| Arthritic Syndromes General The types of arthritis fall into several groups: degenerative, metabolic and immune system-mediated. The degenerative is osteoarthritis and is the most common type and the percentage of elderly individuals who suffer with this type is very high. The common metabolic type is gouty arthritis and is related to deposition of uric acid crystals in the joint spaces. The immune mediated types can be found as primary like in Rheumatoid arthritis or as part of the various autoimmune syndromes (Lupus, and Scleroderma etc.). The last type which is immune mediated, is psoriatic and is found in a small percentage of individual with psoriasis. This discussion will only deal with polyarthritis both of the immune and degenerative types. These are: ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic, rheumatoid, autoimmune and allergic type. The non-inflammatory types are: traumatic, hemochromatosis related and general osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis This is a disorder of localized areas of the joints. Two thirds of the sufferers are female. The first symptoms occur in middle age or later. The area of damage in this illness is cartilage which acts as a sponge cushion where bone meets bone. In this illness the cushion gradually disintegrates. It has been shown recently that an enzyme that degrades collagen is overactive in osteoarthritis. In addition to the destruction of cartilage there is also destruction of the thick part of bone near the joint. The cartilage cells are called chondrocytes. These manufacture proteins called proteoglycans (molecules of chondroitin and keraton sulfate or core proteins). Collagen is also made by chondrocytes. This all goes to make up the cartilage. In osteoarthritis there is a breakdown of this cartilage. In addition to the destruction there is laying down of free calcium, because of metabolic abnormalities, at the bone edges leading to "osteophytes". The pressure of " bone on bone" and the osteophyte pressure causes pain. The therapy for this condition concerns: Correcting acidosis in the body. Decreasing free radical production. Supplementing with glucosamine HCL. Using essential fatty acids, curcumin, Chinese herbs, cat's claw, boswelia and pregnenelone to stop the inflammation. Use of niacinamide which has been shown to help nutritionally to improve healing abilities. Proteolytic enzymes have been shown to help get rid of "dead" debris. Rheumatoid Arthritis The significant facts that are known about rheumatoid arthritis relate to the auto-immune process that exists. A major theory is that a mycoplasma organism is responsible for the "turning on" of the immune attack. Another theory relates to intestinal organisms (Proteus and Klebsiella) and a process called "molecular mimicry". Basically what happens is that these bacteria get into the blood stream through the intestinal lining. Once in the blood, the immune system wages an attack on them. There are certain antigens on the surface of these organisms that are similar in character to protein antigens in the joint. Then there is an attack on the joints since the immune cells have been activated to attack that foreign protein. There needs to be a genetic predisposition for all of this to occur. In addition to this part of the rheumatoid process, these individuals are also reactive to foods and other environmental triggers usually winding up with secondary inflammation and free radical damage to the joints from sensitive foods, etc. that react with an activated immune system. It also has been found in most of these patients a basic cause for the immune system activation. These individual usually have a burden of toxic metals or chemicals in their bodies. This leads to immune system injury and activation and the sequelae of rheumatoid arthritis. The therapies relate to: Killing the organisms with antibiotics Identifying the triggers (foods etc.) Removing the toxins Using avoidance diets and EPD (an immunotherapy) to "heal" the immune system Antioxidant and natural anti-inflammatory therapy Nutritional supplemental therapy This combination of treatments usually results in a patient who has been able to stop the process of their illness and no longer suffers. It takes time to accomplish all of this but it's worth it. Non-Specific Arthritis This generally is joint pain and tenderness without permanent damage. It is usually caused by increases in cytokine production by triggers to the immune system. For example: A patient is sensitive to a food which when eaten triggers the T cells to release a chemical (cytokine) which causes inflammation in joints and muscles. You thus have pain and aching in muscles and joints from environmental triggers (molds, dust, grasses, foods etc.). The treatment here is to identify the triggers and avoid them or develop an immunotherapy program to build resistance to those triggers. It's amazing how many people in the world are taking "arthritis medication" for "allergic" problems involving the joints. Summary In general, there are various types of joint inflammation - some destructive and others not. It requires investigative evaluation to determine the basic cause of the process and develop innovative and creative therapies to treat these problems. The "bottom line" is to heal the body. |
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