Greg Sawyer, D. C.
Osteoarthritis (OA) appears in 2 main forms: Primary and Secondary one.
Primary OA
· The most common form
· A slow and progressive condition
· Starts after the age of 45
· Affects the most weight-bearing joints-knees and hips, lower back, neck, large toe and fingers joints
· The exact cause is not known yet
· Family history and obesity are well known risk factors
· Appears when excessive loads are placed on normal joint tissues or a reasonable load is applied on inferior joint tissues.
Secondary OA:
· Less common form
· A quick and acute condition
· Can develop after injury to a joint-sometimes many years later
· Appears as a result of a known condition-acute or chronic (repetitive) trauma or injury, joint laxity, poor bone alignment, infection, metabolic imbalances (gout, thyroid diseases, after chronic use of certain medications, iron overload, calcium deposits) etc.
· Starts before the age of 45
OA is not an autoimmune disease. It is a condition of wear and tear associated with aging or acute and chronic injury. The immune system is not affected.
· OA stiffness tends to get worse with use throughout the day.
· OA usually occurs when the person ages, whose joints have become worn down by excessive use.
· OA symptoms include joint stiffness, pain, and inflamed enlarged joints.
· OA is associated with asymmetrical swelling in individual joints that are not part of a pair e.g., one knee and an elbow, instead of both knees.
· Inflammation generally occurs at the joint closest to the fingernail.
· OA tends to cause pain and swelling in bigger joints such as the hips and knees.
· OA is much more common than RA
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not a condition of wear and tear like the OA. It is a disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, causing inflammation that damages the joints.
· RA usually causes pain or stiffness lasting for more than 30 minutes in the morning or after long rest and lack of activity.
· RA can occur at any age. It often begins in middle age and tends to get worse over time.
· RA can worsen very quickly in its early stages and can cause serious damage to the joints in just the first 24 months.
· RA is associated with symmetrical swelling (e.g., both hands, both elbows, etc.)
· RA symptoms include joint pain, swelling, tenderness, redness of the joints, prolonged morning stiffness, less range of a movement, fever, weight loss, fatigue, and/or anemia.
· RA tends to cause swelling and pain in smaller joints such as the hands and ankles. Arthritis impairs significantly the life of old adults by:
· Reduced muscle efficiency and a range of motion in the affected joints
· Loss of physical conditioning, a major risk factor for obesity and life-threatening diseases
· Partial or total physical disability
· Growing reliance on others
· A sense of being handicapped and a loss of emotional well-being
· Reluctance to get out and socialize
· Lost workdays and productivity
· High risk for cardiovascular diseases, stroke, cancer
As reported in “Arthritis Care and Research” (1995)
· 25% could not leave their residence or could leave only with help
· 45% had some level of physical dependence
· 18% were not participating in social activities
· 51% of those under 65y were not in the labor force
· 76% never went to events such as sports or movies
· 42% had out-of-pocket due to disability
Factors to consider when choosing top quality glucosamine/ chondroitin and ASU supplements are:
1/ Dose:
· Glucosamine: 1500 mg Glucosamine HCL or 1884 mg Glucosamine Sulfate/ taken once daily or divided in two equal doses
· Chondroitin: 800 –1200 mg taken once daily, or divided in two equal doses
· ASU: 300 mg once daily
2/ Safety of the Supplements- USP-DSVP; NSF, NNFA, Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, Consumer Labs
3/ The best form is the “ long- acting”, “ time- released “, “ with controlled delivery”. Topical and liquid form should be avoided.
4/ The products should be tested and recommended by 2 or 3 independent laboratories
5/ They should be manufactured according Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
Holistic Formulas to consider:
1. Glucosamine and Chondroitin sulfate are substances found naturally in the body that contribute to key proteins that bind water in cartilage tissue. They work in synergism, being able to reduce pain of arthritis, with benefit for joint injuries also. Glucosamine is a form of amino sugar that is believed to play a role in cartilage formation and repair. Chondroitin sulfate is part of a large protein molecule (proteoglycan) that gives cartilage elasticity. They are extracted from animal tissue: glucosamine from crab, lobster or shrimp shells; and chondroitin sulfate from animal cartilage, such as tracheas or shark cartilage and are able to reduce the pain of arthritis with particular benefit for joint injuries. Multiple studies show that people with osteoarthritis (OA) taking either glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate reported pain relief at a level similar to that of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Recent research indicates that the supplements might also slow cartilage damage in people with OA.
2. MSM- (Methylsulfonylmethane) is another supplement on the market that helps for a range of ailments including pain and/or inflammation from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), fibromyalgia and gout. It is a sulfur compound plentiful in fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, fish and grains. There have been conducted human studies that show MSM relieves the pain of OA and other conditions. One should start with a low dosage of 500 milligrams (mg) or less twice a day and gradually increase the amount until reaching the pain relief effect. A dose of 1,000 mg (1 gram) twice a day is proven beneficial in capsules or in a liquid.
3. Dehydration is one of the reasons of multiple sets of symptoms, as: headache, heartburn, rheumatoid joint pain, back pain, migraine, colitis, fibromyalgia, angina etc. When there is not enough water to be evenly distributed and certain parts of the body are working but not receiving enough water to deal with its toxic waste and metabolism, thus the toxic waste builds up that area, while the nerve endings in that area register the chemical environmental change with the brain. The brain translates this information for the conscious mind in the form of pain.
David Brownstein M.D. had an incredible experience, that when water intake is improved most of the symptoms dissipate. We know that our body is mainly water- 75% water, and our brain- is 85% of water. We lose nearly 6 pints of water a day for: perspiration- 1 pint, breathing- 2pints, and urine- 3 pints.
Coffee, tea or sodas are not water, but at the same time they work as diuretics. The explanation of why dehydration can provoke pain and mainly osteoarthritis pain is the next: We know that the cartilage surfaces of the bones in a joint contain water that allows them to glide and to work together, thus, prolonged dehydration that leaves the cartilage short of water will produce a greater friction and stress at the cartilage contact points in the joint. This friction force will produce an inflammatory process that destroys the bone surfaces. Thus osteoarthritis of the joint will establish - a vicious circle of dehydration that will finally destroy the cartilage surfaces. As more blood circulation is brought to the area, it is the swelling in the joint capsule that causes stiffness and pain. This joint pain is an indicator of local dehydration and the inability of the joints to cope with the extra demands for its movement.
The environment of cartilage is alkaline, while in case of chronic dehydration it becomes acid. The acidity will also register consequent pain. The dying tissue is broken up from inside the cells and the broken fragments are ingested and then again recycled. There is an associated protein breakdown and more amino acids are mobilized, as they may be needed for the repair of the damage. In the inflammatory media inside the joint, the white cells begin to manufacture hydrogen peroxide and ozone to keep the joint space sterilized and to prevent bacteria from infecting the cavity and to supply with adequate oxygen to the cells that are engaged in the repair process. There is a local RGF "remodeling growth factor" that promotes the growth of abnormal tissue that can explain the changes in the arthritic deviated joints.
4. Acupuncture is based on the concept of Qi (chee) energy. It is a holistic and gentle medical system. Many symptoms, syndromes or diseases can be treated with it as for example: Infertility, Shingles, Allergies, Headache, Anxiety, Arthritis, Backache, Depression, Digestive Symptoms, Flu, Smoking, Insomnia, Gynecological Conditions, Irritable Bowel, etc. In the human body, inserting a small needle into the blocked meridian will liberate the excess of Qi, or will eliminate the disease away from the body, as the East medicine believed. Instead of discussing acupuncture in terms of letting something out of the body, West healers began describing it in terms of regulating the flow of Qi within the body. The flow of Qi through the meridians could be blocked off by an obstruction. If the Qi in the meridian becomes blocked, the condition of the body becomes disordered, and if one could remove the blockage from the flow of Qi within a meridian, the natural flow could be restored.
The process is quite simple and can be explain in 3 steps:
· Locate the areas of disturbance
· Isolate the main blockage points
· Clear the blockage: The needless stimulation sends impulses up through the spinal cord to different areas of the brain- local and central effects. By stimulation of these points, acupuncture tries to restore the normal flow of Qi, and to stimulate the body to heal. Blood vessels dilate, nerve supply improves, and muscle spasms relax. All the above means more oxygen, nutrients, better nerve stimulation, reduced irregular pressure on the joint. In case of pain the patient experiences relief. Acupunctures should be done once, two or three times in the month
References:
“ Your Body's Many Cries for Water”, by Dr. Batmanghelidj
“ Water For Health, For Healing, For Life”, by Dr. Batmanghelidj
“ Natural Medicine for Arthritis”, by Glenn S. Rothfeld, M.D. and Suzanne Le Vert
“ The arthritis cure”, by Jason Theodosakis, M.D., M.S., M.P.H.,
“ Preventing arthritis”, by byRonald M. Lawrence, M.D., Ph.D. and Martin Zucker
If you would like to learn more on the above topic, please call and require a personal consultation: (715) 392-7591; (218) 213-6167; or (218) 213-7087
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The material in this newsletter is provided for informational purposes only. Thus our intentions are not to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent any disease. If you use the information in this newsletter without the approval of your health professional, the authors of this letter do not assume any responsibility. Copyright @ 2009, Natural Health-Wellness LLC. All rights reserved.
