There are a number of alternative therapies that many people swear by when it comes to osteoarthritis. These may a good way to go when your condition is mild and does not look like it is on the fast track to degeneration. Some of them could be used along with any medication that the doctor prescribes but it is always good to keep him in the loop whenever you start anything new.
Many doctors today recognize the benefits of both acupuncture and acupressure and these can be done while you are on a course of medication. Just make sure that you go to a reputed, experienced and trusted person and check on his qualifications before you make an appointment. Also make sure that you keep all your appointments because very often, you need a number of sittings before you feel a big difference.
Massage too has a number of advantages and it can ease the stiffness out of the joints and make them more mobile and flexible. Massage has the added advantage of stimulating the release of endorphins so you feel your depression and negative feelings slip away with the pain. Your immune system is strengthened, you feel better and you sleep better. Get a masseur who knows just what to do for someone in your condition.
Certain supplements have also proved advantageous in reducing the pain of osteoarthritis. Both glucosamine hydrochloride and chondroitin sulfate have been touted as the new supplement therapy answer to this condition. You need to try them and not expect too much because what works for one person might not work for another. Many people in Europe who have used them either alone or together have said that their pain disappeared but others said it did not work for them at all. Looking for a ‘magic pill’ and expecting the pain of years to disappear in a second isn’t practical at all. These two substances are found in a natural state in the cartilage between the joints and extensive tests have shown that they do work very well on some people while they have little more than a placebo effect on others. Around 5 million Americans take these supplements either in combination or singly. It is believed that while glucosamine helps more cartilage building blocks to be made, chondroitin prevents the cartilage destroying enzymes from proliferating.
Diet also seems to help osteoarthritis sufferers. Drinking warm water first thing in the morning and last thing at night, cutting down on the fats but not eliminating them altogether, increasing the vegetables and fruits in your diet and eating more alkaline foods seem to help. Some go through a detox diet in order to cleanse the body because they believe that all the acidic toxins are the cause of disease and once they are washed out of the body, health returns. Some believe that all forms of arthritis are actually allergies to something so making your immune system stronger would be a good way to go if there is any truth in this.
There have been trials conducted on certain foods which have proved to help people with osteoarthritis. These are avocado, ginger, cayenne and soy. There have been very high-end tests conducted in France on avocado and soy extracts and they have been seen to reduce both the pain and the stiffness. Cayenne extracts are used in topical creams which are applied on the skin to provide relief. Licorice and turmeric extracts have also proved beneficial while fenugreek is also a very popular remedy. A teaspoon of fenugreek seeds first thing in the morning with water and fenugreek hot packs to relieve the pain and swelling are used in many parts of the world. Extracts of digestive enzymes like papain, bromelain, trypsin and rutin are also used in Europe extensively for all types of arthritis.
Some people feel that yoga and meditation are good ways to go and the body builds up its immunity and reduces inflammation and pain. You need to look for a qualified teacher and discuss your condition with him as well as your regular doctor before you start any course. Very often, mind-body therapies seem to galvanize the body into healing itself and it also keeps you fit, so there’s no harm trying it.
Homoeopathy and Bach remedies are lines of treatment that have been tried by many and there are people who have found a great deal of relief.
Today, there are other modern technologies like lasers, electric nerve stimulation with low current and hydrotherapy which are also used to reduce the pain and swelling and to ease the stiffness. Some of them work for some, some for others. So finding a natural or alternative therapy to treat your osteoarthritis might be a quest of trial and error till you find just what works for you. You might need a combination therapy – diet, extracts, supplements, acupuncture, etc. before you find your pain relieving combination.