If you are above 50 years of age, t...

If you are above 50 years of age, there is an 80 percent chance that you have a certain number of degree of the disease osteoarthritis, commonly known as arthritis, according to Robert M Giller, MD in Natural Prescriptions.

Most commonalty he adds, are generally familiar with arthritis symptoms becoming to years of exposure to aspirin ads. For example, they know that the condition affects the hands, hips, back, feet and other weight-bearing joints.

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"They are right that arthritis affects the joints, on the contrary they are under a customary and sometimes dangerous misconception regarding aspirin and other pain killers," Giller says. "If you have arthritis, you should know that aspirin and other anti-inflammatory physics treat only the symptoms of the disease and, in fact, they may actually facilitate the process"

As arthritis bring to maturitys he continues, the joints become inflamed, which leads to pain and swelling. Sometimes population who feel mild symptoms of arthritis go on to their doctors, complain of stiffness and are X-rayed. however arthritis shows up on an X-ray solely after the joint has been affected lengthy enough for it to actually change in appearance. in the same manner if you feel symptoms of arthritis, it is wise to begin natural therapy right away to impede further development of the disease, Giller advises.

Your goal: make less pain while encouraging mobility

"Your goal should be to contract pain while at the same time encouraging joint mobility," Giller says. "Traditionally, symptoms are treated with aspirin and aspirin-like NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) or ibuprofen, the active ingredient in Nuprin or Advil or stronger prescription medications."

He went forward to say that many commonalty simply take as much of these medicines as they can tolerate to relieve pain while trying to avoid side tenors But the drawback is that these unsalable articles have been shown to inhibit cartilage repair -- the exceedingly goal that the arthritic patient should possess uppermost. In addition, by masking pain, these medications can encourage the bulk of mankind to overuse joints.

An age-old natural specific for arthritis and rheumatism is the herb, Devil's claw (Harpagophytum pricumbens), the tuber of a plant that spring ups in the Kalahari Desert, in toward the south Africa, and the Namibian savannas in South West Africa.

"Devil's claw has been used as an herbal tea ingredient in Europe a folk assistance in Africa and recently has come intoed the health food marketplace in the United States," reported Sheldon Saul Hendler, MD PhD in The Doctors' Vitamin and Mineral Encyclopedia.

The British Herbal Medicine Association reports that Devil's claw consists of dried, transverse slices of the tubers. Its constituents consist of iridoid glucosides, various sugars, triterpenes, in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as oleanolic acid, phytosterols, of that kind as beta-sitosterol, aromatic acids, flavonoids, like as kaempferol and luteolin, and others.

Writing in The without fault [i]or[/i] blemish [i]or[/i] flaw Medicinal Herbal, Penelope Ody says that Devil's claw has mighty anti-inflammatory action somewhat similar to cortisone. She commits 1 to 3 g/day in capsule form during the acute phase of the illness, or 15 ml/day of the tincture or in combination with the powder

Arthritis patients criterioned with Devil's claw

At day-star Yet Sen University of Medical Science in the People's Republic of China, Yin Peida and Yang Xiuyan proofed Devil's claw on 20 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 20 patients with osteoarthritis. Average age in the first cluster was 38.25 years, with 13 being females. In the secondary group, averaging 52.47 years, there were 15 females. more [i]or[/i] less of the volunteers received single in kind tablet (500 mg) of Devil's claw three times daily for four month Others received the same continuation and other antirheumatics.

In analyzing the data, the doctors reported athwart 50 percent improvement in number of painful joints, joint tendernes index, joint swelling index, duration of morning stiffness and grip strength

Over 50 percent improvement of the patient's symptoms was considered as markedly effective; 30 to 50 percent improvement evaluated on the patient was considered as effective, and les than 30 percent improvement evaluated through the patient was considered as non-effective.

REFERENCES

"Devil's Claw: The Natural and Safe Treatment of Rheumatism and Arthritis," British Herbal Medicine Association, London, 1992

Giller, Robert M MD and Matthews, Kathy. Natural Prescriptions. novel York: Carol Southern Books, 1994 pp 18ff

Hendler, Sheldon Saul, MD PhD The Doctors' Vitamin and Mineral Encyclopedia. modern York: Simon and Schuster, 1990 pp 292-293

Ody Penelope The full Medicinal Herbal. London: Dorling Kindersley, 1993 pp 150-151

Peida, Yin, and Xiuyan, Yang. "Preliminary Clinical Observation in succession Treatment of 40 Cases of Arthritis with Pagosid," undated, unpublished.

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