arthritis Woes

[Nytehunter]

I have been if a few accidents and have done a few things when I was just a bit younger that have caused a considerable amount of damage to this body of mine. (I'm only 31 but feel like 80) and forgetting all the minor things the majoity of my pain comes from my most disagreeable accident hitting a cluster of trees backwards at over 100 miles per hour. This caused significant damage to my right leg breaking both my tibia and my fibia and damaging my knee hip and ankle. The doctors did their bit putting everything more or less back together the way its supposed to be, (my right leg is a 1/4 inch shorter then my left and my non weight bearing bone is still in 80 pieces) baring parachute jumping They said Ill be fine. However 2 years ago going to the doctor for pain in my hip and knee it was discovered that I had quite a nasty bit of arthritis. Now I've asked the doctors what to do for the pain and they tell me to loose weight (they tell me that for everything) and just use ibuprofen. Now I take a fist full of ibuprofen just to get up in the morning and its starting to not work so good.

Does anyone here have any good solutions I heard someone mention nettles but not sure how that works.

 

 

 

[Homemaker]

My problem went away when I eliminated processed food , white flour and sugar from my diet. I began consuming healthy oils and less grain.

Check out the posts on traditional foods, healthy oils and fermenting.

Weight loss was a "side affect" of this switch.

[Prickle]

Pectin and grape juice is a home remedy that has some fans.

[Stephanie]

Hi Nyte,

 

Here's one of my favorite places for ordering bulk herbs.

 

http://www.bulkherbstore.com/

 

Doing a search on their site for arthritis pulls up lots of info, including nettles.

 

BTW, here's another connected store (I think it is her brother's ),he's a knife thrower??

 

http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Pearl_Outdoors

 

 

[Homemaker]

I hate to poo poo everyones suggestions on using herbs, but I really feel stronly that you should deal with the root cause of your ailments.

We in our western culture are so quick to look for something to add to our diet to correct a problem. Most look to drugs, those more naturally minded often look to herbs.

With arthritis, the problem is not that you don't have enough herbs in your diet, but that you have too much of something else. Our Standard American Diet, (SAD,) is heavily based on grains and sugars and are low in healthy fats. These are what cause imbalances in our bodies that lead to disease.

The solution that will have the biggest impact is to remove from our diets the things that upset the chemical balance in our bodies.

Now that is the biggest problem. We love our grains and sugars!! We don't want to give them up or even cut back a little, because we are addicted. We want our cake and our health too, so we desperately look for the magic cure that will let us have it all.

 

I don't mean to rant and rave about it all the time, but I have felt first hand in my own body the pain of this disease, and other problems and I have seen the healing that is possible when you get tough with yourself and make changes. I have such a desire to help others now who suffer as I did and I'm afraid I can get a little "preachy" about it.

Please understand, I nag you all because I care

[Stephanie]

Homemaker, sometimes we have to deal with symptoms, pains and discomforts before getting to the root of the problem.

 

We're also not all in the same point of the journey, learning and making personal choices.

 

I do think that Herbs have a place in healthy living. I am very happy that you've made the progress that you have, it is a wonderful thing. But, sometimes we have to meet people where they are.

 

Stopping the ibuprofen if possible and using something more natural is certainly a step in the right direction.

[MichR]

I agree with both Homemaker and Stephanie. Sometimes we just need a "quick fix" to get through a day and to be able to think straight but we also need to self-educate and learn how our own bodies work.

 

I was "diagnosed" with fibromyalgia at the age of 12 (about 20ish years ago) but basically was told it was in my head and live with it. My hands and knees would hurt so bad that I would use crutches and not be able to grasp a pencil firmly. I learned to live with it.

 

As an adult I refused to "live with it" and researched and learned and tried new things. What works for ME is no red meat, dairy, and eggs; limited fish and chicken (once per week); 60-80% fresh fruits, vegetables and sprouts in my diet and very little factory-processed food; gentle stretching routines and rest when needed. That being said, it's hard work doing this. I learned what MY body needs, and I am still trying new things. It sucks feeling like a cripple at 33 when a weather change sweeps in, or when I don't control my diet or stress level. But each day I thank the Lord for my hubby and kids, my health ('cause it could be worse) and every gift He has given me.

 

What makes me laugh is that when I was pregnant with each of my 4 kids, I felt good, really good - other than the 8 months of nausea, dry-heaving and exhaustion . I like to give DH heart palpitations by saying the easiest way to fix the "problem" is to get pregnant He loves our kids but 4 in 4 1/2 years was enough for him!!

 

My advise is to try things - diets, herbs, various forms of exercise/stretching and stress management. I believe that just as we educate ourselves about SHTF and TEOTWAWKI, we should also educate ourselves about this wonderfully complex body God gave us.

 

Michelle

[Mother]

I agree with Homemaker on this one though I am a strong proponent of herbs and homeopathics. I agree even though nothing I have done has improved my health significantly BUT....It is my belief that if I had not been so careful of what I put in my diet over the years I would be bed ridden and essentially useless.

 

Though I have had allergies since birth, sometimes severe, most of my problems at this stage in life probably stem from having Lyme disease about fifteen years ago. I was eventually treated with antibiotics but not before the bacteria had had a chance to do a number on my body. Among other things I have severe arthritis in many joints of my body and because of the allergies I am unable to take pain meds to help. That is probably a good thing because I've had to search out natural means of controling the pain.

 

Diet is my first line of defense. I will not advocate what foods a person should eat for our bodies are all different and what works for one does not work for another. That said however, processed foods should not be included in any health regime. They are so devitalized that you get very little but empty calories in them. With arthritis as with other ailments, the body needs optimal nutrition to heal and to fight. The traditional foods way of life is probably one of the best ways to eat for the majority of people but with arthritis sometimes it's prudent to be selective.

 

The nightshade family of foods, Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant and peppers, are all irritants of arthritis and some people find that eliminating them really makes a difference. You might consider that. Gluten intolerence can also lead to arthritis and eliminating wheat, rye, barley and perhaps oats for an extended period of time might show improvement even from seriously injured joints. Both these cause reactions in the body that can actually make arthritis worse. Allergies to any of a thousand things could also trigger arthritis.

 

Herbs and homeopathics do have their place not only in dealing with the pain but in healing the source. Again, the usage will vary with individuals because of the reason for the problem. In the case of badly broken bones often comfrey is the answer, not as a tea so much as fomentations or poultices on the inflamed areas. Willow bark is a good substitute for aspirin though some people have the same reaction to it if they are allergic to aspirin, it usually doesn't carry the stomach problems that aspirin does. Check out my post in Are You Really Ready forum under the Nettle thread for info on using it for arthritis but do some research. Nettle is a great healer in itself as a tea. There are so many more herbs out there that can be used for arthritis, both for the pain and for the reversal of it.

 

An old remedy is to soak raisins in gin for a couple of weeks and then eat a few (7 to 9) each day. My grandparents swore by that. Didn't work for me but then I seem to have an allergy to alcohol but I've seen it help a lot of people.

 

Don't forget the healing qualities of hot baths. Epsom's salt (magnesium) can do wonders in a bath for pain. Supplements might be needed for a time if the diet is slow in being changed. Don't overlook the possibility of help from a complete body cleanse or fasting. Those are both ways to deal with the pain and to allow the body to heal itself.

 

These are just some of the dozens of ways you can help yourself, not only with arthritis but also with other ailments. Remember it takes time for the body to heal. Our cells are replaced usually about once in every seven years, or so they say, and that might mean it takes time for healing to occur. For people who have injuries or permanent damage to their bodies, either by accident or disease, a lifetime of optimal nutrition will be needed. For that matter, a lifetime of optimal nutrition can prevent most diseases and go a long way to help the body deal with accidents and illnesses.

 

NH, please let us know if you try any of the suggestions you find in this thread and tell us how they worked or not. It is how we all learn here, by sharing. I'm sending you hugs from one fellow sufferer to another.

[Homemaker]

I'm sorry, I should have elaborated more on my view of herbs. I don't dismiss them as unnecessary, I just think that eliminating the things that caused the problem to be the first step in getting better. Like turning off the water when the tub is overflowing. You still need to pull the plug and clean up the mess. It wouldn't make sense to start mopping first while the water is still on.

 

I believe herbs have a place in our well-being, but more in the role of fine-tuning. It does take the body a while to adjust to corrected nutrition. It had to make gradual adjustments over the years to keep functioning in difficult conditions. Herbs can also help you deal with the symptoms of the problem while you address them.

 

My concern is that many people think their solution is in a bottle, from the pharmacy or the health food store, when ultimately it is in what they put on their plate.

 

Michelle,

I had a friend whose allergies would clear up each time she was pregnant. The last I heard, she had 5 kids!

[Nytehunter]

Not to pour water over the whole get healthing kick I'm with you its a great idea but a few things that I might have left out that add to the mix are these. . . A. its arthritis and I mean diagnosed as in the damage is so bad they caught it on the X-Ray and didn't have to do a MRI to dig deeper. And B. Its pain real pain real real real debilitating pain its hard to get healthy when your blinded by pain heck at this point its weeks and months of pain puncutated by a "Oh?! hey! I don't hurt so much! moment here or there. and lets face it if I was all that wise about living and health I wouldn't have been going over 100 mph in the first place. . . .However all ranting aside I do see your healthing living points as valid and geniuine I was just looking for something I might be missing that might help control the pain. The doctor has me on megadose (2000 ius) of Vitamin D and thats making things easier. I just would love a day when 800 mgs of ibuprofen seems like alot instead of bearly enough to make it a dull ache.

 

 

[Nytehunter]

I'm gonna give the giving up nightshade veggies idea some serious thought. Though I must admit I love potatoes and tomatoes perhaps I should pay attention to my body and see if I suffer more the day after I eat more of one thing or the other. These are the points that I'm sure homemaker and Mother are trying to make its just hard as I said when blinded by pain. Yesterday and today have been Especially hard for me. All this rain lately. I had pizza yesterday .. . and the day before it was ?. . subway I think. BLT loaded up with vegies

[Jingles]

Something You must remember about Nyte's arthritis is that he has permanent damage to the bones in his leg. I was there when he saw all those lovely ex-rays and believe me no amount of growing bone back will fix that little dangling bone that doesn't meet up with it's other half. That bone will hurt for the rest of his life, but as has been mention reducing certain foods does help. My DH does so much better when he doesn't eat dairy products, I do better with no refined carbs. BUT as much as he reduces foods, I fear the damage is done and he will need some sort of pain relief. Maybe moving to a less humid state would help? I know I would LOVE to move to a warmer state.

 

 

[Nytehunter]

Cutting out pop would be a major relieve . . . this I know I've heard it from the dr the dentist and every health person that can chirp but how do you get up and go to work in a repetitive motion physically demanding job at 7 am without caffiene and sugar? I tried water went on the water kick for 6 months and almost lost my job due to lost production.

[Homemaker]

I worked a job with repetative motion. I ran a paint booth painting metal access doors and hanging them on the conveyer line to dry. I also lifted 120" mill angle up onto the paint hooks for hours and then took them down after they were dry. Heavy stuff. I was the first woman to have the job. It had all been done by men before.

I did this all without any caffeine and was on my one year without sugar. The only way I made it was to eat lots of fats, cheese, nuts, meats, coconut oil etc. I had so much energy, I outworked the men. they needed more rest breaks than me. I was 39 years old and only two others were older than me.

Sadly, I had to give up my job last summer because I had injured both feet.

Healthy fats will give you sustained energy that won't lead to an energy crash.

[Mother]

Sorry Nytehunter. I should have made myself more clear. I didn't misread your post about the permanent damage to your bones and I realize you will have permanent pain. That said, there is still no reason you can't give your body what it needs to heal as much as possible. For instance, I was told after numerous trips to various doctors that I would never walk again. I was in a wheelchair at the time. Though I use an electric wheel chair or scooter from time to time I am mostly mobile simply because I went back to all my earlier training as a wholistic health advocate and took my own advise.

 

It is truly not easy though and I fight it daily. I totally understand the pain, the real distracting, debilitating pain and understand how difficult it is to even begin to think about nutrition let alone have the energy or stamina or even clearness of mind to implement it. Pain has a way of taking over our whole lives without our permission.

 

I was fortunate enough that I never got 'attached' to sugar or sodas or even coffee but I can really feel the pain you must have trying to get to work in the morning (let alone make it through the day)without them. I cannot offer you any really good advice for getting there without your caffiene or sugar, I'm not even sure if you should try "at this point" but eventually I bet you can do it. Anyone who can go through what you must have gone through and who can live with the kind of pain you have daily has got to have a whole lot of will....

 

Now lets see if we can come up with something you can start with while taking small steps to improve your overall health. Remember, I am not a professional of any kind, nor do I even play one on TV (I always wanted to write that LOL) Take this info as the ramblings of a person who feels your pain.

 

The vitamin D sounds reasonable for what you are dealing with though normally excessive by some standards. Have you considered Glucosamine and Chondroitin? What about calcium (coral calcium if you can take it) and vitamin C? Magnesium would help with the pain I believe as it helps with the muscle functions. You might consider some of the natural antidepressants for their pain managing qualities. Lemon balm or melissa is one that is extremely mild but effective. Skullcap is another a bit stronger. Cat's claw is sometimes effective as is St. John's Wort. You can often find several of these in one formula. They are usually taken for calming but are very effective for pain as well. Be sure to ask your doctor if they would interfere with any medicine you are taking though. The hormone Melatonin is a very good aid to help gain a better quality of rest and in turn helps with dealing with the pain but the amount and timing of taking is what is important. Taking it about an hour before bed seems effective and sometimes taking a tiny amount is even better than taking a large amount. You'd have to experiment with it. What about pure dark chocolate? (Preferably with a natural sweetener if needed).

 

What about the mind/body connection? Have you explored any of that? Relaxation/visualization/meditation/yoga/etc.? It can be very effective for at least temporarily relief.

 

There is more but perhaps these will give you something to think about. Is this more what you were looking for originally?

((((NH))))

[Homemaker]

I'm not sure how useful heat treatment is for arthritis, but I took a lot of nice warm baths when I was working my job. It was amazing how that got rid of pain. Some days I thought for sure I would need to skip work the next day and head for the chiro. A soak in the tub after work made a complete difference.

[MommaDogs]

Bee sting therapy.

 

No, seriously.

 

Other than that, you have all given the same advice I would have given.

[Mother]

Homemaker, that makes me think of another therapy. Sleeping in an insulated sleeping bag without any clothing. I believe it's the body's natural heat that helps with the soothing and healing processes. My mom uses a similar technique with the severe arthritis in her hands by wearing insulated gloves. She swears by them. I wonder if the same thing would help if the insulation were worn on the legs?

 

If you try it Nyte, let us know if it works.

 

[Homemaker]

Or, whenever you will be sitting for a while, wrap your legs in a heating blanket and crank it up as high as feels comfortable.

Oh, talking about this when it's so warm and humid is making me feel smothered.

[Jingles]

We could also make you a rice bag that you can slip your legs in, that could wrap around and heat both sides. OR a rice bag that is quilted that will work in your crochet bag I made you last winter. Hmmm I think I have an IDEA!!!

 

Also you REALLY should try the glucosamine! I know it helped my arthritis a lot. Not that I have the same as you. Mine is in the joints not cause of injury.

[indy gal preps]

I also have bad arthritis(Rheumatoid) it started in the knees went to my hands & feet then my spine.I know a tub soak helps but had to give those up,if I get down its murder trying to pull back up. Iv'e had everything from steroids to gold shots-nothing helped that much. I now take hot showers on the bad days,and believe me I know when the weather is changing!Aleeve helps more than the arthritis drugs did.I also take a mega dose of vitamins including a B complex,and I stay off my feet as much as I can and also try to keep my hands busy with needlework.One doctor told me if I didn't use them they would freeze up.It's now been 20 years and I manage to struggle through.

[Nytehunter]

Wow so many many ideas to try and all worth looking into Thank you all so much!! I Do appologize for being a tad snippy its just all this d**m rain days and days unending rain Jingles prolly can remember the last day without rain but I can't I will carefully go over all these great suggestions and run some by my doctor as I plan to make an appointment with her about it as well perhaps she can put me on a different pain med and takin in conjunction with some of these ideas maybe I can get off the ibuprofen and back to some level of enjoyment. I do have to say the vitamin d is helping last year I couldn't make it through the trip to the zoo without a cane for support this year whole zoo No cane sure I hurt but the pain meds were taking it down to a dull ache. THANK YOU LADIES!

[MommaDogs]

Little info on bee sting therapy. Trust me, I'm a beekeeper, and as long as you are not allergic, honeybee stings are NOTHING like wasp/yellowjacket stings. They hurt more like a bad mosquito bite and then quickly subside.

 

A bee sting can be painful and dangerous, especially if you're allergic to bee venom. But some doctors claim the latter can help people with arthritis who don't respond well to traditional medications.

 

That's the buzz from Dr. Christopher Kim, medical director of the Monmouth Pain Institute in Red Bank, New Jersey, who has used bee venom therapy or apitherapy on 3,000 patients. Writing in the German medical journal "Rheumatologie," Kim said that apitherapy is safe, effective, and free of serious side effects.

 

Kim's endorsement of bee venom therapy follows a two-year- study he conducted on 108 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis who were not helped by conventional painkillers. He first gave the subjects twice weekly injections of been venom and gradually increased the shots. After 12 injections, most of the patients showed marked improvement.

 

Kim is not the only doctor using this controversial technique. Over 50 American physicians report good results using bee venom to treat not only pain but arthritic conditions, multiple sclerosis, high blood pressure, asthma, hearing loss, and even premenstrual syndrome.

 

Dr. Lawrence Cohen of Danbury, Connecticut, said one of his patients suffered pain as a result of two hip replacement operations. Louise Chirasello of Brewster, New York, had tried all kinds of painkillers but none helped her.

 

"I was so sore, you could not touch my hips without me crying out," she recalled.

 

The 84-year-old widow claims she was cured by a shot of bee venom. She received several injections of bee venom from Cohen weekly until her dose was reduced to one injection every two or three weeks. After a year, she was still pain-free.

 

At the eighth annual Asian Apicultural Association conference at the University of West Australia, Nepalese entomologist Ratna Thapa said he had a 50 - 60 percent success rate in treating arthritis with bee venom, and a 90 percent success rate when this substance was used to treat lower back and shoulder pain. But the idea is not new.

 

"Bee venom therapy has been around for thousands of years. Reference to the treatment can be found in ancient Egypt and Greek medical writings. Also known as apitherapy, the technique is more widely used in Eastern Europe, Asia and South America. Treatments supposedly started after beekeepers, who were stung many times, noticed their arthritis pains were relieved. Some practitioners still use live bee stings to deliver the venom," according to Charles Downey of WebMD.

 

What's the secret behind the success of bee venom? Cohen says it contains mellitin, an anti-inflammatory agent that is a hundred times stronger than cortisone, and adolapin which also fights inflammation and pain. Practitioners believe these ingredients work together and help the body release natural healing compounds that improve blood circulation and reduce swelling.

 

Still, others are not convinced of its efficacy, especially since most of the evidence is anecdotal and there are no double blind studies supporting this therapy. Skeptics warn that one to five percent of the population is allergic to bee venom and the injections or bee stings can be painful.

 

"Evaluations of most US medical treatments are based on double-blind studies - where neither the subject nor researcher knows who is getting the real medicine or a placebo. Most reports about bee venom therapy are anecdotal. Even those studies looking at more than one patient, such as Kim's, have not included a placebo group for comparison," Downey said.

 

Until we know for sure whether bee venom is safe and effective, it's best to stick to other tried and true remedies for arthritis. One of them is Flexcerin, a natural supplement that stops arthritis pain and restores joint function so you can be where the action is. For details, go to http://www.flexcerin.com.

 

Janet Martin is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and published author. Many of her insightful articles can be found at the premiere online news magazine http://www.thearticleinsiders.com

 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_Martin

[dogmom4]

I'm wondering if you might get similar results using bee pollen?