Barry Fox: Arthritis For Dummies

Arthritis For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2022936685

ISBN: 978-1-119-88539-9 (pbk); ISBN: 978-1-119-88540-5 (ebk); ISBN: 978-1-119-88541-2 (ebk)

1 Cover

2 Title Page

3 Copyright

4 Introduction About This Book Foolish Assumptions Icons Used in This Book Beyond the Book Where to Go from Here

5 Part 1: Making Sense of the Types of Arthritis Chapter 1: What Is Arthritis? Understanding How Arthritis Affects Your Joints Distinguishing Between Arthritis and Arthritis-Related Conditions Deciding Whether It’s Really Arthritis: Signs and Symptoms Considering the Causes of Arthritis Understanding Who Gets Arthritis Assessing Your Treatment Options Chapter 2: Osteoarthritis: The Most Common Form Considering Cartilage Identifying the Signs and Symptoms of Osteoarthritis Discovering What Causes Cartilage Breakdown Recognizing Risk Factors for Osteoarthritis Determining Whether It Really Is Osteoarthritis Treating Osteoarthritis Chapter 3: A War Within: Rheumatoid Arthritis Turning on Itself: When the Body Becomes Its Own Worst Enemy Diagnosing Rheumatoid Arthritis Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis Understanding the Difference between Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Chapter 4: Investigating Other Forms of Arthritis Gaining Insight into Gout: It’s Not Just for Royalty Studying Pseudogout: The Royal Pretender Understanding Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Investigating Infectious Arthritis Getting a Grip On Gonococcal Arthritis Surveying Psoriatic Arthritis Anlalyzing Ankylosing Spondylitis Chapter 5: Exploring Other Conditions Linked to Arthritis Experiencing Arthritis as a Major Player Experiencing Arthritis as a Minor Player Experiencing Arthritis as a Companion Condition

6 Part 2: Tests and Treatments: What to Expect Chapter 6: Your Doctor and You: Allies Against Arthritis Positioning Yourself for Treatment Success Choosing a Good Doctor Working with Your Doctor Speaking Your Doctor’s Language Figuring Out When You Should Find a New Doctor Chapter 7: Judging Joint Health with Low- and High-Tech Tests Checking In for a Check-Up Explaining Imaging Tests Backing Up a Diagnosis with Blood Tests Taking Other Tests on the Road to Diagnosis Chapter 8: From Aspirin to Steroids: Medicines for Arthritis Talking to Your Doctor Exploring the Five Classes of Drugs for Arthritis Uncovering Specific Medicines for Specific Types of Arthritis Chapter 9: Cuts That Cure: Surgeries for Arthritis Knowing What to Ask Your Doctor Before Undergoing Surgery Looking At Different Kinds of Joint Surgery Getting Ready for Surgery Chapter 10: Overcoming the Ouch: Strategies for Pain Management Understanding Arthritis Pain Differentiating Between Acute Pain and Chronic Pain Relieving Pain with Noninvasive Therapies Taking Pain Relief to the Next Level

7 Part 3: The Arthritis Lifestyle Strategy Chapter 11: Fighting the Pain with Foods and Supplements Finding Foods That Heal Avoiding Foods That May Be Trouble Saving Your Joints with Supplements Relieving Arthritis Symptoms with Other Nutritional Substances Chapter 12: Oiling Your Joints with Exercise Achieving Different Goals with Different Exercises Easing Joint Pain with Exercise Using Yoga to Ease Arthritis Pain Using Chair Exercises to Save Your Joints Maximizing the Healing Effects of Exercise Designing Your Workout Program Chapter 13: The Right Stride and Other Ways to Protect Your Joints Believing in Biomechanics Waxing Ergonomic at Your Workstation Standing Tall: Body Alignment Reducing Joint Stress with the Right Stride Saving Your Joints When Hitting the Hay Lifting Without Losing It Chapter 14: Controlling Your Stress, Aggression, and Depression Understanding Why We Hurt More Than We Have To Discovering the Healing Power of Positive Thinking Easing Depression and Anxiety with Prayer and Spirituality Chapter 15: Day-to-Day Living with Arthritis Taking Care of You Finding an Easier Way to Get Through the Day Joining an Arthritis Support Group Dealing with Arthritis in the Workplace

8 Part 4: Is Alternative Medicine for You? Chapter 16: Exploring Alternative Medicine Understanding the Many Faces of Alternative Medicine Easing Arthritis Through Alternative Approaches Finding a Reputable CAM Practitioner Working with Your Doctor Figuring Out Whether Alternative Medicine Is for You Chapter 17: Discovering Herbs and Homeopathy Digging into Medicinal Herbs Getting the Lowdown on Herbs for Arthritis Stimulating the Body to Heal Itself with Homeopathy Chapter 18: Hands-On Healing Methods Unblocking the Energy Flow: Eastern Hands-On Healing Methods Realigning and Releasing Tension: Western Hands-On Healing Methods Chapter 19: Other Alternative Approaches Breathing In the Healing: Aromatherapy Fighting Pain with Bee Venom Therapy Replacing the Hormone DHEA Fighting the Pain and Disability of RA with MSM Whirling the Pain Away with Hydrotherapy Peering into the Possibilities of Prolotherapy