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Arthritic Conditions Aches and pains
Got a pain in the neck?
Fish oil may help with that. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and fish oil supplements have been shown to help manage inflammation, which is a common factor in many chronic health problems.
Reflexology
A study of 570 patients with knee osteoarthritis. Among the subjects who were treated with reflexology 40 per cent reported reduced pain. These subjects also had significant improvements in knee mobility and function.
Herbs
The most studied of the anti-inflammatory herbs are ginger and turmeric. Known for centuries to practitioners, these two herbs are currently undergoing clinical trials at the University of Arizona's National Center for Phytomedicine Research in the College of Pharmacy.
Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is probably best known for its ability to ease motion and morning sickness as well as drug-induced and postoperative nausea. In a double-blind clinical trial, ginger extract reduced knee pain caused by osteoarthritis.
Turmeric (Curcuma longa), a plant related to ginger, is the herb that gives curry its brassy golden color. Turmeric is proven to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor properties. In one animal trial, a turmeric compound was almost as potent as cortisone in treating acute inflammation.
You could use ginger and turmeric in cooking, but it would mean consuming a lot of both herbs on a daily basis. That's not practical for most of us. So I usually recommend using them as supplements, available at most health food stores.
Ease Up on starchy Foods If your diet is heavy on processed foods and fast foods and light on fruits and vegetables, you're not doing your arthritis pain any favor.
Diets that promote inflammation are high in omega-6 fatty acids (found in many vegetable oils) and in partially hydrogenated fats in stick margarines and solid-at-room-temperature shortenings, fried foods, most chips, and store-bought baked goods.
Anti-pain diets are high in omega-3 fatty acids, found in salmon, sardines, and other oily fish; walnuts, flax, and soy; and in monounsaturated fats, such as olive oil, nuts, and avocados.
The antioxidants in fruits and vegetables are also an absolutely essential part of a pain-free program. If you have osteoarthritis, be sure to take 1,500 mg of glucosamine daily. Consistently used, it may help rebuild cartilage and prevent further damage.
Nutritional advice
Need another reason to get your five-a-day? How about this?
Some studies have shown that the antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables may protect joints--especially the knee--from the ravages of osteoarthritis (OA).
Here are a few of the studies' findings:
People with high intakes of vitamin C and beta-carotene had a reduced risk of knee pain and disease progression.
Certain antioxidants (including lutein and lycopene, among others) were associated with lower risk of knee OA.
Vitamin E eased arthritis pain better than a placebo or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
To be sure that you're getting enough beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, and vitamin C, eat lots of carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach, tomato sauce and tomato juice, oranges, kiwifruit, and strawberries. (Prevention now recommends nine veggies a day for disease protection.)
To get the amount of vitamin E that most experts advise, you'll need a vitamin E supplement containing 400 international units (IU).
Since Osteo Arthritis progression was three times higher in people with low levels of vitamin D, it's best to take a multivitamin/mineral supplement with 100 percent of the Daily Value for D.
Dyspepsia and Rheumatoid arthritis
Dyspepsia is digestive malfunction that may prompt some or all of these symptoms: heartburn, nausea, gas, bloating and belching. To make matters worst, the cause of dyspepsia is often unknown.
But for the millions of people who cope with different forms of chronic arthritis by taking nonsteroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), there should be no mystery about the source of dyspepsia.
Two alternative treatments for dyspepsia:
1) capsaicin, a phytochemical that occurs naturally in red peppers,
2) Potter’s Acidosis, an herbal formula that Dr Allan Spreen recommends for indigestion, acid reflux and other stomach problems.
But arthritis patients may not need ANY treatments for dyspepsia if they avoid prescription medications and try one of these non-drug methods to address pain:
GLUCOSAMINE & CHONDROITIN SULPHATE: In many research studies these two essential components of cartilage that are naturally produced by the body, and in supplement form have been shown to slow and even reverse the degenerative effects of osteoarthritis.
COD LIVER OIL: Research shows how cod liver oil may reverse the actions of the enzymes that break down cartilage. In fact, studies suggest that taking cod liver oil can even prevent the development of arthritis, while reducing symptoms in those already afflicted with the disease.
NICOTINAMIDE:Vit B3 In a National Institutes of Health study, this anti-inflammatory nutrient (a derivative of niacin - also known as vitamin B3) relieved arthritis pain by almost 30 per cent and improved range of motion and flexibility in joints.
Exercise
A pool pass could be your ticket to improving mobility in stiff, inflamed joints, according to a British study of 106 sedentary people with knee and hip osteoarthritis.
For 1 year, more than half the group performed in-water exercises at a community pool for 60 minutes twice a week, while the rest received educational treatment material. At study's end, the exercisers had significantly greater mobility and flexibility and less pain than those who weren't hitting the pool.
"Water takes stress off joints and blocks some of the pain sensation, allowing people who normally can't exercise to engage in activity, loosen stiff joints, strengthen muscles, and see lasting results," says Mary Rodts, a registered nurse with orthopedic certification and assistant professor at Rush College of Nursing in Chicago.
New research
March 29th 2007 Arthritis Pain Processed in Emotion-Linked Brain Area
March 29 (HealthDay News) --
Arthritis pain is processed in areas of the brain that also control emotions and fear, a U.K. study finds.
The study, published in the April issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism, may offer a new target for treating arthritis pain.
The analysis included 12 people with knee osteoarthritis. Using brain imaging scans, researchers at the University of Manchester Rheumatic Diseases Centre monitored the patients' brain activity as they experienced osteoarthritis pain, pain caused by heat application, and no pain.
Both the osteoarthritis and heat-induced pain activated a network of brain structures known as the pain matrix, which contains two parallel systems. The medial pain system processes the emotional aspects of pain, including fear and stress. The lateral system processes the pain's physical location, intensity and duration.
While both osteoarthritis and heat-induced (experimental) pain activated both systems, osteoarthritis pain caused heightened activity in the medial pain system.
This suggests that arthritis pain may have more of an emotional impact and stronger association with fear and distress than experimental pain, the researchers said.
They also found that osteoarthritis pain triggered increased activity in the prefrontal cortex and the inferior posterior parietal cortex -- areas of the brain that play an important role in paying attention.
The activation of these areas during osteoarthritis pain may be the result of patients' focusing on strategies to cope with their arthritis pain, the researchers said.
"The present study demonstrates the importance of the medial pain system during the experience of arthritis pain and suggests that it is a likely target for both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions," study lead author Professor A.K.P. Jones said in a prepared statement. SOURCE: Arthritis & Rheumatism, news release, March 28, 2007 Publish Date: March 29, 2007 |
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