Naturopathic practitioners differ from modern medical doctors in that they are interested in more than treating the symptoms a person has. In fact, the naturopath will work toward healing the whole person. This is done by emphasizing preventative measures each individual can do, encouraging the body’s own ability to heal itself, and addressing each person’s responsibility for their own health. This may be done by using nutritional supplements, herbal remedies, homeopathic medicine, or changing one’s lifestyle.

Naturopaths are concerned with finding the underlying reason behind the symptoms their patients have. They treat everyone in a family from the youngest baby to the oldest senior and everyone in between. They provide hands-on support in helping their clients learn to live a healthy life while dealing with the craziness of today’s busy schedules.

Like a traditional doctor, naturopaths treat colds, flu, emotional issues, sleep disorders, injuries and so much more. If one of their clients is facing chronic health problems, naturopaths also treat those with diabetes, autoimmune disorders, arthritis, fibromyalgia, cardiovascular disease, allergies, and depression. There’s not much a naturopath won’t try to help with. And, if they’re unfamiliar with a particular ailment, a naturopath will welcome the chance to learn in order to treat their patients.

Naturopaths work with individuals. They will take a complete medical history during their initial visit and will treat each person as the individual they are. Since no two people are alike, there’s no reason to treat people with similar conditions the same. Treatment options are tailored to each person’s needs in order to bring them back to optimal health.

Can naturopathy and traditional medicine coincide with one another? Naturopaths won’t ask you to stop seeing a traditional doctor while they are treating you. In fact, many naturopathic treatments can work in conjunction with what a traditional doctor prescribes. If possible, however, it would be beneficial for both doctors to be aware of the other in case they need to consult with one another concerning your treatment or medications you may be taking.

There may be some conditions that naturopaths  prefer not to deal with, but each naturopath will have to make those determinations based on each patient. If you’re curious whether or not a naturopath can help you, the best way is to find one, make an appointment, and find out for yourself. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you discover.

Although different types are common in adults who reach that ‘certain age’ it also affects children still in diapers and young people in the prime of their lives.  Over 100 different types  range from the relatively mild cases of tendonitis or bursitis to crippling systemic forms such as rheumatoid or Lupus.

Types of arthritis can include disease processes that you wouldn’t normally associate with arthritis such as Lupus and gout.  In Lupus the immune system attacks healthy tissue and causes inflammation, including joints. 

Gout results from too much uric acid in the body.  This is a natural waste product that is flushed from the kidneys.  The body either makes too much, or doesn’t excrete enough.  The crystals deposit in the joints and cause irritation and pain.

Most people think that Osteoarthritis is the only type of arthritis that affects people.  The real common denominator in this disease is inflammation and pain in the joints and musculoskeletal system.   There are medications that help to decrease the distress, decrease the advancement and help patients to be more comfortable and functional in their lives. 

For this reason it is very important to get an accurate diagnosis from your physician. If the diagnosis is not correct then the medications and prescribed treatments will not make a difference in the quality of the patient’s life.  For instance, certain exercises will help with some diseases and make others worse.

 There are over 100 joints connecting 206 bones in the human body.  Each of the major joints have cartilage that makes the connection from joint to joint smooth.  Cartilage gives the joints a smooth surface over which to travel. The loss of cartilage in Osteoarthritis is what causes the sometimes intense pain during movement.

The cavity where these bones meet is protected by synovium.  This is the fluid that gives cushion to the joints and allows them to move smoothly.  In some people, the synovial fluid is thickened, inflamed and increases in amount.  This inflamed fluid will damage the joints.

There are many different types of arthritis but many exhibit several of the same symptoms.  Don’t let the same symptoms fool you into thinking the treatment is also the same.  You can improve your comfort level  by  getting the right diagnosis and the right treatment the type of problem you have.

This disease condition will affect one in every 1000 children in the United States. Children suffer from pain, stiffness and swelling that will last longer than six weeks and is not caused by an injury or any other illness. Although the arthritis will initially present itself after an injury researchers have found that these are not the causes, only a trigger.

Unfortunately, research has not found the cause of juvenile arthritis. At present it has been determined that there are no genetic factors since it doesn’t “run” in families and cannot be passed from one person to another. How the disease progresses is the immune system of the sufferer begins to attack healthy tissue. The ‘why’ continues to be a mystery.

Since no cause has been identified researchers are also stymied to find a single symptom or test that will diagnose juvenile arthritis. Physicians will pull together a combination of blood tests and x-rays to rule out other diseases such as rheumatic fever and to gauge the extent of the disease as they plan treatment. The most qualified specialist to treat children who have arthritis are Rheumatologists. This is a specialty of physician who has more years of special education, testing and continuing education that qualifies them to diagnose and treat diseases that cause inflammation in the joints, muscles and other body organs.

Individuals who suffer from juvenile arthritis are often diagnosed in the first six months following the onset of symptoms. Pauciarticular arthritis is the most common of the juvenile arthritis forms accounting for approximately one half of the cases diagnosed. In this particular condition the inflammation will affect four joints or less, affects more girls than boys and is diagnosed under the age of four. Young children who suffer from Pauciarticular arthritis will also develop inflammation in the eyes which can lead to blindness if not treated appropriately.

Treating Pauciarticular arthritis involves the use of omega-3 fatty acids which can decrease the amount of medication the child needs to maintain a level of comfort. Very few children go on to develop systemic symptoms and in some cases the arthritis will spontaneously resolved in several years.

Polyarticular arthritis will account for 40% of the children who are diagnosed with arthritis each and every year. Children who suffer from polyarticular arthritis will have at least five joints affected and the disease will often affect them symmetrically as well. In other words if the left hand is affected, the same joints in the right hand will also be painful and swollen.

Polyarticular arthritis is more likely to affect the small bones and joints. When a larger joints are affected it changes the way in which the joints grow and will affect the way the child walks. Children can develop a limp and develop osteoarthritis later in life because of the end balance in their gait.

Children will often appear at the physician’s office with complaints of fever, rash and a decreased appetite. Children who are over the age of 10 and also positive for rheumatoid factor will suffer a more severe form of the disease.

Of the three forms of juvenile arthritis, systemic arthritis affects the least amount of children. Research has found it affects more boys than girls and accounts for only 10% of the childhood arthritis diagnoses each year. Systemic arthritis will affect joints and some organs and children will suffer skin rashes fever and inflammation of the internal organs such as the spleen and liver. Children arrive at the physician’s office complaining of complications from inflammation throughout the body. Children are usually between the ages of five and 10 and the initial symptoms don’t usually affect the joints.

Treatment for any of these juvenile arthritic conditions center on decreasing the pain and inflammation of the joints to improve the comfort, improve potential for normal growth and development of the bony structures and decrease the progression of the disease and any potential disability. Treatment will also include exercise programs that do not overly stress the joints and tissues, such as swimming and stretching. The goal of exercise is to release endorphins that decrease the perception of pain, they are an antidote for depression and will increase the muscle mass which protects the joints.

Juvenile arthritis is a catch phrase for a group of arthritic conditions that cause inflammation along with pain and redness in the joints. An accurate diagnosis is needed to find the correct treatments and plan for a child’s future.

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Treatment modalities for all methods of arthritis will include rest, exercise, medication, weight loss, joint protection and cold or heat. The goal is to decrease pain and inflammation, slow the progression of the disease, decrease the disability in the joints and improve your overall health.

Some individuals also find that while altering their diets to effect a change in their overall health they also improve the cartilage production and their pain and discomfort. By altering their diet to improve weight maintenance they also decrease the amount of stress placed on the large weight-bearing joints. Research has also proven that given the opportunity, correct nutrition, water and light, the body is able to do an amazing number of things to heal itself.

Recent studies have supported that individuals who enjoy a high cholesterol, high fat diet will contribute to the inflammatory process in their bodies and hinder therapies and treatments for arthritic conditions. However, arthritis is not the only medical condition that is at the root of an inflammatory condition in the body. Researchers also know that several forms of cancer, diabetes, and it’s vascular disease are also a result of increased inflammation in the body.

Dietary changes do not have to be strict but are rather guidelines for a healthy lifestyle that limits pain, disability and improves cartilage production. Below is a list of foods that individuals should try to include in their diet as well as foods they should try to avoid. Use these as a strategy in your meal planning and not a strict “diet”. Individuals can also try to keep a dietary diary which records the foods they eat and a ranking of pain of inflammation on each day. Using this method they may find a certain group of foods which causes them greater inflammation and pain.

Individuals should also recognize that dietary changes can take up to several weeks or a month to make a difference in the level of pain or swelling. Initially you should try to avoid all foods that aggravate arthritis and include foods that are good for the condition. As pain decreases over several weeks you can try to add back one or two of the favorite foods and treats to yourself while keeping an eye on your dietary diary.

Individuals usually find that the occasional milkshake or chocolate bar will be tolerated, but may also find that the increased pain and decrease in ability isn’t worth the extra chocolate or cheese.

Foods you should include are fruits that are high in vitamin C such as most of the berries, cantaloupes and apples. Vegetables that are high in both Vitamin A and C such as carrots, squash, spinach, broccoli and cabbage will help the body to fight the effects of arthritis.

Fish that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, such as salmon and mackerel, have been shown to decrease inflammation throughout the body. Milled flax seed also has the same omega 3 fatty acids. In the oil form it is not very palatable but as milled seed it can be sprinkled over sweet potatoes or salad and doesn’t affect the taste.

Include nuts, seeds and whole grains in the diet as well. Use unsalted raw nuts and seeds to decrease the amount of chemical additions to the foods. Almonds, pumpkin seeds, chick peas (great in salads) and brown rice are high in nutrients that the body uses to repair itself.

Foods to avoid include red meat, milk products, caffeine products, sugar, salt, vinegar, butter, chocolate, white potatoes and tobacco. All of these foods have chemicals (natural and added) that affect the progression of inflammation and arthritic diseases.

It is also important to maintain an appropriate weight for height. Eating a variety of the listed foods that are beneficial and avoiding foods high in cholesterol and fats, sugar and sodium will change the way the body produces and breaks down cartilage.

Gradually, your overall health will improve and these changes will have a positive impact on lessening the effects of the disease. Once these positive effects are felt, the ability to maintain this lifestyle will become easier and easier.

Researchers have also found that there are usually a series of events which lead to the development of the condition and that, while it is often associated with old age, that association isn’t enough to trigger osteoarthritis.

These particular events involve both the use and breakdown of the cartilage as well as the production and maintenance in the joints.  The joints which are affected are usually the larger weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips.  These provide the majority of the cushion when we are doing any weight-bearing exercise such as walking or running.

Athletes who perform repetitive motion exercises, such as rowing or tennis, will find that osteoarthritis can also develop in the elbow and shoulder areas.

Researchers believe that a genetic component may also be responsible for the development but have not yet conclusively found a link.  May have found a higher correlation in the development of osteoarthritis when a parent has the condition and a child subsequently developed it.

Researchers theorize that a gene identified in the year 2000 regulates the production of pyrophspate, which inhibits the formation of mineral deposits in the joints.  They theorize that this particular chemical may protect the cartilage and were encouraged to find that approximately 60% of individuals who suffer from osteoarthritis do have mineral deposits in their joints, pointing to the identification of this gene as a trigger to osteoarthritis.

Individuals who suffer from osteoarthritis will also exhibit muscle weakness in large muscle groups, especially the quadricep muscles.  Researchers, however, are not sure if it is the arthritis in the knee which causes the individual to decrease their exercise and therefore muscle strength or if it is the arthritis which causes the decrease in muscle strength.  This weakness, especially in the quadricep muscles, may predates the development of osteoarthritis and actually triggers the degeneration of the joints.  Researchers do know that the stronger the muscle mass, the better able the body is able to protect the joints.

Other anatomical reasons which may be involved in the development of this condition include individuals who are “bow legged” or “knock kneed”.  Researchers have found that these individuals are more likely to develop arthritis in their knees while other researchers have found that individuals born with knees that don’t meet smoothly have cartilage that isn’t formed correctly.  This predisposes them to the wear and tear associated with osteoarthritis.

Based on this previous research doctors also know that injuries play a large part in the changes that occur in large joints which lead to osteoarthritis. 

Individuals who have knee injuries early in life have shown a 16% more likelihood to develop arthritis in the affected knee than those who had no injury.

Other medical conditions which have been found to play a part in the development of this condition is hemophilia, during which individuals have the potential to bleed into the joints and damage the cartilage, or individuals with chronic gout or pseudogout who have mineral deposits in the joints from the crystals.

Unfortunately individuals who already suffer from rheumatoid arthritis can also show the damaging effects of osteoarthritis because of the inflammatory changes caused to the cartilage.

Although the causes of osteoarthritis have have not been fully identified, triggers and predisposing conditions can be addressed to potentially delay the onset or stop the development of this painful disease.

 
Blood tests are used to not only identify the disease but also evaluate the progression and to make decisions about a treatment plan.  After an accurate diagnosis is done blood testing can be used to evaluate the efficacy of the medications and therapies and the effects that they’ve had on the patient.

Doctors will usually draw blood at their office, using a nurse or phlebotomist.  The blood is put into different files that have different colored tops.  Each colored top represents a different type of preservative or reactive agent for the different types of blood tests being drawn.  Some tests can take up to 24 hours to get results and others may take up to two weeks.
 
In the first test, the physician will often order a complete blood count (CBC) which will help determine if the patient has a low red blood count and also the status of white cells used to fight infection.  A complete blood count will also give an indication of the level of platelets available to help in clotting.  Individuals who suffer from arthritis will often have minor abnormalities in these specific blood counts because of the increased inflammation in the body. 

One commonly known test, the rheumatoid factor (RF) is a blood test which detects antibodies in the blood that some individuals with arthritis have. Doctors will use this test in combination with other results to make decisions about treatment protocols but not as an individual test result. The anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) are antibodies found in individuals who have arthritic conditions.  This test is used as a screening test also for Lupus because the test detects inflammation in the joints, soft tissue and organ systems.
 
Blood tests, or any other tests, are not conclusive for arthritis.  Doctors will use a combination of physical exams, a thorough medical history check of both patient and their family and also blood tests to identify any problems with arthritis.  They may also use imaging tests that include x-rays, bone scans, MRI, CAT scan and pulmonary function tests.  An accurate diagnosis is the only way to develop the best treatment plan that will combat arthritic pain and inflammation as well as slow down progression of the disease.