HEALTH EFFECTS: Fluoride/Arthritis

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There are many links throughout this article; you can access them on

the webpage. This is only one of the many health effects of fluoride; there is

a list on the left of the webpage under Health Effects.

This url is from a member of candidiasis group.

blessings

Shan

 

HEALTH EFFECTS: Fluoride/Arthritis

http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/bone/fluorosis/arthritis/

 

Summation - Fluoride/Arthritis:

 

Excessive exposure to fluoride causes an arthritic disease called skeletal

fluorosis.

 

Skeletal fluorosis, especially in its early stages, is a difficult disease to

diagnose, and can be readily confused with various forms of arthritis

including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

 

The arthritic symptoms of fluorosis can occur before the onset of bone

changes detectable by x-ray, thereby making the early stages of fluorosis

difficult

to differentiate from arthritis.

 

In the advanced stages of skeletal fluorosis, the spine may closely resemble

the appearance of spondylosis/spondylitis and DISH (Diffuse Idiopathic

Skeletal Hyperostosis).

 

General Info - Arthritis:

 

" The word arthritis literally means joint inflammation, but it is often used

to refer to a group of more than 100 rheumatic diseases that can cause pain,

stiffness, and swelling in the joints. "

SOURCE: National Institutes of Health

 

" Arthritis and chronic joint symptoms affect nearly 70 million Americans, or

about one of every three adults, making it one of the most prevalent diseases

in the United States. As the population ages, this number will increase

dramatically. "

SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

Excerpts from the Scientific Literature - Fluoride/Arthritis:

 

" The authors describe a 50-year-old man with previously treated cancer who

was using tray-applied topical fluoride gel. He complained of gastric symptoms,

difficulty in swallowing, leg muscle soreness and knee joint soreness... The

patient's fluoride regimen was altered, and within a short period his urinary

fluoride levels returned to normal and his symptoms resolved. "

SOURCE: Eichmiller FC, Eidelman N, Carey CM. (2005). Controlling the fluoride

dosage in a patient with compromised salivary function. Journal of the

American Dental Association 136:67-70.

 

" [A]rthopathy and arthritis affected a significant number of the (fluorosis)

patients, resulting in functional disability... The physical signs of brick

tea-type skeletal fluorosis were elbow, shoulder and knee articular dysfunction,

which was the most common pathology. X-ray examination revealed that the

interosseous membrane ossification, tendon attachment calcification and

articular

degeneration were the causes of these functional disorders. "

SOURCE: Cao J, et al. (2003). Brick tea fluoride as a main source of adult

fluorosis. Food and Chemical Toxicology 41:535-42.

 

" The radiological severity of knee osteoarthritis was greater in the endemic

fluorosis group than in controls... [E]ndemic fluorosis may increase the

severity of osteoarthritis in the knees. "

SOURCE: Savas S, et al. (2001). Endemic fluorosis in Turkish patients:

relationship with knee osteoarthritis. Rheumatology International 21: 30-5.

 

" Early signs [of skeletal fluorosis] are vague pains and arthralgia. This

generally progresses to backache, pain in the spine, and signs of stiffness and

rigidity... " SOURCE: Littleton J. (1999). Paleopathology of skeletal fluorosis.

American Journal of Physical Anthropology 109: 465-483.

 

" The initial symptoms usually were headache and weakness. These were followed

by multiple joint pains, mostly in the feet, knees, and back. Spinal

stiffness and kyphosis developed in a few patients. "

SOURCE: Wang Y, et al. (1994). Endemic fluorosis of the skeleton:

radiographic features in 127 patients. American Journal of Roentgenology 162:

93-8.

 

" Symptoms of pain, stiffness and diffuse aches may be dismissed as

functional, but may in fact be early signs of fluoride damage to tendinous

insertions

and ligaments as well as joint capsules. "

SOURCE: Anand JK, Roberts JT. (1990). Chronic fluorine poisoning in man: a

review of literature in English (1946-1989) and indications for research.

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 44: 417-420.

 

" Clinical Phase 1 Fluorosis: Sporadic pain; stiffness of joints;

osteosclerosis of pelvis & vertebral column. Clinical Phase 2 Fluorosis: Chronic

joint

pain; arthritic symptoms; slight calcification of ligaments... "

SOURCE: Department of Health and Human Services. (1991). Review of fluoride:

benefits and risks. Report of the Ad Hoc Subcommittee on Fluoride. Washington,

DC.

 

" Vague, diffuse aches and stiffness of joints with decreased range of motion

are common initial symptoms. With disease progression, kyphosis with limited

spinal mobility, flexion contracture of lower extremities, and restricted chest

wall expansion occur. "

SOURCE: Fisher RL, et al. (1989). Endemic fluorosis with spinal cord

compression. A case report and review. Archives of Internal Medicine 149:

697-700.

 

" Although skeletal fluorosis has been studied intensely in other countries

for more than 40 years, virtually no research has been done in the U.S. to

determine how many people are afflicted with the earlier stages of the disease,

particularly the preclinical stages. Because some of the clinical symptoms mimic

arthritis, the first two clinical phases of skeletal fluorosis could be easily

misdiagnosed... Even if a doctor is aware of the disease, the early stages

are difficult to diagnose. "

SOURCE: Hileman B. (1988). Fluoridation of water.Questions about health risks

and benefits remain after more than 40 years. Chemical and Engineering News

August 1, 1988, 26-42.

 

" The most frequent symptoms in those exposed >6 yr were low back pain,

painful knee, elbow, and hip... Analysis of workers' complaints showed no

specific

pain or other symptom that we could refer only to fluorosis...The only

characteristic feature would be multiple-joint involvement in the case of

fluorosis.

This would differentitate fluorosis from monoarticular osteoarthritis (OA), but

unfortunately not from multiple-joint osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis

(RA). "

SOURCE: Czerwinski E, et al. (1988). Bone and joint pathology in

fluoride-exposed workers. Archives of Environmental Health 43: 340-343.

 

" According to our survey, clinical manifestations of fluoride injury were

systemic. A wide variety of vague, subtle symptoms (i.e. backache, restricted

joint movement, abdominal pain) occurred either prior to or simultaneously with

the development of bone changes similar to those reported previously.

Nonskeletal symptoms, therefore, are important for early diagnosis. "

SOURCE: Zhiliang Y, et al. (1987). Industrial fluoride pollution in the

metallurgical industry in China. Fluoride 20: 118-125.

 

" The clinical picture was characterized by new bone formation,

musculo-skeletal dysfunction leading to arthralgia, arthritis, fixed flexion

deformities,

peripheral neuropathy and incapacitation. "

SOURCE: Krishnamachari KA. (1986). Skeletal fluorosis in humans: a review of

recent progress in the understanding of the disease. Progress in Food and

Nutrition Sciences 10:279-314.

 

" t is postulated that fluoride activates the calcification of cartilage...

Thus it would be interesting to investigate the effect of fluoride on the

evolution of joint alterations in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthrosis. "

SOURCE: Bang S, et al. (1985). Distribution of fluoride in calcified

cartilage of a fluoride-treated osteoporotic patient. Bone 6: 207-210.

" Arthritis of spine and small joints of hands and fingers develops early in

the course of the disease with or without demonstrable radiological changes. "

SOURCE: Bhavsar BS, Desai VK, Mehta NR, Vashi RT, Krishnamachari KAVR.

(1985). Neighborhood Fluorosis in Western India Part II: Population Study.

Fluoride

18: 86-92.

" Early bone fluorosis is not clinically obvious; often the only complaints of

young adults are vague pains in the small joints of the hands, feet, and

lower back. Such cases may be misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing

spondylitis. "

SOURCE: Smith GE. (1985). Repetitive Strain Injury, or Incipient Skeletal

Fluorosis? (Letter.) New Zealand Medical Journal 98:328.

" Our findings demonstrate a highly significant relationship between the

frequency of back and neck surgery, fractures, symptoms of musculoskeletal

disease

and a past history of diseases of the bones and joints. In the absence of

so-called classic fluorosis, a disease complex was established which involves

much

more than merely the radiologic appearance of dense bone. "

SOURCE: Carnow BW, Conibear SA. (1981). Industrial fluorosis. Fluoride 14:

172-181.

" Although a few subjects had no symptoms, the fluoride exposed workers had a

higher frequency of joint pain and stiffness than the control group. This

joint pain resulted in disability in some cases. "

SOURCE: Boillat MA, et al. (1980). Radiological criteria of industrial

fluorosis. Skeletal Radiology 5: 161-165.

" [E]xtensive research from India has revealed severe arthritic changes and

crippling neurological complications even where the fluoride concentration in

water naturally is as low as 1.5 ppm...Even though extensive bone deformities

may not be found on a large scale from fluoride in water at the 1 ppm

concentration, some of the early signs of the disease, such as calcifications of

ligaments, joint capsules, and muscle attachments, are likely to occur. Indeed

these

conditions are characteristic of osteoarthritis, in which the formation of

microcrystals of apatite (known to be promoted by fluoride) has now been clearly

demonstrated... For example, Pinet and Pinet described in detail X-ray changes

encountered in skeletal fluorosis in North Africa that are in every respect

identical with those present in the arthritic spine of the elderly elsewhere. "

SOURCE: Waldbott GL, Burgstahler AW, and McKinney HL. (1978). Fluoridation:

The Great Dilemma. Coronado Press, Inc., Lawrence, Kansas.

" Understandably, it is not uncommon to find reference to arthritic changes,

if for no other reason than the difficulty of distinguishing them from certain

fluoride effects on bone. "

SOURCE: Hodge HC, Smith FA. (1977). Occupational fluoride exposure. Journal

of Occupational Medicine 19: 12-39.

" In our material we noted degenerative changes in the lumbar spine in 95% of

cases, which suggests that fluoride accelerates these changes. In addition to

pain in the lower spine which is associated with radiological changes,

patients with negative x-ray findings also complain of pain in the lumbar-sacral

area, an indication that symptoms precede changes demonstrable by x-ray. "

SOURCE: Czerwinski E, Lankosz W. (1977). Fluoride-induced changes in 60

retired aluminum workers. Fluoride 10: 125-136.

" Most often the patients complained of back pain. Pains in the shoulders,

elbows, forearms and lower legs were common. These pains differed in intensity

and occurred constantly or periodically with no clear relationship to effort. "

SOURCE: Czerwinski E, Lankosz W. (1977). Fluoride-induced changes in

60retired aluminum workers. Fluoride 10: 125-136.

" The investigation of a high incidence of arthritis in 21 dairy herds

disclosed elevated fluorine levels in bone samples... There was a statistical

correlation between a high incidence of damage to peri-articular structures,

resulting in debility and loss of production, and elevated bone fluorine. "

SOURCE: Griffith-Jones W. (1977). Fluorosis in dairy cattle. The Veterinary

Record 100: 84-89.

" In early stages, fluorosis is usually associated only with stiffness,

backache, and joint pains which may suggest the diagnosis of rheumatism,

rheumatoid

arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and osteomalacia. At this stage the

radiological findings of skeletal fluorosis may not be evident and therefore

most of

these cases are either misdiagnosed for other kinds of arthritis or the

patients are treated symptomatically for pains of undetermined diagnosis (PUD).

The

majority of our patients had received treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and

ankylosing spondylitis before they came under our observation. "

SOURCE: Teotia SPS, et al. (1976). Symposium on the Non-Skeletal Phase of

Chronic Fluorosis: The Joints. Fluoride 9: 19-24.

" In the initial stages, the complaints of the patients are not remarkable. At

first they experience vague rheumatic pains, then the pains become localized

in the spine, especially in the lumbosacral region. Later, a sensation of

stiffness in the lumbar and cervical spine develop. However, we also found

patients with slight radiological changes who complained of intense pains in the

spine and in the large joints. On the other hand, some patients whose fluorosis

was radiologically distinct were almost without complaints. "

SOURCE: Franke J, et al. (1975). Industrial fluorosis. Fluoride 8: 61-83.

" Many workers complained of pains at night and while resting, but movement

caused them to disappear. "

SOURCE: Franke J, et al. (1975). Industrial fluorosis. Fluoride 8: 61-83.

" All the patients had typical diagnostic features: skeletal pains, backache,

stiffness, rigidity and restricted movements of the spine and other joints. "

SOURCE: Faccini JM, Teotia SPS. (1974). Histopathological assessment of

endemic skeletal fluorosis. Calcified Tissue Research 16: 45-57.

" Schlegel presented data on 61 cases of skeletal fluorosis among workers of a

Swiss aluminum factory... Their major symptoms were arthritic changes in the

joints, especially in the spine... In contrast to non-industrial fluorosis,

the author noted excessive involvement of the elbow joint which is presumably

due to habitual use of the arms... The author also emphasizes the difficulty in

differentiating spontaneous arthrosis from fluorotic arthritis. "

SOURCE: Schlegel HH. (1974). Industrial skeletal fluoroses: preliminary

report on 61 cases from aluminum smeleter. Sozial und Praventivmed. 19:269-74.

(Abstracted in: Fluoride 1975; 8:177)

" Arthritis of the spinal column develops early in the disease with or without

demonstrable radiological changes. "

SOURCE: Waldbott GL. (1974). The pre-skeletal phase of chronic fluorine

intoxication. Fluoride 7:118-122.

" In spite of this distinctive clinical picture of advanced fluorosis, the

earlier stages of the disease are more difficult to recognize. The initial

symptoms are quite non-specific and not obviously linked to fluoride. The onset

of

fluorosis leads to tingling sensations in the hands and feet, pain similar to

arthritic pain in the joints and the lower back, stiffness, and motor weakness.

The first reliable diagnostic sign is increased bone density in X-ray

examination, but in some early cases early bone changes are not radiologically

detectable. "

SOURCE: Groth, E. (1973). Two Issues of Science and Public Policy: Air

Pollution Control in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Fluoridation of Community

Water

Supplies. Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford

University, May 1973.

" This case supports the premise that some forms of arthritis are related to

sub-clinical fluorosis, i.e. fluorosis which is not sufficiently advanced to

show the characteristic skeletal changes radiologically. "

SOURCE: Cook HA. (1972). Crippling fluorosis related to fluoride intake (case

report). Fluoride 5: 209-213.

" Possibly some cases of pain diagnosed as rheumatism or arthritis may be due

to subclinical fluorosis which is not radiologically demonstrable. "

SOURCE: Cook HA. (1971). Fluoride studies in a patient with arthritis. The

Lancet 1: 817.

" The onset of chronic fluorosis is insidious and may be confused with chronic

debilitating diseases such as osteoarthritis, trace-element toxicosis, and

trace-element deficiencies. "

SOURCE: Shupe JL. (1970). Fluorine toxicosis and industry. American

Industrial Hygiene Association Journal 31: 240-247.

" Whereas dental fluorosis is easily recognized, the skeletal involvement is

not clinically obvious until the advanced stage of crippling fluorosis... Such

early cases are usually in young adults whose only complaints are vague pains

noted most frequently in the small joints of the hands and feet, in the knee

joints and in the joints of the spine. These cases are frequent in the endemic

area and may be misdiagnosed as rheumatoid or osteo arthritis. "

SOURCE: Singh A, Jolly SS. (1970). Chronic toxic effects on the skeletal

system. In: Fluorides and Human Health. World Health Organization. pp. 238-249.

" Most authors agree that chronic fluorosis can cause musculoskeletal

discomfort and pain, despite the fact that well documented cases of fluorosis in

patients without any clinical symptoms have been published... All but one of the

17

patients complained of vague pains and stiffness in the lower and upper

extremities, shoulders, neck and lower back. In none of the cases could another

disease of the bone or of the joints be found, except arthrotic lesions... If

signs of fluorosis are present, they may lead to symptoms of the osteoarticular

system. "

SOURCE: Vischer TL, et al. (1970). Industrial fluorosis. In: TL Vischer, ed.

(1970). Fluoride in Medicine. Hans Huber, Bern. pp. 96-105.

" Joint changes or fluoric arthrosis may be very severe especially in the hip,

knee and elbow joints. "

SOURCE: Soriano, M. (1968). Periostitis deformans due to wine fluorosis.

Fluoride 1: 56-64.

" Fluoric Arthropathies: Around joints, thick marginal osteophytes develop. In

some instances, they grow to such an extent as to block joint movement

('blocking arthrosis'). The joint block can also be induced by calcification of

the

periarticular ligament. The most common sites of articular involvement are the

hips, the sacroiliac, elbow and knee joints. In older persons, the vetebral

column is commonly affected. Advanced stages of the disease show atrophy and

ulceration of joint cartilage. "

SOURCE: Soriano, M. (1968). Periostitis deformans due to wine fluorosis.

Fluoride 1: 56-64.

" Another frequent finding was the calcification of ligaments and muscle

attachments ...Approximately three quarters of those later found to have

radiological evidence of skeletal involvement did complain of pains mainly in

the back,

chest, and legs. " SOURCE: Latham MC, Grech P. (1967). The effects of excessive

fluoride intake. American Journal of Public Health 57: 651-660.

" In general, the metabolic patterns of osteoblasts, ameloblasts,

odontoblasts, and chrondoblasts are sufficiently similar so that disturbances of

cartilage

might be expected... To date, any osteoarthritis observed in fluoride-treated

cattle has been regarded as an unrelated process. However, excessive

remodeling of the subchondral plate and cancellous end of the bone, such as

occurs in

osteofluorosis, will eventually lead to remodeling of the articular cartilage.

Excessive cartilage remodeling leads to osteoarthritis of normal joints.

Therefore, both the mechanical effects of fluoride induced remodeling and the

direct action of fluoride on cartilage cells might alter cartilage. The fluoride

levels and remodeling circumstances necessary to produce cartilage alteration

in cattle - if it occurs - remain to be established. "

SOURCE: Johnson LC. (1965). Histogenesis and mechanisms in the development of

osteofluorosis. In: H.C.Hodge and F.A.Smith, eds : Fluorine chemistry, Vol.

4. New York, N.Y., Academic press (1965) 424-441.

" The ligamentous calcification [of skeletal fluorosis] is often periarticular

and shows as osteoarthritis of the spine and hip joints as well as of the

sacro-iliac joints. "

SOURCE: Kumar SP, Harper RA. (1963). Fluorosis in Aden. British Journal of

Radiology 36: 497-502.

In the early stages of skeletal fluorosis, the " only complaints are vague

pains noted most frequently in the small joints of hands and feet, the knee

joints and those of the spine. Such cases are frequent in the endemic area and

may

be misdiagnosed as rheumatoid or osteoarthritis. Such symptoms may be present

prior to the development of definite radiological signs. A study of the

incidence of rheumatic disorders in areas where fluoridation has been in

progress

for a number of years would be of interest. " SOURCE: Singh A, et al. (1963).

Endemic fluorosis. Epidemiological, clinical and biochemical study of chronic

fluoride intoxication in Punjab. Medicine 42: 229-246.

" The onset was insidious, and stiffness of the back and legs was a universal

complaint. Almost all the patients complained of vague fleeting pains all over

the body, particularly in the spine and in the knee-joints. "

SOURCE: Singh A, et al. (1961). Skeletal fluorosis and its neurological

complications. Lancet 1: 197-200.

" It is quite possible that endemic centres [of skeletal fluorosis] exist but

that the cause of the disabling spondylitis or other joint affections has not

been determined, and a diagnosis of chronic arthritis has resulted. Few cases

in Canada or the United States will be found to be as dramatic as that

recorded here from Southwest China, but by calling attention to the advanced

stage of

this condition help may be afforded to the diagnosis of early cases. "

SOURCE: Kilborn LG, et al. (1950). Fluorosis with report of an advanced case.

Canadian Medical Association Journal 62: 135-141.

[Guest guest]

I have an under the counter filter that removes

flouride. It is wonderful! For those of you who

don't know the health effects of flouride Hitler first

used it in the Natzi camps to make people very docile

and it lowers your IQ.

 

Yours in Health,

Sare

 

--- surpriseshan2 wrote:

 

> There are many links throughout this article;

> you can access them on

> the webpage. This is only one of the many health

> effects of fluoride; there is

> a list on the left of the webpage under Health

> Effects.

> This url is from a member of candidiasis

> group.

> blessings

> Shan

>

> HEALTH EFFECTS: Fluoride/Arthritis

>

http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/bone/fluorosis/arthritis/

>

> Summation - Fluoride/Arthritis:

>

> Excessive exposure to fluoride causes an arthritic

> disease called skeletal

> fluorosis.

>

> Skeletal fluorosis, especially in its early stages,

> is a difficult disease to

> diagnose, and can be readily confused with various

> forms of arthritis

> including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

>

> The arthritic symptoms of fluorosis can occur before

> the onset of bone

> changes detectable by x-ray, thereby making the

> early stages of fluorosis difficult

> to differentiate from arthritis.

>

> In the advanced stages of skeletal fluorosis, the

> spine may closely resemble

> the appearance of spondylosis/spondylitis and DISH

> (Diffuse Idiopathic

> Skeletal Hyperostosis).

>

> General Info - Arthritis:

>

> " The word arthritis literally means joint

> inflammation, but it is often used

> to refer to a group of more than 100 rheumatic

> diseases that can cause pain,

> stiffness, and swelling in the joints. "

> SOURCE: National Institutes of Health

>

> " Arthritis and chronic joint symptoms affect nearly

> 70 million Americans, or

> about one of every three adults, making it one of

> the most prevalent diseases

> in the United States. As the population ages, this

> number will increase

> dramatically. "

> SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

>

> Excerpts from the Scientific Literature -

> Fluoride/Arthritis:

>

> " The authors describe a 50-year-old man with

> previously treated cancer who

> was using tray-applied topical fluoride gel. He

> complained of gastric symptoms,

> difficulty in swallowing, leg muscle soreness and

> knee joint soreness... The

> patient's fluoride regimen was altered, and within a

> short period his urinary

> fluoride levels returned to normal and his symptoms

> resolved. "

> SOURCE: Eichmiller FC, Eidelman N, Carey CM. (2005).

> Controlling the fluoride

> dosage in a patient with compromised salivary

> function. Journal of the

> American Dental Association 136:67-70.

>

[Guest guest]

What kind of filters remove Fluorijne? I know Rewverse Osmosios

remioves Fluorine. Are there others?

 

Alobar

 

On 7/2/06, Debbie Davis <earttshake wrote:

> I have an under the counter filter that removes

> flouride. It is wonderful! For those of you who

> don't know the health effects of flouride Hitler first

> used it in the Natzi camps to make people very docile

> and it lowers your IQ.

>

> Yours in Health,

> Sare

>