Arthritis Facts – from the U.S. National Arthritis Action Plan

Arthritis, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis cover more than one hundred diseases and conditions that affect joints, the surrounding tissues, and other connective tissues. Arthritic conditions affect one in six Americans, making it one of the most common diseases in the United States. By 2020, an estimated 60 million people will be affected by one or more forms of arthritis.

While everyone is at potential risk of arthritis, suffering is higher among women than men. In addition, arthritis is the leading cause of disability, limiting daily activities for more than 7 million American citizens alone. It has a significant effect on quality of life – not only for the individual who experiences its painful symptoms and resulting disability, but also for family members and care givers. Compounding this picture are the enormous costs that the nation bears for treating arthritis and its complications and for the disability that can result from these conditions. These medical and social costs total nearly $65 billion – a figure equivalent to a moderate national recession.

Arthritis is not an old person's disease – an inevitable part of growing old that must be accepted and endured. On the contrary, some forms of arthritis, such as osteoarthritis, can be prevented with weight control and precautions to avoid certain occupational and sports injuries. Similarly, arthritic pain and disability can be minimized through early diagnosis and appropriate management, including weight control, physical activity, self-management, physical and occupational therapy, and joint replacement surgery."

From experience can be added: medication. There are many effective pharmaceutical treatments for joint and muscular pain, stiffness and gout available, over-the-counter or by prescription, in the US and elsewhere of course. In South East Asia, for example, some of these are very inexpensive and can work very well for certain forms of arthritic or related conditions (joint pain, lower back pain, stiffness, swelling and gout). Products such as diclofenac (sodium or potassium) and also glucosamine and chondroitin (food supplements rather than drugs) are examples. In Lao and Thailand, and probably elsewhere, generic diclofenac tablets are available for less than $2.00 for a month's supply. You may be one of the lucky ones for whom one or more of these provides ongoing pain relief, so they are certainly worth trying! You can visit the Online Prescription.MD site to learn more about some of these medications.
* See below for a user's guide on glucosamine and chondroitin.

If you are an arthritis sufferer, you should try to learn more about which type affects you, or a family member or friend, and its possible treatment. There are many relevant publications available through Amazon, where you can also read reviews. It's worth noting that many of these titles are available at reduced prices and even second hand, and there are more than are listed here, too.

Alternative solutions for arthritis pain relief
A method which is certainly worth trying especially where conventional methods have failed, is the use of self-hypnosis to alleviate pain. You might wonder how this is possible. Arthritis pain relief is much the same as any other using hypnosis, but is focused on diminishing the long-term pain arthritis causes. Hypnosis can help achieve relief from arthritis pain by teaching you how to use your mind to lower the amount of pain you perceive. Think about it – if someone can undergo a surgical operation under hypnosis, isn't it likely that you could get relief from arthritis pain too? Read more about Arthritis Pain Relief using hypnosis. See our Hypnosis pages for more on this often-maligned and misunderstood subject, but with the correct materials can be practised quite easily in the privacy of your own home. It could provide a genuine and inexpensive solution for pain and suffering.

Additionally here is a very popular and inexpensive downloadable e-book with a natural remedy for arthritic pain and suffering. It comes with a money-back satisfaction guarantee too!

Popular Arthritis Books at Amazon. See below for more titles.

Click on any book link to read a full review before purchase.

Full list of Osteoarthritis Books at Amazon

Mayo Clinic on Arthritis by Gene G. Hunder

Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Infection Connection (Targeting and Treating the Cause of Chronic Illness) by Katherine M. Poehlmann Ph.D.

Conquering Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Latest Breakthroughs and Treatments
by Thomas F. Lee

Living With Rheumatoid Arthritis (Johns Hopkins Health Book)
by Tammi L. Shlotzhauer

The Arthritis Foundation's Guide to Good Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis
by Gretchen Henkel

My Brother Made Me Do It (Frightmares) by Peg Kehret

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Plan to Win by Cheryl Koehn

Angie and Me by Rebecca C. Jones

How to Deal Simply With Back Pain and Rheumatoid Joint Pain
by Fereydoon Batmanghelidj

Keeping A Secret: A Story About Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis
by Elizabeth Murphy Melas

The Hospital for Special Surgery Rheumatoid Arthritis Handbook
by Stephen A. M.D. Paget

Getting Up is Hard to Do : Life with Rheumatoid Arthritis by Wanda James

Health Journeys for People With Rheumatoid Arthritis or Lupus by Belleruth Naparstek

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Epidemiology, Pathogenesis and Treatment by Sherine Gabriel

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Your Medication Explained (Overcoming Common Problems Series.) by Mary-Claire Mason

The Arthritis Cure: The Medical Miracle That Can Halt, Reverse, and May Even Cure Osteoarthritis by Jason Theodosakis

Arthritis of the Hip and Knee: The Active Person's Guide to Taking Charge
by Ronald J. Allen

The Arthritis Cure Cookbook by Brenda D. Adderly

Mayo Clinic on Arthritis by Gene G. Hunder

Maximizing the Arthritis Cure: A Step-By-Step Program to Faster, Stronger Healing During Any Stage of the Cure by Jason Theodosakis

All About Osteoarthritis: The Definitive Resource for Arthritis Patients and Their Families by Nancy E. Lane

Arthritis Survival: The Holistic Medical Treatment Program for Osteoarthritis
by Robert S. Ivker

Coping With Osteoarthritis: Sound, Compassionate Advice for People Dealing With the Challenge of Osteoarthritis (Coping With...) by Robert H. Phillips

Same S-Adenosylmethionine: The European Arthritis and Depression Breakthrough
by Sol Grazi

The Sam-E Solution by Deborah Mitchell

An Atlas of Osteoarthritis (The Encyclopedia of Visual Medicine Series)
by K. D. Brandt

Osteoarthritis: Current Research and Prospects for Pharmacological Intervention
by P. A. Dieppe

* User's Guide to Glucosamine and Chondroitin: Don't Be a Dummy: Become an Expert on What Glucosamine & Chondroitin Can Do by Victoria Dolby Toews

Osteoarthritis: Clinical and Experimental Aspects by Jean-Yves Reginster

Joint Destruction in Arthritis and Osteoarthritis by Birkhauser

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Recent Research Advances by J.S. Smolen

Mefenamic Acid: Some Practical Aspects of the Treatment of Rheumatic Disease: Proceedings of a Round-Table Meeting Sponsored by Parke-Davis research
by J. Rawlinson

T Cells in Arthritis (Progress in Inflammation Research) by Pierre Miossec

Psychological Aspects of Rheumatoid Arthritis (Recent Research in Psychology)
by Mary L. Pritchard

Juvenile Arthritis (Perspectives on Disease and Illness) by Judith Peacock

Ernst Schering Research Foundation Workshop 31: Advances in Eicosanoid Research by C. N. Serhan

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Advances in Inflammation Research by Gerald Weissmann

Neue Strukturen fur die Rheumaforschung
by Der Bundesminister fur Forschung und Technologie

Infection and immunology in the rheumatic diseases : arising from a symposium convened by the World Health Organization with the Arthritis and Rheumatism Council for Research and held in London in 1974 by Blackwell Scientific

Rheumatoid arthritis : cellular pathology and pharmacology : proceedings of the Cambridge Rheumatism Research Group Symposium on Rheumatoid Arthritis-Cellular Pathology and Pharmacology, held in Cambridge, United Kingdom, 21-23 September 1976 by North-Holland Pub. Co. ; sole distributors for the U.S.A. and Canada Elsevier/North-Holland

European arthritis therapy markets : research and development efforts focus on immune sciences and NSAIDs by Frost & Sullivan

Arthritis: Your Complete Exercise Guide (Cooper Clinic and Research Institute Fitness Series) by Neil F. Gordon

Strong Women and Men Beat Arthritis: The Scientifically Proven Program That Allows People With Arthritis to Take Charge of Their Disease by Miriam E. Nelson

Flax Oil As a True Aid Against Arthritis Heart Infarction Cancer and Other Diseases
by Johanna Dr. Budwig

The Arthritis Cure: The Medical Miracle That Can Halt, Reverse, and May Even Cure Osteoarthritis by Jason Theodosakis

Pain-Free with Magnet Therapy: Discover how Magnets can Help Relieve Arthritis, Sports Injuries, Fibromyalgia, and Chronic Pain by Lara Owen

Dr. Scott's Knee Book: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Knee Problems, Including: Torn Cartilage, Ligament Damage, Arthritis, Tendinitis and others
by W. Norman Scott

Getting Rid of Gout: A Guide to Management and Prevention by B. T. Emmerson

I Was Poisoned By My Body, The Odyssey of a Doctor Who Reversed Fibromyalgia, Leaky Gut Syndrome, and Multiple Chemical Sensitivity - Naturally! by Gloria Gilbere

Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Infection Connection {Targeting and Treating the Cause of Chronic Illness} by Katherine M. Poehlmann Ph.D.

The New Arthritis Breakthrough by Henry Scammell

The Bible Cure for Arthritis (Fitness and Health) by Donald Colbert

All About Osteoarthritis: The Definitive Resource for Arthritis Patients and Their Families by Nancy E. Lane

Mayo Clinic on Arthritis by Gene G. Hunder

Maximizing the Arthritis Cure: A Step-By-Step Program to Faster, Stronger Healing During Any Stage of the Cure by Jason Theodosakis

Primer on the Rheumatic Diseases by John H. Klippel

The Arthritis Helpbook: A Tested Self-Management Program for Coping with Arthritis and Fibromyalgia by Kate Lorig

There's a good chance that your arthritic pain and discomfort can be reduced if not eliminated entirely in many cases. Don't accept a pessimistic diagnosis from your doctor. Explore every avenue of treatment and therapy. Enjoy life in retirement – you deserve it!

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