Arthritis is an age-old disease that affects the joints, causing stiffness, pain and reduced function. In the past, arthritis, clinically known as osteoarthritis, was primarily a disease of old age, brought on by normal wear and tear of the joints that degrades joint cartilage. Today, however, increasing numbers of people of all ages are exhibiting rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an auto-immune disorder associated with systemic inflammation and lifestyle factors.
Causes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
RA is triggered when your immune system attacks your body’s own healthy tissues. The attacks affect the synovium, the soft tissue that produces the fluid that nourishes your joint cartilage and lubricates the joints. Over time, RA can lead to the destruction of bone and cartilage inside the joint, causing joint deformity.
Symptoms of RA include:
- Pain
- Stiffness
- Swelling
- Redness
- Decreased joint mobility
Inflammation associated with RA can be triggered by a variety of factors, including:
- Poor gut health
- A diet high in inflammatory foods like refined carbohydrates, fried foods and sugar
- Obesity
- Genetic factors
- Environmental toxins
- Exposure to toxins and endocrine disruptors
- Poor immune function
- Cigarette Smoking
Treatment for RA
There are a number of medications used to treat RA symptoms, including anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, biologic agents that alter the immune system, and painkillers. However, medications rarely get to the source of RA, and they can have harmful side effects.
Since RA is triggered by a number of lifestyle behaviors, it stands to reason that modifying your lifestyle can help diminish the symptoms or even eliminate the risk of RA. Quitting smoking, eating a whole foods diet, exercising, losing weight and avoiding toxins are all measures you can take to promote healthy joints.
Cryotherapy Can Ease RA Symptoms
One natural treatment that can help reduce inflammation, lower pain, prevent further joint damage and improve your quality of life is whole body cryotherapy (WBC). Cold therapy has been used for centuries as a solution to treat pain and inflammation. Today, technology has made cold therapy more convenient, less uncomfortable, and more effective than ever before, in the form of whole body and localized cryotherapy.
Results from a 2010 study published in “Inflammation Research” revealed that both whole body and localized cryotherapy were effective in significantly reducing histamine levels, markers for inflammation, in the blood of patients with RA. Moreover, the effect was long-lasting, enduring for at least 3 months.
Relief from Arthritis Symptoms in NYC
If your suffer from symptoms of RA, whole body and localized cryotherapy are just around the corner at Advanced Cryo NYC in fashionable SoHo. Our skilled clinicians will see to your every comfort as you freeze away your RA pain and inflammation. While you visit, ask about our growing menu of treatments and therapies to keep you looking and feeling young, healthy and beautiful.
Source
Wojtecka-Lukasik, Elzbieta, et al. “Cryotherapy decreases histamine levels in the blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.” Inflammation research 59.2 (2010): 253-255.
