autoimmune disease symptoms, medication and treatment » Arthritis

Pay Attention to Those Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms!

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:14:04 +0000

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common variations of arthritis, and it usually affects those between the ages of 25 and 55, most of them women. It’s an autoimmune and systemic disease that gives rise to many rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and signs. The most overriding of all these symptoms is the unremitting pain and discomfort that sufferers experience on a regular basis, and which most often restrict their ability to move about freely and adversely affect their quality of life.

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms usually manifest themselves in the small joints of the feet and fingers, although they can appear in joints in other locations as well, such as the hips and knees. In autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system misfires and turns on healthy cells and tissues — in this case, the synovium or the lining of the joints. Pain and inflammation are the most prominent results of this “friendly fire” by the immune system.

The majority of patients awake to stiff and painful joints in the morning, which can last for an hour or more. A long period of inactivity or rest can also trigger this pain and stiffness. The disease usually affects more than just one joint and appears bilaterally or symmetrically. That is, a person can experience symptoms in the fingers of both her left and right hands or the toes of both her left and right feet. It becomes harder to move the affected joint in its full range of motion, and even the least amount of pressure on it can cause a lot of pain. Also, the skin covering the joint can become red and inflamed, and at times the patient can feel either a tingling sensation or numbness in her skin. A low-grade fever is common among sufferers of this disease.

Small nodules or ‘tophi’ appear under the skin of about 25 percent of people with the disease. These lumps and bumps are about the size of a pea and are usually painless. They are the results of inflammation and scar tissue, and can appear in areas such as the arms, ankles, and elbows. Even though the tophi are not painful, they should not be dismissed because they could indicate other, more serious conditions than rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease, meaning it affects not just the joints but many other parts of the body as well. Inflammation can occur in the lungs, giving rise to a condition called pleurisy. Inflammation of glands in the mouth and in the eyes can cause mouth dryness and eye irritation, also called Sjogren’s syndrome. Inflammation can calso occur (though quite rarely) in the blood vessels and the pericardium, or the membrane enclosing the heart. Another complication of rheumatoid arthritis is anemia, where the bone marrow is unable to produce the adequate amount of red blood cells needed to keep it healthy.

The disease does not only affect the body, many of the symptoms manifest themselves in psychological ways as well. For instance, patients complain of a feeling of listlessness or an overall feeling of not being well. This condition is also known by the term malaise. Getting tired easily, a feeling of fatigue, loss of appetite, and weight loss — these are all rheumatoid arthritis symptoms and contribute greatly to the patient’s perception of a reduction in her quality of life.

It is important to remember that no two persons will have exactly the same symptoms. Just as each person’s bodily make-up and metabolisms are different, so too will rheumatoid arthritis symptoms will become manifest in each individual. Some men and women experience sudden flare-ups of the disease, with the symptoms disappearing after several days or weeks while others will experience continuous pain and swelling for several years. Aside from the constant pain, long-term rheumatoid arthritis that is left untreated will lead to gross deformities and permanent joint damage.

Knowing about the various rheumatoid arthritis symptoms will help each person be aware of what to look out for, especially if she is already predisposed to the disease. It will save the trouble and expense that could result from misdiagnosis and guesswork. A person who presents with one or more of these symptoms should seek immediate medical attention so that the progress of the disease can be slowed down or even halted at the earliest possible time.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Rheumatoid Arthritis – What Are Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms?

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:59:01 +0000

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Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Arthritis affects many people all over the world in the US alone over twenty million Americans are reported that are afflicted with this debilitating disease. Arthritis is the general condition involving the damage of the joints in the body. There are many forms of arthritis and one of the most common forms of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an inflammatory form of arthritis that causes severe pain, stiffness, swelling, and inflammation. In rheumatoid arthritis, the autoimmune system of the body mistakenly attacks the tissues of the body causing the lining of the joints to swell, that can result in pain, swelling, and eventually become deformed. One characteristic of the disease is that it is symmetrical in nature, meaning both parts of the body such as the wrist, knees, elbows, and hips can be attacked at the same time and pain is felt on both sides of the body.

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms can even bring daily activities such a burden like walking or holding a pen. The symptoms maybe chronic or it could be a transient disease. When the joints are inflame this is the active stage of the disease, which is also called flare ups or flares, the inactive stage is called the remission stage and this can be due to medication or treatment, and it can last for weeks, months or even years depending on the management and the severity of the disease.

The remission of the disease varies from person to person, though the reason for the recurrence is still unknown patients are given some pointers on how to manage the disease and how to spot the early onset of the rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis symptoms may include general feeling of fatigue, malaise, fever, loss of appetite, muscle and joint pain and stiffness, which is usually felt during the morning after waking up; you feel stiff all over and have a hard time to move because of the pain. This can also be felt during prolong inactivity, the muscles becomes stiff and harden and movement is difficult. During this episode, the affected areas of the body are inflamed, swollen and warm, and the skin around the area is red and tender to the touch.

At the early onset rheumatoid arthritis only affects the small joints of the body, the fingers, wrist, ankles and feet. As the disease progresses large part of the joints are affected especially those that are weight bearing joints such as the hips, knees, elbows, and shoulders could be affected. Deformity is a common sight for people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis this is due to the rheumatoid nodules that sprouts around the bones, bones become brittle and eventually loss its function.

As of this date there are no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis, the treatment that is available right now aims to slow down the bone degeneration and maximize joint function, reduce the pain, swelling, and inflammation. Disease management involves family education, medications, rest, exercise for joint and bone strengthening and protection. Treatment varies from the stage of the disease, age of the patient and general health, support of the family is one of the important factors of the treatment for rheumatoid arthritis.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Sufferers (autoimmunediseasesymptoms.com)

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : What Are The Risks For Heart Disease From Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:06:11 +0000

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive, systemic, autoimmune disease for which there is no current cure. It is a common disorder affecting more than 2.1 million Americans.
Patients who present with complications of RA outside the joints- what is termed extra-articular disease- are at particular risk for early death. Extraarticular problems that can be seen in RA include, skin ulcers, anemia, eye inflammation, lung inflammation and damage, heart disease, inflammation of blood vessels, and rheumatoid nodules(these are bumps consisting of inflamed tissue that grow at certain areas such as the fingers, elbows, heels, and back of the skull).
A predictor of the presence of extra-articular disease is the level of rheumatoid factor in the blood. The higher the rheumatoid factor, the more likely a patient will have extra-articular disease.
A newer blood marker, the anti-CCP (anti cyclic citrullinated peptide), also appears to predict higher risk of extra-articular problems as well as more severe disease.
The bottom line is that RA is not a benign condition. In fact, it carries the same mortality as first heart attacks, untreated diabetes, and stage 4 Hodgkins disease in some studies. RA must be diagnosed and treated aggressively.
Probably the primary cause of the increased mortality is cardiovascular death. Estimates range from 33-50% of all deaths in RA patients are due to cardiovascular causes. Patients with RA are at significantly increased risk for atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, heart attack, and vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels).
So what are some of the risk factors that particularly are important?
Among them are:
Severe RA disease
Severe extra-articular disease
Elevated blood levels of homocysteine which is aggravated by methotrexate therapy
Abnormalities of blood vessel walls
Drugs that are used to treat RA such as corticosteroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Overproduction of inflammatory cytokines (chemical messengers of disease)
Rheumatoid nodules
A note about drugs…
Methotrexate, the most commonly used disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug is associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of cardiovascular death. Unfiortuantely, nonsteoridal anti-inflammatory drugs which are commonly used to treat symptoms in RA increase the risk of blood clots, cardiovascular disease, and congestive heart failure.
The role of other medical problems such as blood sugar, elevated lipids, and so forth are a subject for another article.
Recommendations for reduction of cardiovascular risk in RA patients include:
Low dose aspirin (which should be supplemented with some type of stomach protection) particularly in patients who are taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Statin drugs for people with elevated lipids
Folic acid supplementation to minimize the elevated homocysteine levels seen in RA
Caution with the use of TNF-inhibitors in patients with congestive heart failure
Control of co-morbid conditions such as smoking, diabetes, and hypertension that might aggravate the tendency towards cardiovascular risk.
Complicating this issue is some data showing that TNF inhibitors can elevate serum lipids in some instances. The implications of this phenomenon on the overall picture is still unknown.
A bright note: there is increasing evidence that aggressive treatment with methotrexate and TNF-inhibitors reduces the incidence of cardiovascular events. Therefore, the above-mentioned lipid problem may not be that important. Further studies are obviously needed to confirm these findings.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : What Are The Symptoms Of Rheumatoid arthritis?

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 19:21:32 +0000

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : RA or Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disorder that is chronic in nature. It weakens the immune system and the body joints start getting weaker. RA causes inflammation and eventually destroys the joints. It also affects the other organs like the lungs and the skin in rare cases.

A person suffering from rheumatoid arthritis tends to feel some sort of disability and tremendous pain in the joints. It leads to substantial loss of mobility and mostly the patients should confine to resting. This disease can be diagnosed through blood tests and also by X-rays. The test is known as rheumatoid factor and this is generally carried out by the rheumatologists. They are specialists who treat diseases related to joints and the connective tissues.

This disease can be treated in a variety of ways. The non pharmacological therapies include physical and occupational therapies. The various drugs involved in treating this disorder include Analgesia and drugs with anti inflammatory properties. Steroids are used in suppressing the symptoms of RA.

Drugs known as disease modifying antirheumatic drugs is used in reversing the whole process of the disease and also helps in preventing long term effects. In the recent times biologists have developed a lot of new treatment techniques that are used extensively to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis is mainly caused because of synovitis which is an inflammation of synovial membrane. Due to this the joints become swollen and a little stiff. The joints also become slightly warm and soft. It mainly occurs in the joints of hands, cervical spine, and also the feet. Bigger joints like shoulder and the knee joint can also get affected. Synovitis leads to the erosion of joint surfaces and may lead to deformity and also loss of functionality.

The inflammation of the joints occurs that would make the joints soft, and kind of doughy. It would also cause pain and palpation on the joints. This can be used to distinguish between RA and other inflammatory diseases like osteoarthritis. In RA, the joints will be affected in a symmetrical fashion and later turn asymmetrical. Rheumatoid arthritis is bound to affect different parts of the body apart from the joints like skin, lungs, kidney, heart and the blood vessels.

Diagnosis of RA

RA can be diagnosed with different techniques. X ray is used for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis. X-ray of both, hands and feet is carried out on people who are having polyarthritis. The x-ray will help in checking whether there is any erosion or resorption. Blood test will help in immunological studies of RA. Blood test will help in testing the presence of antibodies like rheumatoid factor. If the blood tests are positive then the person has RA.

A negative report does not really mean that the person is not having RA. In a lot of cases the initial tests are declared negative but after a while they turn out to be positive. Loads of criterions have to be followed while performing diagnostic tests. At least four of the criteria should be met in order to prove that a person is an RA patient. Rheumatoid arthritis does have cure and proper treatment can heal the case completely or to an extent.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : What Are The Symptoms And Consequences Of Arthritis?

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:03:11 +0000

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Arthritis is the condition in which the joints in the body get damaged and it eventually results in disability. It generally occurs in people who are aged sixty years or above. Arthritis can be classified into many different forms and each has different characteristics and cause. Most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis that will result in trauma in joints and also infection. A lot of studies have concluded that abnormal anatomy can be one cause for the development of arthritis.

Other forms of arthritis include rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and also autoimmune diseases. The body will start attacking itself in vase of a person suffering from autoimmune disease. Arthritis can be classified into hundred types and the symptoms of each can vary from the other. In general there are certain signs that can help in identifying arthritis. The body will show certain signs that can help you identify whether it is arthritis or any other disease. It will help you to get medical help and treat the problem effectively.

Common signs and indications

A person suffering from any form of arthritis will have persistent pain in the joints. This is because all the problems of arthritis will be due to joint problems. A person should find out the region that causes pain as an arthritis patient will have pain in joints of hand, feet and also elbows. If a person is feeling tenderness in his joints then it may be due to arthritis. A joint that is aggravated due to movement like walking, writing, or getting up will feel some tenderness in the joints. The joints will also start becoming warmer than the normal body temperature. This is created due to the tenderness in the joints. Inflammation of the joints can be a cause of arthritis.

Inflammation that is indicated by the swelling of the joints, redness, and warmth can signify the problem of arthritis. The part of the body with the joints will start swelling and this will limit or eliminate the mobility in the joints completely. A lot of people suffering from arthritis have deformity in the joints. This may lead to the ineffectiveness of that part like fingers and hands. The deformity may increase with the course of time.

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Arthritis patients lose flexibility and also the motion range in the affected joints. This may be temporary or permanent; based on the medical attention given. People will start losing weight and start feeling fatigued and weak. Arthritis patients won’t have any specific diseases and also get crepitus. It is a clinical syndrome where a person will have a grating or crackling feeling around joints or lungs.

A person may also suffer from multiple arthritis diseases where he will have more than one type of arthritis. People who are having any of these symptoms should immediately go for medical treatments. Proper attention to the problem can help in eliminating the problem or controlling it. The diagnostic tests for arthritis include X-ray and blood tests.

A person should always look out for the symptoms so that he can give proper medical attention to it. The earlier you find out; the better it is for treatment and cure.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Dealing With Arthritis Diseases

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:58:50 +0000

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Arthritis is a degenerative joint disease and pain and stiffness develop as a result of wear and tear to the joints involved. DorsopathiesKyphosis – Lordosis – Scoliosis – Scheuermann’s sickness – Spondylolysis – Torticollis – Spondylolisthesis – Spondylopathies (Ankylosing spondylitis, Spondylosis, Spinal stenosis) – Schmorl’s nodes – Degenerative disc sickness – Coccydynia – Back pain (Radiculopathy, Neck pain, Sciatica, Low back pain)
Even sleeping habits and mood changes can affect arthritis. There is no direct correlation between how severe your arthritis is and how much pain you feel. So how do people deal with this disease? In the aged and children, pain might not be the main feature; the aged patient simply moves less, the infantile patient refuses to use the affected limb.
The term’ Arthritis’ is derived from Greek comprising of two words ‘athron’ meaning joint and ‘itis’ meaning inflammation. Arthritis is a painful condition, and for this reason it should always be taken seriously. Rheumatoid arthritis is part of a group of diseases known as autoimmune diseases. Osteoarthritis usually is diagnosed in people older than 40.
Causes Of Arthritis
There are several identified causes; it may, therefore, be a combined action of various factors. Many people tend to believe that if you do not stress over it, keep your mind busy and distracted it would be easier to cope with. Although there may be numerous causes for rheumatoid arthritis, the symptoms are the same. It is a disease where the anti-bodies, or the white blood cells, attack the tissue or the specialized cells that make the human body.
Cure for Arthritis
Some other ways to relieve rheumatoid arthritis pain are to lose weight to take additional pressure off joints, eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, using heat or ice, and possibly using devices such as a cane, brace, or splint. Ice packs can help with swelling and inflammation, but people with circulatory problems should avoid this. For severe pain, narcotic pain relievers such as tramadol and eventually opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodone or morphine) may be necessary; this is reserved for very severe cases and is rarely necessary. A single green pepper contains 176 percent of your daily needs for vitamin C — and colorful red and yellow varieties have more than double that amount.
Green tea contains hundreds of powerful antioxidant chemicals called polyphenols and has been cited for helping prevent problems ranging from cancer to heart disease.
Salmon is among the richest sources of healthy fats, making it an ideal source of omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, salmon contains calcium, vitamin D, and folate. If you are in need of vitamin C but aren’t big fan of citrus fruits, reach for a green pepper.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Understanding The Arthritis Symptoms And Best Treatment

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:57:59 +0000

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Most of the people want to remain healthy and fit at any stage of the life span. But the invasion of chronic and debilitating disease arthritis makes them overwhelmed. Massive no of the people do suffer from the arthritis and the associated symptoms. At this point of time their lives get miserable and they look for the natural arthritis treatment.
About 60% of Arthritis sufferers are actually of working age and of course, even the very young can suffer this debilitating disease. Arthritis is not really one disease, it is a word that is used to cover over 100 medical conditions, relating to the joints of your body, ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists , fingers, in fact anywhere that you have joints. The result of Arthritis can be stiffness in the joints, together with pain and it can bring on a feeling of everything being too difficult to do, or handle on a daily basis with the treatment of arthritis symptoms and anxiety.
As far as the types of arthritis are concern Osteoarthritis and the Rheumatoid arthritis are big threats for the mankind. Osteoarthritis mainly attacks the cartilage tissue of the joints of the wrists, knees, hips and various other joints. Cartilages are scientifically known as the cushion for the joints where two or more bones meet. The cartilages are providing the people with the padding to avoid friction at the time of movement. With the age most of the people develop the Osteoarthritis symptoms in them. On the other hand Rheumatoid arthritis is more of autoimmune diseases that affects its bodily immune or resistance system and helps the body deteriorate with no time to spare. Rheumatoid arthritis is more severe than the other chronic disease. This type of arthritis may lead to affect heart and the blood corpuscles. Tendon, redness, warmth and the swelling are the associated symptoms of Rheumatoid arthritis. Best treatment of arthritis is the only suppressing method that people look around for arthritis low back pain relief.
Unfortunately, there is no specified medication for the arthritis and its related symptoms. The arthritis supplements vitamins are proven to be the best to cure arthritis disorders. Vitamin-C works as the inflammatory for reducing joint tendon and the inflammation and supply with the antioxidants that is helpful to combating arthritis pain and bodily symptoms. Vitamin-D increases the firmness of the bones absorbing the calcium from the body. Vitamin-B12 which includes 11 different B vitamins, contributes to the health of the nervous system. It is beneficial for medication overuse, alcoholism or recovery from a serious illness helps to build the body metabolism. Some dietary changes are immensely helpful to regain body activity.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Psoriatic Arthritis Disease Suffers

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:02:08 +0000

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune diseases in which the body is attacking itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection .
Rheumatoid arthritis is generally worse in the morning and associated with stiffness; in the early stages, patients often have no symptoms after a morning shower. In the aged and children, pain might not be the main feature; the aged patient simply moves less, the infantile patient refuses to use the affected limb.
Treatment with TNFalpha inhibitors results in not only substantial improvements in signs and symptoms of arthritis, but also improvements in all distinct sites of the disease, such as axial arthritis, dactylitis, enthesitis and skin disease.
There is a dearth of published pharmacoeconomic evaluations in the field of PsA. Treatment should be discontinued if a patient develops a serious infection. Do not start HUMIRA in patients with active infection (including chronic or localized).
Treatment is very difficult, and correction of predisposing causes may be useful. We present a 49-year-old woman affected by severe psoriatic arthritis since she was 19, with giant verrucous plaques on her lower limbs that had worsened progressively during the last 15 years.
Treatments such as massage, whirlpools, and cold or hot compresses can help alleviate joint pain, swelling, and stiffness, but they do not protect against bone loss or joint damage. They are designed to provide temporary relief and do not offer sustained pain relief.
Treatment for psoriatic arthritis is meant to control the skin lesions of psoriasis and the joint inflammation of arthritis. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs , gold salts, and sulfasalazine are standard arthritis treatments, but have no effect on psoriasis.
It can also affect the spine. But is most usually felt at the knees, ankles, and the joints of the feet. Typically only a few of these joints are inflamed at any one time.
The pain is similar to the rheumatoid variety, except that it is accompanied by the eruption and shedding of skin over large areas of the .
Psoriatic arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis that affects 10-30% of the millions of Americans who have the skin condition psoriasis, according to the National Psoriasis Foundation. However, steroids are used only when absolutely needed because long-term use may cause serious side effects such as bone deterioration and joint weakness.
This type will often occurs within both males and females over the age of fifty and affects both sexes equally. Psoriasis and the joint disease arthritis often appear separately as the arthritis may precede the psoriasis in the majority of patients.
This type is among the lesser known forms of arthritis. It may not appear so common, but it affects a number reaching to a million.
Psoriatic arthritis may affect a single joint or this can affect several joints in symmetrical manner. This is commonly seen in hand joints in association with psoriasis of the nails.
These types of symptoms may vary. Most people with psoriatic arthritis will never need surgery. But it is a disease that usually appears when psoriasis is already shown so we could say that in most cases the two conditions will both affect the individual at the same time. We can thus notice that most patients will suffer from the associated joint symptoms and skin and nail lesions.
It can cause many other health problems such as lung inflammations and eye disease. People with this diagnosis who experience eye problems should immediately contact their physician since this condition could possibly lead to blindness.
This type is a condition in which a person suffers from the skin disease Proriasis and also has joint inflammation with arthritis symptoms. It is estimated that 10% of people who suffer from Psoriasis also suffer from Psoriatic arthritis.
Psoriatic arthritis can cause joint pain, immobility, and stiffness; dry, red patches (plaques) also form on the skin. Some people also experience problems with their fingernails or eyes.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Muscle Arthritis – Symptoms and Treatment Explained

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:05:14 +0000

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Myositis is the medical term for inflammation of muscle tissue and one type of muscle arthritis is dermatomyositis. (Without the rash, the condition is called polymyositis.) In this form, there is soreness and inflammation and pain in the muscles but there is also an accompanying dry rash affecting the skin. This rash is commonly seen on the face and neck, chest and back and the shoulders. Heart muscle may also be affected as well as the lung tissues. It is usually dusky and a purplish red color. This is an autoimmune condition and is treated with anti-inflammatory medications including steroids.
Another disease that can be considered muscle arthritis is called fibromyalgia. Along with muscle pain and aches, fibromyalgia can produce pain in the joints and other connective tissue like tendon and ligaments, as well as fatigue, depression, headache, anxiety, sleep problems and numbness in the extremities. To have this diagnosis, symptoms must last at least three months and at least 11 of the 18 trigger points associated with FM must be tender to the touch.
Treatment for FM has until very recently been simply medications directed at relieving pain and specifics for other symptoms, but now medications specifically for fibromyalgia have reached the market and can be prescribed. About 2% of the population has symptoms of FM.
Another muscle arthritis is the systematic illness called lupus. Usually joints are affected but some lupus patients also have muscle aches and pain associated with the condition. Lupus is treated with corticosteroids and other immune system modifiers. Symptoms of lupus can include a butterfly shaped rash across the face, fevers, fatigue, multiple joint arthritis and many other symptoms. Blood work can help to make the diagnosis. Lupus is also an autoimmune disease and the cause is not known. It is about ten times as common in men as it is in women.
Finally, there is polymyalgia rheumatica. The symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica are moderate to severe muscle pain and the location is almost always in or near the neck, shoulders and hips and can come on very suddenly. In virtually every case, a person with polymyalgia rheumatica will have an abnormally high red blood cell sedimentation rate. This disease is often associated with a serious vascular affliction called polyarteritis or sometimes giant cell arteritis in which blood vessels become inflamed. However, prompt treatment usually controls both conditions or polymyalgia rheumatica alone.
A corticosteroid like prednisone is usually given and will produce a remission which can last some time. If the condition recurs, the drug is restarted and can control symptoms. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications are also used. The disease may also go away on its own but this can take a year or more.
One last form of muscle arthritis is a side effect of drugs given to lower cholesterol called lipid reducing drugs or statins. While not common, this condition called rhabdomyolysis can have serious implications including kidney and heart damage. Persons taking statins need to report any unusual muscle aches and pains to their physicians at once.
While muscle arthritis can be painful and frightening, most forms of it do respond well to treatment. The most important thing is to report muscle pains to a physician, learn the cause, and to then use appropriate treatments for whichever condition is to blame.

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : Arthritis: Causes and Symptoms

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:11:59 +0000

Autoimmune Disease Symptoms : I would like to start with a quote from Dr Robert Bingham, a specialist in the treatment of arthritis. He said: “ No person who is in good nutritional health develops rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis ”

What is Arthritis? Arthritis is (from Greek Arthro = joint + itis= inflammation) a group of diseases where there is a damage caused to the joints of the body.

There are many form of arthritis : Rheumatoid arthritis , psoriatic arthritis, septic arthritis, Gouty arthritis, osteoarthritis(the most common form of arthritis).

Rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis are autoimmune diseases (the body attacking itself)

Septic arthritis is caused by joints infections.

Gouty arthritis is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joints that results in subsequent inflammation.

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative joint disease that can occur after a trauma to the joints or simply aging .

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people over the age of 65. By the age of 60 nine in every ten people have it . For most of them arthritis means living with pain and stiffness. However, Arthritis is not an inevitable consequence of aging and can be prevented , provided the underlying causes are eliminated. In the search of causes and solutions many things have been considered including diet, exercise, posture, climate, hormones, infections, genetics ,old age, stress..

The likely factors that lead to the development of Arthritis are:

-Poor lubrication of the joints. In between joints is a substance called synovial fluid. Appropriate nutrition is needed to make sure that the synovial fluid stays fluid and able to lubricate.

- Hormonal imbalance .Hormones control the calcium balance in the body. If the calcium balance is not right, the bones and joints can become porous and subject to wear and tear.

-Allergies and sensitivities. Most of people suffering from rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis have food and chemical allergies or sensitivities that make their symtoms flare up.

- Free radicals . If the immune system is not working properly, as in rheumatoid arthritis, it will produce too many free radicals, which can damage tissue around the joint. In this case a good intake of antioxidant is very valuable.

-Infections. Any infection ,be it viral or bacterial, weaken the immune system which control inflammation.

Bone strain and deformities. Any damage or strain, so often caused by bad posture, increases the risk of developing arthritis .

- State of mind. Research at the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation and at the University of Southern California Medical School has shown a link between arthritis and emotional stress.

- Poor diet . Most people with Arthritis have a history of very poor diet, which pave the way to many of the factors stated above.

Diet advice: avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates, stimulants, fat ,too much protein . Drink plenty of water and herb teas. Make sure you have all the vital vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids, antioxidants nutrients.

Alexis Kenne