Natural ways to help alleviate painful arthritis symptoms

Fall is almost here!  And with it comes all sorts of opportunities to get outside and be active.  Cleaning up debris from the summer, preparing gardens and trimming hedges and bushes are all on the list for fall time activities, not to mention cycling, hiking and all the other fun outdoor hobbies.  But with these activities, we often incur pain and stiffness in our muscles and joints.  Dr. Johnson will demonstrate why we experience this soreness.  She will also offer useful tips on natural ways to prevent these problems before they occur and provide advice on remedies for aches and pains.

According to the Arthritis Society of Canada, arthritis can strike anyone at anytime, regardless of age, physical condition or ethnic background.  One in six Canadians aged 15 years and older reportedly has arthritis and lives with the burden of pain and disability associated with the disease every day.  But there have been significant developments in research in this area and Dr. Johnson will share interesting natural ways to deal with this disease.

WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?

In medical lingo, the suffix “itis” means inflammation. Arthritis, then, means any disease that involves inflammation of the joints.

Approximately one in six Canadians has chronic pain from arthritis every single day and 43% of those are medicated for that pain, when there’s so much that we can do about it.

As we age, the components of the joint begin to deteriorate, notably the cartilage, which begins to dry out.

Healthy cartilage is made up of (65 - 80 % water), it is like a sponge filled with synovial fluid.

When pressure is applied to the joint the fluid is squeezed out of the cartilage, acting like a shock absorber.  When the pressure is reduced the fluid is pulled back into the cartilage.

Over time cartilage deteriorates reducing the smooth protective buffer between bones, causing inflammation and pain.

Arthritis symptoms include chronic pain, decreased range of motion, stiffness upon waking up in the morning

NUTRITIONAL AND HERBAL SUPPLEMENTATION

Glucosamine Sulfate: Glucosamine sulfate provides the joints with the building blocks they need to help repair the natural wear on cartilage caused by everyday activities. Specifically, glucosamine sulfate provides the raw material needed by the body to manufacture a mucopolysaccharide (called glycosaminoglycan) found in cartilage.

Chondroitin Sulfate: Chondroitin protects the cartilage and attracts fluids that give the tissue its shock absorbing quality.

MSM: MSM is thought to act in three ways:

Blocks pain.

Sulfur-donor to repair cartilage.

Anti-inflammatory by decreasing effectiveness of cortisol.

Turmeric: contains phytochemical constituents that may relieve inflammation and pain. Supplementation with curcumin in 100 patients with osteoarthritis showed improvements in pain, stiffness, and well-being, along with a decrease in inflammatory markers and NSAID use.

EXERCISES

Stretching: Hamstring and calf stretch for 30 seconds.

Strengthen muscles to support knees: Ball squeeze between knees, 5 second squeezes, for 60 total seconds.

Seated straight leg raise for 30 seconds for each leg.

Strengthen hip and thigh muscles: Marching in place for 30 to 60 seconds.

Strengthen and improve upper body range of motion: Wrist circles, wrist bends (up and down), and open and closed fingers for 10 seconds each. Can use small squishy balls from the dollar store.

Physical treatments

Heat treatments, such as heat pads or warm baths, help soothe stiff joints and tired muscles. Heat is especially good for getting your body limber and ready for exercise or activity.

Take a long, warm shower when you awaken to ease morning stiffness.

Cold is best for acute pain, numbing painful areas and decreasing inflammation and swelling.

Apply a bag of ice wrapped in a towel or a gel-filled cold pack or even a bag of frozen peas to painful areas for about 10 minutes.

Epsom salts can also help, as the major component of them is magnesium, which may reduce inflammation to relieve muscle cramps and pain.

Add 2 cups of Epsom salt to a bathtub of warm water as warm as you can tolerate and soak for 30 minutes. This can be done up to three times each week for pain and inflammation.

TENS, or transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation therapy, can help to control arthritis pain.

For knee pain for example, researchers have found that Electrical stimulation may ease pain and strengthen the quadriceps muscles supporting the knee. It also may delay total knee replacement.