What Are The Symptoms, Causes and Treatments Rheumatoid Arthritis & JIA.

 

Table of contents:

1. What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?
2. Who gets Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?
3. What are the Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?
4. Rheumatoid Arthritis Medications and RA Treatments?
5. The Effects of Immunosuppressive and Cytotoxic Drugs on the Heart
6. Natural Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment
7. Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
   • What are the visible signs of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, JIA)?
   • What causes Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, JIA)?
   • Natural treatment for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, JIA)
8. How do parents of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) perceive their therapies?

 

Have you seen folks with joints in their hands and feet that look like these? 

Although aches and pain are a common part of our lives, we need to be aware of other accompanying symptoms to help us identify if the pain is the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

Common symptoms of RA can start very slowly and may be mistaken for injury, signs of aging or just general achiness from overuse.

 

What Causes Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)? 

In Greek, Arthritis is a combination of Joint and Inflammation. So, arthritis is simply the inflammation of one or more joints in the body caused by an immune disorder.  

An autoimmune disease is when the body attacks its own tissues. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the immune system attacks the membrane lining around joints that helps to lubricate them. 

When this tissue, called Synovium, gets inflamed, it thickens and the joint feels painful and tender to the touch. It will look red, swell, and restrict the movement of the joint. 

 

Who gets Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)?

类风湿性关节炎 (RA) is the most common type of arthritis. 

Women are 3 times more likely than men. 

Between ages 30 to 60. 

Hereditary genes within the family. 

RA is rare in men under 45 years. 

 

What are the Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)? 

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) typically starts with tenderness and pain in the small joints in the feet and hands, typically on both sides of the body. 

Other symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include: 

• Numbness and tingling sensations in hands and feet
• prolonged morning stiffness in joints or overall body
• low-grade fever
• tiredness
• depression and mood swings
• appetite changes
• recurring infections
• redness, swelling of joints that feels warm
• eyes are dry, red, sensitive to light, and not able to see well
• mouth feels dry, gums inflamed
• difficulty doing daily tasks eg. opening bottles, brushing teeth
• small lumps develop under the skin close to affected joints
• lung inflammation and disease can develop, causing shortness of breath
• blood vessels of nerves, skin, and other organs damage due to inflammation
• less than normal count of red blood cells
• heart muscle damage due to inflammation

Due to joint pains, RA sufferers find it hard to exercise which results in weight gain. Overweight and RA people are more susceptible to high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. 

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis Medications and RA Treatments? 

The objectives of rheumatoid arthritis treatments are to reduce inflammation to its lowest level, relieve symptoms, prevent any joint damage, and prevent long term complications to organs. The major trade-offs to achieve temporary relief using the following medications are the many possible side effects, especially to the heart. Read the excerpt. 

NSAIDs or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs  

DMARDs or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs 

Immunosuppressant 

Steroids (Corticosteroids) injections for fast relieve 

Biologics that suppress immune system activity 

However, there are side effects such as stomach aches, ulcers, bleeding, dizziness, sore throats, coughs, stomach pains, headaches, nose irritations, and susceptibility to infections like colds. Some treatments are costly and may trigger nausea, diarrhea, and hair loss. 

 

The Effects of Immunosuppressive and Cytotoxic Drugs on the Heart 

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128032671000260 

“The heart is one of the primary organs affected by the side effects of these agents through both direct (myocardial injury) and indirect (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, etc.) actions that can result in myocardial injury in a number of different ways.“ 

 

Natural Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment 

There are many natural home remedies for rheumatoid arthritis class=”TextRun BCX0 SCXW95515147″ lang=”EN-SG” xml:lang=”EN-SG” data-contrast=”auto”> to mitigate the risk of side effects.  

1. Eating healthy whole foods  

Probiotic eg. yogurt 

High-fiber foods eg. fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds/nuts 

Wild-caught fish eg. Salmon, mackerel, sardines rich in omega-3  

Foods high in Vitamin A eg. Brightly colored veggies, leafy greens, berries, and broccoli 

鸸鹋油胶囊 contain Omegas 3,6 & 9 and Vitamins A, D, E, F & K2. It is a natural anti-inflammatory to help reduce swelling, redness, and joint pain.  

2. Daily low impact exercise

Swimming and walks are good options as it minimizes the weight on load-bearing joints.

3. Take regular breaks if work requires a lot of movement

If tasks require lifting and prolonged standing, do take frequent breaks to conserve energy. RA can cause one to be fatigued easily.

4. Heat and cold treatments

Heated pads or warm baths work well to soothe stiff joints and fatigued muscles. A cold compress helps to reduce inflammation, swelling and numbs the pain.

5. Topical products

Applying topical creams and oils eg. 鸸鹋油膏 and 擦剂 with gentle warming can alleviate and soothe sore and painful joints. Pure Emu Oil is a naturally derived ingredient from the Australian emu bird, used for centuries by Aborigines to treat pain and skin injuries. Read more about it here.

6. Stress management

Mental relaxation exercises eg. meditation and emotional support from family and friends help to take the burden of negative thoughts.

7. Physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture, acupressure

These when done by experts who have knowledge of rheumatoid arthritis, can help relieve pain, relax muscle tightness, and ease anxiety.

8. Supplements

One of the best supplements with omega 3,6,9 essential fatty acids is Pure Emu Oil Capsules. These EFAs reduce inflammation and promote overall wellbeing.

 

Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis 

Juvenile Rheumatoid arthritis Is now known as Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), is a common form of arthritis that affects children below the age of 16.  

Research shows that most children with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis never achieve long term remission. 

The burden of the effects of JIA on the child, family, and society is huge. 

Persistent joint pain that can last from a few months to their entire lifespan. It can result in complications such as growth issues or eye inflammation. 

Joint pain can be due to the above reasons or it can be the secondary symptoms to the main disease causing it. Examples are Hepatitis and Lyme disease among others. 

Thus, it is important to recognize the symptoms in order to treat early to prevent permanent deformities and joint damage. 

 

• What are the visible signs of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, JIA)?

Pain, stiffness, and swelling of the joints are common symptoms.  

If the child is too young to articulate, look for: 

Limping or reluctance to use an arm or leg. 

The child seems clumsier and shows difficulty with fine motor skills 

Swelling in larger joints such as the knee.  

Inflammation of the lymph nodes, rash, and fever.  

Symptoms can appear and disappear periodically. 

Chronic and serious JIA can cause stunted growth and inflammation of the eye. 

 

• What causes Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, JIA)?

The cause of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is unknown at present. It happens when the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues and cells.  

JIA can also be hereditary. 

 

• Natural treatment for Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, JIA)

Similar to treatments for adult rheumatoid arthritis, conventional treatments for Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) include the use of NSAIDs and Immunosuppressants.  

Even though there is no known cure is available for JIA at the time of this writing, the pain and swelling can be relieved.  

Topical application of 鸸鹋油膏 or 擦剂 on painful, swollen joints can help to fight inflammation. This may speed up the process to regain full movement and strength. 

Oral consumption of Pure Emu Oil Capsules helps to maintain good health. Vitamins A, D, E, F & K2, which are present in Pure Emu Oil is good for healthy hair, skin, nails, muscles, and heart. 

 

How do parents of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) perceive their therapies? 

Complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapies are commonly used by patients of chronic medical conditions. This interesting study describes the views of parents of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) regarding conventional and CAM therapies. 

“Complementary and alternative medical (CAM) therapy has been variously defined as including dietary supplements, dietary modifications, stress management, prayer, massage, acupuncture, homeopathy, and home or folk remedies such as dietary changes, liniments, and copper bracelets.” 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2424030/ 

“Patients’ parents in this study reported that their medications were effective, and that simple measures such as hot baths, rest, swimming, stretching, massage, music, guided imagery, prayer, support groups, relaxation CDs and certain vitamins were also moderately effective and free of significant side effects. 

Interestingly, there was no significant difference in perceived helpfulness of conventional medication compared to ‘any CAM’ class. Our observation should be interpreted cautiously-“ 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2424030/

 

Conclusion:

Even though there is currently no known cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, JIA), there are many good Complementary and Alternative Medical (CAM) Therapies listed above that will help. In fact, taken into consideration the possibility of long–term side effects of conventional treatments, CAM therapies seemed a much safer and better choice in the long run. Study the various CAM that parents of JIA children recommended in Annex Table 2.

“JIA patients use diverse therapies. Parents report that many CAM therapies are helpful and would recommend them to other parents.“ 

Watch this video of a TCM recommending the 2-Step Emu Oil Pain Relief.