Crystal deposits in the cartilage can cause cartilage degeneration, and osteoarthritis. Uric acid crystals cause arthritis in gout, while calcium pyrophosphate crystals cause arthritis in pseudogout.

Some people are born with abnormally formed joints (congenital abnormalities) that are vulnerable to mechanical wear, causing early degeneration and loss of joint cartilage. Osteoarthritis of the hip joints is commonly related to design abnormalities of these joints that had been present since birth.

Hormone disturbances, such as diabetes and growth hormone disorders, are also associated with early cartilage wear and secondary osteoarthritis.

What are symptoms of osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis is a disease of the joints. Unlike many other forms of arthritis that are systemic illnesses, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus, osteoarthritis does not affect other organs of the body. The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is pain in the affected joint(s) after repetitive use. Joint pain is usually worse later in the day. There can be swelling, warmth, and creaking of the affected joints. Pain and stiffness of the joints can also occur after long periods of inactivity, for example, sitting in a theater. In severe osteoarthritis, complete loss of cartilage cushion causes friction between bones, causing pain at rest or pain with limited motion.

Symptoms of osteoarthritis vary greatly from patient to patient. Some patients can be debilitated by their symptoms. On the other hand, others may have remarkably few symptoms in spite of dramatic degeneration of the joints apparent on x-rays. Symptoms also can be intermittent. It is not unusual for patients with osteoarthritis of the hands and knees to have years of pain-free intervals between symptoms.

Osteoarthritis of the knees is often associated with obesity or a history of repeated injury and/or joint surgery. Progressive cartilage degeneration of the knee joints can lead to deformity and outward curvature of the knees referred to as "bow legged." Patients with osteoarthritis of the weight bearing joints (like the knees) can develop a limp. The limping can worsen as more cartilage degenerates. In some patients, the pain, limping, and joint dysfunction may not respond to medications or other conservative measures. Therefore, severe osteoarthritis of the knees is one of the most common reasons for total knee replacement surgical procedures in the United States

Osteoarthritis of the spine causes pain in the neck or low back. Bony spurs that form along the arthritic spine can irritate spinal nerves, causing severe pain, numbness, and tingling of the affected parts of the body.

Osteoarthritis causes the formation of hard bony enlargements of the small joints of the fingers. Bony enlargement of the small joint at the end of the fingers is called a Heberden's node, named after a very famous British doctor. The bony deformity is a result of the bone spurs from the osteoarthritis in that joint. Another common bony knob (node) occurs at the middle joint of the fingers in many patients with osteoarthritis and is called a Bouchard’s node. Dr. Bouchard was a famous French doctor who also studied arthritis patients at the turn of the last century. The Heberden's and Bouchard's nodes may not be painful, but they are often associated with limitation of motion of the joint. The characteristic appearances of these finger nodes can be helpful in diagnosing osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis of the joint at the base of the big toes leads to the formation of a bunion. Osteoarthritis of the fingers and the toes may have a genetic basis, and can be found in numerous women members of some families.

What is rheumatoid arthritis?

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease which causes chronic inflammation of the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis can also cause inflammation of the tissue around the joints, as well as other organs in the body. Autoimmune diseases are illnesses which occur when the body tissues are mistakenly attacked by its own immune system. The immune system is a complex organization of cells and antibodies designed normally to "seek and destroy" invaders of the body, particularly infections. Patients with these diseases have antibodies in their blood which target their own body tissues, where they can be associated with inflammation. While rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic illness, meaning it can last for years, patients may experience long periods without symptoms. Because it can affect multiple other organs of the body, rheumatoid arthritis is referred to as a systemic illness and is sometimes called rheumatoid disease.

A joint is where two bones meet to allow movement of body parts. Arthritis means joint inflammation. The joint inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis causes swelling, pain, stiffness, and redness in the joints. The inflammation of rheumatoid disease can also occur in tissues around the joints, such as the tendons, ligaments, and muscles. In some patients with rheumatoid arthritis, chronic inflammation leads to the destruction of the cartilage, bone and ligaments causing deformity of the joints.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common rheumatic disease, affecting more than two million people in the United States. The disease is three times more common in women as in men. It afflicts people of all races equally. The disease can begin at any age, but most often starts after age forty and before sixty. In some families, multiple members can be affected, suggesting a genetic basis for the disorder.

What causes rheumatoid arthritis?

The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown. Even though infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi have long been suspected, none has been proven as the cause. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is a very active area of worldwide research. Some scientists believe that the tendency to develop rheumatoid arthritis may be genetically inherited. It is suspected that certain infections or factors in the environment might trigger the immune system to attack the body's own tissues, resulting in inflammation in various organs of the body such as the lungs or eyes.

Regardless of the exact trigger, the result is an immune system that is geared up to promote inflammation in the joints and occasionally other tissues of the body. Immune cells, called lymphocytes, are activated and chemical messengers (cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor/TNF and interleukin-1/IL-1) are expressed in the inflamed areas.

What are the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis?

The symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis come and go, depending on the degree of tissue inflammation. When body tissues are inflamed, the disease is active. When tissue inflammation subsides, the disease is inactive (in remission). Remissions can occur spontaneously or with treatment, and can last weeks, months, or years. During remissions, symptoms of the disease disappear, and patients generally feel well. When the disease becomes active again (relapse), symptoms return. The return of disease activity and symptoms is called a flare. The course of rheumatoid arthritis varies from patient to patient, and periods of flares and remissions are typical.

When the disease is active, symptoms can include fatigue, lack of appetite, low grade fever, muscle and joint aches, and stiffness. Muscle and joint stiffness are usually most notable in the morning and after periods of inactivity. Arthritis is common during disease flares. During flares, joints frequently become red, swollen, painful, and tender. This occurs because the lining tissue of the joint (synovium) becomes inflamed, resulting in the production of excessive joint fluid (synovial fluid). The synovium also thickens with inflammation (synovitis).

In rheumatoid arthritis, multiple joints are usually inflamed in a symmetrical pattern (both sides of the body affected). The small joints of both the hands and wrists are often involved. Simple tasks of daily living, such as turning door knobs and opening jars can become difficult during flares. The small joints of the feet are also commonly involved. Occasionally, only one joint is inflamed. When only one joint is involved, the arthritis can mimic the joint inflammation caused by other forms of arthritis such as gout or joint infection. Chronic inflammation can cause damage to body tissues, cartilage and bone. This leads to a loss of cartilage and erosion and weakness of the bones as well as the muscles, resulting in joint deformity, destruction, and loss of function.

Why Pain T.E.M. over Prescriptive medication?

Alternative medicine has become the choice of an increasing number of people over the past 5 years. These same individuals are also looking for a drug free alternative for pain management. Many individuals find themselves suffering with long term chronic back pain, but due to the prescriptive medication they may be currently taking, additional pain medication may not be advised due to the possiblilty of drup interaction.

Others however may just be looking for an effective may to control pain naturally. In answer to this growing demand Health Tech International has developed a unique and inexpensive disposable membrane that is charged with micro-current. This product was tested for four years and found to relieve pain in a wide variety of conditions, both chronic and acute at an astounding rate of 86%.

How does Pain T.E.M. Work Specifically for Arthritis Pain?

The PAIN T.E.M. membrane contains no DRUGS or CHEMICALS. This membrane is statically charged and  placed directly over the area of pain.  The membrane is held in placed by specially designed surgical tape.  Once the membrane makes contact it releases its subsensory current of micro-current impulses over a 48 hour period.  Figure 1 & 2  PAIN T.E.M. works similar to a TENS unit in that it blocks the pain sensation, but goes a step further, in that it helps promote healing by neutralizing the positive field produced by injured cells and allowing the normal bio-processes to resume in that area. Pain T.E.M. provides a micro-current electrical stimulation that more closely approximates the naturally occurring bio-electric current in the body.  The cuurent therfore is considered subsensory and cannot be felt.  It provides "bio-stimulation" that stimulates cellular physiology and growth. It increases the adenosine triphosphate (APT) generation, amino acid transport and protein synthesis.  This causes the body to heal itself at a much faster rate. 

It has long been known that all life processes involve electricity, and that biological processes can be affected by electrical treatment. The cells of the human body are basically tiny electrolytic batteries, each with a potential current flow of approximately 4 picoamps or 4 trillionths of an ampere.

These microcurrents flow through the body in an orderly manner when there is no pathology present. However, since injury disrupts the bio-electrical functions of the cells, the electrical activity of damaged cells is quite different from that of healthy ones.

There is more electrical resistance in injured cells, so the normal energy flow through these cells is lower, impeding the healing processes and maintaining the presence of pain. If the electrical resistance of such injured cells can somehow be reduced, allowing the body's own electrical energy easy access to those cells, the health of the cells will improve. Inflammation may decrease, the healing process will be enhanced and pain can be lessened. 

Pain T.E.M.  administers extremely low electrical current to the area of injury. This energy can be stored and used by the injured cells to lower their electrical resistance and provide additional energy to aid the body's natural healing process and relieve pain.