The Myths, Lies & True Causes of Arthritis

There are three big myths surrounding arthritis.

Myth #1: Chronic joint pain is a part of aging and only affects the elderly – If you look around it is easy to see how this myth formed and took hold. There are plenty of elderly afflicted with arthritic conditions. But by keeping the immune system strong and stable, eating right, exercising right and taking care of bone and joint health, the onset and debilitating effects of arthritis need not be part of your aging process.

Myth #2: If you have chronic joint pain, you should not exercise – Decades ago, patients were told not to exercise because it would rub the joints and make things worse. This is incorrect. A certain amount of exercise can in fact greatly help reduce the symptoms of chronic joint pain.

Myth #3: Different climates have no effect on chronic joint pain – Cold weather constricts muscles, tendons and blood vessels, causing constriction around the joints, and thus pain and limited range of motion.

Heat allows muscles to expand andbloodtoflow, andsorelievescompressionaround joints and helps move fresh blood into the arthritis area. This reduces pain and stiffness and increases range of motion.

Damp environments (whether warm or cold) cause inflammation around joints ,and thus restrict movement and cause pain. Depending on your condition, temperature and climate should not be ignored when putting into place a chronic joint pain relief action plan.

True Causes of Arthritis

Arthritis pain can almost always be traced back to some combination of these four primary causes: cartilage breakdown, bone degeneration, excess scar tissue, and muscle imbalances.

Even in cases of direct trauma or a damaging autoimmune disorder like rheumatoid arthritis, corrective action for one or more of these root causes can help your joint pain.

Cartilage breakdown – Over time, your joint cartilage breaks down through sheer stress of use. That’s normal. What’s not normal is your body failing to repair and replace worn cartilage and leaving remnants of broken cartilage inside your joint—leaving you in pain.

Bone degeneration – The second primary cause of chronic joint pain is nearby bone degeneration. This is primarily caused by not getting the proper building blocks – essential minerals – to rebuild bone…and…lack of stimulation. You must consistently stress the bones – in the form of exercise – to keep them strong.

Joint restriction – When your joint is restricted from moving smoothly, friction creates pain.

Muscle imbalances – A muscle imbalance is formed when one muscle or set of muscles is overused compared to an opposing muscle or set of muscles. The stronger muscles then pull the opposing muscles, along with nearby bones and joints, out of their normal positions. Once out of position, the joints are worn unevenly, leading to the breakdown and pain of arthritis.

The mind component – The mental component of pain cannot be overemphasized. Stress, emotions and expectations all play a critical role in your pain and recovery. For example, persistent stress causes stress hormones like cortisol to soar, contributing to painful joint inflammation (not to mention other health issues throughout your body such as heart disease, increased fat build-up around your midsection and widespread inflammation throughout your body).

You can read all about this in The End of All Disease. Request your free copy today.