Friday, March 30, 2007

Degenerative Arthritis

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Gold Salts For rheumatoid arthritis Can Be Taken Orally Or Through Intramuscular Injections



The use of gold salts in medicine goes back to 1929, and it was used mostly for the reduction of inflammations as well as to slow the progression of disease in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, and has also been used, since 1800, in different industrial processes. Gold salts for rheumatoid arthritis has been found to be useful in slowing down the progression of this condition mainly because they reduce inflammation.

Injections Are More Effective Than Orally Taken Gold Salts

At present gold salts is sometimes used to treat children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Gold salts for rheumatoid arthritis can be administered orally or through intramuscular injection, and in the latter instance, is administered every week for approximately three to five months before reducing the frequency. It has been found, after studying the effects of gold salts for rheumatoid arthritis that treatment with intramuscular gold helps to lessen disease activity as well as joint inflammation. Orally taken gold salts are less effective.

There is, however, no clear understanding about how gold salts for rheumatoid arthritis actually work, though they do accumulate in the body and with time, reduce inflammation as well as slow down the progress of rheumatoid arthritis. There is, however, the possibility of side effects that can develop after significant amounts of gold has accumulated in the body.

The side effects of oral intake are fewer as compared with injections into the muscles, and common side effects of orally taken gold salts include reduced appetite, nausea as well as diarrhea, and problems with the skin, kidney, and blood and, in rare instances, lungs. When gold salts are injected into the muscles, side effects can take the form of itchy skin rashes as well as mouth sores.

Normally, three months after taking gold salts for rheumatoid arthritis, symptoms will noticeably improve and it is also necessary for having regular urine tests to check for protein that will indicate if there has been damage to the kidney or not. Blood tests are also required, as too, is regularly visiting the doctor, and having frequent lab tests. Taking gold salts for rheumatoid arthritis can also be quite expensive.

There are different types of gold salts for rheumatoid arthritis including Auranofin, Aurothioglucose, Disodium aurothiomalate, sodium aurothiosulfate and Sodium aurothiomalate. The oral gold salts for rheumatoid arthritis used include Ridaura and the intramuscular drugs prescribed go by the name of Solganal and Aurolate, and Myochrysine.

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Degenerative Arthritis

Degenerative Arthritis Occurs With A Breakdown Of Cartilage Of One Or More Joints



Degenerative arthritis or osteoarthritis is a form of arthritis that is a result of a breakdown as well as eventual loss of the cartilage of one or more joints. It is the most common of the more than 100 different types of arthritis conditions, and is believed to affect more than twenty million Americans and occurs with advancing age.

Degenerative arthritis, it is believed, occurs most often in males that are below the age of forty-five and is more prevalent among females that are older than fifty-five years of age. There does not seem to be any racial bias when it comes to Americans though there are higher incidences among Japanese while East Indians, Southern African blacks as well as Southern Chinese have lower rates.

Affects Hands, Feet, Spine As Well As Hips And Knees

Degenerative arthritis is known to affect the hands, feet, spine as well as large weight-bearing joints like the hips and knees though there does not seem to be any known cause, and when the cause is known, the condition is referred to as secondary osteoarthritis. Nevertheless, age is certainly a contributory factor to causing degenerative arthritis since the water content of the cartilage increases while the protein makeup degenerates. In advanced cases, there can be a total loss of cartilage cushion between joints and bone which causes friction between the bones causing severe pain as well as limiting joint mobility.

There is always weight reduction as well as avoidance of activities requiring excessive stress that will help to halt cartilage degeneration. However, there is no specific treatment that can halt degeneration of the cartilage or repair damaged cartilage even though the goal of treating degenerative arthritis is to reduce joint pains and inflammation, and at the same time, maintains joint function.

Resting sore joints will lessen stress on the joints and provide relief from swelling as well as pain, and patients may be recommended to decrease the intensity as well as frequency of all activities that result in joint pain consistently. Also, degenerative arthritis is not known to be aggravated by exercise, especially if performed at levels that do not result in joint pain.

Such a condition may also warrant the services of a physical therapist that can provide support devices like splints, walkers, canes as well as braces, which are all helpful in reducing stress on the joints. Surgery may only be necessary when patients with degenerative arthritis have a severe condition and are unresponsive to conservative treatments.

The future will surely bring with it medications to protect the cartilage from the deteriorating consequence of degenerative arthritis. There are also new treatments such as anti-inflammatory lotions being studied to provide relief of the pain from such a condition.

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