Alternative Therapies for Arthritis

1. 52

   SarahLambertposted 14 years ago

   Was hoping someone could help me out w/ my husband's joint pain.  He is 40 years old and has frequent pain in his right fingers and ankle.  His bloodwork returned normal, so we're not sure what is going on.  His mother was diagnosed with RA a few years ago, which makes us take his pain very seriously.  Do any of you have any success stories of herbal remedies, supplements or alternative treatments for arthritis?  Thanks in advance.

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   1. 60

      nikki1posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Aww.. thats not good..
      consider: Bengay (non-scent formula), extra strength arthritis aspirin, local stores also have the arthritis wraps,. Drinking lots of milk,. Ibuprofen the highest
      mg. Exercising can also help after the aspirins kick in. I will
      pray for his joint aches. Hope he feels better soon.
      
      
      
      I hope my suggestions help.
      Smiles to all.

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   2. 61

      AngelaKaelinposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      There are a lot of different types and causes of arthritis.  Without knowing more, it is difficult to give a good answer.  I know high doses of glucosamine and chondroitin combined with MSM has helped some people.  For topical relief, I've heard many people swear by emu oil as a topical.  You rub it into the joints.

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   3. 84

      hinazilleposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      arthritis pain generally occurs when the cartillage protecting the joints is worn out and/or when the fluid between the joints reduces in volume....this causes the bones to rub against one another resulting in inflammation...this then results in the pain experienced..
      
      glucosamine and chondroitin are particularly useful as they help to replenish the fluid between the joints & rebuild the cartilage that protects the end of the bones...this reduces the friction between the bones where they meet hence reduces inflammation at the site...and so reduce the pain...
      
      the other thing is omega oil supplements..there is evidence to suggest that this can help in arthritic conditions...
      
      i read somewhere that fresh pineapple can help as the enzyme within it (bromelain) reduces inflammation..might be worth increasing intake of fresh pineapple...
      
      hope it helps

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2. 91

   CMHypnoposted 14 years ago

   Colloidal gold is supposed to be good for arthritis. Also acupuncture is good for pain relief as is hypnotherapy

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3. 0

   shazwellynposted 14 years ago

   You know damp weather makes ra worse.  Sunny climates are better and can ease the pain.
   
   I know that omega 3 and 5 are good for joints.
   
   Hope this helps!

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4. 69

   MikeNVposted 14 years ago

   Ask yourself this question.  If the "alternative" therapies were truly cures don't you think people would know about them?
   
   The reality is the body is a whole... and no drug or pill or therapy is going to cure the problem if you don't know the actual cause.  What is the cause of RA?
   
   All you can do is find pain relief... natural or pharmaceutical.  And you can find diets that do not aggravate the condition.
   
   People are lazy they say they want to get better but they refuse to make the necessary adjustments to their diets to give their bodies a chance to heal.  Instead they look to some pill or potion or supplement.
   
   There are many diseases with no cure.
   
   http://www.arthritistoday.org/condition … ergies.php
   
   http://www.risesupport.com/lifestyle-diet.html

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   1. 0

      shazwellynposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You can help yourself to alleviate the suffering though

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5. 52

   SarahLambertposted 14 years ago

   I had never heard of colloidal gold before, but will be sure to check it out.  MikeNV, I'm intrigued by the first link you provided.  We are very conscientious about what we eat (veggies, some fruits, fish and lean meats only) he drinks milk, and alot of it!  I'm passing along this information to him.
   
   Thanks again to everyone for your suggestions!

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6. 61

   Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

   My mother had Rheumatoid Arthritis, and my kids' father has a form of it.  If your husband's tests are coming back "normal", I think you should ask the doctor about other medical conditions that can cause joint pain.  Stress can make Rheumatoid Arthritis worse.  For my mother, as far as I know, her Rheumatoid Arthritis was a "condition in itself".  For my kids' father, his is a secondary condition stemming from another immune system disorder.
   
   You must already know that even young people can have Osteoarthritis if they'd had injuries to joints, and injuries can occur as a result of repetitive stress, not just "dramatic incidents".
   
   My mother had a gel-kind-of-thing that was to be placed in warm water and fastened around her wrist.  She said it helped some.  I've heard of Arthritis patients using hot/warm water (as in a bathtub or pool) to help their joint paint.
   
   My kids' father doesn't take anything but Glucosamine (in an attempt to do something), because he's worried about the side-effects of strong Arthritis medications.  I've heard fish oil recommended too.
   
   http://ezinearticles.com/?Good-Fish-Oil … id=2443903

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7. 51

   StellaFreemanposted 14 years ago

   Hi, Just wanted to say that I have had experience of joint pain, arthritis, fibromyalgia and CFS!
   Specialist gives maximum doses of pain killers and asks that you learn to live with!Mmm nice.
   
   Heres's what I did:
   Went to local health shop and got name of an allergen tester.
   At my appointment I discovered that I had an intolerence to no less than 21 common foods!
   I am a vegetarian so my diet became quite difficult to balance when it was revealed that I was intolerent of Dairy products, all citrus fruits, all nightshade family (potatoes, peppers, tomoatoes) chocolate and on and on
   Anyway, I was told that many sufferers of arthritis and joint pain and gout are intolerent of dairy, choc and nightshade family.  I really think it's worth going down this avenue and have an allergen check as I have already found my mobility and energy increased. I supplement glucosimine, chrondin, coenzyme-q-10. Best wishes for better health

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   1. 0

      Amie Warrenposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I have to agree. I recently stopped using dairy except for yogurt and cheese and my arthritis is much better.
      
      Also, try taking turmeric. It does well with pain in joints. You can buy the capsules or the powder.

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8. 66

   alternate poetposted 14 years ago

   I have (had) severe joint pain from physical damage, a horrific road crash among them.  My right knee was reconstructed and became extremely painful over a few years, I also damaged my hands and a few other parts.  In bed one day waiting for her night rituals to end I read that EVENING PRIMROSE OIL was supposed to be good for this kind of arthritis. By chance 'she' had a huge pot of evening primrose skin cream by the bed and out of sheer boredom I rubbed it in the affected spots, noting maybe some improvement I continued this for a week or so every night.  I now have almost no joint pain and keep the same cream by my bed even though 'she' is long gone.
   
   I know this works and it is the only thing I use or take of any form.
   
   Good luck and happiness to everyone.

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9. 78

   Ruchiraposted 14 years ago

   Aloe vera juice does wonders on the digestion and the immunity of people. I can vouch for it. It helps the system run smoothly esp with people suffering with any kind of auto immune diseases.

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10. 0

    JacquiDposted 14 years ago

    A little old lady came into the vitamin shoppe i worked at and bought Animal Joint Pack (glucosamine).  It comes in a red can and had a body builder on it. She was a concert pianist and said it was the only thing strong enough that worked.

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11. 68

    Diane Insideposted 14 years ago

    For the pain what works well is a parafin bath, you can melt some paraffin to about 120 degress F add a small amount of mineral oil which helps with dryness, it just helps them feel better. Dunk the hands in the paraffin about three times then wrap in a towel. For about 10 to 20 minutes or until they start to feel like they are cooling off.
    
    It does help with the pain quite a bit. and if used daily you will start to see a difference, should feel less pain.
    
    Once the pain in improved try light exercises and finger stretches, not anything drastic as this will only damage the joints.

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12. 80

    GmaGoldieposted 14 years ago

    Exercise is the best!  Typing on Hub Pages might help too! 
    
    Seriously, personal trainers will attest that RA is greatly alleviated with exercise - we cannot make medical claims but the power of just the 30 minutes a day can be magical.
    
    RA literally took my Mother's life.  She wasn't prescribed exercise, RA crippled her joints and literally attacked her heart.  IF she had only exercises.
    
    Sorry for the sad story, this one hits a tender nerve with me even decades later.
    
    Quality of life with exercise is so much better.  He needs a hobby he is passionate about.  It has to be his idea.

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13. 60

    slock62posted 14 years ago

    In the west we have the unfortunate habit of treating an ailment as if it were the only problem. The body is like a fine instrument if one note is off it causes all of the music to be out of tune.
    The body requires being treated as a whole not simply as parts.
    When we experience pain our system is telling us that the whole body needs adjustment.
    First one must look at the foods we consume. Are they pure or laden with chemicals? Do they offer the body the best nutrition?
    Next we must look at the manner in which the body is utilizing the nutrients we take in. Do you experience stomach upset? Do you feel bloated and listless after a meal? are your eliminations regular and are they properly formed? Not too hard, not too soft. Urine should be a light lemon color. Do you follow a toxin removal routine? Eating lots of fiber helps as well as colon cleansing.Keeping the toxins out of your system is the single most important issue we face. Do you drinks at least 2 gal. of fresh filtered water per day. Toxins tend to build up in the joints and cause us pain for no apparent reason. These and many other factor such as the important of frequent
    mild exercise, Yoga is great for balancing the body and when done over a period of months will lead to a pain free body.
    I suggest that you educate yourself on your body and how it works. Treating one symptom as the problem is not the answer, it is just evidence that there is an imbalance in the body. One final thing is are you over weight, this one issue can cause lots of problems, too many to list. Inthe meantime use analgesic topical creams only as a relief from arthritic or joint pain. I suggest Cryoderm if you like cold Thermoderm if you like hot. This will give you long lasting relief and it is all natural ingredients. Can be found at http://www.cryoderm.com. No I don't sell the product just believe in it. and have found it helpful in management of pain. No Ibuprofen Please it's bad for the internal organs over a long period of use and if it's all you use as help you will be suffering for a long time.

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14. 83

    IzzyMposted 14 years ago

    WD40 can be sprayed on the affected joint and rubbed in for immediate pain relief for arthritis sufferers.
    No kidding - talk about oiling creaky joints! lol

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15. 56

    Rmichelowposted 14 years ago

    As an aromatherapist I cannot make medical claims but if you are not allergic to aloe vera gel you can add these essential oils 5% stregnth dilution
    
    6 drops peppermint
    4 drops black pepper
    15 drops grapefruit
    5 drops eucalyptus radiata
    
    you can also add a teaspoon of arnica montana gel or arnica montana extract - do not use on open sores.  You can substitute st. John's wort for the arnica.  Rub gently. As always when using essential oils and you are on medication check with your doctor. 
    
    You can also use this recipe in a salve -- just mix it in melted bee's wax. 
    
    You can also soak you hand using the above recipe in a nice warm hand bath.  For a full body soak reduce the amount of peppermint to one or 2 drops and grapefruit to 7 drops.

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16. 0

    Sophia Angeliqueposted 14 years ago

    Make your diet more alkaline. Definitely helps. Don't eat so much acidic food. Google acid/alkaline foods.

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17. 68

    AnythingArtzyposted 14 years ago

    I have osteoarthritis, bursitis and Fibromyalgia and the only thing as someone stated earlier is to take pain meds, for the pain is chronic and will only worsen so there is no cure, but be careful of Ibruprophen, too much esspecially a high dose over a long period of time can damage the kidneys.  I also use heat quite often for my joints. Heat increases blood flow which in turn increases oxygen to the area which will promote healing,(pain relief). Again keeping the joints active as much as you can stand to keep them from stiffening will help but don't overdo it or you can aggravate it.

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18. 61

    maggiejuposted 14 years ago

    Visit Zak in Zak acupuncture London clinic, he would be able to help you.

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