If you are just starting to look for natural remedies for arthritis, I suggest you start by reading about the different foods that help arthritis. Changing your diet is the simplest thing you can do to help ease your pain for the long term. It’s not a quick fix, but it can be very effective!
Chiropractic as a natural remedy for arthritis
Because I’m a chiropractor, you know I have to start here! 😉
What is arthritis? It’s wear and tear, or degeneration of a joint that causes swelling, restricted movement, and pain.
Some doctors say it’s a “normal aging process” but I disagree. If it were a normal aging process, then all of your joints would get arthritis at the same time. Yet we often find that arthritis is only in some body parts, like the neck, low back, knees or hands. The rest of the body is just fine.
I wrote a detailed explanation of how you get arthritis of the neck and it’s worth popping over there, then hitting your “back” button to come back here after you read it. Once you understand why you get it, you’ll see that the same thing holds true for any joint.
Other than chiropractic care, another tool we use regularly in the office to help with arthritis pain is chiropractic laser therapy. Laser therapy helps heal tissues at a cellular level, and when combined with chiropractic care, can stop the degeneration that leads to worse arthritis. It’s also super effective at managing pain and inflammation and getting you feeling good in short order.
Hypnosis helps the pain of arthritis
Self-hypnosis or hypnosis recordings are very effective for decreasing pain levels.
They work by teaching you how to decrease the amount of pain you feel, and some people have learned how to undergo surgical or dental procedures without any anesthesia. You can read a page dedicated to back pain remedies by hypnosis by clicking that link.
After you’re done, click your browser’s “BACK” button, and if you’d like to explore an Arthritis Pain Relief hypnosis download, click here.
Supplements for natural remedies for arthritis
The ones most commonly taken as natural remedies for arthritis are Glucosamine sulfate, Chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid, calcium, MCHC (Microcrystalline Hydroxyapetite Concentrate) and Omega-3 fatty acids. Glucosamine and Chondroitin come in different forms, like Glucosamine HCl, but for simplicity’s sake I’m only going to use the term Glucosamine. It’s found naturally in high concentrations in the joints, and it appears to help rebuild cartilage.
Typical dosage of Glucosamine is 1500 mg a day, in 3 doses of 500 mg each. This appears to be the level at which it’s best absorbed and used.
Chondroitin sulfate was first extracted in the 1960’s and appears to have slightly more evidence showing it helps with arthritis symptoms. It’s a bigger chemical than glucosamine, so there’s some belief that it isn’t absorbed as easily. It’s often found together with glucosamine in many natural remedies for arthritis.
Dosage of chondroitin is 1200 mg a day in divided doses of 400 mg three times a day or 600 mg twice a day.
Hyaluronic Acid is found in synovial fluid (inside the joint) and has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Vitamin C is a main part of collagen and is used in every step of it’s formation. This means that it gets used up in the process of making collagen and as vitamin C levels go down, joint inflammation appears to go up. Manganese helps with the growth and development of normal bone.
The problem with using osteoarthritis drugs long term is that many of them get pulled off the market because the side effects are so dangerous (Vioxx and Bextra have both been pulled). So when it comes to something like Glucosamine (or other natural remedies for arthritis) I think they’re worth a try. There are relatively no side effects, they won’t cost you thousands of dollars, and there’s a great chance you’ll get some relief.
There are also herbs for arthritis that you can use in cooking, in supplement form, or as a cream that you rub on to the aching joints.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are found in cold water fish like salmon, herring, and sardines and also in some nuts or seeds, like flax seeds. They are called “essential” fatty acids because we need them, but our bodies cannot make them on our own, so they must be gotten from food. Because they decrease inflammation, they’re great natural remedies for arthritis.
There are 3 types of omega-3 fatty acids, and I’m not going to go into the biochemistry of them here. The ones that are best used by your body are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). They’re important because there’s extensive research showing that they reduce inflammation the risk factors associated with chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and arthritis.
Now here’s the problem with the typical American diet… omega-3’s should make up about 1/4 to 1/2 of our fat intake; but most American’s eat only a fraction of that and use mostly omega-6 fatty acids as their primary source (these come from safflower, sunflower, corn, sesame, walnut, and primrose oils). Omega-6’s are also essential, but they tend to promote inflammation if eaten too much. In the proper ratio, omega-3’s can help decrease inflammation in the body. The easiest way to do this is to take a pure, pharmaceutical grade omega-3 supplement with the right ratio of EPA and DHA in it.
Doses of omega-3’s for adults (from fish oils) would be between 1-3 grams daily of EPA and DHA. It may take 2 – 3 weeks for benefits of fish oil supplements to be seen.
For additional information on natural remedies for arthritis, check out www.Foods-That-Heal.com They have a lot more information about the healing power of food and detailed plans to help you. You can learn more about managing your arthritis naturally to how to lower your cholesterol. I’m happy to recommend them as a resource to you.
Exercise as an arthritis natural remedy
Exercise is important for the pain management of arthritis. It helps keep your muscles stronger, which takes less pressure off the joints, and moving the joint helps keep it lubricated and working smoothly.
For severe arthritis pain, the exercises I like to recommend are walking, pool exercises, stretching and simple yoga (some yoga can be very physically demanding).
Benefits Of Yoga – There are many different kinds of yoga and numerous health benefits of yoga. It all depends on what type of yoga you practice regularly.
Walking helps your circulation, your muscles, and your joints, and should be on everyone’s list of daily exercise.
Stretching helps keep muscles loose and flexible, which relieves the pressure they put on arthritis joints.
And now for something completely different
Some people with arthritis have elemental mineral deficiencies. Easy natural remedies for arthritis include wearing bracelets of known elements that can help cure those aches and pains. They work naturally and with absolutely NO drugs.
Copper activates the enzymes which kick start certain biochemical reactions. Without copper, these enzymes remain inactive and this permits certain diseases to gain hold.
For arthritis sufferers, the most important enzyme affected by lack of copper may be lysyl oxidase. Lysyl Oxidase is involved in the synthesis and maintenance of bone and connective tissue. If this enzyme is compromised or inactive then maintenance breaks down. We believe that copper is essential to the activation of lysyl oxidase and supports both elastin and collagen (the building blocks of your joints).
Copper has a positive influence on blood circulation and metabolism. It aids in detoxifying the body – relieving arthritis and rheumatism. It aids exhaustion. It’s a strong conductor of energy. Please note: Coppers’ therapeutic properties will draw toxins from the system through the skin at areas where copper is worn.
The only copper bracelet I recommend is from Dealon Bracelets. Patricia prides herself on this home remedy from her native country, Ireland, and her quality is top notch. You can find out more information by going to Dealon Bracelets.
Clinical Hypnotherapy is very effective for managing chronic pain. To read a great article on it and meet Dr. Vicky Thomas of Rev It Up Hypnosis, click here.
Magnet Therapy also seems to have benefits for arthritis sufferers, and you can learn more about therapeutic magnets by clicking here.