It’s winter time! Holidays, thanks giving, festivals, foods and lots of enjoyment. But winter is a time for joint pains and aches. Arthritis is one such problem. It may be the oldest known ailment on Earth. Mummies in Egypt, prehistoric people, even the dinosaurs had it.
There may be 100 types of arthritis but Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the most common.
Patients complaints of pain and stiffness in the large joints due to arthritis in ALKAPTONURIA.
REMEDIES TO EASE THE ACHE-
- WEIGHT MANAGEMENT- The more you are overweight, the more stress and pressure you place on your joints.
- EXERCISE- Take up tai chi or Chinese shadow boxing. When practiced correctly , it relaxes all joints. Yoga also helps. Aerobic exercise programs work well.
- LESSEN YOUR STRESS- People who have things in their lives under control are better pain managers than people who don’t.
- RELAX- Listen to music , read books, gardening etc. helps
- Apply muscle ointment in the night to prevent morning stiffness
- SWIMMING- in warm water relaxes the stiff joints. WATER EXERCISES work wonders.
- MASSAGE- massage with oil and then steam or moist heat with warm towels or soaking hands and feet in warm water relaxes.
- ICE PACKS- Apply for 15-20 minutes, then remove for 15 minutes, repeat.
- HEAT- When joints become hot, swollen and tender, heat is the best solution.
- Oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and herring provide omega 3 fatty acids that ease swelling and pain. Fish oil supplements in case someone does not like fish. Don’t over consume
- Vitamin C has a positive influence on the course of disease. Citrus fruits, kiwi, sweet peppers.
- Avoid solanine containing foods like potatoes, brinjal, tomato
- Include Vegetable oils rich in EFA- sesame, safflower seed, sunflower seed
- Groundnut and cashew nut
- Cherries
- Mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds , coriander seeds, sesame seeds, fennel seeds
- Ginger, black pepper, garlic
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E ( abundant in plant oils intercepts so called oxygen radicals which form in greater quantities with acute inflammatory diseases
- Avoid coffee, alcohol, and nicotine. Reduce saturated fat intake by cutting down on meat, fatty cheese, butter and cream, avoid processed foods specially nitrates
- Diet rich in fruits, vegetables, salads, whole grains, reduced fat milk helps ease the symptoms
Osteoarthritis- It is a degenerative joint disease
- Apply cold moor mud or fuller’s earth poultices or mud bath is beneficial
- Rub arnica oil
- Drink a cup of stinging nettle tea 3 times a day. Use 1 tbsp. Add dried herb in 250 ml of water and allow it to steep for 10 minutes.
- Try Borage oil capsules
- Salves containing arnica, comfrey or capsaicin ( active ingredients in chilli peppers)
- Root of devil’s claw
- OIL WRAP- Soak a cotton cloth in hot water and wring it out.
Mix rosemary, marjoram and lavender oil in equal proportions , put 10 drops of mixture onto the cloth. Wrap on the affected joints for about 10 minutes a day.
Rheumatoid arthritis- It’s an autoimmune disease as well as metabolic disease that results in joint pains and deformity
- Low Fiber diet results in Rheumatoid arthritis
Diet should provide adequate amounts of fiber, iron, copper, folic acid and vitamin B12. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis excreted 0.5 mg folic acid daily in their stools (Girdwood, 1950)
Negative nitrogen balance has been reported to occur in rheumatoid arthritis so good quality protein should be consumed
- Ice pack
- Cold pack of mud, fuller’s earth or clay
- Relax . Relaxation techniques also eases pain
- Stinging nettle tea, Meadowsweet or heartsease (1-2 tsp per 250 ml water)
- Celery infusion- mince 1 heaped tablespoon of celery and pour 250 ml water over it. Boil, steep briefly and strain. Sweeten with honey and drink 500 ml a day. DO NOT USE IT IN KIDNEY INFECTIONS
- Sulphide waters and radioactive waters work well.