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Strep throat is a sometimes serious illness that begins with a sore throat and can spread to include kidney failure. It is a common condition of children but it can occur in adults as well. It tends to occur in individuals who already have big and convoluted tonsils.

One of the first symptoms of strep throat is the sudden onset of a sore throat. The throat tends not to be scratchy and it isn’t the part of the throat that is in the neck but rather the part of the throat where the tonsils are, high in the throat and on one or both sides of the neck. This is often associated with swollen glands, usually in the side of the neck underneath the mandible, although you can get swollen glands in the lower aspect of the throat or underneath the chin. The swollen glands represent inflammation and infection spreading into the lymph system which drains from the tonsils to the lymph nodes in various parts of the neck.

One of the other symptoms one often sees is the sudden onset of a high fever. The fever can easily be 102 degrees Fahrenheit or more and is associated with chills and sweating. Other types of sore throats you can get do not generally have the high fever that you can get with strep throat. The fever with viral sore throats tends to be less than a hundred degree Fahrenheit and often is normal.

Very rarely do you get a hoarse voice with strep throat. Rather you get a “thick voice” because of the swelling of the tonsils that interferes with your speech. The vocal cords themselves are rarely involved which means that you rarely get a cracked or hoarse voice. If you experience this, it is not likely to be strep throat at all but a case of viral pharyngitis.

You also rarely get a cough or nasal congestion with strep throat. These are more typical of a cold virus that affects the throat, the nose and the chest at the same time. There is usually not a fever with this sort of condition, whereas there is usually a high fever with strep throat.

Some cases of strep throat are associated with streptococcal disease of the kidneys. This means that the strep throat has led to kidney involvement from antigens associated with the strep infection of the throat. Such a condition is called rheumatic fever and is a complication of not treating the strep infection. Certain strep infections can lead to rheumatic fever and kidney failure, while other strep infections are not susceptible to causing kidney disease and rheumatic fever.

Rheumatic fever can also lead to a red rash that consists of pea-sized lumps under the skin, joints that are inflamed and tender and heart palpitations. The end result, besides kidney disease, can be a deformed valve in the heart and resultant death from heart failure. Fortunately, rheumatic fever is a rare condition and has been made less common by the advent of strep throat antibiotics.

Pamella Neely writes about proven, safe ways to lose weight including eating breakfast to lose weight and eating apples to lose weight.

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Arthritis natural treatment usually implies a biologically friendly pain mitigation course of therapy for anyone afflicted with one of the more painful forms of arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis and juvenile rheumatoid arthritis are four of the more agonizing rheumatic diseases that seem to attract the attention of alternative health practitioners who offer care to this special patient population. What many critics of the alternative health care delivery field question is whether or not these desperate patients are receiving the best available care to alleviate their arthritic conditions. For any arthritic patient seeking to naturally alleviate her suffering or to reverse the arthritic affliction, this should be a reasonable concern.

Arthritis natural treatment protocols administered by alternative health practitioners generally follow a predictable pattern of care delivery. The arthritic patient is counseled on the particulars of the diagnosed illness, one or more diagnostic tests are done, a recommended course of treatment is discussed and the patient is sent home with written instructions as to what she must do to carry out her part in the treatment process. At least one follow-up office visit is scheduled during the initial visit to allow the practitioner to monitor the effectiveness and appropriateness of the recommended protocol and the patient’s progress.

This is business as usual when it comes to arthritis natural treatment protocols. If this is the rule of the day, with successful treatment programs, why is it that so many who are afflicted with some form of arthritis, and who follow these supposed health-restoring regimens, are so eager to pursue each new, hip-sounding arthritis reversal program that comes along? Can it be that the programs aren’t working? And if, in fact, these programs of arthritis reversal and recovery are working so well, why are these tortured souls who have tried these regimens still eagerly searching for nature’s magic elixir to cure their rheumatic ailments?

Having once suffered the agony, constant discomfort and frustration of rheumatoid arthritis, while in my late twenties, I can state, with conviction, that I tried every hot new supplement, herbal formula, water treatment and special diet I came across. Nothing worked for any length of time. After about a month the old pains and the humiliating sense of defeat and frustration would invariably find their way back into my unhappy life. I’m certain the majority of adults afflicted with degenerative rheumatic diseases have been down much the same trodden path.

In 1984 I was introduced to Dr. Bernard Jensen’s home-grown arthritis natural treatment protocol that he administered at his Hidden Valley Health Ranch in Escondido, California. While on his program, which I elected to pursue in the comfort of my home, I discovered a well-guarded secret that was the key to the great success world-class biological clinics and natural health spas were enjoying in Europe and in a few North American nature cure clinics, such as Jensen operated. The commonly applied ‘secret’ therapy was therapeutic fasting.

It was through Jensen’s therapeutic juice and broth fasting protocol that I subsequently became acquainted with autolysis – nature’s magical cleansing power and cellular rejuvenating catalyst. To my pleasant surprise, during the last ten days of the fourteen-day fast I observed how autolysis orchestrated a thorough cleansing of my body, which included old mucus settlements, mineral deposits, morbid cellular waste, excess carbonic and uric acids and harmful bacteria, all of which were breeding grounds for the proliferation of my rheumatic disease. After completing the fast Jensen put me on a healthy daily diet. Within four months I was completely rid of any traces of rheumatoid arthritis and it has never returned.

In my twenty-six years of direct involvement with health care services delivery, I have yet to find anything that can trigger the necessary cleansing process of autolysis as thoroughly and effectively as a therapeutic fast. If you are determined to overcome your arthritic affliction you must first clean house. Only then can your body begin to restructure and rejuvenate itself in a healthy way. The next time you have a mind to seek out and try another arthritis natural treatment protocol, ask the program’s creator if during the early stages of the program you will have the pleasure of meeting and becoming intimately acquainted with autolysis – nature’s magical cleansing power and cellular rejuvenating catalyst.

Have you tried just about every known therapy and treatment to get a handle on your arthritis without success? Take a stroll over to my website and find out how you can get a firm grip on your rheumatic ailment naturally. You’ll find a lot of free information that should be useful for you. For example; you’ll read about a therapeutic fasting protocol used by the most successful biological clinics and sanitariums throughout Europe and North America. I’ll show you which foods, beverages, herbs and whole food supplements are best to rebuild your body. And you’ll find out what the real biochemical causes of rheumatic diseases are and discover a refreshingly new way of looking at your relationship with arthritis. If you are currently stricken with any form of arthritis, you may have an interest in my 12-week arthritis natural treatment and reversal protocol. It’s a home study ecourse that I’ll be releasing and personally supervising in February of 2011. http://arthritis-nature-cure.com/blog/.

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Pharyngitis is the term doctors use to describe sore throat and it accounts for 10-15 percent of all pediatric office visits. Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis (GABHS), more commonly known as strep throat, is a primary concern of a person with a sore throat. GABHS is more common in children than adults. In both kids and adults viruses are the most common cause of sore throat.

The most important concern in the person with a sore throat is to rule out some serious conditions associated with sore throat, including, most commonly GABHS. Certain factors will help predict if the cause of the sore throat is GABHS or a viral infection. The factors are not perfect and the use of a throat culture is needed in many cases in order to rule out strep throat.

Important factors to know about strep include:

• It most commonly affects children between 5-15 years old.
• It does not commonly affect children under three years old.
• It has an incubation period of 2-5 days. This means that if you have been in contact with someone who is infected and are infected your disease may not show up for 2-5 days.
• Respiratory secretions spread the infection.

Causes of sore throat

Viruses cause the majority of sore throats. Bacteria cause 5-15% of sore throats, but those between the ages of 5-15 have a higher incidence of bacterial causes of sore throat. In this group, 15-30 percent of sore throats may be caused by GABHS.

Certain factors can help determine if the sore throat is caused by a bacteria or a virus. Viruses that cause sore throat are more commonly accompanied by cough, stuffy nose, red eyes and fatigue.

Possible diagnoses

• Viral sore throat – there are over 200 viruses that cause the common cold and each presentation may be a little different. Many of these viruses are linked to sore throat. Below some specific viruses that cause sore throat will be discussed.
• Hand-foot and mouth disease. This is caused by a virus that is called the Cocsackie virus. It causes blisters on the hands and feet as well as in the mouth or throat.
• Infectious mononucleosis can also cause sore throat. This sore throat is typically severe and associated with pus (white patches) in the throat. This disease is associated with swollen lymph nodes – particularly the glands on the back of the neck. It sometimes comes with stomach pain due to an enlarged liver or spleen. Those who are treated with penicillin will usually develop a rash (90% of the time). It is most common in those who are 10-25 years old and is accompanied by fatigue and a lingering sore throat.
• HIV is a rare cause of sore throat. Individuals who have risk factors for HIV (multiple sexual partners, men who have sex with men, intravenous drug users) who present with a sore throat should have this diagnosis considered.
• Bacterial sore throat. The most common cause of bacterial sore throat is GABHS. Other bacteria can sometimes cause sore throat.
• Fungal infections rarely cause sore throats. Candida infections are a common cause of fungal sore throat. The individual will have a sore throat with a white coat on the tongue and in the oral cavity that looks like cottage cheese. The white coating will bleed if it is scraped off.
• Diphtheria is a rare cause of sore throat. It presents with a sore throat, fever, tender lymph nodes in the front on the neck and serosanguineous nasal discharge. It can be prevented by routine vaccinations.
• Kawasaki disease rarely occurs but affects children under five and presents with sore throat, tender lymph nodes, fever, eye discharge, red oral mucosa, strawberry tongue, cracked red lips, swelling of the hands and feet and red rash on the hands and feet, followed by peeling of the palms.
• Peritonsillar abscess is a serious cause of sore throat and presents with fever, feeling wiped out, a hot potato voice, difficulty swallowing, painful swallowing, ear pain and difficulty opening the mouth.
• Miscellaneous causes of sore throat include: persistent cough, smoking, gastroesophageal reflux, postnasal drip secondary to runny nose, allergies, foreign body and thyroiditis (inflamed thyroid gland).

Complications

Most sore throats are caused by a virus and go away on their own. It is important that all health care consumers are aware of when sore throats can be serious and when they are likely self-limiting.

Death is a risk of life, but it is rarely related to sore throat. Throat abscess (pus filled infection in the throat) may lead to breathing problems as the swelling in the throat reduces the ability to breath. Diphtheria can lead to respiratory failure. Untreated GABHS can affect the heart valves and has the potential to lead to heart failure.

These serious complications are rare. Rheumatic fever is one of the most common preventable complication of sore throat. It occurs after GABHS goes untreated. The general population is not as greatly affected, as people commonly believe. In fact it takes treating 3000 to 4000 people with antibiotics with strep throat to prevent one case of rheumatic fever. The incidence of rheumatic fever is about one case per one million people. Treatment with antibiotics do not guarantee prevention of rheumatic fever.

Rheumatic fever occurs about 3 weeks after an untreated GABHS infection. It is characterized by joint pain and swelling, erythema marginatum (pink rings on the trunk, arms and legs), heart murmur or subcutaneous nodules (painless, firm nodes over the bones or tendons often seen on the wrist, elbow or knees). If this is suspected an immediate evaluation with a health care provider is essential.

Peritonsillar abscess (pus behind the tonsils) can cause sore throat or can be a complication of GABHS. It is not common but is characterized by worsening sore throat, ear pain, inability to open the mouth, fever, and a hot potato voice.

A rash that feels rough, like sandpaper, is red and fades when you push in on it is likely scarlet fever. This rash will last about a week and will result in peeling of the skin. This is a common manifestation of streptococcal infection

Streptococcal infections have the potential to attack the kidneys. It may present 10-14 days after a strep throat. It is characterized by bloody urine and swelling (especially around the eyes). It is unclear if treating with antibiotics reduces the risk of kidney problems after strep throat.

Red Flags

• High fever
• Unable to handle secretions – drooling
• Difficult time opening the mouth
• Hot potato voice (muffled voice, sounds like you have a mouthful of hot potatoes)
• Uvula (piece of tissue that hangs down in the back of the throat) deviating to one side
• One swollen tonsil
• Difficultly breathing

Diagnosing strep throat

Key features of the history and the physical exam will help the health care provider determine the likelihood of streptococcal infection. There are a few key features that are most predictive of strep throat.

Recent exposure to streptococcus and white patches in the throat or on the tonsils are the two most important factors in predicting strep throat. Tonsils that are free from swelling or pus and non-tender lymph nodes in the neck are the best criteria for ruling out strep throati.

Clinical prediction rules have been developed for helping the health care provider determine who has strep and who does not. None of these rules are perfect, and it usually requires the work of a throat culture to definitively determine who has strep throat. None-the less, these key features can be useful in helping patients determining their risk for strep throat.

The prediction rule has been based off of five key criteria.

1. Fever above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit
2. Swelling of the tonsils or pus on the tonsils
3. Sore throat in the absence of cough
4. Tender lymph nodes in the front of the neck
5. Age – One point is given if the age is between 3 and 14, and one point is taken away if over the age of 45.

Based on the number of criteria that are present one can take a guess as to how likely GABHS is. The person is given a score of -1 to 5 and utilizing that point total one can predict the likelihood of strep throat.

For example, if we look at the case study presented in chapter 2: A 20 year-old female comes to her doctor with tonsillitis. “My nose has been stuffy for the last couple of days and I have been coughing. I woke up this morning and my throat hurt really badly. I looked in my throat and my tonsils were swollen and there were white dots on them.

It is also determined that she did not have a fever. When the doctor felt the front of her neck, he determined that her lymph nodes were swollen and tender.

This patient receives one point for swollen tonsils with pus and one point for swollen lymph nodes. She has a point total of 2. Therefore, her risk of strep is about 17%.

Table 1: Percent change of having GABHS based on number of clinical criteria

-1 or 0 – 1%
1 – 10%
2 – 17%
3 – 35%
4 or 5 – 51%

As you can see from the chart, it is impossible to rule in or rule out strep throat just by doing an interview and physical examination. The CDC recommends that antibiotics not be given unless GABHS is found on strep culture. When there is a score of 4 or 5 many health care providers will treat instead of doing a culture and some clinicians even choose to treat if there is a score of 3 or more.

One fact that is not well know is that strep throat will go away on its own. Well, that is not entirely true. The symptom of sore throat will remit, but the bacteria may still persist. It has the potential to go to the heart and cause rheumatic fever, it is therefore important to treat strep throat even though the sore throat will go away.

When sore throat persists beyond five days strep throat is not likely. It is more likely mononucleosis, a sinus infection, allergies or post-nasal drip.

Diagnostic Testing

Who is a candidate for diagnostic testing?

1. All children with a sore throat
2. Selected adults with a sore throat. This includes adults with at least one feature suggestive of strep throat (swollen tonsils, pus on the tonsils, fever above 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat in the absence of a cough)

What type of testing should be done?

1. A rapid strep test is indicated for most patients with a sore throat with a back up throat culture

If the rapid test reads positive, it is quite reliable. If it reads negative it may not be that reliable. Because of the tests ability to miss the diagnosis, it is recommended that the health care provider get a back up culture that is sent to the lab to confirm every negative rapid strep test. Some experts suggest you do not need a back up culture in the adult, but my experience suggests that you should do a back up culture in the adult.

The rapid test should not be used in those who had a positive strep test in the last 30 days as there still may be strep antigen fragments hanging around that could give a false positive test.
Other testing for sore throat

When sore throat persists another diagnosis to consider is mononucleosis. This is most common in those 10-25 years-old. It can be testing by checking the blood for antibodies to the Epstein-bar virus. During the first week of the illness, the test may not pick up the disease but by the second week the test picks up the disease over 80% of the time.

Testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases may be warranted in the high-risk individuals. Individuals who have oral sex may need the throat tested for gonorrhea.

Some cases of sore throat warrant a broad culture that looks for other causes of sore throat such as other bacteria.
Treatment

Most cases of sore throat are either caused by a virus or GABHS. If strep throat is present treatment with antibiotics is important and if it is not present treatment of the symptoms is all that is necessary. Treatment of strep throat will reduce rheumatic fever, abscess formation, transmission and improve comfort. It is always important to stay alert for other complications of sore throat – even though they are rare.

There is a nine-day window that the clinician has to treat strep throat to prevent rheumatic fever after GABHS. Treatment will also speed healing. After starting treatment you should be feeling much better in 24-48 hours. Ideally treatment should be started within 48-72 hours.

Some clinicians choose to treat patients while they wait for the return of the culture. Realizing that resolution will be faster and it will provide comfort to some patients.

This is not a wise strategy to implement for all patients. This requires some professional judgment of the treating health care provider. Those who are suspected of having strep are better candidates for this method of treatment. The goal is to avoid excessive exposure to antibiotics. When antibiotics are prescribed without a confirmed diagnosis the patient should be encouraged to stop antibiotics immediately if the culture comes back negative.

There is no resistance to penicillin in the United States, so it is the drug of choiceii. Ten days of pills or a shot is equally effective in its management. People who will not take all of their medication should receive a shot.

Amoxicillin, which is a type of penicillin, is often used in place of penicillin in children, as the suspension of penicillin does not taste good. Amoxicillin suspension has a pleasant tasting bubble gum flavor.

Individuals who do not have angioedema (swelling deep in the skin near the eyes and lips) or hives as their allergic reaction to penicillin can be treated with first or second-generation cephalosporins. If they are, they need to be watched closely as allergic reactions with penicillin sometime cross over to an allergic reaction to cephalosporins.

Erythromycin is recommended in patients with a severe penicillin allergy. Due to side effects – mainly gastrointestinal – azithromycin or clarithromycin is sometimes substituted.

Recurrent GABHS can be treated with amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin). It is not usually picked as a first line medication as it is a more expensive and has a wider spectrum of activity. A wider spectrum of activity means that it is able to cover many other types of infections. The routine utilization of broad-spectrum antibiotics for simple infections has the potential to increase the risk of antibiotic resistance.

Penicillin should be used for 10 days in the treatment of GABHS to assure that all the bacteria are killed and no straggling bacteria remain.

The use of probiotics are one strategy that will significantly reduce the risk of Clostridium difficile and other complications of antibiotic use. When you are on antibiotic it is critical to take probiotics to reduce the risk of this complications. Always keep a supply of probiotics on hand because you never know when you will need to go on antibiotics.

Treating the symptoms

Sore throat pain can be quite debilitating and managing that pain is a critical part of treatment. Symptomatic treatment often involves a combination of systemic medications and local acting medications.

Systemic medications include medications that are taken by mouth that can help relieve the pain of the sore throat and may also help other symptoms that accompany sore throats such as headache, fever and body aches. Systemic medications include: ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen or acetaminophen/codeine (in severe cases). The use of medications to reduce pain and fever, in addition to reducing symptoms, may help shorten the course of disease by one to two days.

Topical medications are available in many over the counter formulations and some can be made at home. A common home remedy is salt-water gargles, which can be made by adding one-fourth of a teaspoon of salt to 6-8 ounces of warm water. This concoction can be gargled and spit out every 3-4 hours. Sugar-free or regular Popsicles can help ease the discomfort of a sore throat.

Multiple over the counter medications are available for treating sore throat. They come in sprays and lozenges.

Certain foods can help the throat feel better. For example, warm or cool liquids soothe and moisturize the throat. Nasal saline can moisturize the nasal passages and clean mucus out of the nose. This will reduce the amount of post-nasal drip, which will help reduce throat discomfort. Herbal teas may be helpful in the treatment of sore throat. Throat coat – a herbal tea – has a demulcent that is more effective at providing relief than regular tea.

Certain prescription medications have the potential to aid a sore throat. Viscous lidocaine is a medications that comes as a thick liquid that the health care provider can prescribe that will numb the throat. It can also be mixed with other liquids such as liquid Benadryl and/or Maalox to ease the discomfort.

Steroids are used in some patients with sore throats. This is a prescription given by the doctor and can be given by mouth or as a shot. Steroids reduce the inflammation of a severely inflamed throat.

Home remedies for a sore throat:

• Salt water gargles as outlined above.
• A cool mist humidifier should be used. Many sore throats are caused by or exacerbated by dryness; the moisture that a cool mist humidifier provides can improve symptoms.
• Suck on a sour drop. Lemon drops or another type of drop will stimulate saliva and reduce throat pain
• Drink tea with honey as this will coat the throat.

Follow up

Improvement in the sore throat caused by a bacteria or virus is typically noted in 2-3 days. When there is no improvement or a worsening of symptoms noted a follow up with your health care provider should be attained to rule out a more serious (cellulitis or abscess) or another underlying condition (mononucleosis or chronic post-nasal drip).

Rarely, other bacteria can cause sore throat. This is much more common in the adult than the child. This may be considered when there is a non-response to antibiotics or a negative GABHS culture and the patient is getting worse. The health care provider will often take a more broad culture to look for other bacteria that may be causing the sore throat.

At times further testing is indicated. This is not common, but may occur in the sore throat that is not explained by other causes. It is most often carried out by an ear, nose and throat specialist. A laryngoscope will be used to look for cancer, a foreign body, acid reflux or another cause of sore throat.
Recurrent Disease

When disease returns within one week of completing antibiotic therapy it is considered treatment failure. The main causes of this are:

• Not taking the medication as directed
• Resistance to the antibiotic
• Repeat infections

For those who are thought to have a resistant strain, a different antibiotic may be considered such as a cephalosporin, macrolide or amoxicillin-clavulanate.

In cases where there is repeat infection, family members should be checked to see if they are carriers of strep. If they have a positive strep culture, they should be treated.

What is a carrier?

A surprising number of people – 10 to 25 percent – are colonized with GABHSviii. When one is colonized, it means that the strep is living in the throat with out causing the person to be sick. Generally, those who are colonized do not need to be treated, but sometimes they do. Treatment should ensue when there is:

• A personal or family history of rheumatic fever
• Recurrent transmission between close contacts
• Significant anxiety about GABHS
• Consideration of removal of the tonsils to eradicate the carrier state

Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

Tonsils and adenoids are often removed, but the surgery may be done too often. The tonsils are there for a reason. The tonsils, while they often get infected, help fight infections in the throat and nose and keep the infection from spreading.

There are risks with this procedure. Bleeding is the most common complications and can occur up to eight days after surgery. Sore throat after the procedure is common. The voice sometimes changes after the procedure. The most worrisome complication is death, but this only occurs in one of every 250,000 operations.

The tonsils and/or adenoids can be removed for multiple reasons including:

• Recurrent GABHS: For two-year olds, more than 4 episodes a year; for three year-olds more than 3 episodes per year; and those over 3-years-old, greater than 6 episodes a year is an indication for the tonsils and adenoids to be removed.
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• A severe infection that does not respond to antibiotics
• Recurrent peritonsillar abscess
• Potential cancer
• Persistent mouth breathers may be a candidate for removal of the adenoids
• Persistent swallowing problems if they are caused by large tonsils or adenoids

What you need to know

If you are diagnosed with strep throat:

• Do not infect others. Do not come in close contact with others for 24 hours after starting antibiotics.
• Removable oral appliances (e.g. retainers) should be cleaned completely.
• A new toothbrush should be used after 24 hours.
• Complete the entire course of antibiotics or resistance to that antibiotic may occur.
• Symptoms that do not improve by 72 hours or get worse after 48 hours require a medical evaluation.
• Do not take any antibiotics that are lying around the house for a sore throat without visiting the health care provider. Antibiotics will invalidate a throat culture.

Questions to Ask Your Health Care Provider

1. Is my sore throat related to a virus or a bacterium?
2. Do I need a culture to determine if there is a bacterial infection?
3. Which medications do you recommend to manage my symptoms?
4. Do you recommend any home remedies?
5. Will an antibiotic help my infection?
6. Are there any potential interactions between the medications that you are recommending and the current medications that I am on or any other health problems I may have?
7. When should I expect an improvement in my condition?
8. What complications should I look out for and how will they show up?

Ray Lengel is a certifed family nurse practitioner. He is the author of over 10 books. This article is an excerpt from the book: Cough, Sniffle, Sneeze: How to Get Optimal Care for Common Health Care Problems. This book and others aimed to improve the quality of your health care may be found at: http://www.mini-medicalschool.com

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Because Tai Chi improves flexibility and builds muscle strength gradually, doctors and physical therapists recommend it for people with a variety of musculoskeletal conditions. The fluid-as-silk movements of this gentle Chinese practice are tailor-made for easing sore joints and muscles.

“There’s no doubt that Tai Chi, done properly, can be a beneficial exercise for people with arthritis,” says Paul Lam, M.D., a Sydney-based family practitioner and Tai Chi master who designed the Australian arthritis program. “Tai Chi is an exercise almost anyone who can walk can do safely.” Dr. Lam began doing Tai Chi nearly 30 years ago for his own osteoarthritis. “Tai Chi takes the joints gently through their range of motion while the emphasis on breathing and inner stillness relieves stress and anxiety.”

Peter Stein, M.D., a Greenbrae, Calif., rheumatologist, says he finds Tai Chi especially good for people with fibromyalgia and those with a high level of muscle pain. “People in pain often can’t even do yoga,” he says. “They need something milder and more soothing, and Tai Chi is very good for relieving pain.”

A 10-week study from 1991 that evaluated Tai Chi’s safety for rheumatoid arthritis patients concluded that the weight-bearing aspects of this exercise have the potential to stimulate bone growth and strengthen connective tissue.

A 1999 study that looked at people with multiple sclerosis who practiced Tai Chi found that it contributed to an overall improvement in quality of life for people with chronic, disabling conditions.

Given its low impact and evidence that it tends to increase muscle strength and balance, and gives general pain relief, it’s a great option for those who experience symptoms of arthritis, fibromyalgia and MS.

Carolyn Cooper is a certified fitness professional and Energy Intuitive. She is also founder of Tai Chi Flow, Inc., which has produced a series of videos http://www.TaiChiFlow.com including Tai Chi Flow for Kids, Tai Chi Flow for Pregnancy (featured in Fit Pregnancy Magazine) and Tai Chi Flow for Everybody. Cooper also publishes an e-newsletter called “Living in the Flow” and was a contributing author of the book 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Health.

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There are many different types of arthritis, each of which involves some disorder or inflammation of one or more joints. The two most common forms are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA)

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, affecting the middle-aged. It is a degenerative joint disease and is characterized by pain, stiffness, and swelling in spinal joints, hips, knees, and joints of the hand, with progressive loss of function. The cartilage that lines the bones degenerates, becoming inflamed, rough, and hardened, and eventually wears away. Tendons, ligaments, and muscles that are holding the joint together become weaker, causing deformity, pain, and reduced movement.

Osteoarthritis is the result of natural wear arid tear, but other causes can include

repeated strain to joints, ligaments, and muscles

joint deformation from birth or previous injury

rheumatoid arthritis

gout

nutritional and hormonal influences.

Treatment

Diet and Nutrition Correct body weight should be maintained to prevent strain from causing osteoarthritis. Tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, peppers, and simple carbohydrates, such as white flour and refined sugar, should be eaten in moderation. Avoid coffee, red meat, artificial additives, and processed foods. Increase your intake of vegetables, fruits, complex carbohydrates, wheat germ, and oily fish. A nutritionist might suggest daily supplementation with vitamins A (10,000iu), C (2g), E (600iu), and B6 (50mg).

Massage Joints can be massaged effectively with tiger balm, lavender and camomile oils, and with Ruta grav. cream.

Yoga This will help to encourage joint mobility and improved posture.

Consult a qualified practitioner/therapist for:

Acupuncture With or without using moxibustion, this will act to balance energies and reduce both inflammation and pain.

The hand is a complex arrangement of bones, joints, and tendons, which make it vulnerable to wear and tear

Ayurveda Treatment is aimed at balancing the elements of air, fire, water, and mindbody connections.

Herbal Medicine Some herbalists might recommend celery seed, yucca leava bogbean, and devil’s clal taken daily. Infusions alfalfa and nettle may be suggested as nutrition supplements. Wild yam root and glucose amine (1500mg per day) are also useful.

Homeopathy Rhus tox.6c is suitable when the condition is worse with rest anij dampness, and Ruta grav. is appropriate when symptoms are relieved by warmth.

Osteopathy and Chiropractic These are useful for maintenance of efficient body mechanics and pain relief.

Rolfing Treatment will address postural integration.

Read out for Home remedies. Check out herbal life and asthma treatment.

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