Effective Arthritis Treatment: The Arthritis Disease Process

According to federal reports, the number of Americans diagnosed with arthritis continues to rise. Arthritis, the leading cause of disability in the US, is estimated to cost America $65 billion per year in medical care and lost productivity. In fact, a recent study reported by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) indicated that the number of people with arthritis increased by 750,000 each year between 1990 and 1997. What’s worse is the CDC says the US is now on track to have 60 million suffer from the disease by 2020, compared with 43 million in 1997. Of those 60 million, more than 11 million will be disabled by the condition.

Education is the Key to understanding Arthritis Treatment
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis – about 70% of people over 40 have at least x-ray evidence of OA somewhere in their body. Osteoarthritis typically attacks two types of joints; those that bear weight (such as the lower back, hips, and knees), and those involved in repetitive motions (such as the hands, wrists, and shoulders). Osteoarthritis can also develop in injured joints, for example in the vertebrae of the neck after a whiplash injury or in football players’ knees.

Arthritis Treatment: The Role Of Cartilage

Although “osteo” means bone, and “itis” means inflammation, osteoarthritis is actually a disease originating in the cartilage, not the bone. This is why the more recent and accurate name for osteoarthritis is degenerative joint disease or DJD.

The Anatomy of a Joint
A joint is made of two bones connected by a capsule or envelope made of ligaments. At the end of each bone is a thin, smooth layer of cartilage. This cartilage layer acts as a protective cushion between bones to absorb the stress on joints during movement.

 

Collagen – Strong, but not indestructible
Although cartilage is very strong, it can be damaged when a joint is injured. Cartilage is made of protein strands called collagen that form a tough, mesh-like framework. The mesh is filled with substances that hold water, called proteoglycans, that act much like a sponge. When weight is placed on cartilage, water is squeezed out of the mesh. When weight is removed, the water returns.

Cartilage is difficult to Heal
Cartilage does not contain blood vessels, which makes healing them when they’re injured more difficult. It also does not contain nerves, which means that problems may go undetected until significant degeneration has occurred.

Chrondrocytes: The Key To A Delicate Balance
Similar to our skin, there is a normal balance between the wearing down (known as a catabolic activity) and building up (known as an anabolic activity) of cartilage cells (called chondrocytes). This is a delicate and extremely important balance and anything that alters this balance will ultimately affect the health of our joints.

The Osteoarthritis Epidemic
The cartilage balance in our joints is the key to understanding a costly mistake in the typical medical treatment of osteoarthritis. Here’s why. In osteoarthritis the cartilage breaks down faster than it is rebuilt and therefore it gradually wears away. So it’s reasonable to say that anything that promotes the building up of the cartilage cells would be a benefit to the joint, whereas anything that promotes the breakdown of the cartilage cells would be destructive to the joint. You now possess the knowledge necessary to understand a key part of the Osteoarthritis Epidemic.

Do today’s over-the-counter and prescription drugs contribute to the progression of osteoarthritis? I’ll let you decide. The typical medical treatment for osteoarthritis is non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs known as NSAIDs. Treatment begins with over-the-counter medicine, called OTCs (such as ibuprofen and aspirin).

Arthritis Treatment: NSAIDs Come With Potential Side Effects

NSAIDs come with well-known side effects like stomach irritation and ulcers, but also have some not-so-well-know side effects like causing swelling, increased blood pressure, and the potential for liver and kidney damage. This is why when you are taking these prescriptions, your doctor may require periodic blood tests to check for liver damage.

Safety of Arthritis Treatment Drugs in Question

Although the results are controversial, a new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Assoication suggests that newer NSAIDs may actually double the risk of heart attacks!

This prompted former president of the American Heart Association, Valentin Fuster, MD, to state:

“Even though the study is not perfect, the findings cannot be thrown into the wastebasket.” He warned, “Because so many people use the drugs – more than 2 million prescriptions will be written this year – we had better pay attention to this observation”.

NSAIDs Affect Cartilage Production
This is the most important part of this story. Research reveals that there is another little-known side-effect that NSAIDs have on cartilage, which may promote the progression of osteoarthritis.

Studies have shown that over-the-counter and prescription NSAIDs can actually lead to the degeneration of joint cartilage! In fact several NSAIDs inhibit chondrocyte (cartilage cells) production and accelerate degeneration of joint cartilage.

Can Somebody Please Explain This to Me?
The fact is that Americans are spending upwards of $5-10 billion dollars per year on the drugs actually contribute to the condition they’re supposed to help; drugs that:

1. Can lead to bleeding of the stomach and gastrointestinal tract causing ulcers and gastritis
2. Can lead to increased risk of liver and kidney damage
3. Can lead to swelling and increased blood pressure
4. May cause a rise in the risk for heart attacks
5. And finally promotes the breakdown of our joints

Why do we deliberately inflict damage to ourselves?
The question we ask is, “Why?” Why do we deliberately inflict damage to ourselves? I believe the answer is two-fold. First, we are a speed-based society. We desire results now. When it comes to pain, we want immediate relief. This is where the appeal part of the poison comes in. Secondly, I believe that most people are simply unaware of the serious side-effects of long-term use of today’s NSAIDs.

Big Pharma’s Role In Arthritis Treatment Education – Are They Telling Us The Truth?

Most of us have seen the drug commercials where a couple happily strolls down the beach with soft music playing and the narrator quickly and quietly begins to list the potential side effects. If you’re not listening carefully, you’ll miss it. I believe this does the public a disservice.

Did Your Doctor Inform You?
Concerning the doctor’s responsibility for prescribing the medications, today’s fast-paced medical environment doesn’t allow the time for complete review of the long list of side-effects. Are you taking any NSAIDs currently? If they were prescribed, did your doctor inform you about all of the side-effects listed above? More than likely the answer is no.

Is There a Better Way to Treat Arthritis?
Knowing now what you know about joint health and cartilage balance, what would make sense to take for arthritis? Something that builds cartilage! If you are among the millions of Americans suffering from OA, you’ve probably heard something about the supplement called glucosamine. Glucosamine has been used for years in Europe as an effective alternative to drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis.
If you suffer from OA, consider the following exercise tips:

• Low-impact or non-weight-bearing activities, such as walking, stationary training, and light weight training work best for OA patients.
• Use strengthening exercises if the key muscle groups that relate to the function of the joints are weakened by the degeneration.
• If you are overweight, start exercising carefully, so as not to put too much stress on the knee and ankle joints.
• Stair climbing, water aerobics, Theraband workouts, and similar exercises will help to keep the joints mobile without straining them.
• Learn to read the body’s signals and know when to stop, slow down, or rest.

Glucosamine: Help or Hype?
Last year the prestigious British medical journal Lancet published a ground-breaking study regarding the long-term effects of glucosamine sulfate. This was a clinical trial, in which 212 patients with OA of the knee were randomly assigned to take 1500 mg of oral glucosamine sulfate or placebo (a pill with no active ingredients) once daily for 3 years. The study revealed the following results.

Arthritis Treatment with Glucosamine: The Results Are In!

• Pain Levels. The patients taking glucosamine sulfate had decreased pain compared to the group not taking glucosamine.
• Cartilage Balance. The glucosamine group experienced no significant loss of cartilage, and in fact some patients actually experienced a growth in cartilage. This effect was reported as due to glucosamine’s stimulus of building up cartilage while depressing the tearing down of cartilage.
• Safety. There were no differences in safety between the glucosamine and placebo groups.
• Conclusions. The long-term combined joint structure-modifying and symptom-modifying effects of glucosamine sulfate suggest that it could be a disease modifying agent in osteoarthritis. In plain English, glucosamine is safe and effective in preventing the progression of osteoarthritis!

Helpful Arthritis Treatment Tips:

1. Get your diagnosis of osteoarthritis confirmed. There are many forms of arthritis, and each may have special treatment requirements and prognoses.
2. Don’t limit treatment to pain relief only. Try to begin a gentle exercise and stretching program. Remember that inactivity leads to progression of osteoarthritis.
3. Eat an anti-inflammatory diet. Decrease saturated fats (found in red meat and dairy products) and increase mono and polyunsaturated fats.
4. Heal your stomach. If you have used over-the-counter and prescription NSAIDs , your stomach lining is possibly irritated. Green “superfoods” are very helpful in healing your stomach and intestines.

No Quick Fixes To Arthritis Treatment
There are no quick fixes. Give glucosamine a 90-day evaluation period. Also include other ingredients in your supplement including chondroitin, MSM (methylsulfylmethane), CMO (cysteolmeristolyiate), Sea Cucumber Extract, Tumeric, Boswella, Bromeline, White Willow Bark, Noto-Gin, Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamins D and C, and fish oils.

The Role Of Posture, Orthotics, and Adjustments In Arthritis Treatment

A balanced joint has the best opportunity for maximum performance and longevity. Correcting your posture with specific stretches and exercises (like those found in the back of this magazine), along with orthotics to stabilize your feet and ankles, and regular chiropractic adjustments all provide for optimal alignment.

Can Your Chiropractor Help?
Doctors of chiropractic, by the nature of their work, can detect the earliest degenerative changes in the joints. They see the impact of degenerative changes in the spine, as well as in the hips, knees, and other weight-bearing joints. Doctors of chiropractic are also trained to relieve the pain and improve joint function through natural therapies, such as chiropractic manipulation, trigger-point therapy, or some massage techniques.

Doctors of chiropractic can provide exercise counseling, helping you choose exercises that are best for you. If a sore or swollen joint prevents you from exercising, talk to your doctor of chiropractic about other drug-free pain-relief options, such as applying heat or cold to the affected area. In addition, your doctor of chiropractic can help you choose proper supplements that play important roles in arthritis treatment and prevention.

Arthritis Treatment: References

1. Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 158, June 8, 1998.
2. Gleberzon BJ. Chiropractic care of the older patient. 1st edition. Oxford: Butterworth Heinemann 2001
3. Guyton, WB. Textbook of medical physiology. 10th edition. Saunders Company.
4. Fored, CM. Nonnarcotic analgesic use tied to development of chronic renal failure. N Engl J Med 2001; 345: 1801-1808.
5. Journal of the American Medical Association, August 22, 2001.
6. Brandt, KD. The effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on chondrocyte metabolism. University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
7. Buffum, JC. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the elderly. The American Society of Pain Management Nurses, June 2000, 2(1).
8. COX-2–Selective NSAIDs, New and Improved? M. Michael Wolfe, MD, Boston Medical Center, Section of Gastroenterology, 650 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118-2393
9. Frishman, W.H. Effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy on blood pressure and peripheral edema. Am J Cardiol. 2002;89(6A):18D-25D.
10. Journal of the American Medical Association, August 22, 2001
11. Lancet 2001; 357: 251-56
12. Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatism, July 2002.

In the long run, patience and consistency with safe and effective products combined with commitment to proper nutrition and exercise for arthritis treatment beats short-term relief any day in my book!