 |
:: M e d i c a l T e r m s :: |
    |
|
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory
condition in which the body's immune system attacks cartilage, bone, and sometimes internal
organs, usually causing joint disease. More than six million Americans -- most of them women --
suffer from this potentially debilitating disease. Proper medical care may prevent many of these
problems. It is a systemic disease, meaning it can cause many other problems with areas of the
body both in and outside of joints. Typical deformities can often be seen in other parts of the
body, especially the hands. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Sizes: 1, 3, 4 |
|
Osteoarthritis
 The pain of
osteoarthritis almost always begins gradually, progressing slowly over many years. People under
40 may have the condition with no symptoms at all. Osteoarthritis is commonly identified by
aching pain in one or more joints, stiffness, and loss of mobility. Inflammation may or may not
be present. The pain may behave like a roller coaster, with bad spells followed by periods of
relative relief. It often worsens after extensive use of the joint and is more likely to occur
at night than in the morning. Stiffness tends to follow periods of inactivity, such as sleep or
sitting, and can be eased by stretching and exercise. Pain seems to increase in humid weather. As
the disease advances, the pain may occur even when the joint is at rest and can keep a sufferer
awake at night.
Osteoarthritis (shown above in the knee joint) is the most common
form of arthritis and breaks down the cartilage between the bones in your joints. This
three-year study involved 212 people with osteoarthritis in their knees. Patients were
randomly selected to receive either 1500 milligrams of glucosamine a day or a placebo.
X-rays were taken before and after surgery to measure the amount of cartilage deterioration.
The study found patients who took glucosamine experienced far less deterioration than
those who took the placebo. Patients who were given glucosamine also reported decreased
joint pain. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Sizes: 1, 3, 4 |
|
Bursitis
An acute or chronic inflammation of the fluid-filled sac beneath the tendons (bursa).Bursa are fluid-filled cavities located at tissue sites where tendons or muscles pass over bony prominences. Their function is to facilitate movement and reduce friction between moving parts. The cause of bursitis may be chronic overuse, trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, infection, or unknown. Most bursitis occurs in the shoulder, but it may also affect the knee, elbow, Achilles tendon, first metatarsal of the foot (bunion), or other areas. Chronic inflammation can occur with repeated attacks of bursitis or injury. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Sizes: 1, 2, 3, 4 |
|
Heel Spurs
Heel spurs are calcium deposits that develop over time into a sharp bony growth under the heel bone. They often result from improper foot movement during running or walking, poorly fitting shoes, and excessive body weight. As a spur develops the soft tissue in the heel becomes irritated and swells, putting pressure on the nerves and causing pain. Pain may increase with age as the fatty tissue on the bottom of the foot wears away. It should be noted, however, that plantar fascia, bursitis, stress fractures, and tarsal tunnel syndrome are more likely to be the cause of heel pain than spurs. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Size: 2 |
|
Back Problems
 Back problems are the most common physical complaint
among American adults. Nonspecific back pain is a leading cause of lost job time, to say nothing
of the time and money spent in search of relief. Back pain can have many causes. Pain caused by
osteoarthritis (1) can occur anywhere along the spine. The larger back muscles can be affected
by fibrositis (2) Pain in the loin area on either side of the spine may indicate kidney
infection (3) Damage to spinal discs, joints, ligaments, or muscles can be responsible for
lower back pain (4) A fall or other injury can cause pain in the coccyx (5) Pain radiating from
the buttock down the back or outside of the leg may be sciatica |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Size: 4 |
|
Rotator Cuff Tear
 The rotator
cuff tendons are one of the key reasons that the shoulder is so useful. The tendons can be subject
to a considerable amount of wear and tear, or degeneration, as we use our arms, especially overhead
activities. This wear and tear can lead to weakening of the rotator cuff tendons, through a
condition know as impingement. The rotator cuff tendons are also subject to degeneration as we age.
An injury to these tendons can result in a weak painful, shoulder -- due to tearing of the rotator
cuff tendons.
The shoulder is made up of three bones: the scapula (shoulder blade), the humerus (upper arm bone) and the clavicle
(collarbone). The tendons of four muscles form the rotator cuff. The muscles are called the
supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis. Tendons attach muscles to bones.
Muscles are able to move bones by pulling on these tendons. This large tendon called the rotator
cuff connects the humerus with the scapula (shoulder blade) and helps raise and rotate the arm. As
the arm is raised, the rotator cuff also keeps the humerus tightly in the socket (glenoid) of the
scapula. The part of the scapula that makes up the roof of the shoulder is called the acromion.
Between the acromion and the rotator cuff tendons there is a bursa. There are many bursae all over
the body where tissues must move against one another. The bursa is a lubricated sac of tissue that
protects the muscles and tendons as they move against one another. The bursa simply allows the
moving parts to slide against one another without too much friction. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Size: 4 |
|
Tennis elbow
"Tennis elbow" is a common term for a condition caused by overuse of arm and forearm muscles that results in pain of the elbow. You don't have to play tennis to get this, but the term came into use because it can be a significant problem for some tennis players. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Size: 3 |
|
Runner's knee
A condition of strain on the knee caused when the patella (knee cap) rubs against the femur instead of following its normal tracking. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Size: 4 |
|
Disc Problems
Only a person who has experienced it understands the agony and helplessness that come with a damaged spinal disc. The pain is excruciating, and every movement makes it worse. Like most kinds of pain, however, it is actually a valuable warning signal. If you heed the warning and take proper action -- or, more appropriately, inaction -- the discomfort usually stops and the problem can be corrected. If you ignore the warning, you could suffer permanent physical and neurological damage. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Size: 4 |
|
Herniated Disc
 Under stress, it is possible for the inner material to swell and herniate, pushing through the tough outer membrane of the disc. The entire disc becomes distorted, and all or part of the core material actually protrudes through the outer casing at a weak spot, causing pressure against surrounding nerves. If further activity or injury causes the membrane to rupture or tear, the disc material can injure the spinal cord or the nerves that radiate from it, producing extreme, debilitating pain -- an unmistakable signal to stop all movement immediately. Such damage to a disc can be irreversible. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Size: 4 |
|
Sprains
An injury to the tendons, muscles, or ligaments around an articulation (joint). |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Sizes: 1, 3, 4 |
|
Fractures
A fracture is an injury in which the tissue of a bone is disrupted. A stress fracture is a (usually small) break in a bone that develops because of repeated or prolonged forces against the bone. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Sizes: 1, 2, 3, 4 |
|
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
A condition characterized by pain, tingling, numbness, and other symptoms in the hand and arm. Symptoms are caused by pressure on the median nerve at the wrist, where it passes through the tunnel formed by the carpals (wrist bones) and a ligament that lies just under the skin. The median nerve supplies sensation to the fingers and muscle control to the thumb. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Size: 1 |
|
Tendonitis
A condition in which the tendons become inflamed or torn. Tendons are the fibers that attach a muscle to a bone. They are sheathed in a membrane known as synovium, which helps lubricate the joints and assists in smooth joint movement. Common areas of occurrence = shoulder, elbow, wrist, thumb, hip, knee, and heel. Affected area is swollen and tender, and mobility may be limited. Pain is either abrupt or gradual. |
|
| Recommended Riaxin Pad Sizes: 1, 2, 3, 4 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Different Sizes
|
|
|
Riaxin comes in 4 sizes: size 1, size 2, size 3, and size 4 for different areas of the body. Click on each of the sizes to find out which is right for you. |
|
|
 Shop Online
|
|
|
Riaxin can be ordered Online 24hrs around the clock and we will gladly ship anywhere in the world. |
|
|
|
