Acid Reflux - Causes and Natural Remedies

If you suffer from acid reflux disease, there are ways in which you can reduce your suffering.

 

Natural stomach acid is in your stomach for a reason. The actual acid is not the cause of acid reflux disease. It is not a nasty poison that someone put there. The acid breaks down foods and sorts them out into the right department so to speak.  Proper digestion depends on the presence of adequate stomach acid while you are eating.  

 

When you eat, food moves from the mouth through the oesophagus and into the stomach to be digested. At the end of the oesophagus, there is a band of muscles that open and allow the food to go into the stomach. It then closes to prevent the food and acid from coming back up into the oesophagus. Many people experience acid reflux when foods or digestive juices escape the stomach and come back up through the oesophagus.  

 

To make sure your stomach has enough acid at mealtimes, make sure you chew your food thoroughly. Getting saliva mixed into the food as you chew will get the digestion process off to a good start.  

 

Snacking throughout the day causes the stomach to pump out acid gradually instead of saving it for mealtimes when it is needed the most. It is best to not eating closer than three hours apart. For example - if you eat breakfast at six a.m. and lunch at twelve p.m. then a snack at nine a.m. would be fine.  

 

Next, make sure you do not drink too much liquid while eating a meal. Too much liquid dilutes the necessary acid in the stomach. The best policy is to drink a glass of water 30 minutes to one hour before or after your meal, with only a few ounces consumed during the meal. After you have eaten, one hour or two feel free to guzzle down all the pure natural water you want.  

 

Another cause of acid reflux comes from eating large meals. This increases pressure on the stomach causing the stomach contents to be forced out and up into the oesophagus. You will need to give your body at least two hours to digest your food properly.  In addition, never ever lie down immediately after eating a large meal. 

 

To avoid overproduction of acid eat smaller portions of food at each meal. It would also help a lot to eliminate any fried food or food that contains refined sugar, or caffeine.  

 

Obesity can also increase abdominal pressure, and your risk of suffering from acid reflux as well. If you are overweight, cutting back on the amounts of food that you eat at each meal, and exercising daily should put you on the right path to helping you shed a few pounds.  

 

Acid reflux is caused in some people when the sphincter muscle at the end of the oesophagus becomes weak or does not close correctly. Prescription drugs, certain foods, alcohol, and smoking have been known to weaken the sphincter muscles.  

 

Try not to use antacids since they cut down the acids you will need when you eat.  Without enough acid, your stomach is unable to do its job of breaking down the food into the various nutrient components.  

 

Inadequate digestion of proteins can cause the liver to increase production of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, which is the bad cholesterol that does the most damage to your body.  

 

Instead of taking antacids, try the following natural approach. If you still have sour stomach in between meals try eating something that will settle it without triggering more acid production such as sauerkraut. Your stomach should relax after eating sauerkraut in five to ten minutes. 

 

The benefits of natural solutions are they normally cost a lot less, but even more important is the fact that natural solutions are a healthier alternative. They tend to reduce the possibility of becoming dependant on addictive chemical drugs.  

 

There are also three herbs that are well known for soothing stomach muscles, which are chamomile, gentian, and ginger. If your problem does not respond successfully to natural remedies within a few days, please see your health care provider.

Acid Reflux Disease

Commonly called 'heart burn', acid reflux disease is a condition in which the liquid content of the stomach regurgitates (backs up, or refluxes) into the oesophagus.

 

It's annoying and painful.

 

But you want to know the truth, the reflux of the stomach's liquid contents into the oesophagus occurs in most normal individuals. However, when heartburn becomes acid reflux disease or Gastro oesophageal reflux disease, commonly referred to as GERD, it is s real problem. That is because with GERD, the acid is stronger and stays in the oesophagus longer causing more discomfort.

 

Most often, you will experience this during the daytime when you are upright, sitting straight, or standing. Your body handles this reflux by the fluid flowing back down into your stomach. You swallow more during the daytime therefore draining the acid back to where it belongs. Your salivary glands produce saliva that also contains bicarbonate that acts to neutralize the acid your stomach has kicked up.

 

At night though, you may have a greater problem when acid reflux disease occurs that is because while sleeping, gravity does not work as well lying down, your constant swallowing stops, and the production of saliva is reduced.

 

Certain conditions make a person more prone to acid reflux disease, this GERD. For example, while you are pregnant, this can be a serious problem. Elevated hormone levels of pregnancy probably cause reflux by lowering the pressure in that part of your body known as the lower oesophageal sphincter. Also, the growing baby puts more pressure on the abdomen. Both of these effects of pregnancy tend to increase the risk of GERD.

 

If your acid reflux disease is a minor condition, then you should only experience minor symptoms. These would include primarily heartburn, regurgitation, and nausea. However, if the condition is complicated, then watch out for the following symptoms.

 

The liquid that comes back into the oesophagus damages the lining of the oesophagus. The body tries to protect itself from the acid reflux disease by 'inflaming' the oesophagus. Trying to speed the healing process through the inflammation, the wall of the oesophagus may form an ulcer. The ulcer is a break in the lining of the oesophagus wall. Then what happens is that there may be bleeding. If the bleeding is very severe, patients might need a blood transfusion or even surgical treatment.

 

If your heartburn is severe or acute, happening very frequently, you need to see a doctor.

 

What can you do for yourself to help the condition? Try sleeping a pillow a night that raises your chest up slightly so that gravity can bring the acid back down more easily. Since this condition usually occurs on a full stomach, eat earlier and eat less to keep the stomach from being too full. Ease off on the chocolate, peppermint, alcohol, and caffeinated drinks. Reduce fatty foods and of course, cut down or quit smoking. Other foods may aggravate the conditions. Avoid spicy or acid-containing foods, like citrus juices, carbonated beverages, and tomato juice.

Acid Reflux Disease in Infants

Some medical conditions have no respect for age; the young or the old, and Acid Reflux, also known in medical terms as Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) seems to be one of them.

 

The lower end of the oesophagus is protected by a valve called the Lower Oesophageal sphincter (LES). This valve opens to allow food from the oesophagus into the stomach and then closes up to protect the oesophagus from the acid content of the stomach. Several conditions can compromise this valve, allowing gastric content into the oesophagus. As in adults, infants also suffer from heartburn on occasions. This is mainly attributed to the fact that infants consume essentially liquid and soft foods, which tend to be rich in diary proteins. The most unfortunate part of infant acid reflux disease is that, unlike in adults, it is very difficult to determine if an infant has developed chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease. An infant is most unlikely to be able to complain of heartburn or any symptoms of the disease.

 

Acid reflux in infants is always as a result of a lot of factors, however, most of the causative factors tend to be aggravated by the fact that infants, spend a great deal of their days lying on their back or in a supine position and consume mostly liquid food. The tendency for liquid food to cause regurgitation, when combined with the pressure lying in a supine position exerts on the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) constitutes a greater risk of reflux acid incidence in infants. The incidence, however, could also be attributed to some other factors like, the anatomy of the infant's stomach, improper or incomplete development of the lower oesophageal sphincter during foetal growth, poor diet, overweight, food allergies and a host of other factors.

 

Because infants, unlike adults, cannot complain of symptoms or explain how they feel, it is always very difficult to know when an infant is suffering from acid reflux. The best bet is to consult a paediatrician. Nevertheless, there are signs and clues that you may look out for in your infant that could suggest the presence of the disease. Some of these clues are:

 

• Sleeping problems
• Coughing
• Weight loss 
• Lack of appetite 
• Spitting up frequently 
• Apnoea
• Unusual irritability
• Chest pain
• Sore throat 
• Bad breath
• Crying

 

Acid reflux disease can also cause respiratory problems including pneumonia, strictures and ulcerations on the oesophageal wall, and malnourishment. Although, these signs don't always mean your infant is suffering from acid reflux disease, but they constitute a good enough reason to go see your paediatrician.

 

Of course, there are a few things you could do to help your child avoid acid reflux. Simple things like changing the child's food, keeping him/her upright for some time, especially after eating, keeping an eye on the child for any sign of chest pain or heartburn and a host of others. This extra attention could be all your child really needs.

Acid Reflux Disease, Causes and Effects

To counter the surge in the prevalence of acid reflux, lots of over the counter medications have been churned out of our pharmaceutical companies. A lot of theories abound, medically and naturally, about the root cause of this disease.

 

The first explanation for the cause of this condition is that because of the incompetence of the Lower Oesophageal Sphincter (LES) acidic contents of the stomach are allowed up into the oesophagus, which results in a burning sensation. The LES is a valve that is found at the lower end of the oesophagus and separates it from the stomach and its contents but when this valve becomes dysfunctional, it allows the acidic content of the stomach to be regurgitated into the oesophagus.

 

A separate school of thought believes that acidic reflux disease is caused by our eating habits. As it's often said, living in the civilized world entails eating more junk food and packaged and processed food than the stomach can digest. So, when we put so much into the stomach, most of the food ends up undigested. These undigested food materials turn into acidic waste in the stomach. This waste causes stomach spasms or twitching that causes an increase in stomach gas that pops open the LES valve between the oesophagus and stomach sending acidic contents up the oesophagus.

 

Yet, acidic reflux disease can be traced to aging in adults. It is believed in some quarters that as we age, the activity of the stomach reduces, so also its ability to produce hydrochloric acid. The reduction in the stomach activity and acid content of the stomach creates a breeding ground for infections which in themselves cause stomach pain and acid production leading to further symptoms of acid reflux.

 

Whatever the cause of acid reflux disease, what is constant about it, is the fact that it is a chronic disease. Most medicines, which inhibit production of acid in the stomach, only help to relieve the burning effect and other symptoms and not actually cure the condition. As a matter of fact, these drugs help in relieving the symptoms quite effectively, but the other side of the coin is that these drugs also cause several side effects in the body by cutting down the acid production in your stomach. Some of their side effects are that they reduce the ability of the stomach to digest food efficiently, they make you more vulnerable to diseases and microbes transmitted through food, increases the risk of food poisoning and a host of others.

 

While there are many medications and natural methods to rid yourself of that burning sensation that accompanies each acid reflux bout, the first line of action should be a thorough assessment of the your food and lifestyle. Some food materials are known to aggravate acid reflux, some of the foods include; citrus, caffeine, chocolate, fatty fried foods, garlic, and onions. Cutting down or avoiding these foods as much as possible is a good first attempt at preventing future acid reflux bouts.

 

Additional lifestyle assessment and modification that can help reduce acid reflux episodes include:

 

• Losing weight if you are overweight 
• Cutting down alcohol to the barest minimum 
• Eating just enough food to keep hunger away 
• Don't go to bed until at least three hours after eating 
• Raise your bed head six to eight inches

 

These very simple lifestyle improvements can keep you off those acid blockers and other acid reflux medications that cause almost the same amount of damage as the good they do to your body.

Acid Reflux - Causes

There are various causes of acid reflux. Knowing the causes can help you to seek the proper treatment.

 

Acid reflux or GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) occurs when the liquid that is in the stomach backs up into the oesophagus. This is usually a condition which persists throughout the life of the individual. Because the acid backs up into the oesophagus, the oesophagus may be damaged. 

 

Acid reflux (GERD) can have many causes. The action of the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) may be one cause. The oesophagus connects to the stomach. There is a muscle ring that goes around the end of the oesophagus at the point where it meets the stomach. This is the LES. When we eat or drink the LES allows the food to pass into the stomach and then the muscle ring closes so the food does not reflux. People with acid reflux (GERD) may have abnormalities with their LES. The LES may have a weak contraction so there is a very good chance of reflux. Or, the LES may be too relaxed. The longer the LES is open (relaxed) reflux can easily occur.  

 

Another cause of acid reflux (GERD) is a hiatal hernia. Some people with acid reflux have hiatal hernias and some do not. Hiatal hernias are not a pre-requisite for acid reflux, but a large amount of people with acid reflux DO have hiatal hernias. A hiatal hernia disrupts the location of the LES. The LES should be on a level with the diaphragm but due to the hiatal hernia the LES is pushed up and lies in the chest. This is a problem because the diaphragm is a large part of helping the LES to prevent reflux. Now the pressure of both the LES and diaphragm are not working as a strong unit. The hiatal hernia contributes to the reflux because of the decreased pressure.  

 

Acid reflux can also be caused by a hiatal hernia due to the hernial sac. The location of the sac is near the oesophagus. Acid gets trapped in the sac. Because the sac is so close to the oesophagus, when the LES relaxes, it is easy to reflux.  

 

The hiatal hernia can lead to acid reflux in a third way. Normally the oesophagus connects to the stomach at an angle creating a flap of tissue. The hiatal hernia leads to the flap becoming warped and therefore it is useless to stop reflux.  

 

People with acid reflux have a problem with the contraction of the oesophageal muscles when they swallow. This is an issue because the contraction pushes all of the items in the oesophagus into the stomach. If there is not a good contraction then the acid does not get pushed back and remains in the oesophagus. Smoking disturbs the clearing of the oesophagus too. It takes about six hours from the last cigarette you smoke for the effect on the oesophagus to wear off.  

 

Acid reflux is most common after meals. It is always better to be vertical so gravity can help the acid move down into the stomach. Large meals are not recommended for people with acid reflux.  

 

There are many different reasons people may have acid reflux. Learning the cause may help in your quest to relieve some of the discomfort of acid reflux.

About Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy is a general term describing a group of chronic non-progressive neurological symptoms which cause impaired control of movement and which are evident in the first few years of life, usually before age 3. The disorders are induced by damage or faulty development of the motor areas in the brain, disrupting the patient's ability to control movement and posture. Symptoms of cerebral palsy include difficulty with fine motor tasks such as writing, poor balance and walking, and involuntary movements. The exact combination of symptoms differs from patient to patient and may vary over time. Some patients also have seizures and intellectual disability, however, this is not always the case. Babies with cerebral palsy are frequently slower than average in achieving developmental milestones like learning to roll over, sit, crawl, smile, or walk. Cerebral palsy is usually thought of as congenital or perinatal, however, it can also be acquired after birth. Many of the causes of cerebral palsy that have been identified through research are preventable or even treatable: head injury, Rh incompatibility, jaundice and rubella (German measles). 

 

Diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy 

 

Doctors diagnose cerebral palsy by tests of motor skills and reflexes and by medical history. 

 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computerized Tomography (CT) scans are typically ordered when the physician suspects cerebral palsy; however, they are not definitive. These tests can provide evidence of physical abnormalities such as hydrocephalus (an accumulation of fluid in the cerebral ventricles of the brain), and they can be utilized to exclude other brain disorders. These scans do not prove that the patient has cerebral palsy; nor do they predict how well a specific patient will function in the future. Patients with normal scans may have severe symptoms, and while others whose scans are clearly abnormal have only modest physical signs. However, as a group, patients with cerebral palsy are statistically more likely to have brain scars, cysts, and other changes visible on scans. When physical examination suggests cerebral palsy, an abnormal scan helps confirms the clinical diagnosis. 

 

Even though specific symptoms can change as time passes, cerebral palsy by definition isn't progressive, so if a patient shows increasing impairment, the problem is usually another neurological disorder. 

 

Varieties of Cerebral Palsy 

 

Cerebral palsy is classified by the type of movement problem (such as spastic or even athetoid cerebral palsy) or by he body parts affected (hemiplegia, diplegia, and quadriplegia). Spasticity refers to the inability of a muscle to relax, while athetosis refers to an inability to control its movement. Babies who are initially hypotonic ("floppy") may later develop spasticity. Hemiplegia is cerebral palsy that involves 1 arm and 1 leg on one side of the body, whereas diplegia is the involvement of both legs. Quadriplegia refers to symptoms involving all 4 extremities as well as trunk and neck muscles. Balance and coordination problems are referred to as ataxia. 

 

For instance, a patient with spastic diplegia has mostly spastic muscle problems of the legs, while perhaps also displaying a smaller component of athetosis and balance problems. The patient with athetoid quadriplegia, on the more hand, would have lack of control of the muscles of both arms and legs, however such a patient will usually have smaller problems with ataxia and spasticity as well. Normally a child with quadriplegic cerebral palsy will be unable to walk independently. The degree of impairment can vary from patient to patient and range from mild to severe. 

 

Cerebral Palsy Therapy 

 

There is no standard therapy that benefits all patients. Drugs are useful to control seizures and muscle cramps and braces can compensate for muscle imbalance. Surgery, mechanical aids to help overcome impairments, counseling for emotional and psychological needs, and physical, occupational, speech, and behavioral therapy are all effective. 

 

Prognosis for Cerebral Palsy 

 

Though cerebral palsy is incurable to date, many patients can enjoy near-normal lives if their neurological symptoms are properly managed. 

 

Medical Research 

 

There is evidence which suggests that cerebral palsy results from incorrect cell development early in prenatal life. As an example, a group of researchers has recently observed that approximately one-third of cerebral palsy patients also have missing enamel on certain teeth. Bleeding inside the brain, breathing and circulation problems and seizures can all cause cerebral palsy and each has separate causes and treatment. Researchers are currently conducting trials to determine whether certain drugs can help halt neonatal stroke, and more investigators are examining the causes of low birth-weight. More studies are being done to determine how brain trauma (like brain damage from a shortage of oxygen or blood flow, bleeding in the brain, and seizures) can cause the release of brain chemicals which lead to permanent brain damage. 

 

Organizations Funding Cerebral Palsy Research & Therapy 

 

Easter Seals, Epilepsy Foundation, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, United Cerebral Palsy, National Disability Sports Alliance, Children’s Neurobiological Solutions Foundation, Children’s Hemiplegia and Stroke Foundation.

 

About Anorexia

Plainly put, anorexia is an eating disorder where a person starves him or herself. Anorexia mainly affects adolescent girls. They have an intense fear of becoming fat. They think they are overweight, but in fact most anorexics weigh a full 15% below their normal body weight. Anorexia strikes about 1% of adolescent females. This is about one in one hundred women. 

 

Some psychiatrists think anorexia is not just about being thin or fat. It stems from fear a of growing up and losing control. It's about fear of becoming a women, growing up, building relationships, leaving home. 

 

Her body is changing and growing and she doesn't like it and wants to be child sized again. Some psychiatrists think that eating disorders can also be caused by life experiences such abuse. 

 

Some studies have shown that if a mother has anorexia a child is 12 time more likely to develop it than someone with no family history. 

 

The person who suffers with anorexia cannot help herself. She must be treated by a mental health professional experienced in dealing with anorexia. Some receive long term psychotherapy. 

 

The first thing however is to get this girl's health back as best as you can. This person may need to be coaxed to eat, and, may need a supportive caregiver to actually watch to make sure she eats. There are numerous health concerns with anorexia. Some of these are osteoporosis, irregular heart beat and in the most severe of cases permanent failure of normal growth development. Most women sufferers of anorexia will lose their normal menstrual cycle. If an anorexic woman would conceive a child she would be likely to miscarry or have a baby born prematurely. 

 

Without treatment up to twenty percent of anorexia suffers will die. With treatment 60% can recover and maintain healthy weight. However, even with treatment about 20% of people will continue to have an unhealthy lifetime obsession with weight and food. 

 

If you confront a loved one about anorexia get ready to deal with someone in a true state of denial. They will be angry, and may become more withdrawn and depressed. There is nothing that you can do to change your loved one's perception of him or herself. You can't make your loved one eat. There are many organizations that are available to help anorexia sufferers and their families get the help they need.

A Wake-Up Call From The Heart

A new survey of more than 500 heart attack survivors found that survivors see their attack as a wake-up call that gave them a second chance at life.

 

Frank Rella was teaching a high school music class when he had a wake-up call that changed his life. Frank felt pain in his chest and left work early. 

 

When the pain got worse at home, he was rushed by ambulance to the hospital. Frank's greatest fear came true when the doctors said he had a heart attack. 

 

"My heart attack was really a wake-up call," said Rella, a 42-year-old New Jersey resident who became a paramedic after his life-altering heart attack, so he could be on the frontlines of medical care. "I went through a lot of emotions and was worried about having a second attack. So now I make sure to take the right medications and work with my doctor to live a heart-healthy lifestyle." 

 

Frank's story is not uncommon. A new survey of more than 500 heart attack survivors found that survivors see their attack as a wake-up call that gave them a second chance at life. However, most survivors also said their heart attack left them with feelings of depression and hopelessness. In fact, survivors said they feared another heart attack more than death. Even though survivors had these feelings, 40 percent said they were not doing everything they could to prevent another attack. This fact is troubling since one in five men and one in three women will have another heart attack within six years. 

 

"I see these survey results come to life in my practice every day. While many of my patients who have suffered a heart attack are very aware and afraid of their increased risk of having another one, they are not doing everything they can to live a heart-healthy life. The good news is that if they take certain steps, they can prevent another attack. I tell my patients to eat healthy, exercise and take their medications. Those medications may include a beta-blocker, ACE inhibitor, statin and aspirin," said Dr. William Abraham, director of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine at The Ohio State University Medical Center. 

 

In the survey, 80 percent of heart attack survivors said they needed more information to learn about their heart health. As a result, Mended Hearts, a nationwide heart patient support group affiliated with the American Heart Association, started a program called "Heartfelt Wake-Up Call." This program offers education and support to heart attack survivors and their families. For tips on "Heartfelt Living" and "Heartfelt Support," such as information about local support groups, tip sheets, survivors' stories and heart-healthy recipes, visit www.mendedhearts.org. 

 

GlaxoSmithKline provided funding and assistance in the development of "Heartfelt Wake-Up Call." 

 

"I encourage patients to take their health to heart," said Abraham.

A Summary Of Chronic Hepatitis C Infection

Hepatitis C is a stealthy virus that mutates while hiding in liver cells and other organ cells like the spleen and gall bladder. The fact that the viral cells "hide" makes it very difficult for the body's immune system to eradicate it. Hepatitis C is a slowly progressing disease sometimes taking many years until symptoms are noticeable. It is at this point that the virus has reached advanced chronic stage and becomes difficult to eradicate. Hepatitis C results in 8,000 to 10,000 deaths annually. Hepatitis C is also the leading cause of liver transplants in the U.S.

 

Hepatitis C infection is caused by blood contact with someone who has the virus infection himself. The transmission of the virus can occur by illicit drug use with needles, sharing toothbrushes or razors with an infected person, by sexual means, by unsanitary tattooing or by exposure to blood at your workplace (like a hospital or blood bank). Some HCV infection may have been caused by receiving blood from a transfusion prior to 1992.

 

Hepatitis C is diagnosed via a blood test. Usually, the first thing that is noticed is that the liver enzyme levels for ALT and AST are elevated well above normal levels. Further investigation via HCV-RNA testing identifies whether the Hepatitis C virus is in your blood or not. Other tests for HCV include qualitative viral load tests, which measure the RNA particles in your blood. If you are being treated for HCV, your doctor is probably using either a HCV-RNA or viral load test to determine the effectiveness of the treatment.

 

The symptoms of Hepatitis C infection often do not occur in a person until 20 years after he/she had been infected. Since the HCV infects the liver and the liver is the organ in the body that makes all the energy for our daily activities possible, liver function deterioration often results in fatigue. Fatigue is the primary complaint or symptom of HCV infection. Other more severe symptoms are jaundice (yellowing of the skin/eyes), bile retention (which can cause jaundice), portal vein hypertension, skin rashes and itching, and autoimmune problems resulting from your body's immune system attacking normal cells.

 

Long term HCV infection may result in fibrosis or even cirrhosis of the liver. Fibrosis results from unchecked liver inflammation. As the HCV infection progresses, the damage to the liver results in scarring or hardening of the liver cells (fibrosis). Long term fibrosis may lead to cirrhosis which is when the scarring from fibrosis overtakes the normal liver cell structure causing deformity and loss of function in the liver. About 15%-20% of HCV patients end up with cirrhosis. A liver biopsy is currently the most accurate means of determining the amount of inflammation and fibrosis the liver has sustained.

 

Hepatitis C progression in the body can take several years or even decades to come to chronic stage or to a stage where severe liver damage is evident. This period of time allows a person to determine how to properly treat the disease and to decide on a course of disease management. Currently, the main treatment for HCV infection to eradicate the virus is combo alpha-interferon and Ribavirin. Sometimes a doctor may prescribe interferon alone. Interferon comes in standard form or in pegylated form. Standard form interferon is administered 3 times per week, while the pegylated form is administered only once per week. Your body makes its own interferon, which is a protein that fights viral infection and viral replication.

 

Hepatitis C may often be managed by taking herbal and vitamin supplements that help your body fight infection and limit inflammation. These supplements help your liver with the inflammation and give it the nutrients it needs to regenerate healthy new cells. Your doctor can recommend alternative or adjunct solutions you may want to try.

 

Proper treatment of the disease, a healthy and active lifestyle, a good diet, abstinence from alcohol and stress management are important factors in controlling Hepatitis C progression.

A Brief Introduction To Rheumatoid Arthritis

One out of every seven Americans suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and it's predicted that almost sixty million will suffer from the disease by the year 2020.

 

This is according to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

 

You might not know it, but you could be suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Although rheumatoid arthritis is commonly associated with the older generation (people over the age of 65), the disease is found in younger generations - even including children. How could you tell if you have it? Well if you're experiencing morning stiffness for no apparent reason (like if you had done a lot of strenuous exercise the night before, for example), you might be suffering from one of it's symptoms. As mild as you might think morning stiffness is, you really ought to give it some serious thought and consult with your doctor because if that morning stiffness is related to rheumatoid arthritis, you can work to prevent it from disabling or crippling you later on down the road to a point where you can barely function. But rheumatoid arthritis isn't just a physical condition. It has the propensity to tax your mental and emotional state of well-being tpp.

 

This is because arthritis can change the way you work, the way you interact with your family, and the way you entertain yourself with recreational activities. You might even know someone with rheumatoid arthritis and have observed how this disease changed not only his or her mobility, but also his or her outlook on life. Those of us without rheumatoid arthritis tend to take our ability to move anyway we want for granted, but when that ability slowly disappears right before our eyes, it's no surprise that we get depressed about it.

 

But it doesn't necessary have to be that way. With proper medications, education, support, and prescribed exercises, you could work to prevent the most severe forms of the disease - or at least prolong the worst case symptoms.

 

Arthritis works in two ways. First, it inflames the muscles, ligaments, and cartilage that sit in-between joints. And it's this inflammation that causes the pain, swelling, and heat. Those are symptoms that are typical indications of an injury and they're vital to understanding more about this disease. Second, arthritis works by releasing enzymes that basically consume or otherwise destroy the muscles, ligaments, and cartilage that have become inflamed to a point where they're not very useful and don't allow for easy movement. In the worse cases, cartilage disappears completely and as you can guess, this is extremely crippling and uncomfortable.

 

That's why we call rheumatoid arthritis a disease. Typically, inflamed muscles, ligaments, and cartilage are the result of an injury, like falling on the knees for example. But with arthritis, no injury has to occur. In fact, arthritis is a type of autoimmune disease and the cartilage inside joints is one of the things that it destroys. And any joint can be affected - one, two, maybe even more but most of the time, the disease targets fingers, hips, feet, and knees.