<p>Gah
another medical thread-
I have arthritis in my hands- very frustrating- hands are so useful!
I have been working in my yard alot- going to the gym and misc ( actually the keyboard itself doesn’t bother me- it is the * gripping* )</p>
<p>but the glucosamine isn’t helping or Im not taking enough-
I rub icyhot on them sometimes, but then have to remember not to rub my face</p>
<p>Not at the point where I think about it when I go to the dr- but what to try?</p>
<p>haven’t started adding EFAs yet- although the dog gets them- umm a little squirt of salmon oil on my cheerios! :yuk:</p>
<p>Dr. Gott, syndicated newspaper columnist, suggests this is a home remedy. My dad says it really helps his hands. Recently Dr. gott said this works best on the extremeties, such as hands and feet, rather than back, hips, etc.</p>
<p>Grape juice and Certo for arthritis: Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid Certo (or any brand pectin) in 8 ounces of purple grape juice. Drink up to three times a day. May take up to four days for full results.</p>
<p>The only side effect he has had reported to him by users is mild constipation. It’s cheap and worth a try.</p>
<p>My H has what I will call a “touch” of arthritis in his thumbs and around the pad of the palm near the thumb. A good friend of mine (young, too - at least younger than me… less than 50) has/had what you experience, EK. Lots of trouble with gripping. Was really bad for her.</p>
<p>She discovered the following and used it and truly believes in it. She never changed anything else and yet the problem has virtually disappeared. On her recommendation, my H tried it - and he, too, experienced great relief from the problem without changing anything else but doing this:</p>
<p>Bragg’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. <a href=“http://www.bragg.com/products/applecidervinegar.html[/url]”>http://www.bragg.com/products/applecidervinegar.html</a> They recommend a spoonful 3x/day mixed in a little water with honey. I tried it and just downed the spoonful like medicine, without the honey and water. It’s not bad - appley flavor at first with just a little “sting” of vinegar at the end. We buy it at Whole Foods or a health food store. Our regular grocery doesn’t usually have it, but does have their Salad Dressing which is made with the vinegar. I think my H only does it once a day in the morning and we use the salad dressing reasonably often as well.</p>
<p>Try all sorts of remedies, but also get yourself to the doctor, for an eval. Hopefully just (tho hardly ‘just’ as it can be a quite a problem) osteoarthritis, but you also want to make sure it is not something of greater concern. </p>
<p>And get that fish oil into your system, good for many aging body parts. Odorless pills, no yuk needed!</p>
<p>Would you consider acupuncture, EK? I have arthritis in one knee and acupuncture has helped keep it under control. Still not perfect, but doesn’t bother me too much if I don’t overdo it. I am a big fan of acupuncture.</p>
<p>Cutting down on salt (I don’t know why but my arthritis is worse after eating fritos or any salty foods) and also taking Omega 3 fatty acids has helped me tremendously. Also I drink a lot of water which helps for some reason.</p>
<p>“umm a little squirt of salmon oil on my cheerios! :yuk:”</p>
<p>Chuck the Cheerios. As per my post on the obesity forum, chuck all corn-based sweeteners. It’s hard to do - trust me - it’s even in most brands of salt, and in virtually everything else processed. Make believe you have an allergy (you probably do). Check back in six months (you’ll likely be 25 pounds lighter, and much of your arthritis will have gone away.)</p>
<p>EK-are you sure you are experiencing arthritis in your hands? I was having similar difficulties and after XRAY, MRI and a physical, found out my hands were fine. Turns out arthritis in my cervical spine caused some nerve and muscle problems effecting strength in my arms. I gather this is not unusual for my (aging boomer) age group. joy…</p>
<p>Another fan of acupuncture–and deep tissue massage. Attack those aches as soon as you get them and they will disappear with enough treatments. It’s a slow process–but it works. Find a chinese trained acupuncturist if you can. Mine is a guy who was an acupuncturist for the Chinese army–specializing in foot problems. He was demoted for protesting Tiannamen Square and emigrated. BIG difference between his skillset and the US based acupuncturists. Also, he evaluated the other docs in town and pointed out that many many were charlatans. (My previous Taiwanese acupuncturist turned out to be a former blackjack dealer at the Casino!) Look for recognized Chinese or Taiwanese credentials–as well as US credentials.</p>
<p>It is a slow but very successful method of fixing joint and muscle problems.</p>
<p>I also use a Russian massuese.</p>
<p>I also agree with mini. I was in the US for ten days–and I am sure I gained 5 pounds even though I walked 6 days out of 10. It’s the stuff they put in the food, I swear.</p>
<p>I don’t want to be alarmist… but I thought it was arthritis in my knee, and it turned out to be a low-grade bone cancer. It’s worth a trip to the doctor to discuss what’s going on.</p>
<p>I find hot wax treatments very soothing for the soreness in my hands when I’ve been knitting a lot, though.</p>
<p>I have used Golden Creme Analgesic Creme on my hands and back for about 5 years now. The relief is almost instant. It may seem expensive ($29.95 for 8oz bottle), but it only takes a little bit and it really does work. Google the site.</p>
<p>I also have been loading up on salt and carbs as I am “premenstrual” and having cravings and wasn’t thinking-which probably made it more noticable.</p>
<p>I have had acupuncture before for asthma- but didn’t think of it for this.</p>
<p>I was also talking to the HABA guy at the coop and he says that lemon flavored codliver oil is their biggest seller!
Its not your grandmothers cod liver oil anymore-</p>
<p>I just went to my general doc, but I also have a naturopath who I have gone to who is very good ( but who quit taking ins)- I have had asthma treatments which helped immediately-</p>
<p>I am new to arthritis – just learned that I have it in one big toe – do these remedies apply to this type of arthritis as well? Guess I have some reading to do…</p>
<p>H is a Rheumatologist (specializes in connective tissue and joint diseases…including arthritis). He pretty much laughed at most of the suggestions here (sorry guys…he is a scientist) and says his patients always have great cures if they believe it enough (mind over matter…)</p>
<p>Anyway, the question is do you have osteoarthritis, which is the age-related, wear-and-tear variety that comes with degeneration or, more importantly, do you have rheumatoid arthritis, which is a systemic/auto-immune related disease that progresses and results in more severe deterioration of the joint with redness and swelling and disability? </p>
<p>If you think you have rheumatoid, go see an MD; don’t mess around with any of the “cures”. RA can be an ugly disease and there are many new and good treatments if caught early. For osteo, stick with a good anti-imflammatory and take care of your joints so you don’t need replacements in the future. Some people swear by glucosimine, but the literature says there is absolutely no consistent, replicated studies showing that it has any real value. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence for all sorts of “cures.” Good luck.</p>
<p>Some community colleges offer this class. Someone in my class told us she had problem with her feet, but after excercising with the tennis ball everyday she feel a lot better. We use tennis ball to exercise, like pressing between the floor and our feet, pressing between the wall and our hands.</p>
<p>I happened to run into one of my daughter’s former coaches and noticed he had one of those bracelets that are advertised on TV for relief of arthritis. Trying to restrain my skepticism I asked him if it really worked, and he RAVED about it – said he’d been crippled by arthritis to the point of utter despair, and this little thing had given him back his life again.</p>
<p>As for me, my anodyne for just about every pain in life is a daily walk of three miles or more. It uses up calories, relieves stress, gets the circulation moving, connects me with the natural world, affords chance encounters with friends and neighbors, lends the right rhythm and quiet space for meditation and creative brainstorming, and leaves me feeling refreshed rather than depleted. (And it’s not as hard on the knees as running is, which I used to do.)</p>