Phyllis cured her rheumatoid arthritis and got her life back by following a simple diet of delicious foods, no pills, side effects, or expense.

Fibromyalgia is a mysterious disorder of unknown cause characterized by widespread pain, abnormal pain processing, sleep disturbance, fatigue and often psychological distress. According to the CDC, fibromyalgia affects an estimated 5 million adults. Dr. Sean Mackey, assistant professor of anesthesia at the Stanford University Medical Center, discusses our current understanding of this cryptic disorder: its pathology, diagnosis and treatment.

Believe it or not, you have 650 muscles and 206 bones in your body, all held together by powerful joints. If something goes wrong in these vital “connectors,” arthritis can be the painful result.Watch More Health Videos at Health Guru: www.healthguru.com

WINNER OF THE PANDORA ADVOCACY CONTEST 2007 The story of a young girl named Holly Fraser, who has to endure a life with the incurable disease Fibromyalgia. more info can be found at www.diagnosesupport.com http ©2005 elfling productions www.elfling.co.uk

Recognizing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Watch this and more health videos at: www.answerstv.com

You look fine to me

Dubbed “the wear-and-tear arthritis,” osteoarthritis causes the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage, which is the part of the joint that cushions the ends of bones. Cartilage breakdown causes bones to rub against each other, causing pain and loss of movement. One of the most common types of arthritis, affecting one in seven Americans (mostly after age forty-five and more often women than men), OA is also called degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, or hypertrophic arthritis, and it particularly affects hands and weight-bearing joints such as those found in the back, knees, hips, and feet.

Although the exact cause is not known, genetics play a role in who is more susceptible to early cartilage breakdown. Other risk factors include obesity, previous joint injuries, and jobs that put stress on joints. Although age is a risk factor, doctors now know that OA is a disease, rather than part of “natural aging.” Most people over sixty reveal the disease on X-ray, but only about one-third of those with positive X-rays have actual symptoms in the form of lower back pain.

Effects range from very mild to severe joint stiffness and pain and can include limited movement and loss of dexterity, sometimes swelling of affected joints, and cracking or grating sounds with joint movement. Weather changes, especially to cold, damp weather, may increase the ache.

Back pain treatment for osteoarthritis focuses on decreasing pain and improving joint movement. Acetaminophen can help reduce mild pain without inflammation; and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including aspirin, are recommended if there is inflammation or the acetaminophen doesn’t help.

Other treatments include use of heat or cold for temporary pain relief; exercises to keep joints flexible; and weight control to prevent extra stress on joints. Recently, the National Institutes of Health concluded that acupuncture can be an alternative or addition to conventional osteoarthritis care. In severe cases, surgery is another option.

Osteoarthritis should not be confused with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a disease of the autoimmune system that attacks many joints throughout the body simultaneously and often begins between the ages of twenty-five and fifty but can occur in children as early as infancy.

Developing within weeks or months, rheumatoid arthritis usually affects small joints of the hands and feet, causing redness, warmth and swelling. Symptoms can include general feelings of sickness and fatigue, as well as weight loss and fever; and prolonged morning stillness. An antibody called a rheumatoid factor may be found in the blood. For this, and all types of arthritis, a rheumatologist is the medical professional to see.

A rheumatologist describes the effects of rheumatoid arthritis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints, its most common symptoms and the treatment options available.

A Fibromyalgia Awareness Video.. Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain that effects many people. If you know one of these people please be patient and let them know you care!

Is there a relation between candida and fibromyalgia? Is candida a cause of fibromyalgia? The answer to these two questions is, yes, a connection between the two has been established.

It has been found that when the good bacteria, Lactobacillus, is lacking or missing in your body; fungal infections are allowed to sneak in causing health issues. This usually happens when a person has been on antibiotics for a long period of time, as the composition of the antibiotics eat away the good bacteria, leaving behind candida yeast which if it becomes overgrown in your system it can morph or grow into toxic by-products such as tartaric acid, ethanol, and carbon dioxide.

Tartaric acid is what has linked a sever case of candida yeast overgrowth with fibromyalgia. The reason behind this is that tartaric acid is a muscle toxin that can potentially be more lethal then ethanol; when this toxin enters the muscles it creates severe to disabling muscle and joint pain. It is this pain that most fibromyalgia sufferers complain about having, especially after some traumatic accident or event. These traumas is linked to an overgrowth of candida yeast as the victim is treated with high doses of antibiotics to jump start the immune system in fighting off infections.

The best way to combat candida yeast and fight off fibromyalgia, there are some holistic approaches that seem to work best. These include candida yeast and parasite cleanses pure oil of oregano extract, CoQ10, shark liver oil, and probiotics. Any of these natural remedies can be found at any natural health food store or alternative health professionals. In addition to these supplements it is also advisable to adopt a healthy eating habit and trying to add in exercises on a daily basis.