Crohn's Disease and Joint Pain

Many people suffering from Crohn's Disease complain of join pain in their elbows, knees, wrists and ankles. Although Crohn's Disease is best known for inflammation and pain in the gastrointestinal tract, it is often the source of different types of arthritis as well. In fact, joint pain and Crohn's disease almost always go hand-in-hand. The natural supplement OPC (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidin), a natural antioxidant has been proven to control both.

When an autoimmune disorder like Crohn's Disease occurs, there is a release of inflammatory chemicals in the body, namely histamine. Histamine triggers inflammation in the intestine and other side effects like hay fever, joint pain, and even skin disorders. OPC naturally reverses or reduces the formation of histamine. OPC is a powerful natural antioxidant that is fifty times the strength of Vitamin E and twenty 20 times the strength of Vitamin C. OPC users often report obtaining the same benefits as listed for traditional antihistamine drugs but without the fatigue and lethargy side effects. Actually they experience a surge in energy and vitality when taking OPC. This is because of the high content of natural free radical scavenging OPC does when it's in the body. Since OPC is a 100% safe and natural antioxidant, made from wine/grape seed extract and pine bark, there is nothing in it to cause negative side effects for joint pain suffers.

With less free radical activity in the body there is an accompanying reduction in inflammation and pain in the joints, leading even to the elimination of joint pain and an overall bettor quality of life for joint pain suffers. Additionally, there are no known reports of any side effects in the use of this product...even when consumed in large amounts.

That is why many people with Crohn's Disease are switching to the safe and natural supplement OPC because of the way it controls not only the inflammation and pain directly related to Crohn's, but also their joint pain. Being free from chronic joint pain offers people a second chance to get their life back and enjoy the kind of active lifestyle with family and friends that they once so treasured prior to getting sick.

One testimony is from a lady in Canada who, after having a knee replacement, reported that she had improved range of motion from 80-85 degrees following surgery...which further increased to 115 degrees after just four months of taking OPC. Additionally, she was able to run down her stairs, not just walk! Another lady suffering from another painful autoimmune disease joint condition and unable to walk without assistance for 30 years is now able to take daily walks with her friends around the block and is even climbing stairs again, without pain, after taking OPC.

Therefore, if you are suffering from Crohn's Disease AND also from related joint pain, know that there is a natural and safe solution...remedy without the harsh and long term side affects of prescription drugs

Post Operative Knee Braces - How To Find A Provider Near You

How is your knee doing?

Are you going to undergo a knee surgery and are going to need a brace afterward?

Are one of your patient's going to need a knee support after surgery and you want to get them the right level of support?

1.) The Use of Post Operative Knee Supports

Post "Op", aka post operative knee braces, have a unique use. It is wise not to compare them to the other off the shelf devices that are out there. Post operative knee supports are typically used directly after a surgery and then within time, your doctor could have you wean into another type of knee support. - If you have ever seen someone play sports with a knee brace on, it is probably fair to assume that this is not a post operative knee support, but rather a functional brace of some kind.

2.) How Post Operative Knee Braces Are Unique

The knee joint on many post operative knee braces is unique. Many times they are designed to lock in varying degrees of flexion, or in extension. The point is that when you are about to use your leg more, after some healing has occurred, then your physician may allow you to start to move your knee more. This means that you will be able to quickly adjust the knee joint (or your local orthotist should probably do it for you). After you have healed, then your doctor may agree to have you get a "sports" knee brace or an everyday knee support that will keep you supported without having the length of a post operative knee support to deal with. - Many post operative supports extend at least 12" above and below the knee center (if not more). They are designed this way for good reason, because you will need the maximum amount of support after your surgical procedure.

3.) Finding A Brace Company Near You - Chicago Example

It is best to have a licensed orthotist fit and deliver you with this kind of a brace. After a surgery it is not time to accidentally put this brace on the wrong way and an orthotist can really help in this way. - Go to Google and type in "Post operative knee brace" and "Chicago", for example and you will find a provider in your area (if you live or work in Chicago). This example can apply elsewhere.

How Knee Surgery Helped My Business

Do you find yourself spending time trying to fix the same problem over and over? Would you like to be able to solve such things once and for all without getting overwhelmed by the process of sifting through an endless flow of information and magic wand promises? Then maybe my knee surgery can help.

A few months ago I had knee surgery and it taught me some business lessons that you might find useful too. So hang in there while I lay the foundation, okay?

The surgery was really a two-stage process:

1. Fix the problem

2. Heal from fixing the problem

The healing part had two stages of its own:

1. Mending - this happened largely on its own, with rest and pain meds :)

2. Strengthening - this happened with physical therapy, which was the source of my business-related "Ah ha."

It turns out that the key to the success of the whole fix-the-knee event was in the strengthening stage, because I had the first key ingredient of an excellent surgeon at the arthroscopic helm.

In order to fix what was broken, the Doc had to mess up some stuff that wasn't -- namely, muscle tissue. The point of the physical therapy was to strengthen the connective tissue that supports the proper functioning of the knee.

Having knee surgery without physical therapy is the same as spending resources fixing a business problem without taking the time to make sure that the support stuff connected to the problem is in good working order. You wind up making the same repair over and over again.

Maybe you don't need a new solution to your old problem. Maybe you just need a little business physical therapy or bizical therapy.

Suppose your business is suffering from an income injury. A regimen of bizical therapy to strengthen the connective tissue of a trusted and valued relationship with your customer base will be in order.

• Physical therapy is subtle. It begins with simple - not radical - motion, repeated at regular intervals, under the watchful eye of a professional. That professional will sometimes make tiny corrections in the way you are executing one of those simple motions because a little change can mean a big difference in results.

Your income bizical therapy might start with the small, simple motion of sending your email list a single tip on a topic from your area of expertise, at the regular interval of once a month, with the guidance and input of a marketing strategist (ahem) who could offer suggestions for tiny adjustments to ensure positive results.

• Physical therapy gradually introduces additional movements and repetition is increased.

After a few months your bizical therapy might include stepping up your email tip to every other week and adding a coupon with a special offer for referring a friend.

• Sometimes the physical therapy tactics include working on places that seem far removed from the area of injury.

In your bizical therapy, a marketing strategist (ahem, again) might suggest spending time getting clearer about your ideal client to support weakened sales.

• In physical therapy, progress is slow at first and may even seem like the effort is a waste of time; but patience and persistence with the small and deliberate movements produce a cumulative effect of restored health to the problem area.

Bizical therapy works the exact same way and, just like physical therapy, yields the best results when the patient is an active participant and continues the exercises, even when they aren't being watched.

So if you are having a business pain, I suggest you find a specialist, someone you trust who is walking their talk, and engage them in a course of bizical therapy.

Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System

Hip replacement surgery has long been used to treat patients whose hips have been damaged by arthritis, fractures, trauma, dysplasia or avascular necrosis. Over the course of past decade, hip resurfacing has been developed as a high-performance surgical alternative to traditional hip replacement surgery used for severe arthritis of the hip joint.

In recent years, Birmingham hip resurfacing has emerged as an exciting new alternative to total hip replacement.

Birmingham Hip Resurfacing System
Birmingham Hip Resurfacing is the first hip resurfacing system approved by the FDA for use in the United States. Approved on May 9, 2006, this innovative system is now widely used in the United Kingdom and 26 other countries.

Its bone-preservation approach, globally proven results and state-of-the-art design together have made this new resurfacing system a huge hit among worldwide patients with end-stage arthritis of the hip. The system has been implanted in 125,000 hip arthritic patients around the world.

Mechanism
Birmingham hip resurfacing is a safe and effective metal on metal resurfacing system, in which an implant is surgically placed to replace an arthritic hip joint. It is a two-part system involving a socket in the shape of a shallow cup that fits into the hip socket (acetabulum), and a cap in the form of a ball head.

In the surgery, the orthopedic surgeon shaves off, instead of cutting of, only the worn surface of the femoral head (ball) and implants a cobalt-chrome metal cap over the resurfaced ball of the femur.

The major difference between resurfacing and a hip replacement is the amount of bone that is preserved or removed during the surgery. The system is designed to conserve more bone than a traditional hip replacement. Essentially, this technologically advanced surgical procedure removes only the diseased surface of the head.

While implanting the resurfacing prosthesis, the surgeon resurfaces just a few centimeters of bone, retaining the healthy bone in the hip joint.

The younger, athletic baby boomers who have worn out their joints too soon can benefit from this system's conservative approach to treatment. What makes the procedure more ideal are the virtual elimination of dislocation and excellent survivorship.

It is not suitable for female, patients of child-bearing age and the adults over 60 who are not so active. However, the elderly who are living non-sedentary lifestyles may also be may be good candidates.

Complications
If not taken care of properly, the resurfaced hip joint can wear, which may result in an increase in metal ions in the patient's blood and urine.

Also, femoral neck fracture can occur. The improper prosthetic seating or misalignment of the device can increase the risk of fracture. Risk of hip fracture is twice as high in women as in men.

Femoral component loosening is another complication that may occur due to inadequate fixation of the prosthesis.

The risk of metal hypersensitivity is common in patients who have undergone arthroplasty.

Femoral neck narrowing and higher-grade heterotopic ossification (HO) are the other complications associated with this surgery.

Precautions
Birmingham hip resurfacing surgery requires special care during the first few months following the operation.

Mentioned below are some precautions you should consider in the first six to 12 months, which are the most vulnerable for the new hip joint.

Avoid heavy lifting.
Do not bend forward to pick up things or reach your feet.
Do not participate in high-impact activities like jogging or jumping.
Do not twist or cross your legs.
Try not to lift your knee higher than your hip.
Avoid extreme movements of the hip.
Keep a pillow between your knees to prevent crossing of the legs while sleeping.
Lastly, strictly follow your surgeon's limitations on activity level for a successful hip resurfacing procedure.

Knee Joint Pain - How to Find Relief For Your Joint Pain

Do you suffer from constant pain the affects your knee joints? If you have a problem with your knee then you are one of millions of Americans who suffer from knee joint pain. Because the knee is used throughout your whole life on a constant basis, it is no surprise that many people are often inflicted with bad knee pain. This is usually a result of the wearing down of the cartilage that is in your knees. Once the cartilage starts to wear down, there is nothing that is protecting your bones from rubbing together.

Suffering from bad pain in your knee is no fun. There is nothing worse than constantly having a bummed out knee, especially if you are normally a very active person. A painful knee can often make people immobile due to the pain that they feel when they are on the go. The important thing to remember if you are experiencing pain is that there are many solutions that are available. You just need to find one that will work to alleviate your pain.

When it comes to knee joint pain, the main cause is usually arthritis. Medical professionals are split on why arthritis occurs in some people and why doesn't in others, however, they mostly agree that certain lifestyles will lead to the occurrence of arthritis more frequently. For example, if you are overweight then there is a good chance that you will put a lot of extra stress on your joints, which may in fact lead to some form of arthritis.

Long Term Effects of General Anesthesia - Just Sharing My Thoughts!

I am writing this article simply to share my experiences with others in hopes that it might give comfort to others that are experiencing similar things that I have had after surgeries. I am the first to admit that I am not an expert on this topic, but I do have first hand experience from surgeries that I have been through. I know that anesthesia is needed for most surgical procedures, but as with any drug that is administered the risk of side effects is always there.

Possible Side Effects of Anesthesia

Most doctors seem to focus on the short term side effects like nausea, vomiting, headache, fatigue, weakness, blurred vision, sore throat, dizziness, mood swings and unusual dreams. What about long term effects? I feel that the long term damage to the brain is a real problem that few doctors care to admit. Makes sense to me that shutting the brain down for a long period of time (say 2-6 hours just for example) cannot be good for overall brain function. I believe that an adverse effect as a result can come in the form of depression, mood swings, loss of memory and overall changes in the ability to think clearly.

The Effects of Anesthesia From Multiple Surgeries

I have worked in construction all of my life, and I have had numerous injuries which have required surgery. The first major one was a knee surgery in 1986 which lasted 6 hours and I had the hick-ups for 3 days after the surgery, (which was called a side effect). I was hospitalized for those 3 days and was given what they said was anti- psychotic medications to relieve this problem! I also had memory lapses and depression issues, which I blamed on the fact that I was out of work for so long to recover.

I have had four other surgeries since then:

1.right elbow repair from an old injury. (3 hour surgery) Oct.1990
2.left arm bicep repair. (2 hour surgery) June 1991
3 Right rotator cuff repair (4 hour surgery) Oct. 2004
4. Left rotator cuff repair (4hour surgery) July 2009

I have had many questions for years about the long term side effects of general anesthesia... which are based on my own experiences. This last surgery has me feeling worse than any of the others. Maybe it is due to the fact that I have been off of work so long, but I don't think that is all of it! I think the long term effects are stacking up from all of the surgeries.

General Anesthesia... the Necessary Medicine?

I know that all of my surgeries did require anesthesia. I know I would not have been to comfortable without the help of anesthesia. I am just hoping to bring to light by sharing some of my own experiences a need to do more research on helping others cope with these after effects. I have thought of myself as just not being strong enough to cope. After reading in forums on this topic I now realize I am not alone. After my surgeries in 1990 and 1991. I sought psychiatric help for this problem, and was prescribed Zoloft to help with the depression I was feeling. The cost for this drug was $100.00 per month at that time, and it made me feel like a zombie! The extra monthly expense was depressing me also... a no win situation! You need a drug to offset the after effect of the previous drug! Craziness in my opinion!

I am Choosing to Take a Different Path this Time!

I will be 57 years old next month. This last surgery in July of 2009 has been a blessing for me. It has opened my mind to all kinds of new ways of thinking. I am learning new computer skills and starting my own online business so that I can quit working construction. I am doing quite well, but my thought processes just aren't as sharp as they need to be when I talk to people. I know what I want to say, but it just won't come out of my mouth correctly! Not a good thing when trying to make a new business contact... people seem to be waiting on me to explain my thoughts! People are to busy to wait for me to talk.

I am battling depression big time, but I don't want to lean on prescription medications to get over that. I just started a vitamin and natural supplement program which I hope will help me to win this battle! I just don't trust the drug companies any more. I think they do more damage than good for people.

I have found some natural supplements that I believe will help me. I've been on them for one month now and it may be the "placebo effect" going on, but I do feel better. My mood swings aren't as severe. My bouts with depression are less frequent. I have never been a person to take vitamins in the past, but this time I just want to feel better. What have I got to lose? I hope now that I will be able to share some positive results with you in the months to come. Thanks for reading my article! I sure hope it helps someone else feel as though they aren't alone or crazy. Blessings to you!

Knee Clicking and Pain - 3 Things You Must Know About the Right Treatment For Your Knee

Have you ever heard that clicking or crunching in your knees when you walk or crouch down? For some of us, it has happened for so long that we have grown used to it and are now able to ignore it and just accept it as normal. For others of us, we have that feeling that something is not right but we're not quite sure what it is. And for still others of us, we experience pain around the front of the knee or just under the knee cap and are simply resigned to the fact that we have bad knees.

One of the main causes of this kind of knee pain is the knee cap. In fact, the knee cap is one of the parts of the body that we generally give very little thought to and many people actually don't know much about. Here we will explore 3 widely unknown secrets about the knee cap and why it gives you pain, discomforting and clicking or crunching noises.

1. Movement - The kneecap slides up and down a groove on the end of the thigh bone as the knee bends. The kneecap is designed to fit in the center of this groove, and slide evenly within the groove. However, in some people, the kneecap is pulled towards the outside of the knee. As this happens, the kneecap does not slide centrally within its groove. This can cause clicking or crunching noises when you walk for a long period or when you bend. Over time, this can lead to the knee cap becoming dislocated. If your kneecap has become dislocated, you will need your doctor or physiotherapist to provide you with treatment.

2. Pain Relief - In my own experience with knee cap problems following knee surgery, I was advised by my physiotherapist to strengthen my inner quad muscle. This would have the effect of pulling my kneecap back into proper alignment to allow it to slide in its groove smoothly again. I was also able to massage the knee cap to loosen it up so that it could move more freely without causing such discomfort. This is done by using a cream such as sorbolene and gently pushing the kneecap from the outer side of the knee in towards the opposite knee while the leg is stretched out straight. In fact, doing this at any time discomfort or tightness of the kneecap is felt can bring some immediate temporary relief. Focusing also on strengthening of the hip abductors and hip flexors offers better control of the kneecap.

3. Taping - One of the most helpful things you can do to reduce, and even eliminate, pain and discomfort due to knee cap mis-alignment is to tape it. This involves using a special type of tape that is used to pull the kneecap across towards the inner part of the knee and hold it there for an extended period of time, such as a full day, while you go about your usual activities. From first hand experience, this has been one of the most amazing ways to relieve knee pain resulting from kneecap problems.