Joint Pain

Joint Pain
Joint Pain

Joints are the areas where two or more bones meet. Most joints are mobile, allowing the bones to move. Joints consist of the following:

Cartilage – at the joint, the bones are covered with cartilage (a connective tissue), which is made up of cells and fibers and is wear-resistant. Cartilage helps reduce the friction of movement.

Synovial membrane – a tissue called the synovial membrane lines the joint and seals it into a joint capsule. The synovial membrane secretes synovial fluid (a clear, sticky fluid) around the joint to lubricate it.

Ligaments – strong ligaments (tough, elastic bands of connective tissue) surround the joint to give support and limit the joint’s movement.

Tendons – tendons (another type of tough connective tissue) on each side of a joint attach to muscles that control movement of the joint.

Bursas – fluid-filled sacs, called bursas, between bones, ligaments, or other adjacent structures help cushion the friction in a joint.

Synovial fluid – a clear, sticky fluid secreted by the synovial membrane.

Joint Pain Associated with Arthritis

Arthritis Joint Pain (http://www.arthritis-joint-pain.info/) – The word arthritis literally means joint inflammation, but it is often used to refer to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases that can cause joint pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joints. These diseases may affect not only the joints but also other parts of the body, including important supporting structures such as muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. Two of the most common forms of arthritis are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis (http://www.synotrex.com/rheumatoid-arthritis.html).

Most forms of arthritis are associated with joint pain that can be divided into two general categories: acute and chronic. Acute pain is temporary, lasting a few seconds or longer. Chronic pain, such as that seen in people with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, ranges from mild to severe and can last weeks, months, and years to a lifetime. More than 40 million Americans are affected by some form of arthritis, and many have chronic joint pain that limits daily activity. Osteoarthritis is by far the most common form of arthritis, affecting over 20 million Americans, while rheumatoid arthritis, which affects about 2.1 million Americans, is the most disabling form of the disease.

What Causes Joint Pain?

The joint pain (http://www.synotrex.com/) associated with arthritis may come from different sources. These may include inflammation of the synovial membrane (tissue that lines the joints), the tendons, or the ligaments; muscle strain; and fatigue. A combination of these factors contributes to the intensity of the joint pain.

Arthritic joint pain varies greatly from person to person. Factors that contribute to the joint pain include swelling within the joint, the amount of heat or redness present, or damage that has occurred within the joint. In addition, activities affect joint pain differently so that some patients note joint pain after first getting out of bed in the morning, whereas others develop joint pain after prolonged use of the joint. Find detailed information on Joints and Joint Pain Products (http://www.synotrex.com/joint-pain-products.html).

CARTILAGE

What is Cartilage?

Cartilage is the key to healthy joints. Cartilage is the spongy tissue that cushions the ends of the bones within the joints. Although cartilage is composed of 65 to 80 percent water, there are three other important components that make up the rest of cartilage tissue: collagen, proteoglycans, and chondrocytes.



Collagen: a fibrous protein. Collagen is also the building block of skin, tendon, bone, and other connective tissues.

Proteoglycans: a combination of proteins and sugars. Strands of proteoglycans and collagen weave together and form a mesh-like tissue. This allows cartilage to flex and absorb physical shock.

Chondrocytes: cells that are found all through the cartilage. They mainly help cartilage stay healthy and grow. Sometimes, however, they release substances called enzymes that destroy collagen and other proteins. Researchers are trying to learn more about chondrocytes.

Read More

Cellulite Treatment Options

Cellulite Treatment Options
Cellulite Treatment Options

Cellulite is fat that is caught between bands of connective tissue directly beneath the skin that creates a lumpy, bumpy orange peel appearance mostly on the hips, thighs and backsides of most women. While not life threatening, it is ugly, unsightly and embarrassing if you’re the one that has it.

Because cellulite is primarily caused by fat, reducing the body’s fat content by creating a caloric deficit either by eating less or exercising is the first step for reducing cellulite. However, diet and exercise do not always give women (and some men) the results that they’re looking for. This is where treatment options come in.

Cellulite is located right beneath the skin which is why many treatment options involve -treating the fat, -relaxing the bands of connective tissue and -proper skincare. Treating the fat involves both aerobic and anaerobic (muscle conditioning) exercises and proper diet with some caloric restrictions as mentioned above.

There are two treatments that are purported to minimize cellulite by relaxing the bands of connective tissue that “hold” the fat. One is called Endermologie and the other is called VelaSmooth. Endermologie is usually performed in a plastic surgeon or cosmetic dermatologist’s office. It uses a motorized device that that has 2 adjustable rollers with suction that creates smooth and regulated deep tissue mobilization. In order for it to be effective, the client must have several consecutive treatments and then follow up treatments for maintenance. The results are often visible somewhat quickly but are temporary if maintenance isn’t done.

VelaSmooth is the newest technology in the realm of cellulite treatments. It uses both infrared red light and radio frequency waves to relax the bands of connective tissue that trap fat and make it appear bumpy. It’s non-invasive and must be done twice a week for 5 weeks and then monthly. The initial results of VelaSmooth are very promising.

Proper skincare in the cellulite prone areas can reduce it’s appearance. There are a number of cellulite creams, gels and lotions that work temporarily to varying degrees. It’s important to use these topical treatments as directed. It’s also important to make sure that the cream or gel is massaged in well in order to stimulate circulation. Some of these products work better than others so it’s a matter of trial and error as well as persistence for topical treatments to work effectively.

Read More

Crohn's The Other Ibd

When it comes to Inflammatory Bowel Disorder (IBD), most people are aware of ulcerative colitis. This is a disorder in which the damage occurs in the colon as a result of inflammation of the tissue. However, chrones is a prevalent disorder that is often misdiagnosed as ulcerative colitis, as they share many of the same symptoms.




Basically chrones and ulcerative colitis are very similar disorders. They are both forms of IBD in which the body’s immune system overreacts and causes tissue to swell excessively. Ulcerative colitis, though, is only found in the colon. On the other hand, chrones can literally be anywhere in the digestive tract. It is, however, most often found at the beginning of the large intestine and the end of the small intestine.

With chrones, when the wall of the bowel becomes swollen and inflamed, it is easily damaged by waste as it travels through the system. This damage sometimes results in scare tissue, which steadily narrows the passages even more than the original inflammation. The primary problem with chrones is this domino reaction – inflammation occurs, damage is done, scare tissue is formed, more damage is done, more scare tissue is formed, so on and so forth. The ending result is often blocked passages in which no waste can pass. When a blockage occurs, the threat of a rupture is a very serious concern for chrones sufferers. For this reason, if blockages are not resolved quickly, surgery is often used to remove the damaged area and the blockage.

On the other hand, there is still quite a threat even before any scar tissue forms. When damage is done to the bowel wall, ulcers and/or fistulas may form. An ulcer is a type of sore on the tissue which can easily become infected. On the other hand, a fistula is a severe ulcer that tunnels into surrounding tissue, such as the vagina or bladder. If an infection occurs, it could be deadly if not treated properly. Meanwhile, feces may pass through the fistulas which only compound the problem.

Patients with chrones are not necessarily sick all the time. They tend to have bouts of inflammation followed by calm times in which their system works fine, or at least as well as a damaged system can. However, this roller coaster often makes it difficult for someone with chrones to function and deal with daily life, as interruptions are always a possibility.

Read More