Too Young to Feel Old: The Arthritis Doctor's 28-Day Formula for Pain-Free Living |
The Top
10 Myths about Arthritis Debunked
By Richard H. Blau, M.D. F.A.C.R., author of
Too Young To Feel Old
Please visit his website to
learn more: www.arthritisinstitute.com.
From
theories that trivialize its impact to
supplements that miraculously eradicate
it, we are swamped with misinformation
about arthritis: what causes it,
what cures it, and indeed, whether it
can actually be cured. In Too Young
to Feel Old, Dr. Richard H. Blau
uncovers the rampant fallacies to save
arthritis sufferers precious time, money,
and ultimately, their health.
Myth: Joint pain is a natural and inevitable consequence of aging.
Truth: There's nothing predestined about joint pain. It isn't necessarily associated with age, and it often has nothing to do with the "natural wearing out" of the body's tissue. Joint pain is frequently an early sign of arthritis, the main cause of which is join inflammation, not wear and tear.
Myth: Arthritis is a disease that affects the elderly.
Truth: Anyone at any age can get arthritis. Contrary to the common belief that seniors are the primary population that suffers from arthritis, half of Dr. Blau's patients at the Arthritis Institute of Long Island are under the age of 45.
Myth: Arthritis isn't a serious disease. It's more of a nuisance, creating minor aches, pains, and stiffness.
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Truth: While symptoms can be as mild as morning stiffness, if left untreated, some forms of arthritis can leave one deformed, incapacitated, and can even be deadly. Only heart disease puts more people on work disability, and untreated rheumatoid arthritis has the same risk for mortality as untreated advanced heart disease.
Myth: Arthritis can be cured.
Truth: There is currently no known cure for arthritis. However, there are ways of effectively controlling its causes and symptoms through a combination of diet, exercise, medication, and lifestyle changes. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis, the disease can actually be reversed, if it's caught early enough.
Myth: A cold, wet climate can cause arthritis.
Truth: Before a rainstorm, the barometric pressure falls, causing joint tissue to swell, nerves to stretch, and pain to flare up in people with arthritis. However, arthritis itself is not caused by a damp chilly climate, just as a hot dry climate is not a cure for arthritis. People often feel better in a warm, stable climate because of the atmosphere's slightly higher and steadier barometric pressure.
Myth: Glucosamine and chrondoitin sulphate supplements can slow and ultimately reverse joint damage caused by arthritis.
Truth: While research has proven that people who take these supplements may experience some relief of arthritis pain, glucosamine and chrondroitin are not the miracle cures manufacturers and advertisers would have us believe. There is no credible study to demonstrate that these supplements grow cartilage or do anything more than yield simple pain relief. Even if the stomach didn't destroy them through digestion, they would have no way of knowing how to target the affected joint. If you're looking for a pain killer, Tylenol is much cheaper and more dependable.
Myth: Cortisone shots are an effective way to treat joint injuries.
Truth: Cortisone temporarily alleviates both inflammation and pain. The result is that an athlete, for example, will be physically able to continue to play with a cartilage tear after a cortisone shot in the knee, but the knee is unstable due to the original injury. Wobbling leads to friction inside the knee joint which ultimately causes the inflammation that can lead to severe arthritis.
Myth: Magnets and copper jewelry have properties that can help cure arthritis.
Truth: Machines that purport to improve circulation to the joints by exposing them to magnetic fields and bracelets that claim to impart to the skin copper which will relieve or even cure the pain of arthritis are a complete waste of money.
Myth: When one is experiencing joint pain, the best specialist to consult is an orthopedist.
Truth: There is an epidemic in our society of people going to an orthopedic surgeon when other less invasive treatment are preferable. Someone who has suffered an injury should go to an orthopedist. However, for undiagnosed joint pain, a rheumatologist is best equipped to diagnose the source of the pain and most qualified to treat diseases that affect the joints.
Myth: Poultry and cold water fish such as salmon are high in omega-3s that can help in the treatment of arthritis.
Truth: Free range chicken and wild salmon are indeed elements of a diet that can significantly reduce arthritis pain because they feed on foods that are high in anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids and low in omega-6s which are inflammatory fatty acids. However, farmed chicken and fish generally subsist on a diet high in omega-6s so if you eat them, they will pass these fatty acids on to you in high amounts that could exacerbate arthritis.
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About The Author:
Dr. Richard H. Blau is the author of Too Young to Feel Old: The Arthritis Doctor's 28-Day Formula For Pain-Free Living. For more than 20 years, and as the founder and medical director of The Arthritis Institute of Long Island, he has worked with arthritis suffers of all ages, treating symptoms that range from moderate stiffness to crippling pain and deformity. Please visit his website to learn more: www.arthritisinstitute.com.
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About The Book:
Drawing on Dr. Richard H. Blau's extensive
clinical experience and cutting-edge research in the fields of both
conventional and complementary medicine,
Too Young to Feel Old (Da Capo Press, $15.95 trade paperback original) is
packed with invaluable information on the two most common forms of
arthritis—osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—and presents a
program that will enable readers to manage and control their arthritis pain
in just four weeks. In language that is at once authoritative and
reassuringly down-to-earth, Dr. Blau explains the causes of arthritis,
reveals the truth behind the myths of such "miracle cures" as glucosamine
and chrondroitin, explores the emotional impact of arthritis, and guides us
through the myriad supplements, alternative therapies, prescription
medications that are available to arthritis sufferers. At the heart of this
essential guide is an innovative program that incorporates a meal plan and
exercises formulated to combat the pain of arthritis. Equipped with the
wealth of information and healthy lifestyle tips in Too Young to Feel Old,
readers can break free of a cycle of pain and significantly enhance their
quality of life.
