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Image via WikipediaIf you get together with seven of your friends, chances are good that at least one of you will have (or will develop in your lifetime) some form of arthritis. And not everyone wants to use pharmaceuticals. So, many people look for alternative arthritis treatment methods, such as Devil’s claw (sometimes misspelled as “devils claw”), massage, vitamins or any of the other methods mentioned below.

Think you’re too young? Age doesn’t matter; one of the most popular misconceptions about arthritis is that it’s an “old person’s disease.” Think it only affects the opposite sex? Arthritis is not gender-specific. In fact, arthritis — a disease characterized by pain, stiffness and sometimes swelling in or around joints — can affect people of any gender and any age, from young children to the elderly.

Although there are over 100 types of arthritis (such as gout, fibromyalgia and lupus), osteoarthritis is the most common. It’s a condition in which there is a breakdown of the plastic-like cartilage on the end of bone joints in the hands, hips, knees and back. Without that protective cushion, bones rub against bones, which ultimately results in pain, swelling and even deformity. The pain and disability caused by arthritis can prevent you from performing everyday activities, and the accompanying fatigue and stress make you vulnerable to other illness.

Unfortunately, no treatment has yet been found that will successfully cure arthritis. Instead, treatment is aimed at reducing pain and discomfort and preventing further disability. Many people turn to alternative remedies to provide natural joint pain relief, and there are a number of different modalities available.

Traditional Chinese medicine
Acupuncture has practiced for more than 2500 years, and has been scientifically proven to alleviate pain. According to practitioners, pain and illness result when the energy flow in your body is disrupted. Insertion of acupuncture needles is intended to stimulate points along the energy channels, which balances the flow and restores health.

Acupressure is a technique that is similar to acupuncture but it involves the use of fingertip pressure rather than needles. The practitioner presses on the tender areas to disperse the build-up of lactic acid, which then helps relieve pain.

Massage therapy
Massage is an ancient form of pain management, dating back more than 3000 years. Massage can involve application of light strokes, firm squeezing, or “percussion” (using the hands to strike the muscles), but regardless of the type of massage, it can help you relax and allow the blood to flow naturally through your body, which then alleviates pain.

Reflexology is another type of massage, and is based on the idea that the muscles and organs of the body are affected by specific areas of the feet. When pressure is applied to certain areas on the soles of the feet, other areas of the body relax.

Flotation therapy
Flotation tanks are sometimes used to treat the pain of arthritis. Patients float in a pool filled with Epsom salts. Epsom salts have been documented to relieve pain, in part, by stimulating production of endorphins (the “feel good” substances produced in the brain).

Heat treatment/cold treatment
Heat treatment — in the form of a hot bath, hot pack, or a heating pad — is one of the oldest known treatments for arthritis. This therapy sends soothing heat to the small joints in the hands or feet. Cold, wet compresses or ice packs applied to the painful area are often more effective than heat for soothing sharp, intense pain. Just remember not to use cold treatment for more than 20 minutes at a time — excessive cold can damage the skin.

TENS
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) uses electrical stimulation of the nerves to block pain signals to the brain. Electrodes are placed on the skin and low-level electrical current produces a slight tingling sensation. TENS seems to work best when pain flares in a specific area.

Diet
Adjusting your diet can often help with arthritis symptoms. Foods in the deadly nightshade family (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants) are particularly likely to worsen arthritis symptoms, so you might want to eliminate them from your diet. Decreasing animal products (except fish), and increasing fruits, vegetables and whole grains may also be helpful.

Supplements
Glucosamine sulfate is available as a nutritional supplement. Glucosamine in its natural form is created in the body from sugar (glucose), and it plays a major role in the manufacture and maintenance of cartilage. It’s been shown to not only stimulate the repair of cartilage, but to also inhibit the enzymes that break down this connective tissue. Taking a glucosamine supplement can relieve pain and aid the healing of aching joints.

Because the body naturally has its own mechanisms for rebuilding joints and connective tissue, making sure your body is provided with the optimal levels of essential nutrients will help it do its job. Some studies have shown that fish oil supplements lessen joint tenderness, swelling and stiffness. Supplementation with vitamins and minerals also help to manage arthritis. Vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamins D and E are all important to the development and maintenance of healthy cartilage, as are calcium and magnesium. Additionally, herbal supplements may provide relief for some arthritis sufferers. Devil’s claw (devils claw), boswellia, evening primrose, and borage often ease joint pain due to their anti-inflammatory properties, and white willow is a centuries-old remedy for pain.

The final answer
As with any health treatment, be critical when trying an alternative therapy. Arthritis is characterized by periods of flare-ups and remissions, and particular therapies may be more or less effective on any given day — just remember not to expect a “cure.” Arthritis is a lifelong process, but alternative arthritis therapies can help you regain control of your life.

Image via WikipediaThis FAQ covers all the basic concepts you need to know as you read our health articles.

What are herbs?
According to Webster’s dictionary, an herb is “a plant valued for its medicinal, savory or aromatic qualities.” In fact, a number of today’s synthetic pharmaceutical preparations are derived from herbal extracts that were originally discovered and prescribed many years ago. The drug digitalis, for example, which is used to treat various types of heart ailments, is made from the leaves of the foxglove plant.

What are standardized extracts?
One problem with selecting herbal supplements is that you can’t always be certain of the potency of a particular formulation. Potency depends on a number of factors — what part of the plant was used, where it was grown, when it was harvested, how it has been processed and packaged — and it can either be very strong or virtually inert.

Because of these variables, it’s best to look for herbal supplements that list a “standardized” level of potency. The active compounds found in herbal extracts are usually expressed as a percentage of the total. For example, if a typical standardization level for an ingredient is expressed as 6 percent, that means 100 mg of the standardized herb supplies 6 mg of the active ingredient.

What are vitamins and carotenoids?
Although vitamins do not share a common chemistry, they share certain characteristics. They are all organic nutrients that are necessary in small amounts for normal metabolism and good health. Most vitamins must be provided by the diet or by supplements, but three vitamins (D, K and the B-vitamin biotin) can be manufactured in the body from non-dietary sources. Vitamins are not sources of energy as are carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Instead, vitamins serve as chemical partners for the enzymes involved in the body’s metabolism, cell production, tissue repair and other vital processes. Vitamins are either fat-soluble or water-soluble.

The fat-soluble vitamins, which include A, D, E and K, are absorbed by the body using processes that closely parallel the absorption of fat. They are stored in the liver and used up by the body very slowly. The water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the B vitamins. The body uses these vitamins very quickly. Excess amounts are eliminated in urine.

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamins, which is set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, has been enhanced with a standard called the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI). The DRI is a general term for four different rating sets that apply to vitamins, minerals and proteins taken by men or women in specific age groups. These ratings are:

* Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
EAR is the daily intake of vitamins that meets the requirements of 50 percent of the population group.

* Adequate Intake (AI)
If the EAR is unknown, AI is used. This is an estimate of an average intake that seems to be healthy and not dangerous.

* Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
RDA is the amount of a supplement that is sufficient to meet nearly all the needs of men or women in certain age groups.

* Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
UL is the maximum dose likely to be safe in nearly all individuals.

Another standard being developed is Daily Reference Values (DRV), which covers nutrients and other food components, such as phytoestrogens, fiber and nutritional factors that do not yet have any standards. Because vitamins and other dietary supplements are regulated as food (not drugs) by the government, no standards exist for effectiveness. Various manufacturers’ brands of vitamins differ in quality and in their ability to be absorbed by the body. The wise consumer shops for the lowest priced vitamins, as there appears to be no significant difference in quality between vitamins in various price ranges.

The FDA requires that vitamins and other dietary supplements include labels similar to those found on commercial foods. The label must include nutrient information and a list of all ingredients, as well as identification of the parts of plants from which ingredients are taken. Nonetheless, evaluation of the quality of a particular supplement is not required. There is no control over what goes into a dietary supplement, and little is known about long-term effects and risks. Studies on ginseng, for example, found that some supplements did not contain any active ingredients while others varied widely in the amount they contained. The US Pharmacopoeia, an independent organization that sets standards for drugs, has implemented standards for vitamins. Consumers should look for the USP label on supplements to ensure the products adhere to these standards.

We hope you found this health article helpful!

This health article about echinacea is provided to give you information that can empower you, but please be sure to use common sense when implementing any herbal treatment.

Depending on where you live, if you take a walk around your neighborhood during late summer to mid-autumn, you’re likely to see a flower garden with a profusion of tall, daisy-like, purple-pink flowers, called echinacea. This flower been a favorite of home gardeners for many years because of its tolerance to cold, heat and drought. As an added bonus, it attracts butterflies. But it’s more than just a pretty plant. While you may recognize it as the purple coneflower, it’s also one of America’s most popular herbal treatments.

Echinacea (pronounced ECK-in-AY-zhuh) has been used for generations by Native Americans to treat everything from a sore throat to snake bites to toothaches. Nineteenth century herbalists recognized its value as an immune system booster, and also used it to help speed wound healing, reduce inflammations, treat colds and flu, and fight infections. During the early 20th century, it was the best-selling medicinal tincture in America and was used for a variety of internal and external conditions. By around 1930, however, modern medicine dismissed it as worthless and it remained largely unused until the 1980s, when public interest in herbal remedies brought a renewed popularity to this hardy plant. Today, it’s among the best-selling herbal supplements; the two most popular varieties being Echinacea purpurea, which has larger, darker purple petals; and Echinacea angustifolia, which has narrower, paler petals.

Different studies typically show different results, but there is evidence that echinacea helps to relieve cold and flu symptoms and aids stimulation of the immune system. For best results, it’s recommended that you begin taking it at the first sign of a cold or flu, as it works best as a preventative rather than a cure-all. Better yet, take it at the beginning of cold and flu season to boost your immunity and guard against your catching a “bug.”

Echinacea has an excellent safety record: After hundreds of years of use, no toxicity or serious side-effects have been reported other than rare allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. It’s also a full-spectrum anti-microbial; that is, it’s effective against bacteria and viruses. It works not by destroying germs but by energizing your own immune system. And because it engages your body’s natural resources to affect a cure, negative side-effects (such as sometimes occur with synthetic antibiotics) are eliminated.

Most of the plant’s medicinal value is found in the root, with the Augustifolia root being slightly medicinally stronger than the Purpurea root — something to note when buying capsules or tinctures. Because of its ability to boost the immunity system, echinacea may also be recommended to overcome stress, malaise, or general weakness.

There is some question, though, as to whether it’s safe for people with auto-immune diseases. Because evidence tends to be somewhat inconclusive, it’s best to avoid it if you are HIV-positive or have an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, multiple sclerosis or scleroderma. For most of us, though, it’s considered generally safe, although some digestive systems may need time to adjust to it. (It may cause mild nausea in rare cases.)

Echinacea is also recommend to combat seasonal spring allergies and sinus problems, but start taking the herb in February — before allergens are in the air. It’s important to note, however, that it shouldn’t be taken continuously. To maintain a healthy immune system, it’s best used on a “three weeks on, one week off” regimen because the body seems to become accustomed to it and it loses effectiveness. During the week you are not taking it, your immune system will adapt and increase in natural strength.

Photo by Ben Friday

We hope you found this echinacea health article helpful!