Arthritis

The term "arthritis" means "inflammation of the joints" and usually involves pain, stiffness, and limitation of function "Rheumatism" is another name for it. Although arthritis occurs in a number of different forms, there are essentially two major types. These are (a) inflammatory, which may be exudative, proliferative or a combination of both and (b) degenerative, which may result from injury, malnutrition and limited capacity of the articular cartilaginous surface to repair itself.

The first group includes the types of arthritis associated with infective agents, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and connective tissue disorders. The second group comprises degenerative joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis and hypertrophic arthritis.

Gout is a form of arthritis characterized by increased blood uric acid and is basically a metabolic disorder. In cases of persistent gouty arthritis regardless of medication to reduce blood uric acid, acupuncture may relieve the unpleasant symptoms. Most types of arthritis tend to be relentlessly progressive with increasing joint destruction, pain, and limitation of motion. Until the disease becomes severe, many people relieve their symptoms with non-prescription drugs containing aspirin (Acetylsalicylic acid). Unfortunately, this tends to cause stomach ulcers and a generalized bleeding tendency.

Phenylbutazone and indomethacin prescribed by physicians may also give temporary relief, but their use is associated with a large number of toxic side effects, sometimes fatal. For arthritis not responsive to the above drugs, some physicians give gold salts, antimalarial agents, corticosteroids, and immuno suppressive therapy with cytoxan and imuran, but the high toxicity of these drugs outweighs their temporary advantages.

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