Music Therapy For Arthritis Pain

Music therapy is considered the best pain reliever for arthritis pain and depression. It is very effective and efficient with those people with inflammatory arthritis pains because music soothes. Music therapists say that listening to music relaxes a person hence help in reducing pains and depression to the patients by improving the confidence, morale and physical functional levels of a person with arthritis.

Music eases arthritis pains and symptoms

It has been proven that classical music is the best medicine to soothe the irritating and itching joints and limbs which in the long run reduce the levels of stress and anxiety. This is what music therapist and medical researchers concur. Slow tempo music enhances the flow of blood especially to the painful areas of the body. In the school of nursing at Florida Atlantic University College found out that because the music distracts the patients especially those with arthritis, it decreases the levels of pain. In addition, the heartbeat muscles move together with the music beats and does breathe hence being the best reliever. The music helps reduce or slow the fast beat heart and maintains it at approximately between 69 and 70 beats per minute. Joanne Loewy says that classic music has a lot of power especially in promoting relaxation and breathing.

However, not all music genres soothe the heart depending on how fast or slow it is. Faster music composition can stimulate the heart rate and nervous systems. Listening to such kind of music can increase the rate of heartbeat hence causing more pain, stress and depression to the arthritis patients. Music therapist believed that classical music can sooth all common types of arthritis.
Pain Barriers

Though music is one of the pain relievers, there is little that has been done especially on how to contain chronic pains. This is one of the areas of importance because most researchers have concentrated on helping those with mild or moderate pain only. This is a barrier in helping those patients with arthritis with chronic and severe pains. In England, people with severe pains have risen to 14 million which is more than 1 third of the country’s total population.

To reduce the burden and stress that health or medical professionals, the government advises those with pains to manage their conditions as early as possible. This is self-management of pains before it reaches uncontrollable stages. It advocates for doing relaxing exercise, regular stretching, and taking medications as recommended by the doctors. Music being inexpensive is very attractive and can help people not to use many drugs that cause more pain and other related side effects. People with arthritis do not affect them only but also their families, relatives, and loved ones are affected in one way or another.

Breathing and heart rate

When listening to any form or type of music, it is recommended to pay attention to the heart and breathing rate. The slower the breathing and heart rate, it means the music is soothing which leads to stress and depression reduction. This is on the positive and encouraging side to the patient and medics. On the other flip side, if the heart rate is faster or racing when listening to a certain selection of music then it is helping the patient but worsening the situation. If you find the music that soothes your heart well then save the music and listen to it more often.

Music compilation

Every patient with arthritis should prepare or compile their own music so that when the pain becomes severe they can easily find one and listen in order to contain the pain. The classical music is the type that most medics and those with arthritis recommend but some people prefer other types. The music compilation should be relaxing and soothing the heart which is slow and creates ones happiness.

Jazz or new genres

Even though classical moving has been extensively accepted by many researchers, Loewy is of the opinion that trying or giving a chance to jazz or new age is not a bad idea. This genre of music can be effective and efficient if you choose the best tunes. In January 2015 at Cleveland Clinic’s Euclid Hospital, Shirley Livingston 73 year old woman was soothed and relieved of her pain when a music therapist came to the ward. The music therapist played a flute for about 30 minutes each day for three weeks and the pains she had reduced drastically.

Conclusion
 
For many years, music therapists have been upping their game on research on how to relieve pain in patients with arthritis.  Arthritis patients have confirmed that music is the best medicine to relieve pain. Other new genres of music such as jazz can also be tried if it can serve the same purpose as classical music.

References:

https://www.glozine.com/lifestyle/health/natural-joint-pain-relief-supplements.html

http://community.healthywomen.org/profiles/blogs/during-winter-joint-pain-gets-bad-to-worse-why

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Natural Ways to Treat Chronic Joint Pain

Managing chronic pain in the joints through natural steps is important and more effective than many people may suspect.

There are numerous causes for chronic joint pain, including things like fibromyalgia, arthritis, osteoporosis, injuries, and more. There are also different options for managing and treating that pain, but the fact is that in most cases modern medicine will take a 'masking' approach that involves nothing more than trying to hide the pain through the use of pain relievers. Using natural options is a better idea since there are no side effects and since they focus on preventing pain from occurring.

There are a few different natural steps that you should think about when you are trying to manage your chronic pain. With the right methods, you can get relief that you may not have thought was possible.

Start off by finding a good supplement. Look for all-natural supplements that contain glucosamine, chondroitin, and MSM. These three substances are the main ones for controlling joint pain and boosting joint health, and they'll work by increasing your cartilage and tendon strength. It may not help completely repair damage in the joints, but it will help reduce pain flare ups and will reduce the chance of further deterioration of cartilage.

Once you've found the right joint pain supplement to use as your basis for good joint health, you'll be ready to make the next moves towards better joint health. Start by changing your diet. Remove fats, sodium, and sugar. These are the "big three" when it comes to causing additional joint pain, and removing them from your diet will help reduce pain levels.

Acupuncture is another consideration that's well worth making. A lot of evidence has been found that suggests acupuncture is effective at controlling joint pain, so be sure to utilize it if you think it will help. You may be surprised by the results.

Also, remember that you don't have to deal with most pain flare ups through the use of drugs. Instead, ice compresses and capsaicin creams are enough to give yourself the right kind of pain relief in most cases. Serious pains may not be as easy to manage, but most chronic joint pain can be dealt with by using these simple methods.

If you're dealing with chronic joint pain, there are a number of different methods for controlling the pain. The points above are all good ideas for natural pain management when you need it.

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Pain Relief Treatment - Some Essential Pain Relief Methods

There are no easy answers when it comes to finding the best pain relief treatment. As a matter of fact, some people spend year after year searching for the best supplements, and they always come up short. One problem is that people searching for the best pain relief treatment are easily swayed by advertisements and false medical writing. This is not their fault. The truth is that in the world of pain relief treatment, there are so many new ideas and so much new science being introduced every day, it really can be a little overwhelming and can create inadvertent illusions. We all want to find a pain relief treatment that makes sense for us, however, which means that we need supplements that stop our pain and which might even make a long term difference.

To get the most effective pain relief treatment and to get the most out of your treatment, it is a good idea to do two things. On the one hand, you want to begin a new exercise plan that directly addresses your pain. Second, you want to make sure that education is a key component of your pain relief treatment. This means that you need to read about the pain you experience, identify the cause, and make sure you know which cures or pain management methods are recommended by specialists whom you trust. While it is important to consult paid medical and health professionals before settling on pain relief treatment, it is essential that you remember that your health is your responsibility.

When you include exercise in your pain relief treatment, you are incorporating the most natural and most effective pain reduction method for most people. If you are suffering from back pain, then stretches and perhaps even yoga might help you to optimize your pain relief treatment. People who are suffering from wrist pain might need a pain relief treatment exercise plan that includes stretches and light weight lifting. In terms of education, your pain relief treatment should involve reading books that consider both natural or alternative cures, as well as pain relief treatment recommended by paid professionals.

It also is a good idea to add nutritional joint pain supplements to your pain relief treatment. For many people, the answer is to use natural supplements that provide pain relief treatment because they make sense. Think about ingredients such as glucosamine for joints and aloe vera for skin irritation. Herbal sprays are excellent for treating some muscle spasm conditions. Finding a natural pain relief treatment requires both an education and some common sense.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis - Facts, Risk And Treatments

Facts About Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a prevailing autoimmune disease that affects more than 20 million Americans each year.  It tends to be bilateral and asymmetrical, which means it appears on both sides of your body. It is a chronic inflammatory polyarthritis condition, which means it upsets multiple (five or more) joints in the body and is often linked to joint deformities, especially in the hand and fingers.

Image Source - webmd.com

RA can be very serious, causing premature disability, compromised quality of life, and sometimes even death. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in 1997, rheumatoid arthritis accounted for 22 percent of all deaths due to arthritis and other rheumatic conditions.

Unlike arthritis that is brought by old age, rheumatoid arthritis can affect you at any age, including young children. In fact, a 2007 CDC study estimates that among 294,000 children with arthritis or other rheumatic condition, there were at least 16,000 classified as rheumatoid arthritis and other polyarthropathies. Fortunately, cases of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis are still relatively rare today.
Early diagnosis can prevent further damage from RA, but this is sometimes challenging because early symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis are very non-specific. These include:

• Malaise
• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Muscle soreness
• Low-grade fever
• Weight loss

Are You At Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis?

What causes rheumatoid arthritis is still a mystery. However, many experts suggest that it could be a combination of genetics and exposure to specific environmental factors.

• Gender – Typically, women are two to three times more predisposed to developing rheumatoid arthritis than men. Breast feeding, oral contraceptive, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), live birth history, and menstrual history are suspected to be contributing factors as to why women are at higher risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis.

• Age – While it is true that rheumatoid arthritis can hit you at any age, the onset of the disease begins between ages 30 and 50 and is at peak at 60 years of age in both men and women. 

• Smokers – Among a list of possible risk factors, smoking has the strongest and the most consistent link to rheumatoid arthritis. Studies suggest that a history of smoking is connected with a modest to moderate (1.3 to 2.4 times) increased risk of RA onset.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment

Conventional Versus Natural Approaches:
Since symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis usually involve joint pain, swelling, and inflammation, conventional anti-inflammatory approaches such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and analgesics are used by most physicians.

However, while these can relieve pain – and there’s a lot to be said for pain relief – it’s very important to understand that chronic use of these types of medications are associated with significant and very serious side effects such as kidney and/or liver damage. In the U.S., overuse of analgesics is a very common source of kidney failure.

NSAIDs also kill some 30,000 people every year due to bleeding ulcers, and the oral drugs have been linked to a host of problems, including heart failure. Vioxx and Celebrex make prime examples of these very real dangers. This is not to say that they are not useful agents in some cases; however, you need to use them very, very cautiously.

With respect to rheumatoid arthritis treatment – or any other disease – opting for natural approaches is still the best way to go.  The Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center has a wholearticle on this, titled “Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis ,”where there are several helpful alternative remedies that may be of significant benefit to patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Some examples are acupuncture, hydrotherapy, tai chi, and yoga.

Here are crucial lifestyle changes (Prevention) to achieve success against RA:

• Eliminate sugar, especially fructose, and most grains. For most people, it would be best to limit fruit to small quantities.
• Eat unprocessed, high-quality foods, organic and locally grown if possible.
• Eat your food as close to raw as possible.
• Get plenty high-quality animal-based omega-3 fats. Krill oil seems to be particularly helpful, as it appears to be a more effective anti-inflammatory preparation. It is particularly effective if taken concurrently with 4 milligrams of astaxanthin, which is a potent antioxidant bioflavanoid derived from algae.
• Incorporate regular exercise into your daily schedule.

Arriene Hernandez is an avid reader of Mercola.com and Dr. Joseph Mercola’s daily newsletter.

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The Easiest Ways to Prevent Joint Pains and Related Disorders

One out of four people are experiencing joint pains and related disorders today. I find this number rather disturbing because these diseases are becoming more common and even the younger folks can be affected. Instead of rushing to a surgery or popping painkillers, why not try these easy tips to help you prevent joint pains? 

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disorder wherein the joints and ligaments naturally loses their strength and lubrication. The best way to prevent this is through avoiding obesity and maintaining a good body weight. For older folks, strengthening the hips and knees through exercise is also good for joint health.

If you are told to drink moderately, you should or else you are becoming more exposed to gout. Gout is the condition when uric acids accumulate in the body, leading to joint pain and inflammation. The main culprit for this is heavy drinking. Beers and other liquors are high in purine, a substance which stimulate the production of uric acid. Other foods such as red meat, asparagus, sardines also have high contents of purine so its best to stay away from too.

Rheumatoid arthritis attacks are also painful and debilitating. The best way to avoid this disease is by increasing your vegetable and fruit intake to a total of seven servings per day. With the great complications these joint-related disorders can bring to our lives, the old adage is right after all: prevention is better than cure.

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Bone Health - More Than Exercise And Consuming Calcium

We are seeing a huge rise in osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is said to affect at least half the population of women and two thirds the population of men. That's a huge number. The common advice we see when it comes to osteoporosis is consume more calcium and get more exercise. This is really quite poor advice because it doesn't take into account at all how the body works and individual needs. 

If you have osteoporosis or you are moving towards osteoporosis your body is breaking down bone for a reason. It's breaking down bone because it's trying to get calcium into your body. We tell people that they need to exercise more and this creates strong bones but the problem with this is that if you exercise you increase lactic acid. Lactic acid is a toxic to the body and this causes you to increase estrogen levels. Estrogen activates prolactin and prolactin breaks down bone. This means that if you doing the wrong type of exercise or over exercising your actually making your problem worse.

I know many people who exercise every day and have osteoporosis. I'm not saying exercise is bad you need to do the right of exercise for your needs at that particular time frame. You may just need to walk for a period of time and then slowly work your way up to light resistance training. The way you can tell if exercise is benefiting you or harming you is by taking your temperature 10 to 20 minutes after you exercise. We have all seen infomercials for calcium supplements and many people take these supplements yet people a lot of times can't even disgust and properly assimilate the calcium in the supplements. This is due not only to the poor quality of the calcium supplements but also due to people having a broken metabolism. When people have a broken metabolic rate they don't secrete adequate amounts of stomach acid to even digestive the calcium their taking. they're also much better sources of calcium that are a lot cheaper. Eggshells are a much easier source of calcium for the body to digest and are extremely inexpensive.

What you do is you take a eggshell and you cook it for 10 to 20 minutes. Then you take a coffee grinder and you grind it and you put in your coffee or tea. This is a excellent calcium supplement and costs you very little. The best source of calcium is milk. Things you can do to stimulate your metabolism and get your production of hydrochloric acid going light therapy, CO2 therapy through the use of bag breathing. You want to make sure to use a paper bag and you also want to make sure to not breath into the paper bag for more than a minute at a time. You want to be eating the right frequencies, ratios and timing of meals. All of these things are going to help you increase your metabolism which is going to help you digest the calcium your taking in and lower estrogen levels. Getting your metabolism going is going to help treat and reverse osteoporosis. You can see how there's more to osteoporosis then taking more calcium and exercising more.

I don't think the advice that were being given is working because were seeing the numbers of osteoporosis increase not decrease. The scary thing is that people younger and younger are getting osteoporosis. Some other things you can do to increase metabolism is meditation. Meditation can help increase CO2 levels which will lower prolactin. You can also take time to yourself throughout the day to do the things you love. You want to be going to bed early because you physical repair starts at around 10 PM. If you want to improve your symptoms of osteoporosis or prevent it from happening then you really have to live a healthy lifestyle. You need to give your body what it needs and understand how it works.

You don't want to be doing what everyone else is doing when it comes osteoporosis because what they're doing isn't working. Another point I'd like to make is that you lose a lot of minerals when you have a slow metabolism. These minerals actually help you to simulate calcium properly. Vitamin D is necessary for you to be able to utilize calcium. That means that if you're eating foods that are low in vitamin D and many foods are nowadays because the cows and other animals are not getting sunlight then your going to have trouble getting the full benefit from the calcium supplements or from your calcium rich foods. Your best source of vitamin D is sunlight and many people live in places where they don't have access to sunlight or they work in jobs that don't allow them to be outside. I know that may seem overwhelming to some people because there's so many things you can do to help improve bone health but my biggest suggestion for people is to start slow.

Take baby steps. You may just want to improve the quality of food you're eating You may want to seek out organic foods or better quality sugars like raw honey These foods will help increase your metabolism and get your digestion working properly. From there you can start bringing in more eggshells and milk into your diet. This will then help you digest and assimilate calcium. If you just drink a lot of milk and eggshells but eat a terrible diet of non-organic foods then you're really not going to get the full benefit from the calcium your eating or supplementing. It's pretty simple inflammation of any kind is going to inhibit your body's ability to absorb calcium. You need to live a healthy lifestyle in order to have good bone health. We like to take many shortcuts when it comes to our health.

We want to take supplements instead of eating healthy foods. The thing is though a lot times in life the shortcuts are not foolproof solutions. We need to stop being lazy and start doing the work now. You want to start eating healthy foods like grass fed meats, raw honey, organic fruits and vegetables. You also want to eat things like grass fed organic milk. These are the foods that are good for you and will help you improve bone health. You’re not going to get good bone health just by exercising or by taking crappy calcium supplement's. In conclusion, there's a lot more to bone health then what most people realize.

You want to change your diet for the better in order to have the best bone health possible and prevent yourself from dealing with osteoporosis.

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