 RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: a usually chronic disease that is considered an autoimmune disease and is characterized especially by pain, stiffness, inflammation, swelling, and sometimes destruction of joints -- also called atrophic arthritis.
OSTEO ARTHRITIS: arthritis of middle age characaterized by degenerative and sometimes hypertrophic changes in the bone and cartilage of one or more joints and a progressive wearing down of apposing joint surfaces with consequent distortion of joint position usually without body stiffening -- also called degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, hypertropohic arthritis.
About one in seven Americans suffers from arthritis, and most are senior citizens. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of the disease among the elderly, is a chronic degenrative condition that comes from wear and tear on the joints. It afflicts 16 mission Americans but is poorly understood, and there is no effective conventional treatment. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most intractable and painful form of hte disease. The evidence is inconclusive, but many researchers feel it is caused by a virus or bacterium. Bursitis is a painful inflammation of the bursae, the fluid-filled sacs that cushion the bones, tendons and ligaments where they move against each other. Ankylosing spondylitis is an inflammation of the spine and hip joints.
CONVENTIONAL TREATMENT includes exercise, weight loss for overweight people to ease stress on joints, and pain relievers including acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin. The drugs, however, do not cure the disease, but only relieve pain; and they do it by suppressing natural bodily processes. The result can be side effects ranging from gastrointestinal bleeding and ulcers to kidney problems.
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Recent studies have linked heavy metal toxicity as a cause, and chelation of the metals have relieved arthitic symptoms. Reactions to foods may also be a cause in a many cases. In one study of rheumatoid arthritis patients, 15% improved dramatically by eliminating dairy products, wheat, corn, citrus, coffee and chocolate. Green foods or green food drinks may be helpful as well. Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate have shown great potential in reversing arthritic complaints.
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