RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A QUICK GUIDE

  

 Do you know that rheumatoid arthritis can shorten your lifespan by up to ten years?

Do you know that rheumatoid arthritis can shorten your lifespan by up to ten years? It’s about time that you become informed of its symptoms, management, and prevention as early as now.

Not many people know that rheumatoid arthritis affects people of all ages, and it does wreak

 havoc not just on your bones but also on other body organs such as your heart, blood vessels, and lungs. This is an autoimmune process that affects your whole body. This is what sets it apart from osteoarthritis, a disease concentrated on the bone.

Are you suffering from rheumatoid arthritis? If so, this article would help you increase your up-to-date information on rheumatoid arthritis.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Facts

● RA is a common type of arthritis. That can affect the hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, neck, jaw, feet, ankles, knees, joints, and hips.

● People between the ages between 25 and 50 are more prone to arthritis, though it may occur at any age.

● It mostly affects women three times more often than men.

● Treatment for RA involves medications, physical therapies, and patient education and support to control pain, and minimize joint damage.

 Rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common connective tissue disease.

When our immune system mistakenly attacks its tissues, including the delicate membranes it encapsulates most joints. The white blood cells move into the bones. They release chemicals called cytokines which attack the lining of the joint, called the synovial membrane. Thick tissue called Pannus grows inside the joint. Over time, that tissue invades and destroys cartilage and bone inside the bone. The initial symptoms usually affect the wrists, knuckles, balls of the feet, and knees.

 Also, rheumatoid arthritis can cause fatigue and potentially lead to long-term joint deformities.

 Types of Rheumatoid arthritis

 Nowadays, research is being conducted to find ways to classify the types of rheumatoid arthritis by the actual symptoms patients experience, in addition to other factors. It will help the patient choose personalized therapy and medical treatment options. Doctors determine whether the patient has seropositive rheumatoid arthritis or seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

 Seropositive

Rheumatoid arthritis patients have the presence of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptides (anti-CCPs) in their blood test results.

Seronegative

Without the presence of antibodies in the blood, the patient can develop rheumatoid arthritis. The patients do not test positive for the anti-CCPs or other antibodies. It can be diagnosed still in some ways including the demonstration of clinical rheumatoid arthritis symptoms, as well as X-ray results indicating patterns of cartilage and bone deterioration.

 Rheumatoid Factor

The rheumatoid Factor is another type or classification of RA. It can appear in patients who have other disease conditions. Hence, this antibody is used to determine the presence of the autoimmune disorder that causes rheumatoid arthritis. Patients who have positive anti-CCPs results also tested positive for RA.

 Juvenile RA

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis affects younger age under 17 years old. Its symptoms can be persistent.

 Causes of Rheumatoid arthritis

 The mystery that remains surrounding the direct cause of rheumatoid arthritis makes it difficult to categorize the disease. It can affect patients from a variety of backgrounds, so it is difficult to determine one specific cause. 

 What causes the autoimmune disease to develop in individual patients is still unknown. 

Environmental exposures, age, sex, family history, and lifestyle play a vital role to develop arthritis.

Symptoms and Signs

 Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis may vary from person to person. It includes swelling, stiffness, and deformities of the joints, most commonly in the hands, wrists, and feet; typically, joints on both sides of the body are affected. This painful feeling of disease is due to inflammation. 

 Complications

Rheumatoid arthritis increases your risk of developing:

●   Osteoporosis. Some medications weaken the bones and make them more prone to fracture.

●  Rheumatoid nodules. These firm bumps of tissue most commonly form around pressure points, such as the elbows.

●  Dry eyes and mouth. People who have RA may experience drying of the mouth and eyes.

● Infections. The disease itself and the medications can lead to a risk of invasion of microorganisms in the body tissues.

●  Abnormal body composition. RA‐associated disease and treatment characteristics contribute to this increase in unusual body composition.

●  Carpal tunnel syndrome.  If rheumatoid arthritis affects your wrists, the inflammation can compress the nerve which runs the length of the arm and goes through a passage in the wrist.

●  Heart problems. The hardened and blocked arteries, as well as inflammatory conditions of the sac that encloses your heart increased the risk of developing heart disease.

●   Lung DISEASE. Certain drugs used in the treatment of RA can have a potentially harmful effect on the lung. It can cause acute lung inflammation.

● Lymphoma. Lymphoma is a blood cancer in the lymphatic system (a part of your immune system that helps fight off infection and disease) Chronic inflammation is the highest risk for developing lymphoma.

Diagnosis

 Diagnosis and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is quite a challenge. It is difficult to get an accurate diagnosis because the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are the same as other forms of arthritis.

 To confirm the doctor’s suspicions and to make an accurate diagnosis, the patient may carry out a physical examination as well as significant tests.  These includes:

●       Antinuclear antibody (ANA)

●        Rheumatoid factor (RF), to identify and measure the level of an antibody that acts against the blood component gamma globulin

●       Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), to check the presence of a particular autoantibody that is present in approximately 60-80% of people with RA.

●       Uric acid elevated level of uric acid in the blood causes inflammation and severe pain.

●       HLA tissue typing detects the presence of specific genetic markers in the blood, and can often confirm reactive arthritis.

●       Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, to measure how fast red blood cells cling together, fall, and settle.

●        C-reactive protein, a blood test that measures body-wide inflammation

●       Lyme serology detects an immune response to the infectious agent

●       Joint fluid test- An examination of the fluid may reveal uric acid crystals

 When to see a doctor?

If you are experiencing joint pain, swelling, or other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, it is necessary to speak to your doctor. They will assess the appropriate treatment best for your condition, and keep your health in check.

 Prevention

 There’s no way to prevent rheumatoid arthritis. However, you have all the power to help yourself control your RA every day. Definite lifestyle changes may also help reduce your symptoms:

●       Aerobic exercise and strength training

●   Balance diet. Eating food that focuses on low-inflammatory foods, and less processed sugar and wheat

●       Quit smoking

●       Practice a balanced diet

●       Boost your vitamin D by having your daily dose of morning sunshine

●       Limit caffeine intake from coffee, teas, chocolate, and soda

  In inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, there are always good days and sick days. This condition requires vigilance. Particularly symptoms change over time. Always keep in mind there are a lot of options available to you, so if one approach does not work, another one might do.

TYPES OF ARTHRITIS

 

Have you been skipping exercise because of joint pain? 
Can you barely get out of bed in the morning?  

If so, you might have arthritis.

    Throughout your life, you‘ve probably heard about arthritis or joint pain. Joint pain is not a regular part of life. There are more than hundreds of to date identified conditions. Many sufferers found a problem in performing daily tasks and in some cases their situation keeps them from working at all.
 
Arthritis means joint inflammation or any disease that can cause joint pain. Symptoms may come and go, and the joint pain may progress or get worse over time. 
Anyone can have arthritis at any time and from any walk of life, and women have more chances of having this disease.
 
Although arthritis is widespread, is not well understood. Most types of arthritis fall into one of two categories: or inflammatory arthritis, degenerative arthritis such as osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
 
The symptoms of most types of arthritis include pain, stiffness, and swelling in the joint. People who have arthritis might not complain of inflammation in the joint, but the common complaint is pain. If untreated, arthritis can cause permanent joint changes.
 
There are different types of arthritis:
 

• Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)

The word Ankylosing Spondylitis means rigid. The bones and the spine become stiff or unable to bend.  It mostly affects men more than women.
It mainly affects the spine, when the ligaments fuse. Pain and stiffness are primarily the symptoms of this disease. If diagnosed by a blood test, a relatively specific and reliable lab test is necessary.
If you have AS, you still can lead full and active lives, because the condition can be well controlled. The important thing you can do is regular exercise, which helps to keep your spine mobile and flexible.
 

• Bursitis

It happens when the bursa (fluid fields sacks that cushion your tendons, muscles, and skin)is inflamed. It is a condition that can cause pain or swelling next to a joint.  Most of the time, bursitis happens around the shoulder, elbow, hip, or knee. It can also occur around other joints in the body.  Injury and overuse are common causes of bursitis. You might even get bursitis from putting pressure on a joint for a long time.

•  Gout
  

The cause of gout is the dysfunction of the kidneys. The kidneys are supposed to clean up crystals out of the blood and fluid of the body, and if that is dysfunctional and unable to discharge the waste, those crystals stay in the blood or stay in the fluids. Those crystals circulate the body, and they get deposited in the joints.  These crystals inside joints lead to intense pain. Gout commonly affects on joints such as the foot, elbow, knee, and fingertips.  Family history, age, diet, alcohol use, and can affect your risk of developing gout.

•  Fibromyalgia

It is a widespread musculoskeletal disorder,  often referred to as an invisible illness accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues.
People living with Fibromyalgia are often victims of stiff joints, headaches, and depression. Sleeplessness and brain fog accompany the usual symptoms. The pain is not related to inflammation. Pain, fatigue, and tenderness are persistent for a long time.
Medications, cognitive behavioral therapies, and gentle exercise are the most common combination of multi-disciplinary approaches to manage and find relief from the symptoms.

•  Juvenile Arthritis

It is an autoimmune disease that affects children, usually before 16 years of age. This form is often seen initially by orthopedists, associated with iritis and blindness, and we can prevent it by early diagnosis and early management. Initial management prevents the complications of arthritis a pediatric rheumatologist.

•  Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative kind of arthritis that is usually seen in older people. The breaking down of cartilage in a joint from aging or repetitive movements. The joints most commonly affected are the hands, knees, hips, and spine. Medications and physical therapy exercises can help reduce the pain and increases muscle strength.

•  Pseudogout (CPPD)

It is a  joint disease that can cause attacks of arthritis. It happens when calcium pyrophosphate crystals build up in a joint. Crystals formed in salt instead of uric acid. These lead to an attack of joint swelling and pain in knees, ankles, and other joints.

• Psoriatic Arthritis

Psoriatic Arthritis presents itself with scaly, patchy, plaques that can be silvery or red. Skin symptoms generally present before joint problems are detected. Arthritis may result from a combination of family, environmental, and immune factors.
The strongest underlying risk factor for psoriasis is hereditary, though sometimes it may be linked to previous infections.

• Reactive Arthritis

Reactive Arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis that develops in response to an infection in another part of the body, meaning, it happens as a reaction to an infection. It can be anything from a bacterial infection or can be a viral virus infection. It causes fever, pain, and inflammation in the joints and also eye and skin problems. 
There is no cure for reactive arthritis. However, treatments for reactive arthritis can help reduce or relieve your symptoms.
 

• Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is another autoimmune disorder where the body attacks the synovial fluid in the joints, leading to stiffness, pain, and possibly deformities in the affected joints. It is one of the most known chronic inflammatory diseases.
There are many types of medication to help reduce the pain, inflammation, and long-term complications of RA. Some help to reduce flares and limit the damage that RA does to your joints. The doctor will determine the best types of treatments for you.
  
    Coping with joint pain can be the hardest part of living with arthritis. You may want or need to make some changes in your life.
 
    Remember that arthritis is a chronic condition, which means it does not go away, and will likely require lengthy treatment. Being diagnosed with arthritis does not mean you can't live a happy and healthy life.
 
    A step toward controlling it is getting an early diagnosis and starting treatment as soon as possible. Learning about the illness and its treatment options, making time for physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight is very important. You have to get moving and stay positive.

YOGA FOR ARTHRITIS

 

      Yoga is receiving a great deal of attention recently. Some famous faces are real yoga converts and have made it a part of their daily routine.

    Kate Hudson, Justin Timberlake, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Robert Downey Jr, Beyonce, Tom Hanks, and many more. We never knew these celebs were such die-hard yogis.

    Some arthritis patients also turn to yoga. Having arthritis does not prevent individuals from trying these alternatives to traditional exercise. However, for many people, yoga may bring to mind the poses requiring considerable strength and balance.

What is yoga?

    Yoga is from a Sanskrit word meaning “to yoke” or “to unite.” It originated in India. Yoga focuses on unifying the mind, body, and spirit, and fostering a greater feeling of connection between the individual and his/her surroundings.

Yoga has spiritual roots, with the primary goal of helping individuals to realize true happiness, freedom, or enlightenment. Beyond this, however, yoga has several secondary purposes, such as improving physical health and enhancing mental well-being and emotional balance.

Yoga included both seated and standing poses, as well as breathing exercises, with a focus on relaxation and meditation. Experts found that the gentle style helped ease pain and increase mobility for people with arthritis.

There are four types of yoga for those with arthritis.  Any of the categories may be a good fit for everyone. These include:

●     Iyengar

Iyengar yoga gives importance to the alignment of the body and precise movements. The utilization of props such as ropes or blocks in poses that are held for long periods and often modified is designed to cultivate strength, flexibility, stability, and awareness, and can be therapeutic for specific conditions

 ●     Bikram

Bikram yoga is hot yoga, but hotter— the sequence of postures and breathing exercises must be performed within 90 minutes in a 104-degree heated room to allow the body to stretch, detoxify, relieve stress, tone, and heal chronic pain such as arthritis, joint aches, knee injuries, back problems, and more. Bikram yoga is not advisable for patients with heart disease.

 ●     Viniyoga

Viniyoga is another type of yoga therapy. It focuses on breathing. Viniyoga is adaptable. Each movement coordinates with the breath, creating inner awareness. A person may breathe in and out, and hold postures for extended periods of time, which make it an excellent choice, especially for beginners in yoga practices.

 ●     Ashtanga

    This style of yoga incorporates aerobic movements like push-ups and lunges. It is called "power yoga." Ashtanga is suited for a person with mild arthritis and in good shape. 

    Ashtanga also is known as the “yoga of techniques,” for the reason that employs a multitude of techniques, such as postures, breathing, concentration, and meditation exercises.

     Yoga suggests simple stretches or poses. These poses of yoga for arthritis must be practiced daily. Massaging the joints with oil strengthens the bones and eases the swelling and pain in the joints.

 The easiest and most effective stretches for arthritic pain are:

• Triceps stretch

 

    The tricep stretch isolates the tricep muscle, which runs along the back of the arm, from the scapula (shoulder blade) to the ulna or forearm.

    The triceps stretch improves flexibility and range of motion. After an upper body workout routine, that includes pushing or pressing movements, it is essential to stretch the triceps to prevent soreness and tightening of the muscles.

• Eagle Pose

    Eagle Pose, named after the mythological Hindu “king of the birds,” known as Garuda or Eagle. Eagle Pose is a standing balance pose using the breath and the gaze. This posture will help calm the mind and release distractions, allowing for quiet poise and stability in the position. Eagle Pose requires strength, flexibility, and endurance of the body.

•  Knee To Chest Pose

    The Knee To Chest Pose is rarely referred to by its Sanskrit name — Apanasana. This pose is suitable for all. It is a great hip opener. Practicing knee-to-chest poses is a gentle way to restore proper flow and function to the organs of the torso. It releases excess pressure from the digestive organs, and low back, as well as the mind. It also eases anxiety.

Practice this pose in the morning and before going to bed. It is a simple way to encourage the body, mind, and spirit to remain pure and balanced throughout the day! It helps in curing gastric problems and is known to relieve knee pain.

• Pigeon Pose

    Pigeon Pose or Eka Pada Rajakapotasana gives the body a fantastic stretch. It is a useful hip opener. It is an intermediate pose and works on all the joint areas in the body. It strengthens the groin area. Pigeon pose is helpful in finding relief from sciatica and back pain as well as releasing built-up stress, trauma, fear, and anxiety.

     For beginners, it is essential to find an instructor who has experience working with people with chronic conditions like arthritis. A well-trained and experienced yoga instructor will be able to offer more individual guidance to adapt the poses to a person's needs and limitations.

      Another thing is, to be sure to consult a doctor. It is still best to tell the doctor about the condition a person may have before starting a new exercise program.

    Arthritis can take over life, making the simplest of tasks seem like a battle.  Practicing yoga therapy can get a person with arthritis back into their life. Daily yoga practice generates many benefits. Pure, gentle movements that gradually build strength, balance, and flexibility – all elements are beneficial especially to older adults.

         Try and practice yoga every day—it will give the joints a new lease on life!

Using Heat and Cold for Pain Relief

 

Do you ever know why your mom put ice on that achy bump you got when you were a kid? 

The reason is: We often apply ice or heat to provide relief from injuries, aches, and pains.

Ice or heat has been used for many years to treat arthritis pain, and many people have found them useful. It is a safe therapy that makes people feel better and has some effect on pain levels.

Ever wondered if we should use ice for arthritis pain or use a heat pack instead? Using hot or cold compresses is the best solution for treating chronic arthritis and pain management problem. The correct combination of both ice and heat can even help reduce arthritis pain. Heat and cold therapy have their distinct uses. One is not interchangeable with the other. You must be able to identify when to use heat and when to use ice for pain. These two aren’t similar at all.

 Knowing when to apply heat and ice to injuries can be tricky—but what about using both together? There are different directions or ways to apply temperature treatment, and patients often get confused about when to apply heat and cold for arthritis.

How does heat therapy work?

Heat treatments for arthritis, such as heating pads or warm baths, tend to work best for soothing stiff joints and tired muscles. Heat enhances circulation, delivering nutrients to joints and muscles. It is suitable for getting our body to be flexible for any activity.

Examples of Heat treatments are:      

●     Hot baths, showers, and pools. Take a warm bath to ease morning stiffness.

●     Heating pads. Use a heating pad for up to 20 minutes at a time. Alternatively, buy an air-activated portable heat pack when needed.

●     Paraffin baths. It is available at many drugstores or beauty-supply stores, for sore hand or foot joints.

●     Hot-water bottles. A simple, comfortable temperature treatment for arthritis-related joint pain is to apply a hot-water bottle to the aching joint.

●     Store-bought patches, belts, packs, and wraps. Many people prefer disposable drugstore options, like self-adhesive patches. These are more expensive, and convenient but not reusable. The design varies for different purposes.  Some are for the knees, neck, hand, or other joints, some of which are for cold therapy.

  How do cold treatments work?

Cold therapy is the best treatment for arthritis. The ice helps to manage acute pain since it restricts blood vessels the same way that ice cubes can numb your fingers. The cold slows circulation and eventually reduces swelling reduce and inflammation. Ice should be applied early and often for the first 48 hours.

The following forms of cold therapy provide the best pain relief.

 1.    Reusable cold pack

Many types of reusable cold packs (such as those filled with gel. It is needed to keep it in the freezer and take it out when ready for use when needed, and re-frozen after each use. These cold packs are available at drugstores and general merchandise stores.

2.      Homemade cold packs

People with arthritis pain can make cold packs with items they already have at home:

• Plastic baggie and ice. Wrapped the bag in a towel before applying it to the painful area to protect the skin from ice burn. Apply it to sensitive areas for no more than 20 minutes at a time.
• A cold towel. A cloth with cold water or place it in a plastic bag put it in the freezer for ten to twenty minutes, and place it on the aching joint
• Sponge. Wet a sponge, place it in a plastic bag, and put it in the freezer. After it is frozen applied the sponge to the swelling joint.
• A cloth can be wrapped around the bag to protect the skin if needed.
• Rice. Create a reusable cold pack by filling a sock with rice and placing it in the freezer. Rice will get as cold as ice, and the right thing is it does not melt. Rice can also be used for hot therapy. Put rice in a sock and place it in a microwave. Heat for 10 seconds or until warm.  Place it with caution at the affected joint as microwave heating can cause uneven temperatures, and sometimes it can also lead to burns on the area of contact.\
• Gel-type pack. Try a store-bought gel cold pack; it will not leak. These are full of gel that stays cold when placed in the freezer. It is also reusable, which is appealing for cost
• Frozen bag of peas. For a quick cold therapy grab any frozen vegetable or a bag of frozen peas and apply it to the sore area.

3.    Instant ice packs (disposable ice packs) They stay cold for an extended period while being used at room temperature.

 What are the precautions when using heat and ice?

Ice causes a longer-lasting effect on circulation than heat. Also, the painkilling properties of ice are more profound and longer-lasting than those of warm compress. There are situations where heat and cold therapy should not be applied.

Do not use the ice pack to the following conditions:

• on the left shoulder if one has a heart condition.
• Around the side or front of the neck.
• Over areas of skin with poor condition,  sensation, and poor circulation.
•  Have diabetes.
• In the presence of infection.

  Temperature-inspired therapy for arthritis work by soothing the stiff joints and tired muscles that gradually result in pain reduction.  Generally speaking, ice works well after a sudden injury while heat helps to soothe ongoing muscle aches and pains.

 In some cases, Individuals experiments with the application of both heat and cold therapies to determine which one works best. The good thing is, that heat and cold treatments prove to be the easiest, medication-free, inexpensive, and most effective methods of relieving joint pain and stiffness.

 It is essential to be careful in using temperature therapy to manage arthritis pain, or else you might end up with damaged skin. Always remember that for persistent swelling and no reduction in pain within 24 hours, visit the doctor. It might not be simple arthritis but could be a severe injury, fracture, or dislocation in the joints.

 

Importance of instructional materials in the academic performance of the pupils

   

  Instructional materials are the key to improving the academic performance of pupils. They can be used to improve skills and knowledge in various subjects. Instructional materials that are engaging and interactive will help pupils to learn better than instructional materials that are not

    The importance of instructional materials in the academic performance of pupils is a topic that has been of interest to educationalists for many years.

    There are many studies that show the importance of instructional materials in academic performance. There are also studies that show the importance of instructional materials in academic performance and how they can affect students.

    In recent decades, the field of education has been put under a great deal of pressure. There are many factors that have contributed to this, such as increased competition from other countries and the need for educational institutions to meet certain standards. One of the most significant factors is the increase in digital devices and how they are used by students. This has led to a decrease in instructional materials such as books and workbooks.

    There is an ongoing debate about whether or not instructional materials are important for academic performance. Some people believe that they are not that important because they can be replaced with digital devices such as tablets or laptops. Other people believe that instructional materials should be used because it is a good way for students to learn in different ways and it helps them study more efficiently due to the interactive nature of these materials.

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