Osteoarthritis remedies

One day my hurt like it had never hurt before. Days later, the doctor, reluctantly, sent me off for an x-ray.

The chap behind the controls, in a very matter of fact way, shrugged, and said, “It’s arthritis that’s causing the pain”.

I looked at the screen. My left hip looked fine – very clear – but my right hip was just a mess of white blur. I had no idea my hip was so damaged. I didn’t really know what to do.

Could an operation help? How quickly could I get it all sorted?

So  I found out everything I could about slowing down arthritis naturally – and how to avoid it.

Some remedies gave me real relief – others didn’t. Personally, I think there’s something out there for everyone that numbs the pain – but it’s up to you to find out what it is that works for you.

Some people swear by Devil’s claw. Others Cod Liver Oil. There are scores of natural products out there. If you’re kept awake at night, or grumpy during the day because of painful arthritis, do yourself (and your family!) a favour andat at least try cider vinegar.

You’ll have nothing to lose – something will work. As a sufferer, I can’t stress enough it’s worth doing – cos when it really sets in, it bloody hurts.

Naturally, every drug companies positions every natural product as ‘poppycock’ – but they would, wouldn’t they?

If you’re wondering what worked for me by the way, it was Avacodo. Really.

Avocado (and soy oil) contains a compound called phytosterol, which is a big anti-inflammatory and painkiller.

Is it effective? Well, you can only really go on your own experiences – but a recent report in France showed arthritis sufferers who took 600mg of an extract of avocado and soy oil reaped substantial benefits:

After six weeks only 43 per cent taking the treatment needed anti-inflammatory drugs – compared with nearly 70 per cent in the control group.

The patients taking the extract also reported better movement too.

Now, my family ribbed me, and said the only pain relief I was getting was purely ‘placebo’. Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t – I didn’t care to be honest. It stopped me from being woken in the middle of the night in terrible pain (well, it was either that or the magnets).

Magnetic Therapy

Before I say anything on magnetic therapy (which helped me a huge amount) let me just get the copper bracelets out of the way…

Believe it or not, scientific tests find copper to be utterly useless in fighting arthritis. (But try telling that to the millions of people who wear them though.)

The bracelets work on the principle that arthritis sufferers are deficient in copper (in fact the very low occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis in pre-industrial Europe has been put down to copper cooking utensils and plates).

The bracelets allow the skin to absorb the copper – which is why it causes a ‘green ring’ where the bracelet is worn. This puts a lot of people off – and magnetic therapy is usually the next port of call.

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis, which is caused by damage or wear and tear, affecting the smooth, shiny cartilage that covers the end of the bones where they come into contact.

The affected joints become stiff and painful, and in time the bone around them becomes roughened and knobbly. This happens to some extent to all of us, but in a small minority the osteoarthritis becomes severe and crippling.

Knobbly fingers and knees are almost universal in people after middle age, and osteoarthritis can also affect the hips, big toes, the neck and the lower back. Sometimes it develops in joints damaged by repeated small injuries – in footballers’ knees for example (or my hip!)

Osteoarthritis is a slow disease – unlike some other forms of arthritis which may progress rapidly in young adults.

If you have one or more joints that have gradually become stiffer and more uncomfortable over a period of years, the most likely cause is osteoarthritis. If you think you may have it, you should see a doctor – but there is also plenty you can do to help yourself.

Firstly , try magnetic therapy. Arthritis is without doubt the biggest excuse people use to try magnetic therapy. It ultimately leads to the same reaction – “It really helps!”

(But the fact is, don’t just try magnetic therapy…there are many other natural therapies that will beat your arthritis pain.)

It is a shame, but all doctors can do for arthritis is prescribe pain killers. They’ll positively laugh at magnetic therapy, but I have to say, it really helped me.

I bought some patches that contained magnets, zinc and copper. The zinc and copper act as a tiny, tiny ‘battery’ which ‘connect’ with the moisture of the skin. The manufacturer claims this gives the patches a quality similar to acupuncture, as well as the magnetic therapy.

Anyhow, did they work? Yep. Strangely enough, the seemed to make my arthritis worse for a day when I put them on, they it was noticeably better.

And of course, you’ve only got to see the amount of people selling magnetic products to realise there must be something in it.

The system of magnetic healing is as old as time yet scientific research is still thin on the ground.

It’s claimed – and certainly I found – Magnetotherapy aids in helping the body recuperate and possibly heal itself.

Some people say it gives warmth to hurting joints leading to more flexibility. Others say it gives them more enrgy which makes them feel better. When looking at the results of magnets, it’s hard to say it’s all mumbo jumbo.

How does it work? Nobody knows for sure. It has not been proven scientifically how magnet energy works on the body – but if you’re in pain, it’s easily worth a try.

I had a lot less sleepless nights with magnetic patches on – so as far as I’m concerned, who cares what the doctors say?

Drugs – the side effects

How does arthritis cause so much pain and stiffness?

Compare a healthy joint with an arthritic one and it’s easy to see how it hurts so much.

A healthy joint is made up of bone covered in a layer of smooth, less brittle, cartilage (known as articular cartilage). This separates the opposite bone and cartilage with a lubricating synovial fluid, contained in a synovial membrane.

Now let’s see what happens with:

Osteoarthritis

This is the most common form of arthritis and affects the articular cartilage. This cartilage is mainly made of water, and its job is to reduce the friction caused by two bones rubbing together. Think of it as a little sponge that soaks up lubricating synovial fluid, which fills the cavity between the bone joints, and is continually released and absorbed as you move.

Now, it’s not hard to imagine what happens when the cartilage doesn’t do its job properly – the wear and tear on your bones greatly increases.

Rheumatoid arthritis

This causes crippling pain and can hit any age group, though it’s unusual in under 35s.

Many people think rheumatoid arthritis is brought on by the cold – it’s not the case. It is just as common in hot countries, though it may be more severe in colder climates.

If the synovial membrane lining yours joints becomes inflamed, it attracts more

fluid to ease the inflammation. Your joint then becomes swollen and stiff because of the increased blood flow and fluid. It soon becomes severely inflamed which scars it and deforms the underlying bony surface.

When this happens your joints don’t have a smooth, slippy surface to glide over.

Gout

Gout is also matter of fact way, shrugged/fects 15 times more middle-aged me0D
The chap behind the controld swelling appears when tiny crystals form in a joint space (usually one of your big toes). The crystals are caused by excess uric acid which is why what you eat and drink can make a difference. But it’s not just over indulging that can cause gout. Food allergies can trigger the disorder too, as well as diuretic drugs which are often prescribed for heart conditions.

Why your diet can make a difference

Did you know a lack of vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids in your diet could trigger joint problems?

Many arthritics have a poor diet that includes too much refined sugar, stimulants (like coffee and alcohol), fat and protein.

Good nutrition can improve the fluidity of synovial fluid, which helps lubricate your joints. Anyone can see how important keeping your joints properly ‘oiled’ is.

The trouble is, it’s not just about eating the right foods, it’s avoiding the wrong ones that is important.

Some foods and drinks, like tea, coffee, alcohol and chocolate can lower your body’s calcium levels, which affects the health of your bone.

Eating a lot of fried food, or smoking, releases free oxidising radicals into your system. Although they are a natural product of your body’s functions (like breathing and eating), an excess of them can damage the tissue around your joints.

Taking antioxidants such as vitamins A, C and E, and enzymes such as zinc and

Selenium can help counter them – but it’d probably easier and altogether healthier to have less of them.

Even water can make a difference

Everybody knows how good for you drinking water is. But most of us don’t drink enough. And if you are worried about your joints you should.

The parts that suffer most from dehydration are those that don’t have direct vascular circulation – which are the joint cartilages in the fingers, knees and the

spine. Pain in these areas can be a sign of dehydration, and rheumatoid joint pain in particular is a sign of this.

In fact, there are doctors out there that believe in the ‘water cure’ and say they have seen arthritis clear once the sufferer simply drinks more water. So it’s one to try to fend off your aches and pains.

What can you do about the pain?

Unfortunately doctors do not have a lot up their sleeves to help you with the pain.

The first option is usually an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) or simple painkillers known as analgesics.

After this, there are drugs to try and modify the condition (usually given for rheumatoid arthritis). These are known as DMARDs (disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs) or SAARDs (slow-acting antirheumatic drugs).

The best-known NSAID is aspirin. Now here’s why you might want to look at natural ways to fend off your arthritis.

While NSAIDs have undoubtedly brought pain relief for many, they may also accelerate your arthritis, especially osteoarthritis. Studies have shown that NSAIDs inhibit cartilage repair which then ultimately speeds up the breakdown.

Aspirin and its derivatives can cause gastrointestinal problems, like stomach bleeding and ulcers. In addition to this, NSAIDs have also been known to cause Parkinson’s disease, hair and fingernail loss, and damage to the liver and kidneys.

Now that’s not great if you need a big dose everyday is it?

What’s worse, because NSAIDs can only ease the pain, it’s not long before SAARDs are introduced. Common side-effects of most SAARDs are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea…