Why Do Steroids Help Treat Arthritis?
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Letâs start off with two facts. Prednisone was approved for use in 1955. It is a corticosteroid that reduces inflammation and so helps to treat arthritis. When a drug has a track record of more than fifty years, you respect its effectiveness. No medication survives in todayâs highly competitive market unless it delivers. On that basis alone, it would be right to recommend its continuing use. But, like every other simple truth, this needs just a little qualification. Your body naturally produces cortisol. This is a hormone and it helps to reduce inflammation by modifying the way in which the immune systems works. Inflammation is actually a good sign. That sounds counter-intuitive so, to explain, when your body is invaded by bacteria, viruses and other foreign matter, your white blood cells gather round to defend you against infections and other damage. That swelling, pain and redness are signs the white blood cells are doing their job. All you have to do is to slow down and let the battle continue. Except that sometimes your immune system does not work as it should. If it becomes overactive, too many white blood cells are released and can cause tissue damage. Prednisone and other steroids reduce the activity level of the immune system and modify the way in which the white blood cells function. This distinguishes them from the anabolic steroids whose function is to build up muscle mass. Thus, used in low doses over a period of time, Prednisone can reduce the stiffness and pain caused by rheumatoid arthritis. If there is a serious increase in the pain from arthritis, a short burst of a high dose can bring rapid relief by reducing the swelling in the joints. Because there can sometimes be uncertainty as to the extent of an oral dose required, steroids can be injected directly into the tissue close to the affected joints. This has the further benefit that relief comes more immediately and reduces the amount of steroid in your body. Less steroid in your body means a lower risk of side effects. The best course of treatment combines the use of the lowest possible doses of Prednisone with other anti-inflammatories and physical therapy to improve mobility in the joints. This allows the steroid to be used for longer with reduced risk of side effects. Indeed, with constant monitoring of the condition, the dose for Prednisone should be continuously reduced as the condition improves.
John Scott
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5 Comments
February 26th, 2010 at 10:10 pm
Natural ways to help boost my immune system?
Okay, so I take pretty harsh medication, like steroids and methotrexate (which is used to treat arthritis and, in higher doses, leukemia), and they compromise my immune system. I’m already taking too much medication to add on anything else, but I get sick about once a week. Once school starts, I won’t be able to do anything about it. I eat rather healthily, but due to health problems I can’t exercise a lot… I’m too weak and sick.
Ahh, I can barely get any sleep either.
February 27th, 2010 at 3:12 am
First and foremost, make sure you are eating a proper diet, getting enough sleep, and doing at least some form of exercise (even if it’s walking around) at least a few times a week. That’s the basic way to stay healthy in general, but if you find that you are getting sick more often than you would like, there are some natural options to help boost your immune system.
Some of the most popular natural products for boosting the immune system are Colostrum, Mushrooms (Maitake, Shiitake, and Reishi), IP-6 (Inositol Hexaphosphate), Beta Glucans, Elderberry, Echinacea (should be taken short-term only), and any antioxidants. If you are under 18, though, I would stay away from the Echinacea unless a doctor says it’s okay. Good luck!
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Health/nutrition classes and I’m a Product Specialist for a vitamin company
February 27th, 2010 at 3:14 am
To boost your immune system eat immune boosting foods such as raw fruits and vegies, raw garlic and onion, raw vegetable juices, raw fenugreek, chilli, ginger, free range eggs, oily fish (salmon, sardines, tuna), avocadoes, flaxseed (ground freshly and cold pressed oil), barley grass (juice or sprouted seeds), wheat grass juice,freshly sprouted seeds and beans, cold pressed seed and vegetable oils, fresh seafood, legumes such as peas, beans and lentils, organic raw nuts and seeds (ground up for easier digestion).
Sea weeds such as kelp, dulse, agar – agar, nori, arame, kombu, wakame and hijiki are excellent for improved immune function.
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts all contain phyto nutrients that protect against infections … foods containing plant hormones (known as phyto estrogens), such as isoflavones and lignans, are known to reduce the risk of many cancers… good sources of these plant hormones are soy beans (if you can tolerate soy), alfalfa and flaxseed.
Avoid mucous producing foods ~ milk and diary products such as cheese, ice cream, cream, preserved meats and processed foods.
Actually try to pinpoint foods to which you are intolerant as these foods will only stress an already stressed body.
Hey, an easy way to tell if you are allergic to a particular food is to take your pulse before eating the food ~ timed over a period of 30 seconds then double the result (your pulse will probably be between 52 and 70 beats per minute) ~ eat the food you suspect you are intolerant or allergic to and take your pulse again 15 minutes later ~ if it is 20 beats or more higher you probably have an allergy to the food
Avoid tobacco, smoking and alcohol & soft drinks and sodas.
Drink loads and loads (at least 2 – 3 litres daily) of fresh filtered water to ensure you are properly hydrated.
Try to exercise daily…. even if it’s only a 15 minute walk in circles around your washing line!! Exercise can do wonders for a poorly functioning immune system and promote health in various other ways.
take care of you
peace
♥
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naturopath in training
February 27th, 2010 at 3:16 am
Make sure to check with your doctor first, but I know that Vitamin C and Zinc both boost the immune system. Everytime I feel a cold coming on I start taking zinc and I never get sick. Just make sure that you take zinc AFTER you have eaten your meal or it will make you unbelievably nauseous and you will throw up.
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my life
February 27th, 2010 at 3:18 am
I have nothing else to give, because our beautiful "minx" and trusted "oldtimekid" already said it all. And better than I could.
There is just one thing I would like to bring to your attention.
If you do suffer from leukemic cancer there is a new experimental product on the horizon tested by the US company "Gilead Science" and they looking for volunteers. The drug – labeled GS 9219 – has shown fantastic results in the first phase of testing.
In the preclinical studies, one injection of the drug removed stomach and throat tumor in just six days.
A trial of GS-9219 in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL) or Multiple Myeloma (MM) is starting in five US states. California, Massachusetts, Illinois, Nevada and Texas.
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