By P. Reeves.

When Walter first experienced aching, swollen joints, he tried several remedies offered by friends. None gave him total relief from the pain. Walter's family tried in vain to get him to seek medical care, but his reply was “Why go to a doctor? After all – it's just arthritis.”

Do you think you have arthritis, or know someone like Walter who is relying on information from friends instead of understanding that arthritis is a serious disease?

The word arthritis means inflammation or damage to joints. Warning signs are pain, swelling, stiffness, or problems moving one or more joints.

There are more than 100 types of arthritis. It affects nearly one of every six Americans, making it one of the most common diseases in the United States. It affects people of all ages, but it occurs more often as a person gets older.

For anyone suffering from arthritis like symptoms it is imperative to be aware of the value of early diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, many people don't know that arthritis is manageable. With early diagnosis many things can be done to reduce the impact of arthritis on everyday life.

Many treatment approaches can be used to help arthritis. Most treatment programs include a combination of the following types of treatments:

1. Diet may influence certain forms of arthritis. Researchers have identified connections between certain foods and conditions such as gout and osteoporosis. In addition, research has shown a connection between obesity and osteoarthritis of the knee. Too much weight may put extra stress on weight bearing joints. Overweight people may be less active, which can limit range of motion activities, leading to stiffening of the joints. In general, people with arthritis are urged to maintain a balanced diet and stay close to their ideal weight.
2. Exercise. Properly performed on a daily basis, exercise is an important part of arthritis treatment. Many people don't like to exercise. However, you can receive tremendous health benefits from only twenty minutes of exercise per day. Before you start an exercise program it is wise to consult a doctor. The doctor can instruct you on what type and how much exercise you should do. One of the best exercises you can do to ease the pain of arthritis is one you do everyday–walking. Start slowly and build up your distance gradually.
3. Medication. Medicine for treatment of arthritis does not cure the disease. Non-steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDS) such as aspirin or ibuprofen are used to help relieve pain and reduce inflammation. Unfortunately NSAIDS can have serious side effects which may include stomach irritation, sometimes bleeding, and can have the potential for reduced kidney functioning.

The good news about medication is that a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs may be as effective as NSAIDS in managing pain and inflammation without the side effects. These anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit the COX-2 enzyme that contributes to the inflammation process.

DMARDs or Disease Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs are used specifically for Rheumatoid Arthritis and other chronic inflammatory arthritis diseases. They are given under the close supervision of a physician. DMARDs reduce inflammation and may slow progression of the disease. In 1999 several new DMARDs offer hope to the millions who live with the pain of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

If you have just received a diagnosis of arthritis from your physician, you may well be worried and afraid. And you are likely to have lots of questions. What does this mean? Why is this happening to me? And most importantly, what happens now?

Management of arthritis is the key to living with it, and that requires your full participation. Educating yourself about your type of arthritis is a very important step toward the goal of coping with the disease.

Osteoarthritis, also called degenerative arthritis, results from the breakdown of cartilage in joints, leading to joint pain and damage. Almost 21 million people in the United States have Osteoarthritis, making it one of the most common diseases.

The goal of your treatment program for Osteoarthritis will be to control your pain, minimize functional limitations and associated disability, and of course balance the risks of any drug use with the potential benefits. There are no drugs that have been shown to reverse the cartilage damage or to prevent the progression of joint abnormalities.

Many claims have been made regarding natural substances called glucosamine and chondroitin. Should you decide to try these supplements, consider these recommendations:

1. Consult your physician;
2. Don't stop or decrease prescription medications without consulting your physician;
3. If you have diabetes monitor your blood sugar levels - research suggests a link between the supplements and an increase in blood sugar levels;
4. If you are taking blood thinners or daily aspirin, have your blood clotting time checked - these substances could cause bleeding; and
5. Don't give up on proven pain management techniques.

Rheumatoid Arthritis is a common form of arthritis that can lead to deformity. It is the result of inflammation of the lining of the joints and sometimes also joint tissues. Joint inflammation is characterized by pain, swelling, limitations of motion, and sometimes redness over the joint.

Although there is not yet a cure for RA, the disease can be managed well with medications and other treatments. The earlier the diagnosis is made and treatment instituted, the greater the chance the disease can be controlled with minimal joint damage.

Using medication properly, developing good health practices, getting appropriate amounts of rest and exercise, and learning how to cope with emotional stress are all pro-active steps you can take to help yourself control the illness.

Fibromyalgia is a form of soft-tissue rheumatism rather than arthritis of a joint. The term “fibromyalgia” means pain in the muscles and the fibrous connective tissues (ligaments and tendons). Fibromyalgia is characterized by persistent pain in the muscles and soft tissue but does not cause joint damage.

Fibromyalgia is often misunderstood because there are no joint abnormalities, weakness, or limitations of functions. The person, at least on the outside, appears to be perfectly fine, but is actually living with pain and fatigue.

In the search for the cause of their discomfort and pain people with fibromyalgia often undergo many tests and see many specialists. Sometimes people are told that since they look well, they aren't suffering from a real disorder and are dismissed. Fear and frustration often result, which in turn may increase the pain.

Treatment of Fibromyalgia currently includes medications to diminish the pain and provide more restorative sleep, exercises to strengthen muscles and improve cardiovascular fitness, relaxation techniques to ease tense muscles, and educational programs to develop coping skills.

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to lose their mass and break easily. It is a serious public health problem, and is the cause of more than 1.5 million fractures each year. Women are at greater risk for this disease than men. Too little calcium and Vitamin D in the diet, as well as too little exercise, can increase the risk of developing Osteoporosis.

One of the most effective “treatments” for Osteoporosis is prevention. Once the disease has begun, the treatment may depend on the symptoms. Your physician will want you to take sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D and may consider using other drugs to slow down the bone loss.

Arthritis doesn't have to rob you of the activities you enjoy most. While research is the key to future cures or prevention of arthritis, equally important is improving the quality of life for people who have arthritis now. Your local Arthritis Foundation has information, classes, and other services to put you in charge of your arthritis.

The Arthritis Foundation can give you free literature about your type of arthritis. For more information call the Southern Illinois branch of the Arthritis Foundation, at either 618.252.0394 or 1.800.795.9115.

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