Arthritis refers to about 120 different diseases that affect
your joints and other soft tissues. Osteoarthritis, which is the most common
form, affects about 21 million adults in the country! Unfortunately there is no
cure for arthritis but they have found ways to “treat” it to prevent further
damage. In class we heard about possible natural and medical cures so I decided
to do a blog on some of the unusual treatments for arthritis people are trying.
One remedy I found that was funny an oil
called Emu Oil. It is derived from Emu fat and has been used for centuries for
its natural anti-inflammatory properties. It contains a sort of menthol that
helps take your mind of the pain.
Another remedy are capsules called superior joints that are made from
eggshell membranes. It contains chrondroitin, hyaluronic acid, collagen and
other glycosamino-glycans and has been clinically proven to reduce joint pain
without any side effects. Some people
felt an improvement within 10 days. Another
strange remedy is one called Rhus Tox. Which is made from the oil of the poison
ivy plant. Usually you want to stay away from poison ivy but here they put it
inside this homeopathic medicine. It is said to work by producing similar
symptoms to arthritis and is given with the aim of counteracting discomfort.
I’m sure arthritis is horrible to live with and these bizarre treatments might
even help. I would probably consider some before turning to traditional
medicine or surgery. How about you?
I thought this blog was interesting, and I wanted to address Yvette’s question. In class we have been discussing natural remedies, and it brings up some good conversation. It seems that a lot of people are under the impression that medications do not actually treat symptoms for things like arthritis and IBD. Some people cannot find effective treatment, but many also do. It concerns me that some of these alternatives to medication might actually be detrimental if mixed with other substances. Natural remedies might be the best option for some, but I think it would be best to consult a physician before self-treatment. From a patient standpoint, I had a course where a teacher mentioned a type of medication I was taking and said there was a pretty good risk of developing cancer from it. I consulted my doctor very concerned and upset. He told me there is always a small chance. Risk goes up on certain medications. However, the complications I would receive from not taking my medication could be a lot worse, and I had a chance of developing cancer without taking my medication. I think sometimes as physiology students we do not always see every perspective.
ReplyDeleteI'm fortunate enough to have a Chinese grandmother so I've been exposed to my fair share of alternative remedies. My grandmother herself suffers from osteoarthritis so it is interesting to see how she copes with it. Because of the way she was brought up, she favors all natural remedies to treat her symptoms and uses prescription drugs as a last resort when her pain is unbearable. She says that she wakes up very stiff every morning; however, after some light exercise (weights or walking) her joints don't bother her. She occasionally uses an Asian topical cream (I couldn't read the ingredients) whenever she is nagged by pain. I presume the cream acts like "Icy Hot" which activates a burning sensation of the skin and inhibits the activation of nocireceptors (pain). Personally, I hold similar views that prescription drugs should be used only when the pain is unbearable (especially for individuals suffering from less severe arthritis). Like Yvette, I would favor trying all natural remedies such as creams, oils, and teas before turning to long-term dependence on a pill or other medical intervention.
ReplyDeleteI think Andrew makes a great case. I, too, have an Asian background, and I was raised and taught to live as natural of a lifestyle as possible. My mom got seriously sick one time and never fully recovered mentally. She obtained a brand new mindset and became very paranoid about her health. After reading all kinds of books on how to improve her health, she started to stray away from taking synthetic drugs/medications and instead began to embrace nature. Since I grew up watching my mom do and eat things that other people normally wouldn't, I became familiar with her kind of lifestyle. Eventually, the natural ways rubbed off on me. I don't get sick or hurt often, but when I do, I will do everything I can in order to recover before taking pills. I've been influenced and shaped to think that medications are the last resort. In my opinion, natural remedies can only help the body. If they don't eliminate a specific symptom, then another option needs to be found; however, I would try the natural methods first because even if they don't end up working, they won't cause harm to the rest of the body like synthetic drugs would. Someone made a great point during last week's class when they questioned the amount of time and money that could be involved in treating your body naturally before synthetically when it's not even guaranteed that the natural remedies will fix the problem. I really think that it depends on the individual. Because I developed views based on my mom and family's experiences, I will probably always go the natural route and seek natural options before I let anything synthetic enter my body.
ReplyDeleteI also thought that this blog was really interesting and opened my eyes to some unique treatments for arthritis that I never would have thought of. I think that most people would be willing to try more of the natural supplements, especially the ones you mentioned. Since the main ingredients in some of these remedies are components common to our everyday life such as egg shells, I think many people would assume that there is not any danger of taking them. As we discussed in class, it would be very important to discuss the use of these remedies with a physician before taking them. I did think that the emu oil remedy you mentioned was very interesting and seemed comparable to fish oil supplements that a lot of people take. I did a little bit of research on emu oil and found that it has also been used in rat models as an anti-inflammatory agent to treat mucositis in the intestines of rats that were recovering from chemotherapy. I think that goes to show once again that all of these chronic diseases have an inflammatory component in common and may open doors for treatments that will work with inflammation associated with several conditions.
ReplyDeleteLindsay RJ et al. Orally administered emu oil decreases acute inflammation and alters selected small intestinal parameters in a rat model of mucositis. Journal of Nutrition. 2010;104:513-519
I really liked this blog entry in that it showed the different possible treatment options that are available for patients who are suffering from severe symptoms of arthritis. Having and knowing individuals who has suffered through the severe symptoms of arthritis, I know it is not an easy thing. I would try some of them in order to alleviate and reduce some of the symptoms. Being that this disease has no known cure, I feel like a lot of people would be wiling to try a lot of the treatment options that are available these days. I also think I would educate myself first and ask for a second opinion before personally trying them.
ReplyDeleteThis article was interesting and touched home on a number of points for me. First off, I do appreciate how alternative treatments are being used to treat illnesses that are considered incurable. In addition, one of my friends has issues with one of his wrists which stems from arthritis. In terms of the methods used for treating arthritis, the one involving the oil from poison ivy was the most interesting to me. This line of treatment spurred my interest into other treatments derived from plants and other objects that are typically avoided for harmful side effects. Overall, all of these treatments have the benefit of being noninvasive with little to no side effects. My only concern with these types of treatments is the level of research done on them. While they do not immediately present any negative side effects, I am curious as to if there are any potential dangers from long term usage. If they prove to be safe in the long run, individually, or in combination, these treatments could be successful in reducing some of the pain of arthritis patients without the need for surgery.
ReplyDelete