Thanks to the advancements in the technology that are utilized to detect diseases, doctors can diagnose a continuously growing number of diseases today. When new diseases are discovered, the advancements in medicine and the healthcare industry, in general, helps us find new cures or treatment methods for these diseases. Today, however, we are not here to discuss some new disease that has been discovered, but rather a particular disease that affects quite a significant number of people and causes severely painful symptoms. The disease, or rather a group of diseases that we would like to discuss is arthritis. With such a large number of affected patients, studies are continuously being conducted to identify new potential treatment options. We would like to focus primarily on the research that is being conducted on common herbs that can help to improve the symptoms we experience when affected by arthritis.
Most Common Forms Of Arthritis
There are many different types of arthritis. Each particular form of this disease has been associated with its characteristics, including potential risk factors and causes, symptoms and treatment measures that can be utilized to reduce the symptoms or to treat the disease. While some of these diseases can be cured and successfully treated with the right medication, many of them cannot be cured at the moment. In such a case, the symptoms that the particular disease causes would be treated through medication. Sometimes it is also possible to slow down the rate at which the disease progresses. While there are more than 100 different forms of arthritis, as reported by the Arthritis Foundation in the United States, some types of these diseases are more common than others. These are the three most commonly diagnosed types of arthritis:
- Osteoarthritis – This is the most common type of arthritis around the entire world. An osteoarthritis is a degenerative form of this disease that develops due to wear and tear damage to joints in the body. The primary cause for osteoarthritis is the overuse of joints, but an injury to particular parts of the body where joints are located can also increase the risk of developing osteoarthritis. This particular form of arthritis is usually associated with age, but obesity also seems to be a major contributing factor amongst younger individuals diagnosed with this particular disease. This disease can cause severe arthritis joint pain, as well as other symptoms.
- Rheumatoid Arthritis – Rheumatoid arthritis tends to cause similar symptoms to osteoarthritis, except inflammation is usually more severe in patients with this type of arthritis. Unlike osteoarthritis, which is caused by excessive use of a joint or damage dealt with a joint, rheumatoid arthritis is a type of autoimmune disorder that causes the patient’s immune system to attack joints in their body. When the immune system attacks joints, inflammation occurs, and this results in joint damage.
- Psoriatic Arthritis – Psoriatic arthritis is a type of inflammatory arthritis that is diagnosed with two conditions are met – inflammation needs to be present in the skin, which refers to the “psoriasis” part of the disease, and inflammation also needs to be present in the joints, which refers to the “arthritis” part of the disease. Being diagnosed with psoriasis does not mean the patient’s joints will also be affected by the disease, as only between 10% and 30% of people with psoriasis also develop arthritis.
Herbs For Arthritis Pain And Inflammation
While many medical scientists are searching for ways to more effectively treat arthritis-related symptoms through medication, others are conducting research on how arthritis symptoms can be treated with natural remedies, with herbs being at the center of these research studies. Fortunately for those who are suffering from arthritis, many of the herbs that are being identified by medical scientists can be grown right in your very own backyard, with only a little effort from your side. Fresher herbs are also known to provide more effective relief of the symptoms they can treat. Let’s take a look at the herbs that have been identified as potential remedies for arthritis patients.
- Cat’s Claw – Cat’s Claw is a tropical vine. It has been used since the Incan civilizations as a powerful anti-inflammatory remedy. This particular herb is not only effective in reducing inflammation but also acts as an immune booster. Cat’s claw is also an antioxidant. Arthritis Research UK reports that this herb can inhibit inflammatory responses in the body, which can also help to reduce the damage done to joints by inflammatory types of arthritis.
- Ginger – Ginger is another herb that has been well studied by scientists and also proven to be an effective treatment for arthritis joint pain and inflammation caused by arthritis. Arthritis-Health reports that recent studies suggest ginger is useful for both rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
- Turmeric – Turmeric is the probably the most popular herb used to treat arthritis in the more recent ears. The active ingredient found in turmeric, known as curcumin, is the particular ingredient that causes the improvement in arthritis-related symptoms.
- Willow Bark – Willow bark is another powerful anti-inflammatory remedy that can be useful for reducing inflammation. Inflammation causes both pain and further damage to the joints; thus this particular herb can act as a pain remedy as well, and help to reduce the effects that arthritis has on the joints.
- Aloe Vera – Aloe Vera is a well-known herb that has is famous for its healing properties. Apart from its healing properties, Aloe Vera may also be effective in relieving some of the symptoms caused by arthritis when applied topically.
Conclusion
Arthritis affects a significant number of people throughout the world, with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis being some of the most prevalent forms of these diseases. The treatment options that can be obtained from a pharmacy or doctor often cause side-effects to develop that may have an impact on the user’s life in numerous ways. Newer research suggests that certain herbs that we commonly use the kitchen – and can grow in our backyards – have the potential to relieve the pain and inflammation that is often caused be these diseases.
