Arthritis: Causes, Prevention, and Natural Treatments

Arthritis History

The first official record for arthritis was documented by modern medicine in the Augustin Jacob Landré-Beauvais dissertation of the year 1800. Landré-Beauvais examined and treated patients with severe joint pains that could not be associated with other diseases known at the time (such as "rheumatism" or osteoarthritis). It mainly affected poor people, and mostly women. 

He hypothesized that these patients suffered from an atypical condition that he named the Goutte Asthenic Primitive, or "Primary Asthenic Gout."

The other major contributor to the arthritis study was Alfred Garrod, an English physician from the mid 19th century. In 1859, Garrod was the first to distinguish gout from other arthritic diseases. He found an excess of uric acid in the blood of patients suffering from gout.

In addition to differentiating arthritis from gout, Alfred Garrod also classified rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as a distinct condition, which he referred to as "Rheumatic Gout”. Archibald Garrod, Alfred’s brother, also conducted research and did extensive studies on rheumatism as well. 

In the twentieth century, the American physician Charles Short challenged Archibald Garrod's claims about rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and suggested that because of the lack of evidence, RA was indeed a disease of modern origin. Although other physicians have also made similar conjectures in the past, Short's work was acknowledged more often.

Arthritis Causes

There can be different causes for arthritis, however, some of the suggested hypotheses do differ between natural medicine and conventional medicine.  

For instance, the alkaline diet theory suggests that any inflammation and/or degeneration of tissues, joints, or organs is mainly because of the acidic blood pH. 

Accordingly, it is believed that this blood acidity is responsible for breaking down the tissues, joints, and/or organs, hence causing the activation of the white blood cells that will act as a janitorial cleansing mechanism. 

This hypothesis goes in contradiction with the conventional medicine viewpoint that suggests instead that arthritis is an autoimmune disease that leads white cells to mistakenly attack and destroy healthy joints, tissues, and/or organs, hence causing arthritis. 

Nevertheless, gout is a form of arthritis that is commonly agreed to be caused by a high level of uric acid in the blood.   

Furthermore, there are some medical experts that present a different perspective about the causes of arthritis as they believe this disease is mostly caused by vaccines and due to glyphosate exposure, among many other things.

Medical experts still do not know a concrete cause for all cases of degenerative joint diseases, including arthritis. It is believed that there can be several causes for arthritis and may depend on a combination of genetic factors and lifestyle, in addition to the natural wear and tear of the joint. Some of the leading causes of arthritis include:

- Genetic susceptibility: There may be a genetic factor involved, although having a family history is not a guarantee that you will develop arthritis.

-Deficiency in the production of collagen: collagen is important for the production of cartilage; therefore, slower production can lead to a faster deterioration of the joints.

-Weight: Overweight increases the pressure on the joints. Some overweight or obese patients have arthritis and are affected by the negative effects of inflammation. Hips and knees support most body weight and are more susceptible to stress.

-Injuries: trauma or injury to the joints triggers the process of cartilage loss and deterioration.

-Repetitive movements: Repetitive movements for many years in a row, excessive training or insufficient rest are risk factors for arthritis.

-Infections: Examples of organisms that can infect the joints are salmonella and shigella (food poisoning or contamination), chlamydia and gonorrhea (sexually transmitted diseases), and hepatitis C.

-Diabetes or autoimmune diseases: these can increase the risk of arthritis. Gout and metabolic problems, such as uric acid buildup, also contribute to arthritis.

Arthritis Symptoms

Symptoms can occur in individuals of any age, including young people, and it is very common for more than one joint to be affected at the same time. Arthritis is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases among women, obese and people over 40 years of age. The main warning signs and symptoms for the disease include:

- Pain in the joints: Pain intensity may vary depending on the location of the body, and may be subject to lifestyle.

- Signs of inflammation and swelling: Swelling and fluid retention through the skin on the affected joint. The joints may also present redness and heat, which are signs of swelling.

- Rigidity: Rigid joints affect most people with arthritis and tend to worsen when the patient is standing, lying or sitting in the same position for long periods.

Some joints are more commonly affected by arthritis than others, and these include:

- The lumbar region

- Hips

- Knees

- Foot

- Neck

- Fingers

People with arthritis may have difficulty moving around, in regards to actions such as:

- Climbing stairs

- Lifting objects

- Gripping or holding objects

- Crouching

- Lifting the legs

Arthritis Diagnosis

This disease has a gradual onset with subtle symptoms which may include: increased temperature, swelling and joint pain and fatigue.

The patient should be evaluated with an experienced physician, preferably a rheumatologist, to diagnose and treat the appropriate disease. There is no single examination to confirm the diagnosis; the doctor combines the signs and symptoms found on the physical examination with the results of laboratory tests and x-rays.

Laboratory tests that medical specialists usually request:

- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR): ESR is a blood test done to assess inflammation in the body, however it can’t identify the causes of inflammation. This test is performed by putting a blood sample in a glass tube where to measure how quickly red blood cells (erythrocyte) do sediment over a period of time. ESR is an indicator of inflammation and may increase for a variety of reasons, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), auto-immune diseases, or cancer among other diseases.

- C-reactive protein (CRP): CRP is a blood test done to measure the level of inflammation in the body. An increase in the CRP level can be due to infections, trauma, or chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or risk of heart diseases.

- Rheumatoid factor (RF) test: the RF test is a blood test done to measure the level of Rheumatoid factor which is a protein produced by the immune system. Rheumatoid factors are mainly released to attack viruses and bacteria, however they mistakenly start attacking the healthy joints hence causing arthritis. 

A high level of rheumatoid factor in the blood is associated with autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis. 

- Anticitrullinated protein antibody test (anti-CCP): anti-CCP is a blood test that looks for anti-CCP antibodies. Testing positive would signal the presence of these anti-bodies, and is associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). These anti-bodies are mainly produced by the immune system and target the body’s own tissue and joints.

Around 60% - 70% of people who have this antibody usually have the RA disease. However, it’s important to note that not everyone that has RA will test positive for this antibody.

- Antinuclear antibody test: This test is done to evaluate autoimmune disorders that might affect tissues and organs across the body. Elevated levels of these anti-bodies could indicate that the body’s auto-immune system is attacking itself, such as in the case of rheumatoid arthritis.

Natural Treatments for Arthritis

There are several natural solutions for arthritis. Some of these solutions focus on fighting inflammation which is a main feature of arthritis. Accordingly, this can help in relieving the symptoms.

Other solutions work on restoring mobility and reducing the stiffness of the joints. Click on natural treatments for arthritis to find all the natural solutions to treat and prevent arthritis, including various natural therapies, diet programs, alternative medicine, vitamins, supplements, herbal medicine, and home remedies. You can also go to www.aposbook.com to find all the natural treatments for any medical condition IN ONE CLICK.

Meanwhile, for a more effective treatment, a combination of the natural treatments for arthritis can be the best option as it can help in overcoming several issues and aid in treating this condition. These solutions include:

- Diet: different diet types are used to fight arthritis. Some are based on changing the blood pH as it is believed that arthritis is a result of blood acidity. Hence, a diet such as the alkaline diet is suggested to help shift the blood pH to make it more alkaline, and thus would treat arthritis. Having a normal blood pH is believed to have tremendous health effects, and can reduce inflammation and help also in curing many chronic diseases.

Other diets, such as the anti-inflammatory diet, focus on fighting inflammation, which is a major symptom in arthritis that makes this condition worst. Accordingly, these diets anti-inflammatory diets focus on promoting anti-inflammatory foods and anti-oxidants to reduce arthritis symptoms.

- Nutritional supplements: the use of nutritional supplements can help overcome inflammation and ease arthritis symptoms. Hence, they can contribute in restoring joint mobility and treating the condition.

- Herbal medicine: the use of some special herbs and plants can help in fighting inflammation, and hence contribute in treating arthritis.

- Physical treatments: physical treatments would work on strengthening the joints that have been weakened by inflammation, and help in restoring mobility and overcoming stiffness. Different physical treatments can be available. Each one works differently, such as physical therapy, acupressure, and acupressure among many others.

Medical Treatment for Arthritis

According to conventional medicine, arthritis is a condition that has no cure, however, the treatment is focused on relieving the arthritis symptoms. There are many drugs prescribed that could help in this regard.

Some of these drugs include painkillers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that act on relieving pain or reducing inflammation.

Arthritis Prevention

Visit the Arthritis Prevention Center to find all the information on how to prevent arthritis and relieve its symptoms, including a list of the recommendations to follow, lifestyle changes to make, and things to avoid.