What is Rheumatic Arthritis?
Rheumatic arthritis is an "auto-immune" disease, meaning that the immune system becomes abnormal and attacks its host. These self attacks are progressive and not only inflict great damage to joints, but potentially all muscular structures, major organs and systems.
Although there are over 150 types of rheumatic diseases, most of us are most familiar with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Fibromyalgia (known scientifically as "Soft Tissue Rheumatism), Lupus, Psoriatic Arthritis, Anklosing Spondilitis and Sarcoidosis. All of these conditions can be eventually crippling and even life threatening by themselves.
At this stage of medical knowledge, there is no known "cure" for rheumatic diseases, although in rare cases of both juvenile and adult rheumatic disease, there are instances of spontaneous remission, sometimes for life.
Most of the common types of Rheumatic diseases are accompanied by unusual fatigue, depression, inflammation, sometimes systemic illness as well as joint and muscular pain and stiffness. It is these symptoms that cause people to seek medical help as the symptoms become unbearable. Unfortunately, the best medical science can achieve for these sufferers is symptomatic relief and, in some cases, a temporary halt to the natural progression of the disease.
Although initially one, or a combination of such treatments, may provide great relief from the debilitating symptoms, with time the effects of the treatment diminish and/or adverse side effects start to compound the patient's problems as organs and systems begin to experience the iatrogenetic effect.
The most prevalent initial treatment is Methotrexate. This drug has a long history as to its ability to provide symptomatic relief, but adverse side effects are substantial. Statistics show that the drop out rate from adverse side effects approaches 60% to 80% within three months to 1 year.
Longer lasting initial relief has been accomplished recently from combining Methotrexate with newer drugs such as Enbrel or Remicade, which effect one's TNF (tumor necrosis factor). However, here too the drop out rate, due to adverse side effects, has been increasing fairly drastically as experience is proving the the medicinal damage exceeds expected tolerance levels and residual organ and systemic damage.
There is a wry joke within the Rheumatology community that says the disease generally won't kill you, but the treatment may.
The bottom line with common rheumatic diseases is there are no cures. Drug treatment provides some temporary relief from symptoms but you generally are trading short term relief for long term iatrogenisis.
How are Rheumatic conditions different from Osteo arthritis?
Osteo arthritis is a degeneration of joints and the soft tissue surrounding them, caused by joint abuse, trauma, genetic degeneration and aging. Unlike Rheumatic diseases, osteo arthritis is normally not a systemic disease and is usually confined to specific joints, such as a knees, fingers, hips, etc.
Also, early degeneration of spinal disks in the neck or lower back can cause a cascading effect of pain in the hips, shoulders, arms and legs. In extreme cases, where there is a cascading effect, the patient may well feel like he/she has a systemic disease.
Although there is no cure for disk degeneration, Chiropractic manipulation to periodically realign the spine and a properly designed exercise routine to build specific muscle strength to protect the affected joints, has many times proved effective in controlling the discomfort and allowing a more normal life style.
The most common treatment for Osteo arthritis is OTC and Rx pain killers and anti inflammatories. Unfortunately, these measures only mask the Osteo pain but do not stop the progression of degeneration and/or joint damage and resultant attendant muscular degeneration. In some cases, cortisone shots in the affected joints can cause temporary relief and cessation of progression, however long term use of cortisone has proven to be both ineffective and fraught with adverse side effects.
Far and away, one of the most prevalent conditions seen in emergency rooms today are adverse reactions to the of overuse use of NSAIDs (non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) which can cause unforeseen GI tract bleeding, liver failure and cardiac events which can be fatal.
Overuse of Nsaids for pain and inflammation relief, whether caused by OTC or RX drugs, is another form of Iatrogenisis.
In summary, rheumatic diseases are serious, life long conditions and Osteo arthritis can be progressively debilitating. Knowing that there is no magic cures requires that intelligent people make the effort to research both traditional and alternative options, like CMO II's nutrients, in an attempt to find an option that may prove helpful in your own personal circumstances and is not iatrogenetic.