arthritis remedy

by Nathan Wei, MD, FACP, FACR

Nathan Wei is a nationally known board-certified rheumatologist and author of the Second Opinion Arthritis Treatment Kit. It's available exclusively at this website... not available in stores.

Click here: Second Opinion Arthritis Treatment Kit

The term “arthritis remedy” conjures up some negative images... of snake oil salesmen and the like.

For a more complete discussion of conventional treatments, please refer to other areas of this website.

Effective treatments can come from conventional medicines ... or, in some instances, from alternative therapies.

Promoters of unproven arthritis remedy products and treatments frequently resort to some of the following gimmicks.

The remedy or treatment offers a cure for arthritis. There is no known cure yet for chronic rheumatic disease. When a genuine cure is found, it will be worldwide headline news.

The remedy is described as an exclusive, special or secret formula. Scientists who are legitimate do not keep their findings secret or exclusive.

Testimonials of people who were supposedly helped by the arthritis remedy are presented as anecdotal proof of its value.

The arthritis remedy is promoted in tabloid articles, special health-interest publications, through mail-order promotion, and will be sensationalized in its advertisement.

Quick or simple relief of arthritis pain is promised or implied by using the arthritis remedy.

The arthritis remedy is said to somehow cleanse the body of toxins to allow the natural curative power of the body to take over.

The various arthritis drugs and medications and/or surgical options are condemned as being dangerous and unnecessary. The arthritis remedy is touted instead.

The proposed arthritis remedy or treatment has not been tested in clinical trials. Claims of the arthritis remedy are not backed up with scientific proof or reliable evidence.

A special diet and/or nutrition program is promoted as the answer to arthritis. Food or nutrients have not been found by scientists to cause or affect any rheumatic disease, except for gout.

Various charity organizations or the medical establishment, such as The Arthritis Foundation, American Medical Association, and The Food and Drug Administration, are accused of a "conspiracy" to interrupt progress by not approving or endorsing the arthritis remedy being promoted.

Education and taking responsibility for ones own health care is the first line of defense against promoters of unproven, quack treatments. Knowledge of symptoms, new treatments, and reasons behind health advice lead to intelligent questions and disallow a person to be easily conned.

• Evaluated by controlled scientific studies, or
• Proven effective or safe when evaluated by controlled scientific studies

In order to be accepted by the medical community, all medicines and medicinal aids must undergo numerous tests. Such tests must demonstrate that the products are effective in repeated controlled studies. Arthritis remedies, in particular, must show that they are able to accomplish goals such as pain relief, reduction of inflammation, or improvement in joint function.

Tests also must verify that the product is safe, since high frequencies of unwanted side effects limit the usefulness of any treatment. According to a recent survey by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), one in 10 people who have tried unproven arthritis remedies report harmful side effects.

Yet even if an unproven remedy is harmless, it can still have a negative effect if it causes a person to delay or stop using proven arthritis treatments that were prescribed by a knowledgeable physician.

• Sometimes an individual may believe that an unproven remedy is effective simply because the remedy was used when symptoms were going into a natural remission (temporary lessening of symptoms).
• In addition, disease improvement due to positive thinking - otherwise known as the "placebo effect" - may temporarily relieve symptoms in some people. Unfortunately, such improvement usually is short-lived, while the underlying arthritis progressively worsens. The placebo effect is not all bad. In fact if we could harness the placebo effect and couple it with our medicines, we would have a powerful combination.

A number of federal agencies have the power to take action against promoters of ineffective treatments. The Food and Drug Administration can go to court to stop anyone from selling a drug for arthritis that has not been properly tested or approved for sale by them. The Federal Trade Commission can prohibit any individual or company from making false advertising claims for a product developed to treat any medical condition. The United States Post Office has the authority to seize all mail addressed to any promoter selling such a product through the mail. These agencies lack the staff to be fully effective however.

All that being said…the purpose of this page is not to advocate nor denigrate any of the remedies listed. This is merely a listing of things that have been used.

Some herbal arthritis remedies have been helping ease arthritis pain and inflammation. Unlike harsh modern drugs that can shock and weaken our system, medicinal herbs and herbal remedies soothe and strengthen our entire body and are good for arthritis relief.

1 tbs juice of fresh leaves of bathua, drink every day on an empty stomach for 2-3 months. Do not add anything to the juice and do not eat anything for 2 hours before and after.

Warm mustard oil, spread it over Madar leaf ( Indian ) and foment the joint by spreading the leaf over the joint and keeping it there for a few hours for arthritis relief

On an empty stomach take 3-4 walnuts (akhrot) or 1 fresh coconut.

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.

Burdock Root - Burdock Root is a time proven remedy for arthritis pain. It is an excellant blood purifier and blood cleanser and can help to reduce joint swelling and calcification.

Comfrey - Comfrey is one of nature's greatest arthritis remedies. Comfrey soothes and heals inflamed tissues, and it helps reduce swelling and pain in a most remarkable way. Comfrey root is made into a tincture for external use only.

Horsetail - Research suggests that silicone helps prevent osteoporosis and horsetail is amoung the richest plant sources of this mineral, in the form of the compound monosilicic acid, which the body can readily use. This makes horsetail one of nature's best arthritis remedies.

Stinging Nettle - Stinging nettle is rich in the mineral baron, which may be helpful in treating arthritis. Baron helps the body retain calcium, and has a benificial influence on the body's harmonal system which plays a role in helping the body maintain healthy bones and joints.

Herbs have been used to treat joint pains for centuries. Herbs typically used for arthritis include:

Alfalfa
Angelica
Black cohash
Bladderwreck
Celery
Chapparal
Devil’s claw
Epsom salt
Feverfew
Ginseng
Hawthorn
Hop
Licorice
Meadowsweet
Mustard plaster
Oregano
Pineapple
Prickly ash
Red pepper
Rosemary
Sesame seeds
Wild cucumber bark
Wild yam
Willow
Wintergreen
Yarrow
Yucca

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.

o alfalfa tea twice a day.
o therapeutic doses of vitamins.
o a tablespoon of fruit pectin in a small glass of cranberry juice every morning.
o gently exercising the afflicted joints in tub full of hot water.
o learning self-control and how to avoid emotional upsets, Mrs. L. found that her pain had greatly lessened.
o eliminated sugar,white flour, macaroni, pie, cake, and sweet drinks from her diet.
o a drink which consisted of four raw finely sliced beets soaked in a quart of berry wine for one day.
o dissolving 4 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses in one quart of cranberry juice and drinking one glass everyday.
o 100 aspirins dissolved in a pint of rubbing alcohol will relieve sore joints when rubbed on three times a day.
o equal parts of epsom salts, cream of tartar and ground rhubarb root, mixes, fills gelatin capsules, and takes one after each meal.
o two parts pure olive oil and one part kerosene makes a wonderful liniment to bathe afflicted joints.
o add one tablespoon cod liver oil to the juice of one orange, whip and drink before retiring.
o rub the aching joints with hot vinegar before going to bed.
o this poultice for swollen joints: 2 tablespoons mullein, 3 of granulated slippery elm bark, one of lobelia, 1 teaspoon cayenne. Mix thoroughly. Use boiling water to make paste. Spread on cloth and place on swollen joints. He also recommends oil of origanum, oil of lobelia, oil of capsicum, mixed with coconut oil for a good rub.
o two teaspoons apple cider vinegar and 2 teaspoons of honey dissolved in a small glass of warm water taken once or twice a day brings relief.
o steep six ounces of sassafras root in fifth of whiskey for 24 hours. Take one tablespoon three times a day before meals.
o steep 1 cup alfalfa seed in 1/2 gallon boiling water for 20 minutes. Strain, put in jar, take small glassful three times a day.
o mix camphor, methyl salicylate. eucalyptus oil and menthol to make a rubbing mixture for aches and pains.
o mix fresh carrot juice with equal parts of lemon juice. Take one large spoonful everyday.
o knox gelatin is good.
o wraps afflicted joints loosely with thin plastic for relief.
o bone meal and Vitamins A, D, and C, 3 times a day.
o drinking sarsaparilla tea.
o one tablespoon of fresh lime juice in two tablespoons of water nights and mornings.
o 1 oz. of oil of wintergreen, 3 oz. chloroform, and 12 oz. of rubbing alcohol makes a good rub.
o cucumber juice controlled her arthritis.
o after heat treatment, rub down the sore spots with a mixture of 1/2 cup of wintergreen mixed with 1-1/2 cups camphor and soap liniment.
o mix equal parts of the following herbs: black cohosh, genitian root, angelica, colombo, scull cap, valerian, rue and buckthorn bark, and take one heaping teaspoon in a cup of boiling water. Let steep, and drink three 1/2 cups per day.
o drink plenty of water to keep the body clean. Keep an optimistic outlook. Avoid depressive thoughts and nervous tension. A healthy body and mind resist diseases.
o eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, but exercise moderation when eating highly acid fruits.
o avoid cocktails, coffee, and tea. Drink plenty of fresh water instead. Select wholesome foods, eat slowly and chew thoroughly.
o alternating hot and cold compresses on the painful area every 5 minutes.
o cooked apricots without sugar helped him a lot.
o avoid fat foods, fried foods, pork, uric acid, starches, sugar, sweets, carbonated drinks, salt, pepper, spices, hot sausage, hot peppers, pickled meats, alcohol and strong acid drinks. Use acid fruits moderately.
o get plenty of rest, have the right kind of posture mattress, cover with warm comfortable blankets, get plenty of fresh air and sunshine. Take deep breathing exercises and walk often for exercise and good health.
o fasting for two days a week relieved her pains.
o taking herbs like wild oregon grape, birch, bitter root, bark burdock, elder, skunk cabbage and wintergreen.
o mixing 3 lemons and 3 tablespoons epsom salts in one pint of warm water and taking one teaspoon morning and night.
o taking 3 shots of B-12.
o cod liver oil is the best old time remedy for joints.
o calcium, vitamin D, iodine, vitamin B, and cod liver oil.
o 3 wild cherry roots, 3 burdock roots, 3 oregon grape roots, washes them, chops, covers with a gallon of water, simmers for 30 minutes, strains liquid into bottle and takes a half glass every morning before breakfast.
o A good rub is made from 2 oz. each of eucalyptus oil, oil of wintergreen, rubbing alcohol and witch hazel. Mix, shake, rub on ache.

Arthritis remedy