| Arthritis is a common condition | | | | cartilage has become damaged or has |
| affecting literally millions of people | | | | deteriorated badly. Conventional |
| worldwide. For many, mainstream medical | | | | arthritis medications help many people |
| care brings relief. But are there any | | | | and they should be regarded as standard |
| alternative remedies that are effective? | | | | treatment for someone experiencing the |
| Firstly, a brief run-down of what | | | | onset of the condition. However, it has |
| arthritis actually is. The fact is that | | | | to be pointed out that these treatments |
| arthritis is a blanket term covering | | | | can have severe side effects, including |
| over one hundred different conditions, | | | | depression, immune system suppression, |
| some common, some uncommon and some | | | | diarrhea, headaches and elevated blood |
| extremely rare. Arthritis means | | | | pressure, intestinal bleeding, nausea |
| inflammation of one or more of the | | | | and abdominal pain. |
| body's joints, generally caused by | | | | Perhaps this is the reason why more and |
| infection, injury or just the plain wear | | | | more people - especially those who have |
| and tear of life. It can also be a | | | | suffered from arthritis for some time - |
| genetic condition. | | | | turn to alternative forms of treatment |
| The causes of arthritis are many and | | | | and remedies. Conventional medicine does |
| varied and its effects well-known. Pain, | | | | prove effective in the majority of cases |
| inflammation, mobility limitation and | | | | - despite the side-effects - but for |
| redness with swelling are all common | | | | some it just simply does not give the |
| symptoms. A strange fact is that people | | | | relief they need. Alternative treatments |
| who show little joint damage may | | | | are many and varied and, whilst little |
| experience a great deal of pain, whilst | | | | scientific research seems to have been |
| others whose joints show terrible damage | | | | carried out on most of these remedies |
| sometimes feel little pain, even none at | | | | the fact remains that, at least for |
| all. | | | | some, they work. |
| The most common form of arthritis are: | | | | Alternative treatments include |
| osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and | | | | (alphabetically): Acupressure, |
| gout. | | | | Acupuncture, Aromatherapy, Ayurveda, |
| Some other types include - systemic | | | | Bach Flower Remedy, Chiropractic, Color |
| infectious arthritis, gouty arthritis, | | | | Therapy, Food/Diet Therapy, Herbal |
| psoratic arthritis, bursitis and | | | | Medicine, Homeopathy, Hydrotherapy, |
| juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. As | | | | Hypnosis, Juice Therapy, Massage |
| stated, there are many more less common | | | | Therapy, Nutrition Therapy, Oriental |
| forms. | | | | Medicine, Reflexology, Tissue Salts, |
| Osteoarthritis (wear-and-tear arthritis) | | | | Traditional Chinese Medicine and Yoga. |
| is the most common form of all, | | | | It is impossible to say which, if any, |
| especially in elderly people. It is | | | | will work for a given individual - if |
| associated with loss of bone tissue in | | | | indeed any will work at all for that |
| the joints and can limit mobility | | | | person. Yet the fact remains that many |
| severely. | | | | sufferers experience relief from joint |
| Rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatism) is | | | | pain and other arthritic symptoms that |
| more common in women than in men and | | | | they simply cannot find through |
| usually effects the over-40's. It tends | | | | conventional medicine and, given the |
| to attack the hands, causing swelling in | | | | nature of arthritis, any relief from |
| the knuckles, though it can affect any | | | | pain, however small, is worth |
| other part of the body, including the | | | | consideration. |
| lungs and eyes. | | | | I'm not suggesting for one minute that |
| Gout is much more common in men than in | | | | anyone should ignore their physician's |
| women, again usually in the over-40's. | | | | advice, throw away their medication and |
| It is caused by elevated levels of uric | | | | go over completely to alternative |
| acid in the blood that form crystals in | | | | therapies. However, if you are one of |
| the joints. These are attacked by the | | | | the unlucky ones who find little relief |
| body's immune system, thinking them | | | | from pain in taking accepted medication, |
| invaders, and inflammation results | | | | or suffer unpleasant side-effects, it |
| together with pain that can be localised | | | | may be well worth considering these |
| but severe. | | | | alternatives as a new path to pain |
| Unfortunately there is as yet no cure | | | | relief and a better quality of life. |
| for arthritis, especially if the bone or | | | | |