| As May is National Arthritis month, promoting | | | | joints begin to appear in fingers, toes, knees, and |
| awareness about a study recently conducted by the | | | | elbows. This is a very chronic, and potentially disabling |
| U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on | | | | disease that causes symptoms such as: |
| arthritis shows a rather alarming increase this disease | | | | 1.joint pain |
| has taken. The average person may believe this to be | | | | 2.stiffness |
| a condition associated with an aging population, | | | | 3.swelling |
| however, even arthritis among children (juvenile | | | | 4.loss of joint function |
| arthritis) is also a relatively common occurrence. | | | | Arthritis is really not just a single disease. There are |
| As the first of America's baby boomers (those born | | | | actually around 100 different variations of arthritis, or |
| between 1946 and 1964) advance into late middle age, | | | | other related rheumatic conditions. Arthritis literally |
| arthritis and other related rheumatic conditions such as | | | | means 'joint inflammation', and the term 'itis' actually |
| fibromyalgia, gout, and scleroderma are taking up an | | | | means inflammation. So, in essence, any part of your |
| increasing amount of health care spending. The recent | | | | body can become inflamed and painful due to arthritis. |
| study on arthritis conducted by the U.S. CDC spanned | | | | Some rheumatic conditions can result in debilitating, |
| a six year time period from 1997 to 2003, and | | | | even life-threatening complications, and affect other |
| documented a 25 percent increase in the number of | | | | parts of the body including muscles, bones, and internal |
| Americans succumbing to painful arthritis and other | | | | organs. |
| related rheumatic conditions. | | | | In conclusion, drug treatment options did rise sharply |
| Some 46 million (or 1 in 5) Americans suffer from | | | | during this six year study period (24%). But, other costs |
| arthritis, up from 36.8 million six years ago. The $81 | | | | such as hospital stays dropped, so that actual |
| billion price tag associated with treating these | | | | per-person spending evened out to remain unchanged. |
| conditions represents about 3 percent of the gross | | | | Researchers concluded that the main reason for |
| domestic product. Baby boomers are leading the pack | | | | increased spending on treatment was due to the |
| in this spending increase. Out of the newly 9 million | | | | newly increased number of people developing arthritis. |
| people being diagnosed with arthritis and other related | | | | In comparing the rising cost of treating arthritis, how do |
| rheumatic conditions during this six-year study, 66 | | | | you suppose these findings compare to the rising |
| percent were between the ages of 44 to 64. | | | | costs of other health care problems Americans are |
| Interestingly, too, according to the researchers of this | | | | being diagnosed with in general? |
| study, was that most of the increases in arthritis and | | | | Clearly, the only control that seems to make much |
| other rheumatic related conditions occurred among | | | | sense at all is to help educate and motivate people to |
| people who also had other health worries such as | | | | become healthier. There is no question that the |
| diabetes, obesity, and heart conditions. This particular | | | | incidence of arthritis does seem to increase with age, |
| group seen an increase of 28 percent, up from 31.8 | | | | however, nearly three out of every five sufferers are |
| million to 40.8 million, compared to a 6 percent increase | | | | under the age of 65. You can not control the aging |
| for those who were otherwise healthy, 5 million to 5.3 | | | | process, no one can, of course. However, you can |
| million. | | | | choose to make yourself healthier, that is an option |
| Being overweight or obese are definite prime culprits | | | | that is realistically doable for anyone. |
| for putting you at an increased risk for developing | | | | Getting enough exercise to help increase joint mobility |
| arthritis and its related conditions. A higher level of | | | | in arthritis sufferers is one option that is consistently |
| body mass index will put you at a higher risk for | | | | being preached. But ,it alone will not be enough, it is |
| developing osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis, also known as | | | | very hard to freely move painful joints through |
| degenerative joint disease, and results from the wear | | | | exercise that are chronically dry and dehydrated. Diets |
| and tear of normal movement. Osteoarthritis in the joint | | | | need to be addressed and modified. Increased intakes |
| this year will eventually become a joint replacement | | | | of omega-3 fatty acids and other whole food nutrients |
| years down the road. The pressure of gravity causes | | | | will swing the odds in favor of a successful remission |
| physical damage to the joints and surrounding tissues. | | | | of symptoms. |
| Symptoms are: | | | | F. Batmanghelidj's book "How To Deal With Back Pain |
| 1.pain | | | | and Rheumatoid Joint Pain" is an inexpensive self-help |
| 2.swelling | | | | manual anyone can read to learn more about water's |
| 3.tenderness | | | | amazing role in relieving joint pain naturally. In this short |
| 4.decreased function | | | | paper back book, you will learn that joint pain is simply |
| Rheumatoid arthritis is a little different, it is an | | | | just a signal that your body is emitting to let you know |
| autoimmune problem that occurs when the body's | | | | that your joints are thirsty and dehydrated. |
| own immune system mistakenly attacks the synovium | | | | Listen to that signal, give your joints what they need to |
| (cell lining inside the joint). If left untreated over the | | | | be healthy and stay lubricated every day with nothing |
| course of years, a gross disfigurement of the affected | | | | more than pure water! |