Arthritis Sufferer

Chinadolly

Hi All

Has anyone ever had any treatment in either Kerela or Goa for Arthritis.

This year my Husband(who suffers from inflamatory arthritis) had a weeks course of treatment, which included intense massage with special oils and heat treatment. It gave him relief for about 4 weeks then came back, as the treatment was'nt cheap we thought the relief would last a bit longer.
We would like to find either a doctor or someone who specializes in this problem.
Can anyone help...

PeakXV

I'm sure that there is some excellent ayurvedic treatments in India for arthritis. Although any ailment to do with the joints I would think might be more more effective(long term) treated internally with a restrictive & calculated diet - first and foremost.

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mousourik

Hi,

Although it's been quite long since you created this thread, still ... is it rheumatoid or osteo-arthritis ? Some supplements can be suggested once the proper type is known.

karuna

Uh..I work for an arthritis organisation.

There is little hard evidence that diet affects the condition, with the exception of gout. A change in diet for the better may make you feel better overall, and can therefore be encouraged, but there isn't any proof that restrictive diets are good for arthritis specifically. If you have osteoarthritis related to obesity, well, that's another thing.

Both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis respond well to sensible exercise. Hydrotherapy can relieve pain and stiffness.

A percentage of people experience mild to moderate pain relief through the use of certain herbal and other over-the-counter supplements (eg glucosamine sulphate). Provided you are sure of what you're taking, they probably do no harm, but are very unlikely to do much long term good, and certainly don't treat the condition- only the symptoms.

The massage the OP's husband had, and the heat treatment, are known pain relievers. The special oils likely had little to do with any benefit experienced. The short version? Have a massage and go to a hydrotherapy pool. Same effect.

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nayan

My mother used to suffer from osteo-arthritis. it was extremely painful for her. lots of days she had to take painkillers to be able to sleep and it was very difficult to climb stairs, fold legs etc. All the doctors more or less said that this will not improve and she will be this way for the rest of her life.

She joined Shri Shri ravishankars Art of Living basic course (for one week). she has regorously followed the asanas and practises them everyday. Today - after three years - she has no more pain and leads a normal, vigorous life.

Hope this may help.

atala

Sallaki is an ayurvedic remedy made of Myrrhe, that is of good use in Arthritis.

A preparation made by Gufic is used often in Germany. Someone said it was the only remedy that gave that person relief in severe Arthritis.

http://www.guficbio.com/home.html

PeakXV

Do you really need 'hard' evidence. Common sense suggests eating a balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruit & veggies should give you the necessary needed energy to live a more healthy & active lifetstyle. In turn, daily exercise will insure proper blood flow to the joints. Eating too many acidifying foods like processed sugary foods, dairy, meats, coffee, alcohol, etc. will most certainly aggravate or enhance any existing joint pain and may cause additional problems further down the road.

federica

Sallaki/Sellaki is also known as Boswelia and is used as an anti inflammatory herb.

Changing your food habits can bring relief for patients with Arthritis. A mainly veg based diet can work wonders for some people, as I could see in my family.

amarama

A famous therapist here in US said he never met someone with Arthritis that drank enough water. Preferly without ice. So if you weigh 100 pounds, half that to 50 ozs of water per day. Sorry dont know the metric system.
As for the oils, they work, it is a long term thing, the diet discussion is really a know brainer.

Nick-H

Ah, the drinking water myth again!

There is, apparently, no basis drinking fluids, other than when thirsty, being good for you.

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mousourik

Glucosamine is now being seriously considered by doctors in the US for treating osteo-arthritis - check the following link :
http://www.betterlifeunlimited.com/l...id=69188121065
Glucosamine hydro-chloride is found to be more effective than the sulphate form. Glucosamine helps regenaraing cartilege. Radiological changes have been observed in osteo-arthritis patients who consume glucosamine hydrochloride.
Pain-killers (NSAIDs) must be avoided as these affect liver (and what not). It's unfortunate that doctors who have lack of knowledge simply misguide people by saying that there's no solution.
Omega-3 fatty acids have very positive influence on reducing inflammation. As these essential fatty acids are not readily available in our diet, they should be consumed as supplements.

goodfriend

hello

pls visit www.bksiyengar.com, they have yoga teachers all overthe world, im very sure that it will help you.

rgds

atala

if this were true, it would mean that when you do not experience the sense of thirst anymore, you do not need any fluids. No need to go to the extreme of an unconscious person, just to the state that is awaiting you too, Nick-H, that is old age. It is one of the difficulties of getting old that your sense of thirstiness decreases. In advanced old-age people sometimes quit drinking altogether. Many elderly people die in severe draughts (for instance in Europe where it happens only on and off, but also in America where it happens often) because of this.

If you know anyone working with old people in an old age home in the West, they can confirm you how difficult it is to get someone who has lost that sense of thirstiness to drink even a little. This situation is a reference to the need to actually develop the habit to drink enough early on, so that you will drink also when you do not feel the need anymore.

karuna

Glucosamine hydrochloride has already been examined in the UK by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. They do not recommend it as treatment for osteoarthritis.

How else to you know what works and what doesn't? If it works, there will be proof that it works because it's been tested, if it doesn't, there won't be. In tests so far, changing diet has proven to have a limited effect on arthritis specifically.

I don't understand the problem with evidence. If you went to your doctor with an ailment and s/he said "Take this pill. There's no evidence that it worked on anyone we've given it to before but hey, who needs evidence?" wouldn't you demand to be given something that they *know* actually works instead? Lack of evidence doesn't mean it hasn't been tested, it means it's been tested and found to not work.

Despite lots of harrumphing in the complementary medicine field, there is no reliable evidence that I know of that suggests that anti-acidic diets help with arthritis. Some people may have allergies that exacerbate the condition, but you would have to do elimination diets to find that out and there's no clear suggestion yet (who knows, maybe there will be in the future?) that one particular food or type of food is at fault.

Like I said, healthy diet- the low fat, oily fish, fresh fruit and veg diet that we all know if not love- will indeed make you feel better. It will not prevent or cure arthritis*. Exercise - and this would include yoga- is also very beneficial, if not critical (the last thing someone with arthritis should do is remain immobile, although there are days, particularly with rheumatoid arthritis, where people feel utterly incapable).

Here is the Arthritis Research Foundation's page on diet. It advocates your average healthy diet.
http://www.arc.org.uk/arthinfo/patpubs/6010/6010.asp
Here's Arthritis Care's. It's similar. It does deal with the issue of "special diets".
http://www.arthritiscare.org.uk/Livi...ent/Eatingwell



*The exceptions are: if you are obese, a healthy diet plus exercise may prevent the onset of obesity-related osteoarthritis, and gout can be successfully treated with diet (the latter by avoiding urate- gout would definitely show benefit from the kind of diet you are advocating, Peak).

Sama

as a 20+ year arthritis sufferer and a yoga teacher/practitioner, the best thing you can do for yourself is to move and keep moving (plus the healthy diet, of course, as karuna recommends.)

my right shoulder was completely 'scoped out due to bone spurs from my collar bone growing down into my rotator cuff. I have no cartilege left in my shoulder, yet I do handstands in yoga. I am absolutely NOT suggesting that people do handstands for their arthritis (), but the fact that I CAN do that in my old age is a testament to the fact that one must keep moving to keep the body healthy. the body degenerates from underuse.

healthy diet + movement modalities = health

"worms will not eat living wood where the vital sap is flowing,
rust will not hinder the opening of a gate
when the hinges are used every day.
movement gives health and life
stagnation brings disease and death."
(Traditional Chinese Medicine proverb)

I have to move in some way every day or else I get as stiff as a board.

I've worked with yoga students in their late '60s (with arthritis) who haven't moved in 20 years, and after 6 months of mindful moving, the results would amaze you.

there are diets that one should follow according to their "body type" in Taoist traditional Chinese medicine theory, but that's getting way off topic!

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