Pike Herb Company 58 Tunnel Road Pottsville, PA 17901

Arthritis FAQ

What is arthritis?
Are there different types of arthritis?
What causes arthritis?
What are the symptoms of arthritis?
How is arthritis diagnosed?
What are the treatments for arthritis?

What is arthritis?

Arthritis means "joint inflammation" and refers to a group of diseases that cause pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of motion in the joints (places in the body where bones meet like elbows, knees, and hips). "Arthritis" is often used as a more general term to refer to the more than 100 rheumatic diseases that may affect the joints but can also cause pain, swelling, and stiffness in other supporting structures of the body such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones, and internal organs. Throughout this FAQ the terms "arthritis" and "rheumatic diseases" are sometimes used interchangeably.

Are there different types of arthritis?

There are over 100 different types of rheumatic diseases. The most common rheumatic diseases are:

• Osteoarthritis. Also called degenerative joint disease, this is the most common type of arthritis, which occurs most often in older people. This disease affects cartilage, the tissue that cushions and protects the ends of bones in a joint.

• Rheumatoid arthritis. This is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks healthy joints, tissues, and organs. Occurring most often in women of childbearing age (15-44), this disease inflames the lining (or synovium) of joints. It can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in joints. When severe, rheumatoid arthritis can deform, or change, a joint.
  
  Rheumatoid arthritis affects mostly joints of the hands and feet and tends to be symmetrical. This means the disease affects the same joints on both sides of the body (like both hands or both feet) at the same time and with the same symptoms. No other form of arthritis is symmetrical. About two to three times as many women as men have this disease.

• Fibromyalgia. This chronic disorder causes pain throughout the tissues that support and move the bones and joints. Pain, stiffness, and localized tender points occur in the muscles and tendons, particularly those of the neck, spine, shoulders, and hips. Fatigue and sleep disturbances may also occur.

• Gout. When a person has gout, they have higher than normal levels of uric acid in the blood. The body makes uric acid from many of the foods we eat. Too much uric acid causes deposits, called uric acid crystals, to form in the fluid and lining of the joints. The result is an extremely painful attack of arthritis. The most common joint gout affects is the big toe. This disease is more common in men than in women.

• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The most common type of arthritis in children, this disease causes pain, stiffness, swelling, and loss of function in the joints. A young person can also have rashes and fevers with this disease.

• Psoriatic arthritis. This form of arthritis occurs in some persons with psoriasis, a scaling skin disorder, affecting the joints at the ends of the fingers and toes. It can also cause changes in the fingernails and toenails. Back pain may occur if the spine is involved.

What causes arthritis?

For many types of arthritic diseases, no cause is known. Researchers are looking at possible causes for many of these diseases. With osteoarthritis, extreme stress on a joint may play a role in how this disease develops. Stress can be caused by weak cartilage (which runs in families) or from repeated injury to the joint. Biological make-up and family history may play a role in gout, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, anklosing spondylitis, and some other arthritic diseases.

Researchers are also looking at why some people develop these diseases and others do not. Being overweight and aging appear to increase a person's chances of getting osteoarthritis. And, women are more likely than men to get lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

What are the symptoms of arthritis?

Different types of arthritis have different symptoms. In general, people who have arthritis feel pain and stiffness in the joints. Some other common symptoms of arthritis are:

• Swelling in one or more joints

• Stiffness around the joints that lasts for a least one hour in the early morning

• Joint pain or tenderness that is constant or comes and goes

• Feeling like it's hard to use or move a joint

• Warmth or redness in a joint

Sometimes a person can lose weight, feel weak, and have fevers or joint pain for no reason. See a health care provider if you have any one of these symptoms for longer than two weeks.

How is arthritis diagnosed?

Diagnosing rheumatic diseases can be difficult because some symptoms are common to many different diseases. Your health care provider will first do a complete physical exam, looking for any swelling, redness, warmth, deformity, ease of movement, and tenderness in your joints. Your heart, lungs, eyes, ears, throat and other parts of your body may be examined as well. This is because some types of arthritis can affect your organs. Lab tests may also be ordered and samples of blood, urine, or synovial fluid may be taken. Your doctor may have you also see a rheumatologist, a doctor who specializes in arthritis.

What are the treatments for arthritis?

Treatments for arthritis help to reduce pain and swelling in the joints, keep the joints moving, and keep the disease from getting worse.

Treatments include:

• Over-the-counter medicines like analgesics (aspirin), other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS (Advil, Motrin, Nuprin), and acetaminophen (Tylenol).

• Prescription drugs, such as celecoxib (Celebrex) and refeoxib (Vioxx).

• Herbal remedies and nutritional supplements are often helpful in treating rheumatic diseases.

• Hydrotherapy, or exercising (swimming, water aerobics) or relaxing in warm water (baths, hot tubs) to help relax tense muscles and relieve pain.

• Corticosteroids (prednisone, cortisone, solumedrol, hydrocortisone) to decrease inflammation and suppress the immune system (used for rheumatoid arthritis) taken by mouth, injection, or applied as creams to the skin.

• Applying heat or ice to reduce pain and inflammation.

• Daily exercise (without overdoing it) to keep the joints moving and strengthen the muscles around the joints. Rest is also needed for joints affected by arthritis. You will need to find the right type of exercise and the right amount of rest. Your doctor can send you to a physical therapist to help you with an exercise and rest program. Walking and swimming in a heated pool can help arthritis. Stretching and gentle yoga can also help maintain flexibility.

Natural Relief For Arthritis Pain And Stiffness

A blend of herbs specially formulated to help relieve arthritis pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Arthritis Soother helps soothe and heal painful, inflamed tissue, and helps bring relief from arthritis pain, inflammation, and stiffness. Our satisfied customers have made this our bestselling tincture.

Comfrey - Comfrey is one of nature's greatest medicinal herbs. Used for arthritis, it soothes and heals inflamed tissues, and it helps reduce swelling and pain in a most remarkable way.

Burdock Root - Burdock Root is a time proven remedy for arthritis pain. It is an excellant blood purifier and blood cleanser and is used in teas and tinctures for arthritis pain relief.

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Comfrey Root Tincture

Made from fresh, wildcrafted comfrey roots. Comfrey is one of nature's greatest medicinal herbs. It soothes and heals inflamed tissues, and it helps reduce swelling, and pain in a most remarkable way. Comfrey is also used for bruises, dislocations and sprains. Rub in a few drops for relief of pain and inflammation.

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St. John's Wort Oil

St. John's Wort Oil is an effective massage oil for relief of sciatica, arthritis and back pain. It is also an effective remedy for glandular swellings, and for minor burns and contusions.

For More Information…

You can find out more about Arthritis by contacting the National Women's Health Information Center at (800) 994-9662 or the following organizations:

National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
Phone Number(s): (301) 496-4484
Internet Address: http://www.niams.nih.gov/

National Institute on Aging
Phone Number(s): (800) 222-2225
Internet Address: http://www.nih.gov/nia

Arthritis National Research Foundation
Phone Number(s): (800) 558-2873
Internet Address: http://www.curearthritis.org/

American College of Rheumatology
Phone Number(s): (404) 633-3777
Internet Address: http://www.rheumatology.org/

Arthritis Foundation
Phone Number(s): (800) 283-7800
Internet Address: http://www.arthritis.org/