ARTHRITIS

 What is Arthritis?

Arthritis is a painful and disabling disease with many sufferers.  There are two main categories of Arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis: (also called degenerative joint disease)

Osteoarthritis is a fraying, microscopic fissuring and breaking down of cartilage with late overgrowth of bone and cartilage.

There are no general symptoms such as tiredness, fever or overall body aches, but joints affected are stiff the most after overuse and/or periods of inactivity. Osteoarthritis can be caused by injury, weight-bearing joints, including hips, knees, etc. It can be job related or inherent weakness in cartilage.

Cartilage is the slowest healing tissue in the body. Aching, although rarely intense, is characteristic. There is seldom fluid accumulation in the affected joints. It is more commonly found in men. However, it occurs more often in the end joints of the fingers in women.

Symptoms are uncommon below the age of 40 unless there is specific joint injury. The main symptoms are minor stiffness and pain on motion which is relieved by rest, but get worse with prolonged activity. Stiffness is relieved by limbering up exercises.

Rheumatoid Arthritis: (also called a disease of the connective tissues)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks the joints producing an inflammatory synovitis1 that often progresses to destruction of the articular cartilage and ankylosis2 of the joints

The symptoms of RA will vary from person to person. Joint symptoms change day by day. They often become inflamed joints that are warm, swollen, tender, often pink and painful and difficult to move.

The cause of RA is not yet known, although we do know that the body’s immune system plays an important role in the inflammation and joint damage that occurs. In RA, the body’s immune system mistakes cells found in the joints and other organs as foreign cells and it wants to attack them to protect the body. This causes fluid build up in the joints and causes inflammation. The fluid and cells in the inflamed joint produce many substances, including enzymes, antibodies and cytokines3 that cause joint damage.

RA is a disease of connective tissues and since connective tissues occurs throughout the body, the person must be treated as a whole. Untreated rheumatoid arthritis may produce scarring of joints and may be permanently crippling. When pain and spasm decrease or disappear and the mobility of joints is temporarily increased, treatment can be accelerated and losses recouped. Maintenance of joint mobility is very important.

Treatment:

Along with medications from your physician, relaxation, hydrotherapy, massage and exercise are very beneficial in the treatment of RA. What affect does ARTHROSAGE (massage for arthritis) have on arthritis?

Arthrosage is a massage for those people suffering with Rheumatoid Arthritis or Osteoarthritis.

EFFECTS OF MASSAGE ON ARTHRITIS

  1. Relaxation, stress reduction

  2. Increased blood flow

  3. Lymphatic drain facilitation

  4. Waste removal

  5. Deformity prevention

  6. Relief of pain and discomfort

  7. Muscle spasms control

  8. Recoup range of motion after flare-up

  9. Connective tissue integrity improved

  10. Maintain muscle tone and prevents wasting and shortening

 

1. Synovitis is the medical term for inflammation of the synovial membrane. This membrane lines joints which possess cavities, known as synovial joints. The condition is usually painful, particularly when the joint is moved. The joint usually swells due to synovial fluid collection. Synovitis may occur in association with arthritis as well as lupus, gout, and other conditions. Synovitis is more commonly found in rheumatoid arthritis than in other forms of arthritis, and can thus serve as a distinguishing factor, although it can present to a lesser degree in osteoarthritis. Long term occurrence of synovitis can result in degeneration of the joint.

2. Ankylosis, or Anchylosis (from Greek meaning bent, crooked) is a stiffness of a joint, the result of injury or disease. The rigidity may be complete or partial and may be due to inflammation of the tendinous or muscular structures outside the joint or of the tissues of the joint itself.

3. Cytokines (Greek cyto-, cell; and -kinos, movement) are any of a number of substances that are secreted by specific cells of the immune system which carry signals locally between cells, and thus have an effect on other cells.