumatic
• Polymyositis
• Psoriatic Arthritis
• Reactive Arthritis
• Rheumatic Fever
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Tendinitis
• Tennis Elbow

Prognosis of Arthritis

The prognosis of arthritis depends on its complications, severity, and the presence of non-joint manifestations of the disease. For instance, rheumatoid arthritis can affect the eyes, lungs, kidneys, etc. Chronic joint inflammation may result in permanent damage to the joint and failure of joint function which makes difficult or impossible.

What are the causes and risk factors of arthritis?

Following are the two major types of causes and risk factors behind the occurrence of arthritis in a person:

Non-Modifiable Risk Factors

• Age: As the age increases the risk for the development of arthritis increases.
• Gender: Many of the arthritis types are common in women. 60% of arthritis patients are women.
• Genetic: Certain genes carry more risk of some types of arthritis as rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Modifiable Risk Factors

• Obesity: Overweight can bring you near the risk of developing arthritis and even the progression of arthritis.
• Joint Injuries: Injury to the joint can increases the risk of arthritis.
• Infection: Infections can also contribute to increases the risk of arthritis.
• Occupation: Some of the occupations that require repetitive or continuous knee bending and squatting elevate the risk of developing certain types of arthritis.

Test and Diagnosis

Diagnose of arthritis may include following steps:

• Physical Examination: The doctor examines the affected joint and checks the tenderness, redness, swelling and motion in the joint. After this your doctor may advise you imaging and lab tests.
• Lab Tests: The lab tests will include the analysis of blood, urine and joint fluid.
• Imaging Tests: The X-ray is done to reveal the cartilage loss and reduced space between the joints. In complex cases the MRI is recommended to get the detailed images of soft tissues and bones.

Treatment

Arthritis cannot be cured. However its symptoms can be controlled if treatment begins at early stage. Your doctor may recommend you the following to treat the symptoms of arthritis:

Medications for Arthritis

• NSAIDs: The NSAIDs will provide to relief from the pain and inflammation. He/she may recommend you to use stronger NSAIDs depending upon your condition.
• Oral Analgesics: These medicines include over-thecounter analgesics as acetaminophen which are used to relieve the pain and not inflammation.
• Corticosteroid Medications: These medicines can also help you to decrease the inflammation and pain.
• Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs): Medicines of this class as Methotrexate, Leflunomide and Sulfasalazine are the strong medicines that can decelerate the development of arthritis. Therefore this medicine can help you to save the joints and tissues from permanent damage.
• Biologic Response Modifiers: These are genetically engineered drugs that work by inhibiting the specific molecular pathways of the immune system that are involved in the inflammatory process.
• Counterirritants: Some of the creams and ointments containing menthol or capsaicin, when applied topically on aching joint can reduce the pain by hindering the transmission of pain signals.

Therapy for Arthritis

Your physician may recommend you physical or occupational therapies that can help you to maintain your joints flexible. Assistive devices as kitchen knife with a saw handle, and buttonhooks are also available that makes your life easy.

Surgery for Arthritis

If you are not affected even after the treatment with medicines then your doctor may advise you surgery to repair damaged joints. Arthritis can be treated with following procedures:

• Total Joint Replacement: In this surgery the surgeon removes the damaged parts of joint and replaces it with prosthesis made up of metal and plastic.
• Joint Repair and Joint Infusion are the two other procedure used to treat the arthritis.

Alternative Medicines for Arthritis

Some of the alternative medicines can help you to get relief from osteoarthritis as:

• Acupuncture: Acupuncture can help you to get relieved from the pain if you suffer from knee osteoarthritis. In this procedure hair-thin needles are introduced into your skin at specific spots.
• Yoga or Tai chi: The movement therapy of yoga and Tai chi may reduce the arthritis pain.
• Glucosamine: People suffering from moderate to severe pain of arthritis can take the aid of these medicines.
• Ayurvedic Medicines: these medicines contain natural herbs that can prevent the worsening of arthritis.
• Kairali Massage: It can elevate the blood flow and can warm the affected joints for the time being. This provides relief from the pain.
• Homoeopathic Treatment of Arthritis: Some important homoeopathic treatments for arthritis are Bryonia Alba, Ledum pal, Calcaria Carb, Benzoic acid etc.
• Unani treatment for arthritis: Following are the therapies used in the unani treatments of rheumatoid arthritis:
  • • 1. Diet/Regimental therapy (Ilaj Bil Tadabeer Wa Agzia)
    • 2. Pharmaco-Therapy (Ilaj Bil Advia)
    • 3. Surgical intervention (Ilaj Bil Yad)

  Firstly Diet/Regimental therapies are usedthen pharmaco therapy and last Surgical Intervention are considered.The regimental therapies include massage, cupping, or Turkish bath,etc.

Dietary Supplement for Arthritis

Dietary supplements include minerals, herbs, vitamins, and many other products that have a significant role in the maintenance of health. They come as pills, energy bars, drinks, capsules, and powders.For arthritis GLME is the best dietary supplement that helps the arthritis pain in the treatment and management of disease:

• GLME (Green Lipped Mussel Extract): GLME (Green lipped mussel extract) is the most recommended dietary supplement for arthritis which is extracted from the green lipped mussels. Green lipped mussel is a shell fish which is grown in the farms of New Zealand. It has shown a great role against the arthritis.

Prevention and Management

As many types of arthritis are inherited to some extent therefore there is no exact way to prevent them. However, you can reduce its risk by preventing the modifiable risk factors such as body weight and injuries. Maintaining a healthy weight keeps you away from the risk of developing arthritis. The arthritis which is followed by joint injury can be prevented by following safety regulations. Arthritis related to infection can be prevented by not becoming infected with the causative microorganism.

Following are some of the measures that can help you to prevent and manage the condition of arthritis:

• Loose body weight: Reducing the body weight will help you to decrease the stress on weight-bearing joints. This will enhance the joint mobility.
• Exercise: Regular exercise will aid you to get flexible joints. The relaxing exercises as swimming and water aerobics will improve your life.
• Heat and Cold Therapies: Use of heating pads or ice packs can be highly relieving for arthritis pain.
• Assistive Devices: Use of canes, walkers, and other assistive devices will protect your joints and improve your performance in daily tasks.

Why Seatone?

Seatone is the best preparation ofGLME (green lipped mussel extract) which is accessible as capsules. Seatone is the safest GLME product because:

• It is extracted only from the top quality of fresh mussels at their peak condition. Their harvesting is done at the best times of year.
• A number of tests are conducted to check the toxicity of Seatone. Seatone is made available to you after several tests and trials.

What is the role of GLME (Green Lipped Mussel Extract) in the treatment and management of arthritis?

GLME (Green lipped mussel extract) has unique role in the treatment and management of arthritis as below:

• It lubricates the joints and thus increases the joint mobility. It prevents the joint deterioration and repairs the cartilages which are damaged.
• It protects the stomach lining from the severe reactions of medicines that are used in the treatment of arthritis.
• It controls the process of inflammation through several mechanisms and thus reduces swelling, pain, and inflammation.
• It helps other medicines to show their maximum efficacy.

Seatone vs. Other Treatment

Seatone is better than all the other treatments for arthritis because:

• Seatone is a produced from natural source therefore it does not show any side effects. On the other side the medicines used in the treatment of arthritis show a number of side effects as bleeding problems, cardiovascular problems, and liver and kidney damage.
• Medicines as NSAIDs and analgesics show damage to the delicate lining of stomach however the Seatone protects the stomach lining by acting as gastro-protective.
• Blood clot or infection can occur after surgeries done for the treatment of arthritis.
• Medicines used for arthritis can provide you fast relief from pain and swelling however their effect may be temporary. On the other side the Seatone provides gradual but progressive relief from the symptoms of arthritis which is generally long lasting.
• Medicines such as NSAIDs only reduce the symptoms of arthritis but Seatone also provides gradual improvement in grip strength and mobility.
• Seatone is safe even at higher doses but the medicines as analgesics or NSAIDs can show unpleasant effects at higher doses.