Saturday 14 June 2008

some risk factor of arthritis gout

There are certain factors that can affect your likelihood of getting gout. In addition to an inherited abnormality in handling uric acid, other risk factors for developing gout include · are a man, as the plasma urate level normally tends to be higher in men than women. Men are more sensitive to gout than women. Women may be protected from gout by the female hormone estrogen. Men start building uric acid levels in puberty. However, uric acid does not start accumulating in women until after menopause · consume food with high levels of a substance called purine · drink lots of alcohol · take certain medicines, such as diuretics, niacin, low doses of aspirin, cyclosporine, and some drugs to cure cancer which increase the flow of the body , have some chemotherapy drugs · obesity, excessive weight gain, especially in youth · have a family history of gout · have a family history of kidney disease causing the kidneys to not pass enough urate out in the urine, abnormal kidney function · overweight · have a medical condition such as psoriasis which can sometimes cause your body to produce too much · have high blood pressure · injure a joint · have a surgical operation Gout can be managed by dealing with the things that make it worse (see "Risk factors" above). Identifying and avoiding the things that bring on an attack of gout are an essential part of your overall treatment plan.

Monday 26 May 2008

Diet suggestion for arthritis

Miracle arthritis diets don't exist. But that doesn't mean the foods you eat aren't important. A nutritious diet is an essential ingredient in feeling good and staying well with arthritis. There is no specific arthritis diet. Still, overall, the kinds of foods you eat can either help or hurt your efforts to manage your arthritis. A well-balanced diet fights fatigue and makes it easier to keep your weight under control, which reduces stress on your joints. Such a diet also provides the nutrients necessary for good overall health. One of the simplest ways to improve your nutrition and fight weight gain is to increase your intake of plant foods and reduce your intake of protein and full fat dairy foods, fats, and sweets.

Plant foods, (fruits and vegetables and whole grains), are brimming with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber everyone needs to stay healthy. They are also rich in phytochemicals, compounds that may reduce the risk of chronic illnesses as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Fruits and vegetables are usually high in fiber and water, which makes them filling without adding calories. In contrast, when you eat high-fat foods like a candy bar or a pat of butter, you pay a steep cost in calories for small amount of food.

Health experts often use a pyramid to illustrate the components of a healthy diet. Foods at the base of the pyramid, fruits and vegetables, should account for the largest portion of your diet. Moving up the pyramid, whole grains and starchy vegetables (carbohydrates), should provide the next largest portion of your daily intake. This group includes breads and cereals, potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, and squash. When it comes to grain foods, favor those that are whole grain, they're better sources of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Grains and starches are followed, in decreasing amounts, by proteins and dairy products such as meats and fish, milk and cheese, fats and sweets. Proteins are necessary for the proper functioning of every cell of the body. They are the building blocks of skin, bone, muscle, and internal organs.

Foods in the fat category are also essential to the proper functioning of cells, as they play a part in the regulation of several body processes. Mono-unsaturated fats and a type of polyunsaturated fat called omega-3 fatty acids are the most helpful. Mono- unsaturated fats, which help maintain a good HDL cholesterol, are found in nuts, avocados, canola oil, olive oil, and peanut oil. Omega-3 fatty acids, which some research suggests help control the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis, are found mainly in fatty fish, such as salmon.

Thursday 22 May 2008

Osteoarthritis is one of arthritis type

Osteoarthritis is one of the oldest and most common forms of arthritis. Known as the “wear-and-tear” kind of arthritis, Osteoarthritis is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage. Cartilage is the part of the joint that cushions the ends of the bones and allows easy movement of joints. The breakdown of cartilage causes the bones to rub against each other, causing stiffness, pain and loss of movement in the joint. Osteoarthritis is known by many different names, including degenerative joint disease, ostoarthrosis, hypertrophic arthritis and degenerative arthritis. Your doctor might choose to use one of these terms to better describe what is happening in your body, but for our purposes, we will refer to all of these as osteoarthritis. It is thought that osteoarthritis dates back to ancient humans. Evidence of osteoarthritis has been found in ice-aged skeletons. Today, an estimated 27 million Americans live with Osteoarthritis. Despite the longevity and frequency of the disease, the cause is still not completely known and there is no cure. In fact, many different factors may play a role in whether or not you get Osteoarthritis, including age, obesity, injury or overuse and genetics. Your Osteoarthritis could be caused by any one or by a combination of any of these factors.There are several stages of osteoarthritis: Cartilage loses elasticity and is more easily damaged by injury or use. Wear of cartilage causes changes to underlying bone. The bone thickens and cysts may occur under the cartilage. Bony growths, called spurs or osteophytes, develop near the end of the bone at the affected joint. Bits of bone or cartilage float loosely in the joint space. The joint lining, or the synovium, becomes inflamed due to cartilage breakdown causing cytokines (inflammation proteins) and enzymes that damage cartilage further.

About arthritis

Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years. There are different forms of arthritis; each has a different cause. The most common form of arthritis, osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease) is a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or age. Emerging evidence suggests that abnormal anatomy might contribute to the early development of osteoarthritis. Other arthritis forms are rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, autoimmune diseases in which the body attacks itself. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection. Gout arthritis is caused by deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint, causing inflammation. There is also an uncommon form of gout cause by the formation of rhomboid crystals of calcium pyrophosphate. This gout is known as pseudogout. History and physical examination All arthritides feature pain. Pain patterns differ depending on the arthritis type and the location. osteoarthritis is typically worse at night or after resting. Rheumatoid arthritis is generally worse in the morning; 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.

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