Solutions for Arthritis Pain

In this article, I'd like to focus on osteoarthritis (OA) also known as 'wear and tear' arthritis.  OA tends to come on slowly.  People have pain, swelling or tenderness in a joint.  There is stiffness after inactivity especially in the morning. Pain is also worse with increased use.  There may be a crunching feeling or a sound of bone rubbing on bone. By age 55, 40% of us will have arthritis. The arthritic changes are permanent but you don't have to live with the pain!

Activity
Keep moving!  Doctors used to recommend rest as a treatment for arthritis. They couldn't have been more wrong and have changed their recommendations. Assuming you are healthy enough to exercise,  you'll want to look for low impact forms of aerobic exercise.  My patients enjoy walking, swimming and biking. Strength training (with light weights, elastic bands or your own body weight) is helpful to build muscle and protect the joints.  You should also do some stretching to keep the joints flexible.  Consider taking yoga classes or tai chi from a knowledgeable instructor.

Weight Loss
Extra body weight can put a lot of additional stress on the body's joints.  It is not only a common cause of OA but losing even a little weight can be very helpful in reducing pain.  My patients have had a lot of success with a plant based/ whole food diet.  Here are a couple great videos to get you started: Dr. McDougall's Diet for Maximum Weight Loss and How to Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind. 

Diet and Food Sensitivites
What you put in your mouth didn't cause your arthritis but it can have a major effect the amount of inflammation in your body.  It is possible to have a sensitivity to almost any food.  The most common culprits are dairy, eggs, fish/ shellfish, nuts, sugars/alcohol, separated fats, and gluten.  If strictly avoiding these foods for a couple weeks doesn't give you the results you want, I'd recommend consulting with a health care provider that has some experience guiding people through a more personalized avoidance plan.


Nutritional Supplements
Some people may have to take prescription or over the counter medications as part of their arthritis treatment plan.  If it is not essential, I'd recommend avoiding these.  Many cause damage to the liver, kidneys, digestive system, are addictive, or raise your risk of heart attack and stroke.  Nutritional supplements are generally much safer. Before trying supplements, I'd recommend you consult with a qualified herbalist especially if you are taking medications. A full list of herbs to try is beyond the scope of this article but, some common supplements to ask about would include: MSM, Glucosamine with Chondroitin, and Turmeric.

I frequently recommend a supplement called InflamaSYN to help with the inflammation and pain.  It contains 10 anti-inflammatory herbs and is in a convenient 2 pills/ day dosing.  In addition, I can recommend Chinese Herbal Medicines that are chosen very specifically for patients.  Chinese herbal formulas are chosen based on: other health issues, quality of pain, what makes it better/worse, and location of pain.  My patients tell me that Chinese Herbs often work even when other supplements have failed.

Topicals
Next time you're achy and thinking about taking an over the counter medication, try a topical instead. There are a lot of options out there.  If you see a qualified acupuncturist or chiropractor, they should be able to help you pick the best to try.   Notable products: Tiger Balm, Zeel (Traumeel), and BioFreeze.

Acupuncture
In my opinion, Acupuncture is the ultimate tool in treating arthritis especially when it hasn't responded to other treatments.  It is powerful, safe, and tailored to each patient.  I'd suggest trying about four sessions to see how you respond and keep it up as long as things continue to improve. The large majority of my patients experience relief and most have long term or even permanent changes in their pain level.

Call our office or visit us online to schedule an appointment or for a free consultation.

Acupuncture of West Michigan
www.acupunctureofwestmichigan.com
616-855-7718