Mind and body medicine, holistic medicine, and alternative medicine: what does it all mean? It seems to be all the rage, but can mind and body treatments truly relieve some of the agony of arthritis? The short answer: yes. Mind and body treatments have been around for thousands of years. There are no side effects to this kind of treatment, and no costly prescription costs. The only cost is the time and dedication you must invest to make these treatments work for you. The more you dedicate yourself to these ideas and treatments, the more you will get from them.

Most mind and body treatments are buoyed by a simple philosophy: how we think about our health and how we choose to live has a strong impact on our health. Mind and body centered philosophies focus on living mindfully, taking into account how we treat our bodies, how we think about them, and what foods we choose to feed them. It is a holistic approach that takes into consideration the mind, the physicality of the body, and the spiritual essence at the core of our bodies. It can be helpful to discuss many of the aspects of mind and body treatments separately.

In essence what you think about, what you feed your body and how active you are all have an impact on both how healthy you are and how quickly your body will heal itself. Good wholesome food, a healthy fit lifestyle and some mediation can go a long way to improve your outlook on life and how you cope with having arthritis.

When you think of arthritis, you probably think of stiff joints and swollen muscles. Maybe you picture an elderly person with pained wrists or knees who must use an assistive device simply to walk through the house. But it needn’t be this way. Just because you’ve been diagnosed with arthritis doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to feelings of flexibility and body movement. Maybe you think that you can no longer move the way you used to. The opposite is true: arthritis patients must seek out movement more than they did before their diagnosis. Movement is important to retain flexibility, improve posture, and build strength.

A visit to the chiropractor can often be beneficial to arthritis patients, particularly if you are affected in the spine or back muscles. Some patients may not be good candidate for chiropractic therapy because their joints may be too fragile. If your doctor agrees that you may receive some benefit from it, ask for a recommendation.

While technically not thought of as a bodywork exercise, massage can be the saving grace for many arthritis sufferers. A professional massage can go a long way toward relieving your tight, contracted muscles. If you don’t receive massages on a regular basis, ask friends or family members for recommendations.

Yoga is an effective yet gentle enough bodywork exercise that can keep your body flexible while not overexerting your joints and muscles. Beside the physical benefits (of which there are many), yoga can provide relaxation and anxiety-reducing effects that can linger long after a session on the mat. Try yoga when your feeling stressed, tired, or stiff.

How you move your body, and how much you choose to move it has a tremendous effect on your health and overall sense of well-being. Gentle yet effective exercises such as walking, bicycling, and yoga can restore your body’s sense of health, vigor, and well being. Exercise can help you release toxic stress and balance even the most out of whack emotions .

Omega-3 fatty acids have been well documented for their ability to reduce inflammation. With strong anti-inflammation properties, it makes sense that fish oils have been touted as the next big thing in arthritis care. But do these oils really work? Are they a cure for that persistent arthritis pain?

As with most alternative medicine therapies, there is not yet sufficient research to conclude whether fish oil is truly efficacious in relieving the symptoms associated with arthritis. However, early research is encouraging. Recent clinical trials and laboratory studies have concluded that fish oil, because of its omega-3 structure, may be helpful in reducing the feelings of stiff morning muscles and tender joints that so many arthritis sufferers experience. Researchers have not yet concluded the appropriate dosage for maximum effectiveness, nor how long treatment should last.

However, researchers have also discovered possible side effects of fish oil supplementation. In some cases, fish oil has been shown to increase the risk of the blood’s ability to clot. For some people, consuming fish oil may affect the time it takes for their blood to clot. This can be an important issue in cases where the patient is taking medications that affect their blood. Fish oil supplementation has also been shown to interact with blood pressure medications. Apparently, taking fish oil supplements while taking high blood pressure medications may cause their blood pressure to lower significantly. Another possible risk of supplementing with fish oil is that fish can often contain significant levels of contaminants. Fish are often found to be unsafe because of their mercury level. Consuming fish oils could pose a risk, particularly to young children, and women who are pregnant or nursing. Fishes with the highest levels of mercury include swordfish, tuna, king mackerel, tilefish, and shark. To avoid these risks, make sure to find a low-mercury fish. Finding this information can often be difficult, and may involve calling the manufacturer to ask about mercury levels.

The good news: beside these risks, consuming fish oils generally causes very few side effects. The side effects that do exist are relatively minor, and may consist of stomach disturbances and gas.

It is so called common knowledge that arthritis will affect most of us when we get older, especially if we happen to be women. But one form of arthritis, gout, is predominantly found in Men. So what is gout and what causes it??

Gout is described as an inflammatory form of arthritis. It can cause feelings of sharp sudden pain in some joints, accompanied by redness, warmth, swelling, and tenderness. Think of the swollen big toe and you know what I’m talking about.

Gout is thought to be caused by an over production of uric acid in the body. Most researchers agree that genetics play a role in the development of gout. Many people are prone to developing too much uric acid, while others appear to inherit the tendency to under process uric acid in the body, causing it to be lost in urine. Other people inherit high blood levels of uric acid. This high level of uric acid appears to cause sodium monourate crystals to collect in the synovial joint fluid. This in turn causes painful stiff joints, resulting in gout. If someone in your family once suffered from gout, you are at a greater risk for developing the condition. Another possible cause of gout is that it may develop as a result of other conditions. While genetics play a strong role, lifestyle choices are also a big piece of the puzzle. Dietary choices have been linked to the onset of gout. Trigger foods include seafood (especially anchovies), meat proteins, beans, gravies, and sweet breads. What do all these foods have in common? They are all rich in purines, and eating too much of them has been shown to cause gout. Other things that may affect the onset of gout include crash diets. Eating recklessly, which may include eating too much or too little, may be a major contributing factor to gout.

You find yourself unable to accomplish basic everyday tasks without a small amount of discomfort. Your joints feel stiff, and your muscles are sore. You think you might have some form of arthritis, and maybe you’re correct. In any case to be entirely certain, only your physician or some other healh advisor could make the official diagnosis. If you are planning to visit your doctor, here is what you could undoubtedly expect.

During your initial appointment, your doctor will start by performing a visual inspection of your body. Your physician will check for signs of swelling and test your joints for reduced range of movement. Even if all the common signs of arthritis are present, the physician will also have to complete additional tests to reach a conclusive and official diagnosis. Unfortunately, there is no single test which could confirm the presence of arthritis. The great majority of physicians use three pieces of wisdom before making a final diagnosis. These include their visual examination, any laboratory test which might be taken, and the person’s own medical history.

Arthritis Diagnosis Tests

What sort of tests might your doctor take to make a diagnosis? There often are two main types of tests which doctors use to make a positive arthritis diagnosis. These include X-rays and blood tests. Most likely, you will have at least one of these tests taken, and sometimes both (depending on your specific case).

X-Rays

X-rays are used to reveal any trauma or damage in your joints which may reveal the presence of arthritis. X-rays are particularly helpful in cases where osteoarthritis could be suspected. X-rays may not be so helpful in detecting other forms of arthritis. For instance, it could be difficult to diagnose for rheumatoid arthritis using X-rays because no substantial damage is detected during the early stages of the disease.

Blood Tests

The other type of test that your health professional will very likely do to make a diagnosis is some kind of blood test. There are many types of blood tests, each measuring different types of chemicals and blood cells. Some blood tests, for instance, are used specifically for detecting anemia. Others would measure the level of inflammation in your body. The latter often are the more helpful type of blood tests for detecting different types of arthritis.

X-rays and blood tests are also often used post-diagnosis to track the progression of the disease, and to gauge the efficacy of different treatment therapies.

Most of the time, your regular physician will present you with the official diagnosis. Nevertheless, it is not out of the ordinary to be referred to an arthritis specialist. An arthritis specialist may be an orthopedic surgeon or rheumatologist. Sometimes, the person would be referred to a specialist only after the official diagnosis is made. Once a positive diagnosis has been made, your health advisor or specialist will sit down with you to discuss the results. Your doctor will explain the different treatment options and together you will agree on the proper course of treatment. Never be afraid to ask for a second opinion if you are not satisfied with your treatment options.