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A self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint, including a bone joint encompassing element formed of a moisture impermeable barrier material and defining a therapy region about one or more bone joints, and a desiccative agent disposed within the therapy regio

A self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint, including a bone joint encompassing element formed of a moisture impermeable barrier material and defining a therapy region about one or more bone joints, and a desiccative agent disposed within the therapy region.

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1. A self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint, comprising: a bone joint-encompassing element comprising: a sleeve-shaped body defining an inner volume, and defining apertures at opposite ends of the sleeve-shaped body, such that the inner volume of the sle

1. A self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint, comprising: a bone joint-encompassing element comprising: a sleeve-shaped body defining an inner volume, and defining apertures at opposite ends of the sleeve-shaped body, such that the inner volume of the sleeve-shaped body is exposed to an external environment through the apertures, the sleeve-shaped body comprising: an outer shell comprising a moisture impermeable and water vapor impermeable barrier material,a tubular-shaped inner liner received and extending within the outer shell and comprising a moisture permeable material and configured to define a therapy region for receiving therewithin one or more bone joints, the inner liner being separable from the outer shell and folded upon itself in a longitudinal axial direction of the inner liner to form a tubular compartment having an open end and a closed end, anda tubular-shaped assembly defining apertures at opposite ends of the tubular-shaped assembly, the tubular-shaped assembly received and extending within the tubular compartment in the longitudinal axial direction of the inner liner, wherein one or more containments of the tubular-shaped assembly contain packets including a desiccative agent, the desiccative agent comprising a material that adsorbs or absorbs water vapor, thereby to reduce humidity in the therapy region, andtwo or more closure elements configured to seal each of the apertures of the sleeve-shaped body, whereby the therapy region is isolated from moisture and water vapor of the external environment. 2. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 1, wherein the two or more closure elements are associated with said bone joint-encompassing element and configured to engage about a body limb associated with the one or more bone joints. 3. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 2, wherein: the one or more bone joints is a bone joint of the body limb; andsaid two or more closure elements associated with the bone joint-encompassing element are configured to engage about the body limb above and below the bone joint. 4. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 3, wherein: the bone joint of the body limb is a knee; andsaid two or more closure elements are configured to engage about a wearer's upper leg and lower leg. 5. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 3, wherein: the bone joint of the body limb is an elbow; andsaid two or more closure elements are configured to engage about a wearer's upper arm and lower arm. 6. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 2, wherein the two or more closure elements comprise an axial closure element releasably joining opposed, axially-extending edge regions of a sleeve for securing said bone joint-encompassing element in engagement about the body limb. 7. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 6, wherein the axial closure element is selected from a group consisting of zippers and hook-and-loop type fasteners. 8. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 1, wherein the two or more closure elements comprise a drawstring that reduces a size of the apertures of the bone joint-encompassing element when drawn. 9. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 1, wherein the desiccative agent comprises silica gel. 10. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 1, wherein the moisture impermeable and water vapor impermeable barrier material comprises a thermal insulator to retain heat within the appliance. 11. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 1, wherein: the one or more bone joints is a bone joint of a body limb; andthe two or more closure elements are associated with the bone joint-encompassing element and are configured to engage about the body limb above and below the bone joint. 12. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 1, wherein one of the closure elements is fixed. 13. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 1, wherein the tubular-shaped assembly removably resides within the tubular compartment such that the tubular-shaped assembly can be removed via the open end of the tubular compartment. 14. A method for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint, the method comprising the steps of: enclosing one or more bone joints within a therapy region of a self-contained treatment appliance, the therapy region being defined by a bone joint-encompassing element that comprises a sleeve-shaped body defining an inner volume, and defining apertures at opposite ends of the sleeve-shaped body, such that the inner volume of the sleeve-shaped body is exposed to an external environment through the apertures, the sleeve-shaped body comprising: an outer shell comprising a moisture impermeable and water vapor impermeable barrier material,a tubular-shaped inner liner received and extending within the outer shell and comprising a moisture permeable material, the inner liner being separable from the outer shell and folded upon itself in a longitudinal axial direction of the inner liner to form a tubular compartment having an open end and a closed end, anda tubular-shaped assembly defining apertures at opposite ends of the tubular-shaped assembly, the tubular-shaped assembly received and extending within the tubular compartment in the longitudinal axial direction of the inner liner, the tubular-shaped assembly comprising one or more containments;placing packets including a desiccative agent within the one or more containments of the tubular-shaped assembly, the desiccative agent comprising a material that adsorbs or absorbs water vapor, thereby to reduce humidity in the therapy region;securing two or more closure elements in engagement about a body limb associated with the one or more bone joints, the two or more closure elements configured for sealing each of apertures of the sleeve-shaped body, whereby the therapy region is isolated from moisture and water vapor of the external environment; andcontinuing the therapy for a period of time. 15. A self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint, comprising: a bone joint-encompassing element comprising: a sleeve-shaped body defining an inner volume, and defining an aperture at an end of the of the sleeve-shaped body, such that the inner volume of the sleeve-shaped body is exposed to an external environment through the aperture, the sleeve-shaped body comprising: an outer shell comprising a moisture impermeable and water vapor impermeable barrier material,a tubular-shaped inner liner received and extending within the outer shell and comprising a moisture permeable material and configured to define a therapy region for receiving therewithin one or more bone joints, the inner liner being separable from the outer shell and folded upon itself in a longitudinal axial direction of the inner liner to form a tubular compartment having an open end and a closed end, anda tubular-shaped assembly defining apertures at opposite ends of the tubular-shaped assembly, the tubular-shaped assembly received and extending within the tubular compartment in the longitudinal axial direction of the inner liner, wherein one or more containments of the tubular-shaped assembly contain packets including a desiccative agent, the desiccative agent comprising a material that adsorbs or absorbs water vapor, thereby to reduce humidity in the therapy region, anda closure element configured to seal the aperture of the sleeve-shaped body, whereby the therapy region is isolated from moisture and water vapor of the external environment. 16. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 15, wherein: the one or more bone joints are joints of the fingers, hand or wrist; andthe closure element is associated with the bone joint-encompassing element and is configured to engage about a wearer's wrist or forearm. 17. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 15, wherein: the one or more bone joints are joints of the toes, foot or ankle; andthe closure element is associated with the bone joint-encompassing element and is configured to engage about a wearer's ankle or calf. 18. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 15, wherein the closure element is associated with said bone joint-encompassing element and configured to engage about a body limb associated with the one or more bone joints. 19. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 18, wherein: the one or more bone joints are joints of the fingers, hand or wrist; andthe closure element associated with the bone joint-encompassing element is configured to engage about a wearer's wrist or forearm. 20. The self-contained appliance for passive therapy of arthritis discomfort in a bone joint of claim 18, wherein: the one or more bone joints are joints of the toes, foot or ankle; andthe closure element associated with the bone joint-encompassing element is configured to engage about a wearer's ankle or calf.