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Osteoarthritis and Beating Fatigue

In even the mildest cases of osteoarthritis, fatigue can be a major issue. It is a “double-whammy” when pain gets out of control. Moreover, we are not talking about someone who is constantly in pain. It can affect any of you who are simply having a bad day. (Even one day of bad pain can become excruciating.)
Make Life a Little Easier

Even the worst of days can be handled with ease if you know how to do it. In other words, by implementing some simple steps even the worst of days will begin to disappear. It is a question of who is in charge. Is it going to be the osteoarthritis or you?
Pain and Rest Cycles

There is nothing more therapeutic for those who suffer from arthritis than consistent sleep cycles. I emphasize the word (consistent) because anyone who alters their sleep patterns is particularly at risk of increasing their pain.
That does not mean “early to bed…early to rise” is the answer. The real solution is to go to bed at the same time every night and get up on an equally consistent schedule. It is important to emphasize that this rule applies to both weekdays and weekends. (We all know how easy it is to stay up a little later on the weekends and sleep in on Saturday or Sunday.)
Don’t Rush It

This can be a little tough to get used to if you are already in a pattern of irregular sleep. For some reason, our bodies have an “internal clock” that sets itself to the pattern we have already established. For most, it may take as long as 2-3 weeks to get used to a new and different sleep pattern. That is proof positive that in fact, your body does have that “clock” inside so let it adjust along with you.
Some Things Not to Do

Do not drink caffeine after 4:00 p.m. That includes sodas that contain caffeine as well as coffee. It is definitely going to affect your ability to sleep. (Usually, you will find yourself waking up constantly.) As well, do not be too overly active just before retiring. Some have a tendency to do a little last minute house cleaning or maybe even a little exercise. If you do this, your body is still “racing” when you get into bed.
If you are having trouble adjusting to this new rest cycle, try reducing your activities in the last hour or so before you go to bed. Turn televisions or radios down to lower levels or do a little reading. (Your mind begins to slow down when you do this and is mentally preparing to rest.)
Whatever you do…don’t go into full Retreat

Unfortunately, when pain gets to be a little overwhelming, it is very easy to just retreat to the bed. Alternatively, lie down and take short naps all the time. Too much time spent in bed contradicts the need for all arthritis patients to exercise regularly. When the bed starts to look too inviting, stretch yourself that extra mile and take a brief walk. You will be amazed what it does for your overall well-being. The body’s endorphins begin to flow and pain starts to decrease.
The Results?

Once you get into the swing of things, this new approach on “how you rest” is going to astound you. It can reduce your pain levels significantly so long as you are using a regular regimen of glucosamine and exercise. You will find that life is more organized and less frantic; and as well, those with depression (very common for those with osteoarthritis) will find that their outlook is better every day. We have often said that winning the battle with arthritis means changing your lifestyle. These simple steps make an enormous difference and are so easy to put into place. There is nothing to think about here. Just make up your mind and do it.
J.R. Rogers is the founder and President of Activex America, Inc. makers of Liquid Glucosamine Formula Syn-flex®

The author’s statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not provided to diagnose any disease or to suggest that liquid glucosamine and chondroitin will treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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The first thing that one needs to learn when dealing with arthritis pain is to be able to manage it. Whether your pain is excruciating or merely a minor bother, it is not fun.
Even though there are several ways to describe the pain, there are generally two kinds of pain: “acute” which would have a sudden onset and vanish within a few minutes and “chronic” the most painful and longest lasting. Whereas acute pain serves a purpose (protecting body from danger, alerting yourself to things like nails, fire, etc.) chronic pain is a benefit-less nuisance.
When this pain is from arthritis it is often caused by inflammation, a localized protective reaction of tissue to irritation, injury, or infection characterized by pain, redness, swelling, and sometimes loss of function.
A damaged joint can also cause pain through crepitation; the rubbing together of bone fragments that cause crackling or popping sounds.
Pain can also come from Muscle tension, strained muscles, and fatigue. The tension from affected muscles can cause undue stress on other muscles that are trying to compensate for the afflicted ones. This is dubbed as “Strained supporting tissues”. In time both the strained muscle structures, and those trying to compensate for them can tire and cause “Fatigue”, often exacerbating the pain.
Pain Solutions

Now let’s look for the solutions to dealing with this pain.
Methods that you can do in your home to bring relief without the use of drugs would include some or all of the following.

• Massage Therapy
• Hydrotherapy
• Cold and Heat packs
• Supplementing your diet with glucosamine
• Relaxation
• Magnet Therapy
• NSAIDs (watch out for side effects)
• Cox-2 inhibitors (also be wary of side effects)

J.R. Rogers is the founder and President of Activex America, Inc. makers of Liquid Glucosamine Formula Syn-flex®

The author’s statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not provided to diagnose any disease or to suggest that liquid glucosamine and chondroitin will treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Here are some tips for easing osteoarthritis pain and increasing your mobility through stretching.
We have discussed the importance of exercise in increasing the odds of beating osteoarthritis in previous articles. Now, we are going to add some simple stretching exercises that can be added to your arthritis-beating regimen.
Stretching the Pain Away

Stretching correctly provides an easy method of reducing arthritis pain that takes only minutes each day. Done properly, these stretching regimens serve to enhance and speed the healing process by reducing pain and increasing mobility.
Note: If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you should not engage in stretching unless you have discussed this with your physician. These tips are mainly for osteoarthritis sufferers.
Knees

The knees are one of the favorite targets for osteoarthritis. As such, you should spend a little extra time stretching them. Here are some good stretches for the knees.
While sitting in your favorite chair, with your knees in front and your feet directly below your knees, move one foot at a time out in front of you (without lifting your foot off the ground). Slide your foot forward and leave it in that position for about ten seconds. Next, move this foot back into position below your knee.
Repeat this about 5-10 times and then move over to the other foot. This is especially good after you have been sitting for a long period of time. You can do this several times daily and should only take about 10 minutes each day.
This low-impact exercise is going to help with pain reduction and increase your mobility.
Wrists

The wrist is one of the most active areas of the human body. Wrists are also a favorite target for osteoarthritis, but fortunately can be easily exercised.
Sit at a table and place your forearms out in front of you at rest. Clasp your hands together and intertwine your fingers. Now, bend both wrists to the left and hold that position for about 5-10 seconds. Repeat this motion about ten times. Next, do the same exercise only this time bend to the right. This exercise provides enormous benefits in terms of reducing pain in the wrist area.
Now, add two more steps. While sitting in that same position with your arms extended in front of you and your hands intertwined, just lift your arms up toward the ceiling and hold that position for 5-10 seconds before lowering them back to the table.
Remaining seated, now remove your arms from the table and simply place them out into an open space. Slowly move your arms downward toward the floor and hold that position for a few seconds. Then, raise your arms back up into a level position. Repeat that procedure the same number of times you did when stretching upward.
Watch upcoming issues of The Arthritis Chronicle for more stretching exercises.
Quick Tip for Diarrhea

This has a rather humorous aspect but it seems to solve this problem for humans. Ever eaten something that didn’t agree with your stomach or taken a medicine that gave you the runs? Here’s a tip to stop diarrhea.
Here is a simple tip that solves this difficult issue for humans. (Do not ask me to provide any scientific evidence on this issue…all I know is that it works.)
To end disruptive and unpleasant diarrhea, go down to your local store and buy some Archway Chocolate Coconut cookies. Eat one or two after the onset of diarrhea. Amazingly, the problem ends in nearly all cases.
I could not begin to provide you with a rational explanation for this happening. Someone in Philadelphia first reported it in 1998 and it has repeatedly been successful.
J.R. Rogers is the founder and President of Activex America, Inc. makers of Liquid Glucosamine Formula Syn-flex®

The author’s statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not provided to diagnose any disease or to suggest that liquid glucosamine and chondroitin will treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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Osteoarthritis
Also called degenerative arthritis. Occurs when the cushioning cartilage in a joint breaks down. Commonly affects feet, knees, hips, and fingers. Affects 70 million Americans, mostly 45 and older. About half of those 65 and older have this form.

If you have osteoarthritis, we recommend learning about Syn-flex®, a fast-acting liquid glucosamine formula.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Immune system attacks the lining (or synovial membrane) of the joints. Joint damage can become severe and deforming. Involves the whole body, and may also cause fatigue, weight loss and anemia, and affect the lungs, heart and eyes. Affects about 2.1 million Americans, three times more women than men.
Gout
Causes sudden, severe attacks, usually in the big toe, but any joint can be affected. A metabolic disorder in which uric acid builds up in the blood and crystals form in joints and other places. Drugs and attention to diet can control gout. Affects about 1 million Americans (70 to 80 percent men), with first attack starting between 40 and 50 years of age. (See “Getting to Know Gout,” FDA Consumer, March 1995.)
Ankylosing Spondylitis
A chronic inflammatory disease of the spine that can result in fused vertebrae and rigid spine. Often milder and harder to diagnose in women. Most people with the disease also have a genetic marker known as HLA-B27. Affects about 318,000 Americans, usually men between the ages of 16 and 35.
Juvenile Arthritis
The most common form is juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis diagnosis, treatment, and disease characteristics are different in children and adults. Some children recover completely; others remain affected throughout their lives. Affects about 200,000 Americans.
Psoriatic Arthritis
Bone and other joint tissues become inflamed, and, like rheumatoid arthritis, it can affect the whole body. Affects about 5 percent of people with psoriasis, a chronic skin disease. Likely to affect fingers or spine. Symptoms are mild in most people but can be quite severe. Affects about 160,000 Americans.
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Involves skin, joints, muscles, and sometimes internal organs. Symptoms usually appear in women of childbearing age but can occur in anyone at any age. Also called lupus or SLE, it can be mild or life threatening. Affects at least 131,000 Americans, nine to ten times as many women as men.
Other Forms
Arthritis can develop as a result of an infection. For example, bacteria that cause gonorrhea or Lyme disease can cause arthritis. Infectious arthritis can cause serious damage, but usually clears up completely with antibiotics. Scleroderma is a systemic disease that involves the skin, but may include problems with blood vessels, joints, and internal organs. Fibromyalgia syndrome is a soft-tissue rheumatism that doesn’t lead to joint deformity, but affects an estimated 5 million Americans, mostly women.

Have Osteoarthritis?
A leading osteoarthritis formula is Syn-flex®. Syn-flex® is a fast-acting, high-quality osteoarthritis product for humans and pets. Formulated with pharmaceutical quality liquid glucosamine sulfate, glucosamine hydrochloride, chondroitin sulfate, and nine other arthritis-fighting ingredients, Syn-flex® will not only ease your pain quickly, it will slow the progression of your osteoarthritis. Learn more about Syn-flex® here.

J.R. Rogers is the founder and President of Activex America, Inc. makers of Liquid Glucosamine Formula Syn-flex®

The author’s statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not provided to diagnose any disease or to suggest that liquid glucosamine and chondroitin will treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

By now, all of you should understand that exercise is an important ingredient to handling arthritis. And of course, some of you are much more active with your approach to
exercise including some who ride bicycles. Although this is not everyone’s “cup of tea” many of you do ride.

Pain in the Knees
For those of you that do ride bikes, the most common complaint is that you sometimes experience pain in your knees or lower back. Let’s talk about those issues with some focus on “how” you approach riding.

It’s all in the Angle(s)
Riding a bike can be fun and it provides excellent exercise. From an exercise standpoint, for those who suffer from arthritis, it can be a big plus. Riding a bike may also cause “negative” effects. A lot of problems you may experience are based on how you “position yourself” on the bike.

Getting lined up and adjusting to ride
If you are experiencing pain in your lower back or knees, most likely it is because of something as simple as how you have positioned your seat. From a “sitting” position with the pedal pointing straight downward, your knee should be at a slight angle of about 25-30 degrees forward. That should give you the correct position of the bicycle seat in terms of how high you have set it.

Next, place the pedals at a level position. In other words, place the pedals about even with each other when viewed from the side. (I.e., the pedals are now pointed toward the front and rear wheels about midline. Then, take a yardstick and place it at the front of your knee and down toward the ball of your foot. Here, we are not looking to adjust the seat for height but rather its forward and back position.

If the yardstick is leveled at the front of your knee and down to the “ball” of your foot, it is about perfect. If it is not, then you need to move the seat forward or back until it does.

Pain Issues
My personal feeling is that riding is great exercise for someone with arthritis. However, that does not mean you are out to win any races. You just want to get the benefit of this aerobic exercise and at the same time, avoid injuries.

Dealing with pain if you ride
As mentioned, pain is most likely to occur in your knees or lower back. You reduce the odds of that happening if you have positioned the seat correctly. However, if you do have pain developing in your knees (a common complaint among riders) than the issue is “rest.” Normally, this type of pain goes away within 10-14 days. Again, this pain most likely occurred because of the positioning of the seat. If you are experiencing lower back pain, the positioning of the seat is likely the culprit.

To reduce discomfort, I recommend using a high-quality liquid glucosamine which contains all-natural anti-inflammatory ingredients. It also helps to use a warm pad or compress on the affected areas three to four times a day usually for about 15-20 minutes at a time.

This is a favorite exercise program for me and I think it is really helpful to those who suffer from arthritis. If you do not have other “risk factors” for riding, it is great fun too. Just make certain that you get your bike set up correctly; don’t overdo it; and, deal with pain issues with the regimen suggested. What this means is that there may be times when you will have to give it up to get the rest your body needs.
 

Provided by Glucosamine and Arthritis Resource Center

Because of its limited resources, the FDA must rely upon other agencies to assist it in educating the public about the dangers of various products that may also have certain health benefits. Unfortunately, those educational efforts are not always successful and, consequently, some people suffer great harm from their use of acetaminophen and other products — harm that could have been avoided if they had only known of the dangers. According to the information the government is releasing, about 100 million people a year take acetaminophen. While the manufacturers are quick to point out that the number of complications are rare relative to the number of users, the statistics are significant, nonetheless. About 56,000 people a year wind up in emergency rooms as a result of an overdose. As well, about 100 deaths are reported annually. Dr. William Lee at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas investigated liver failures at 28 hospitals and discovered that over one-third of them were related to acetaminophen use while less than 20% of them were caused by any other medications. He also found that most of the acetaminophen overdoses were accidental and preventable.
The FDA is particularly concerned about accidental life-threatening overdoses of acetaminophen that cause severe liver damage (hepatotoxicity) and, sometimes, result in death or the need for a liver transplant. In September 2002, the Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee, along with experts from other committees, examined the evidence of U.S. cases of accidental and unintentional overdoses with acetaminophen and hepatotoxicity and with NSAIDs and related cases of gastrointestinal (GI) and renal (kidney) toxicity and identifed certain risk factors. The advisory committee’s discussions and advice are at: http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets/ac/cder02.htm#NonprescriptionDrugs
In January 2004, the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) reiterated the concerns raised by the 2002 investigation when the CDER sent a letter to every State Board of Pharmacy to advise of safety issues for products containing NSAIDs or acetaminophen. With respect to acetaminophen, the FDA identified several reasons why harmful unintentional overdoses sometimes occurred. They included:

• consumers did not understand the possible adverse effects of taking at the same time more than one product containing acetaminophen;
• consumers did not recognize the potential harm from taking more the recommended dose of medication containing acetaminophen;
• the wide variety of products available both over-the-counter (OTC) and by prescription that contain acetaminophen;
• consumers did not recognize the active ingredients in various combination prescription and OTC drug products;
• container labels for prescription products dispensed by pharmacies may not clearly identify acetaminophen as one of the active ingredients and what the maximum daily dose limit is for acetaminophen.

Protecting Yourself

The FDA has a very small budget for educating the public. Given that fact, the FDA is going to rely on pharmacies to notify consumers about this risk. This is unlikely to solve the problem. Let’s face facts. Pharmacies are unlikely to do more than possibly add an additional written warning. There are already written warnings about acetaminophen on products and spread by the media but they have proved ineffective too often. So, what should you do?

1. Know how much acetaminophen you are taking and how much is the maximum safe dosage. Take the time to read the labels of every over-the-counter pain, flu, or cold remedy you purchase. Also, check with your physician to find out if any of the medications you are taking contain acetaminophen.
2. Consult your doctor when you are taking more than one medication with acetaminophen. Consult with your doctor if you are taking more than one medication or product that contains acetaminophen to ensure that you understand the possible adverse consequences.
3. Do not exceed the recommended dose of medications.
4. Do not take acetaminophen at all if you have more than three alcoholic drinks. The combination of that much alcohol with acetaminophen can poison your liver.
5. If you are taking acetaminophen for arthritis pain, consider using an alternative that has no possible life-threatening harmful effect — liquid glucosamine. It makes good sense to avoid danger if you can. If you are taking acetaminophen to help with osteoarthritis (OA) pain, you may want to reduce your risk of serious harm by taking liquid glucosamine to help manage your OA pain.

For those who are regular readers of this column, some of this information has been brought to your attention before. Nonetheless, I think it is important enough to warrant your attention again. Please! Read the labels of products you purchase and follow these simple precautions.

More on glucosamine here

Stretching goes a long way towards restoring lost mobility (as much as 50% lost between the ages of twenty and seventy.) As well, it has some other very important health benefits: range of motion improves, posture is better, you feel more agile, and it helps in preventing injuries.
Frequency

We talked about using this “static” stretching technique which has virtually unlimited possibilities. There are almost endless ranges of ways in which you can “stretch” your body extremities.
In terms of frequency, I recommend stretching every day. So long as you don’t overdo it and are careful to rest when you feel too much impact, the benefits of spending 15-30 minutes a day stretching are incredible.
Do you want these benefits?

Stretching is so simple and beneficial that it seems to speak for itself. However, if you are not motivated to gain these wonderful benefits, it is almost certain that you will do an inadequate job of it and as well, begin to lose the motivation.
My feeling is that if you begin doing this for the first time, you will see the changes in your body within as little as thirty days. That is a very small commitment of time when you counter with the way you will feel. It makes a huge difference.
Getting Motivated

If it is tough for you to personally get motivated to do this, get someone else to do them with you. A neighbor, friend or spouse who is also doing this, usually is a lot more fun than doing it alone. (I feel so strongly about this that I don’t need anything except the rewards I get. You should get there yourself.) One caution should be mentioned though. Sometimes when you are stretching with a partner, they may push the exercise too far or beyond your capabilities. Just be aware that this can happen.
If You are Exercising Now

If you are currently exercising, try using stretching as an “intermediate” step. Do it before exercising and afterwards. If you are lifting weights for example, try doing a set of exercises and stretching before and after each set. You will be amazed at the difference.
Some Cautionary Remarks

Most people that are just learning how to stretch effectively make the mistake of thinking that whatever they do, it is going to work out. Usually, these are the common pitfalls:

1. Make sure you hold the “stretch” long enough
2. Warm up before you begin stretching
3. Doing stretching exercises incorrectly*
4. Stretching too hard (Yes, you can do too much)
5. The biggest mistake of all is not stretching at all.

* There are some great books available in book stores. If you don’t want to go to that expense, check the library.

Read More on osteoarthritis

Every mammal on this earth has pain receptors in their body. Our bodies respond to pain by releasing natural painkillers called endorphins. The release of these ‘endorphins’ is what allows us to continue with our daily lives even when we are living in pain.

For arthritis sufferers, there is an unfortunate cycle of inactivity that begins. Once you begin to experience pain, you tend to limit your activity. Probably, most of us are conditioned to feel that rest is important in overcoming pain. As well, (and let’s face facts) when you don’t feel well as a result of being in pain, you don’t really feel like doing much of anything. Let me tell you, it is absolutely the wrong approach to handling your arthritis pain.

When the body is active, it produces the endorphins. These natural opiates not only assist in the pain-healing process, the exercise serves to strengthen the muscles around injured joints. In addition, exercise usually means weight loss that also assists in defeating osteoarthritis.

Let’s talk about strengthening the muscles around damaged joints. What happens with exercise is that the muscles that surround an injured joint become stronger. In turn, this both stabilizes and supports the affected area. It also serves to continue the strengthening of bones, increase circulation, build synovial fluid in your cartilage, and help deliver nutrients to that damaged cartilage. Of course, exercise leads to weight loss and where load-bearing joints are concerned, this is extremely important in reducing pain and additional damage.

In summary, taking the initiative to exercise is going to go a long way towards accelerating the healing process.

The Consequences
Disk disease in a human is nearly identical to that of pets. Your backbone is made up of both bones (vertebrae) and shock-absorbing disks which are comprised of cartilage. It is that cartilage that provides both humans and pets with both protection between the bones and the ability to move, run, and play. It is when those disks begin to degenerate that the problems begin. Not only is this a very painful condition, it also can cause paralysis in extreme cases.

Disk Disease
Once the disks begin to degenerate they lose their elasticity; they begin to calcify and no longer serve as “shock absorbers.” As time goes by, this degeneration has major consequences. The center part of the disk (and in some cases the outer portion) begins to “push” into the spinal canal. In turn, what you then have is pressure on the spinal nerves and the cord.

When this extremely painful situation (whether for a human or a pet) can lead to paralysis, the question becomes one of “when should I suspect disk disease?”

The Little Guys First
If you own a small animal as opposed to a larger one, signs of pain in the back or signals that indicate paralysis in the limbs are a very strong indication of disk disease. Of course, we do not want to put ourselves in the situation where we are trying to “play veterinarian.”

Diagnosis
Disk disease is (usually) detected by a simple x-ray. If there has been any calcification of the disks, it is going to demonstrate itself. In other cases, the veterinarian may have to use a CT-scan, a myelogram or even an MRI. If there is a protruding disk, it will be revealed.

Treatment
If your pet does not have a very advanced problem, they may respond to supplements like a high-quality liquid glucosamine which has natural anti-inflammatory ingredients. That is the course that is most desirable if it is effective.

In more advanced cases, the vet may suggest the use of steroids or NSAID’s. While the use of these pain control methods is not the most desirable, it is even less so to have your pet suffering.

Finally, in very advanced stages of disk disease where paralysis is setting in or if your pet remains in chronic pain, surgery may be the final option. In the best of all worlds, you won’t have to face that option. If your vet is comfortable that the disease has not advanced too far, try a high-quality liquid glucosamine. It can save a lot of suffering for your pet.

(This is just a reminder to those of you who know of someone or a vet that practices acupuncture. This is another avenue that can be explored in lieu of surgery.)

By makers of Liquid Glucosamine Formula Syn-flex®