The basilar joint is formed by a small bone in the wrist and the fist bone in the thumb. This joint allows the thumb to move in several directions for pinching and gripping. It is common to develop arthritis in the basilar thumb. Osteoarthritis and/or degenerative arthritis are conditions which develop from the natural wear and tear on the joints. Cartilage is what covers the end of the bones; the cartilage creates a smooth surface which protects the bones from wearing down by providing them that smooth surface which they use to glide down each other. With osteoarthritis the cartilage wears down to the bone, and the bones begin to rub together destroying the joint, causing pain, swelling and stiffness. Injuries to the thumb can make a person more likely to develop basilar joint arthritis. Women more commonly develop basilar joint arthritis more than men do.

Leading Los Angeles hand surgeons say there are several ways to identify whether one has begun to develop this syndrome, but the first is generally self detection. Basilar joint arthritis symptoms begin with feeling pain or weakness in the hands one should notice difficulty in doing set daily tasks.

Difficulty gripping and turning objects , such as Door knobs, keys or a jar lid.

Pain in the thumb when the whether becomes colder.

Using the thumb often is painful

Lump in the wrist, the joint becomes bigger and the thumb begins to look as if it is coming out of the joint.

The thumb eventually collapses into the palm

The second bone in the thumb bends outward to help compensate when gripping.

To identify weather or not basilar arthritis is causing ones symptoms the doctor will ask about ones daily activities and ask about any injuries to the hands, or thumbs. The doctors will examine the thumb looking for pain, swelling or a gritty sensation felt when there is pressure around the area of the basilar thumb. X-rays are the best possible way to determine weather or not a patient has developed arthritis.

To begin the basilar joint arthritis treatment the doctor will first prescribe resting the hand and taking an anti-inflammatory such as aspirin, ibuprofen and or wearing a splint. If the patient ceases to see any improvement in the pain or swelling the doctor may administer cortisone. Cortisone is an injection of a very strong anti-inflammatory medicine. If the symptoms still persist after several weeks then surgery may be a reasonable option for one. Surgery is generally successful in relieving the pain; patients are usually relieved from all their symptoms but need time to fully recover.

Arthritis refers to inflammation of joints. It is 1 of a number of conditions commonly called rheumatism. Arthritis arises from many causes and it is treated in many different ways.

Arthritis has been categorized as follows: -

* Arthritis caused by infection.

* Arthritis resulting from rheumatic fever.

* Rheumatoid arthritis.

* Degenerative arthritis.

* Arthritis due to joint injuries.

* Arthritis caused by gout.

* Arthritis originating from the nervous system. Rheumatoid arthritis and arthritis caused by rheumatic fever are generally classified as collagen disease.

* Rheumatoid arthritis and degenerative arthritis are the two most typical types. Millions of men and women are suffering from them. But good medical treatment begun early and continued faithfully can often do much to ease the pain, crippling and disability.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This is a disease not of the joints but of the whole body, the connective tissues. This particular tissue responds sensitively to substances in the body. Stress and worry cause it to be worse. Throughout rainy season and winter months, pains in the joints get most severe.

Rheumatoid arthritis might appear suddenly or gradually. Fatigue, loss of weight, and poor weight can be early signs. Sometimes it may cause an acute fever and pain, swelling and disability in many joints. Any joint can be involved including those of the spine, but the hands and feet are most commonly affected. There may be vague or fleeting pains in early stages; it may rise in the morning and at the end of the day.

Women appear to be afflicated more than men. Children too can be afflicted. Rheumatoid arthritis usually strikes at early ages unlike other types of arthritis. It appears during winter months. Americans are chronic sufferers from this disease.

Fresh raw fruit and vegetable juices offer an excellent treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. It is believed that garlic, musumbi, orange, carrot and beet juice consumed in plenty may give early cure.

Signs and symptoms of Arthritis

* Severe pain in the affected joints.

* Muscles, ligaments and cartilage become inflamed.

* Movement of the joint gets very painful, particularly in cold, windy and damp weather condition.

Home Remedies for Arthritis

* Drinking water kept overnight in a copper container accumulates traces of copper, that is thought to enhance the muscular system. A copper ring or bracelet is worn for the same reason.

* Half a teaspoon of turmeric powder with warm water helps cure arthritis.

* Consuming alfalfa tea twice a day is really a good cure.

* Lime has also been discovered beneficial as an arthritis home remedy. The citric acid found in lime is a solvent of uric acid that is the main cause of some types of arthritis. The juice of one lime, diluted with water, may be taken once daily, if possible first thing in the morning.

* Exercise the afflicted joints in tub full of hot water.

If you have ever had or known someone suffering from arthritis, then you know how debilitating this condition can. My mother had her hands tied and knotted by arthritis and years of use. She sewed, painted, decorated and all kinds of crafts all her life, even if it has been difficult and painful years later.

Arthritis is when the joints are inflamed and painful. There are several types of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout, lupus, fibromyalgia, Lyme disease, infectious arthritis and juvenile arthritis. Both will be discussed here, we arthritis and osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is known as arthritis and begins by incapacitating swelling and pain in joints, fatigue, anemia, weight loss, and yes, fever and swelling of any joint in the body of a Localized pain, deformity, stiffness, limited range, characterized the movement, and fever. In rheumatoid arthritis, joint stiffness upon awakening occurs and can last an hour or more, and it can in a specific finger or wrist swelling. Rheumatoid arthritis is usually pain and stiffness in a single joint of a finger to start the hand, wrist or knee synovial joints of the body. This type of arthritis is an autoimmune disease , ie if something Abuse immune system that attack foreign and inflammation. one of the differences between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are the joints to noise. In rheumatoid arthritis, the joints to make a kind of rustling sound, like cellophane, pop. osteoarthritis tend to do or cracking.

Osteoarthritis affects individual joints, causing pain and stiffness in the joint resolution, and is usually gradually. In the early stages of osteoarthritis, there is usually no inflammation. However, it can occur in the later stages, inflammation, enlargement of the involved joint and muscle contractures, and the deterioration of cartilage that covers the ends of bones. It is degenerative in relation to the wear aging and use. Its kind of my mother had. It started in the index until it took his entire hand.

An overwhelming estimate of 43 million adults have some form of arthritis, and it is expected that by 2030 this figure will rise to 63 million Americans, perhaps, if you read this, you are one of them.

If you think arthritis, consult your doctor to determine which treatment method works for you. Nutrition and exercise play an important role in controlling arthritis. In addition, you can use your service options for pain control, analgesics such as gels or gel packs, moist heat therapy, (the heating of paraffin discuss me feel wonderful I know, I even tried), TEN S-units (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) or other nerve stimulation and back brackets in the case of osteoarthritis to relieve pain and control.

Do not despair. With the advanced technology of today and the professional help, you will surely find a cure for the work you.

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The PDSA has underlined how canines must be fed a healthy dog food diet.

It is never too late to cut out fatty treats and give canines a nutritious dog food diet.

This is the view of the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), which has published its annual animal obesity statistics for the UK.

More than one in five British-based pooches are now overweight, a figure which the charity predicts could rise to at least 50 per cent within three years.

Hounds in the Midlands, the south-west and Scotland were found to be the most likely to be piling on the pounds.

Reviewing the figures, senior veterinary surgeon Sean Wensley warned that fat dogs are at risk of arthritis, heart disease and diabetes.

High calorie treats, such as cheese, chips, curry and cake should be avoided, he suggested.

“Pet owners are showing love for their pet through food, but ultimately they are killing with kindness it’s fair to say,” he remarked.

Regular exercise is also very important when trying to keep a pooch healthy, Mr Wensley said.

Copyright

More than 350 walkers and volunteers came out in support of the Arthritis Foundation, increasing awareness about arthritis while raising an estimated $60,000 in donations and event sponsorship.

Arthritis is the nation’s most common cause of disability. More than 46 million adults and 300,000 children are affected by arthritis or other chronic joint symptoms in the United States. The state of Maryland has more than 1.2 million people suffering with arthritis.

This year’s event theme was “Kids Get Arthritis & Dogs, Too.”

Proceeds from the 2010 Arthritis Walk help support arthritis-related programs and services such as educational talks and aquatic exercise training throughout the state of Maryland, as well as provide funding for cutting edge arthritis research.

Participants walked the park for themselves or in honor of a friend or loved one who suffers with arthritis. Many walkers brought their favorite pet to join them.

In addition to the walk, activities for the kids, raffles and pet contests helped create a fun-filled atmosphere. WNAV provided music and entertainment, while area dignitaries including Sen. John Astle and Speaker Michael Busch were in attendance.

This year’s walk honored Maryland Arthritis Ambassadors Ashley Rolf, Teddy Anna and Erwin Abrams; Canine Ambassador Callie Tovey; and Medical Ambassador Dr. Paul Davies.

For information about the Arthritis Foundation, visit www.arthritis.org or call 410-654-6570.

- Sarah Karantonis, Arthritis Foundation, Mid Atlantic Region

Overview

Arthritis is a disease which causes inflammation of the joints. With over 100 different kinds of arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of them. It is a chronic disease in which not only the joints, but the tissues around the joints also get inflamed. It is an autoimmune disease wherein the bodys immune system erroneously starts to attack its own body tissues instead of protecting them from outside viruses. RA not only affects the joints, but can affect other organs of the body. This is the reason the rheumatoid arthritis is also called as rheumatoid disease.

After so many years of research around RA, the cause of this disease is still not known completely. Tiredness, depression and morning stiffness are some of the common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Studies and Researches

The researches show that RA is thrice as common in women as in men. Daily activities of most of the individuals suffering from RA are affected in some way or the other. Some of the numbers below are astonishing: 1.Approximately 1% of the worlds total population is affected by rheumatoid arthritis. 2.After 5 years of having this disease, about 33% of the patients are unable to work and after 10 years about 50% patients have substantial functional disability. 3.Life expectancy of the patients shortens by 5 to 10 years with RA.

Treatment and Medication

There are various therapies like weight loss, physiotherapy, joint injections, occupational therapy, exercise, surgery and different medication for the treatment of RA. If the disease is left unchecked, it can lead to destruction of the affected joints leading to handicap. So, it is extremely important to start an early therapy for the patient.

With the treatment of RA, there are two main objectives which is to provide ease to the current symptoms and to check future harm. Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drug (DMARD) along with analgesics is recommended for the treatment. The grouping of DMARDs and analgesics is found to be effective. DMARD on one hand produces durable symptomatic remissions and delays the progression and on the other hand, the anti inflammatory drug reduces the pain and stiffness.

Tramadol is a synthetic (man-made) pain reliever which can be combined with DMARD to treat RA. Tramadol is a prescription medication and is said to work like morphine. It is used for treating moderate to moderately severe pain. It is a cheap and effective analgesic. To know more about the cheap Tramadol, visit http://cheap-tramadol.org

By Jennifer Davis

7/21/10 A new study suggests that the chickenpox vaccine, which contains a live virus, may be safe and effective for kids with juvenile arthritis.

Adults and children with arthritis who take medications that suppress the immune system have long been warned against taking any live vaccines. Thats because live vaccines contain a virus that has been weakened but is still active. Immunologists have feared that introducing this virus into a body with knocked-down defenses could result in serious illness or even death.

Thats left parents to wrestle with a potentially high stakes question: Is it riskier for children with juvenile arthritis who are also on immunosuppressive therapies to take the live vaccine or to get full-blown chickenpox?

But the new study, from researchers in Brazil, suggests that children with juvenile arthritis who are on disease-modifying medications, like methotrexate, and corticosteroids, like prednisone, can safely take the shots.

I thought the study was very well done and challenges a paradigm, which is weve always said to not give live virus vaccines to juvenile arthritis patients on methotrexate or biologics. Thats been the party line. But this study challenges that party line, says Daniel J. Lovell, MD, who works in the Division of Rheumatology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and is associate editor of Arthritis Care & Research.

You do need a much longer, larger study to be thoroughly convinced that its the right thing to do, but its a brave study and scientifically well done, he adds.

For the study, researchers gave the live varicella vaccine to 25 children with juvenile idopathic arthritis, or JIA, who had no antibodies to chickenpox. The participants were taking two immunosuppressive medications – methotrexate and corticosteroids. Four to six weeks after the shot, 72.2 percent of the participants appeared to be protected from chickenpox. One year later, 80 percent still had immunity.

It doesnt work 100 percent in a healthy population either, but it is higher than 70 or 80 percent, Dr. Lovell says. So the frequency of effectiveness of the vaccination was lower in this group (compared to healthy children).”

Three children did develop a mild chickenpox like rash that lasted up to a week and then went away, but there were no serious side effects in any of the children.

The study was published in the July issue of Arthritis Care & Research, and it follows a 2007 study from the Netherlands, which found no infections or arthritis flares in 314 children with juvenile arthritis who were given the live vaccine against measles.

One of the questions has always been if you vaccinate, will you cause flares of the disease. This paper, along with other studies, all demonstrated that children with juvenile arthritis do not flare, Dr. Lovell says. This is another piece in the growing body of evidence to say that these vaccines do not flare the JIA.

Other pediatric rheumatologists say that while the study is encouraging, they wont yet recommend live vaccines.

This study is relatively small. But I personally believe its probably right, says Barbara Adams, MD, at the University of Michigans C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital in Ann Arbor.

But she says she needs more scientific proof than this new study provides.

Professionally, we have to take another measure of precaution. And the reason is because there hasnt been a big study, she explains. I think this is a pretty important thing to nail down one way or another, and Id like to see someone do a more comprehensive study with a broader group of patients to give us the real answer.

Before the vaccine was introduced in 1995, chickenpox was responsible for about 4 million infections, 100,000 hospitalizations and about 100 deaths in American children each year.

And though vaccination has cut the number of cases of chickenpox by more than 80 percent, the disease hasnt disappeared completely, and ninety percent of cases are seen in children less than the age of 10.

A 2010 study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that children who were not vaccinated for chickenpox had nine times the risk of infection compared to those who were immunized.

Still, because of safety concerns, pediatric rheumatologists advise parents of children with arthritis not to risk immunization with live viruses.

We write letters [to schools] saying the child may not have the chickenpox vaccine because they are taking a medicine that makes them immunosuppressive, Dr. Adams says. The parents agree with us. They are asking us to write it.

TORONTO – A new report estimates that one out of every five Canadians over age 15 may suffer from arthritis by 2031.

The report says that in 2007-2008, more than 4.2 million Canadians or 16 per cent of the population aged 15 years and older reported they had arthritis.

The figures are in a report on the disease issued Monday by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

The report says the economic burden of arthritis in this country was about $6.4 billion in 2000, with nearly 70 per cent of that due to lost productivity among people suffering from the disease.

Nearly two-thirds of the total arthritis-related costs were incurred by working-aged people in the 35 to 64 demographic.

Health Conditions Autoimmune Diseases Arthritis

By Spondylitis Association of America – Jul 17, 2010 12:46:49 PM

Spondylitis Association of America (SAA) Launches Public Service Announcements to Hasten Arthritis Diagnosis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a crippling form of arthritis that generally strikes young people in their teens and twenties, sometimes even earlier. Left untreated, it causes pain, disability and can eventually cause the spinal vertebrae to fuse together forming one brittle bone, often in a stooped over position.

There is no cure for AS. But there are effective treatments that can greatly improve quality of life and increase the chances of a positive outcome. The key to obtaining these treatments is early diagnosis.

The Spondylitis Association of America (SAA) has developed a validated online questionnaire that will help evaluate a persons likelihood of having AS, so that they may seek a diagnosis and pursue appropriate, life-changing treatment. SAA is also releasing new Public Service Announcements (PSAs) in an effort to raise awareness about the disease and the availability of the online tool.

In the PSA, 20 year-old Tyler Walker, whose AS symptoms began at age 9, describes some of the early warning signs and symptoms of AS.

Ankylosing spondylitis is considered the most overlooked cause of persistent back pain in young adults yet it is often dismissed as growing pains or as overdoing it. Because of this, the average delay from onset of symptoms to definitive diagnosis is 7 to 10 years. Years in which the damage is progressing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that AS and its related diseases affect as many as 2.4 million people in the US, and many do not even know it.

Our biggest challenge is to create awareness of the disease, so people who have persistent back pain can seek an accurate diagnosis, especially young people, says Laurie Savage, SAAs Executive Director. Because most of the damage caused by ankylosing spondylitis occurs in the first 10 years, early diagnosis means early treatment to improve quality of life.

At the end of the PSA, Tyler invites people who are experiencing persistent low back pain to visit www.BackPainTest.org to fill out a brief survey that will assess their symptoms and recommend next steps. For more information, people can also call SAAs toll-free information line at 800-777-8189.

About Ankylosing Spondylitis – Spondylitis is the term used to refer to a group of chronic, inflammatory diseases that generally strike young people between the ages of 15 and 35. Typically, spondylitis causes pain and stiffness and, in the most severe cases, can result in a total fusion of the spine and/or neck, leading to disability. Although spondylitis primarily affects the spine, it is not uncommon for the disease to impact the joints of the shoulders, hips, knees and feet, as well as cause inflammation of the eye. More rarely, because AS is a systemic (whole body) condition, other organs such as the heart and lungs can also become involved.

About the Spondylitis Association of America – The Spondylitis Association of America (SAA) is the only nonprofit organization in the US dedicating all of its resources to improving the lives of people with ankylosing spondylitis and related diseases. Established in 1983, SAA is committed to increasing awareness of spondylitis, providing information and support to patients and their families, and ultimately, working to uncover a cure for the disease.

SAA produces the most comprehensive library of spondylitis resources available in the US including books, DVDs, CDs, brochures and other publications; an 800-page interactive website, spondylitis.org; a quarterly, advertising-free news magazine, and a network of nationwide Educational Support Groups to educate and support people living with this chronic illness.

At the forefront of every major milestone achieved in spondylitis education, research and advocacy in the last 25 years, you will find the Spondylitis Association of America.

Link To “Announcements to Hasten Arthritis Diagnosis”

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) – They’ve only known each other five months, but their weekly visits inspire each of them in different ways.

It all started when Barb Colson answered an ad asking for volunteers. Barb Colson said she feels a great joy in being able to give.

Running to the grocery store to buy a few things is a chore most of us take for granted. As Barb Colson goes over a shopping list, she knows how important this trip is to John Mitchell. John suffers from a form of Muscular Dystrophy and severe arthritis. He relies on his time with Barb to buy enough food to stock his kitchen.

“I don’t know what I would do without her,” said John Mitchell, who called Colson his guardian angel.

Colson volunteers through Wabash Center. She said she and Mitchell clicked instantly. Each week, Colson takes Mitchell where he needs to go, whether it’s an afternoon buying groceries, a trip to the bank, or a visit with a doctor.

“Mitchell and I both want to make this world a better place, so what better way than showing love, and helping him out this way,” said Barb Colson.

“I can’t lift heavy things, and her got to do all the shopping,” said Mitchell.

Colson has worked as a nurse and started volunteer work in high school. She says getting involved with Mitchell through the Wabash Center has made a big difference in her life.

“He’s got such an interesting perspective on life, and everytime I go into a store with him, and he says ‘Hello gorgeous,’ and freely offers his little pieces of gum, just a little token of who he is, and it reminds me a lot of that positive feeling that I get from giving,” said Colson.

Mitchell has raised thousands of dollars for the Jerry Lewis telethon.

Colson said the few hours she spends each week with Mitchell have brought back the joy of giving.