Alternative Therapies and Health News

Osteoarthritis also known as degenerative arthritis is one of the most commonly occurring arthritis that attacks over several millions of people in the United States. The cartilage (between our bones) which serves as a cushion for our joints starts breaking down and eventually disappears. This causes friction in the joints and results in pain and loss of motion of the joint.

The areas most affected by arthritis are, hips, hands, feet, neck, spine and knees. As our body ages, our joints are used repetitively; this causes the cartilage to degenerate and causes pain and swelling in the joints.

If osteoarthritis is found in more than one member in the family, then it could be hereditary. Other factors that cause arthritis are obesity, diabetes, surgery in joints, gout and some hormone disorders. Some people are even born with abnormally formed joints.
When the traditional and conventional medical treatment does not provide enough relief from pain, people opt for alternative remedies. Following are some of the commonly used alternative therapies for osteoarthritis:

• Acupuncture is a kind of treatment used for relieving pain caused by the arthritis. In this treatment needles are inserted at specific junctions in the skin. Inserting the needles activate the pain relieving chemicals in the nervous system.
• Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate are the two nutrients or molecular building blocks that are used as alternative supplements in curing osteoarthritis. They have shown to reduce the symptoms of arthritis. Glucosamine must be taken for at least one month before it starts showing any improvements in the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Glucosamine, found in oyster and crab shells, is a very popular treatment for osteoarthritis.
• Some herbs like curcumin, ginger, stinging nettle and evening primrose are considered to be useful in reducing arthritis pain.
• Anti-oxidant vitamins and omega 3 fatty acids are good for reducing pain ands swelling in the joints. Some recommend avoiding food items like white potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant.
• Exercise and weight control is most essential and also very effective in reducing the symptoms of arthritis.