What Are The Best Arthritis Treatments?
Uploaded by meschinohealth on 04.01.2012
Transcript:
What are the Best Arthritis Treatments
By
Dr. James Meschino, DC, MS, ND
Let’s talk about what are the best arthritis treatments. There are two types of treatments
– medical treatments and lifestyle, natural medicine treatments. Let’s talk first about
medical treatments. In terms of controlling the inflammation in
arthritis, there are non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs – like aspirin, ibuprofen, Voltaren,
diclofenac and indomethacin. There are also pain killers – acetaminophen and stronger
narcotic drugs. In auto-immune diseases – such as rheumatoid arthritis – there are also
drugs used called tumor necrosis factor alpha (or TNF) blockers, and drugs that are antimebolites
that interfere with the white blood cells’ ability to reproduce as easily; drugs like
methotrexate. When you have an auto-immune disease, certain white blood cells produce
inflammatory chemicals and antibodies that destroy your tissues. That’s when prednisone
and other corticosteroid drugs are introduced in order to act as anti-inflammatories.
The drugs work (and thank God we have them), but the problem is when you’ve taken them
over a long enough period of time – and it doesn’t matter which drug you’re talking
about – you can run into adverse side-effects. They all have adverse side-effects, some of
which can be life-threatening if you stay on them long enough.
I like to teach patients lifestyle and natural medicine practices they can do at the same
time in order to reduce their reliance on prescription and over-the-counter drugs and
decrease their total lifetime exposure to some of the synthetic agents.
What are the best treatments for arthritis from a lifestyle standpoint?
Osteoarthritis (the degenerative arthritis) – The best thing you could do is to use
glucosamine with natural anti-inflammatories. Rheumatoid arthritis – Tone down your body’s
immune system hyperactivity that’s producing anti-bodies and inflammation, destroying your
tissues. The same is true for Lupus, psoriatic arthritis and other auto-immune diseases that
affect the joints, and even Righter’s syndrome. We used to think osteoarthritis was the result
of wear and tear on the body’s joints, but what we’re seeing now as a hallmark feature
is after the age of 40, we all stop making optimal amounts of glucosamine. But our bodies
all need glucosamine to produce joint cartilage. If your body doesn’t have enough glucosamine,
the cartilage will breakdown at a faster rate than you can rebuild it. You can see it on
an x-ray; a thinning of the joint base as the bones get closer together and there is
less cartilage. For a long time, no one knew why this was happening, but in the 1980s someone
figured it out and since then, people have been taking glucosamine supplements, successfully
stabilizing joint cartilage. This is very important.
Also in osteoarthritis, it’s important to understand that there is a kind of saran wrap
around our joints. On the inner of this saran wrap type substance – or what is actually
called synovial fluid – there are immune cells called monocytes. As we age, those monocytes
secrete more and more inflammatory chemicals, causing pain and inflammation.
It’s not all about cartilage destruction. If you can suppress that inflammatory response,
it’s very helpful, too. This is why I like to see patients after the age of 40 – even
when preventing the onset of osteoarthritis – using a low-dose glucosamine supplementation
in conjunction with anti-inflammatory herbs – MSM, quercetin and bromeliad. (Taking
chondroitin sulfate is totally useless, by the way; it isn’t even absorbed.) When you
use a low-dose glucosamine supplementation in conjunction with these anti-inflammatory
herbs, along with an anti-inflammatory diet, it will decrease your likelihood of osteoarthritis
occurring. And if you already have osteoarthritis, it will help you manage it much more effectively.
When treating rheumatoid arthritis you are attempting to tone down an immune system that’s
sort of hyperactive in secreting a lot of inflammatory chemicals. But there are nutrients
that can create what’s called a bio-regulation of the immune system, helping to balance out
the immune system so it cooperates with the body in a more justifiable way. How is that
accomplished? Once again, you need to be on an anti-inflammatory
diet and supplementing with natural anti-inflammatory herbs – curcumin, boswellia, white willow
bark extract, ginger, quercetin, higher doses of Vitamin D, medicinal mushrooms and astragalus,
helping to modulate and bio-regulate your immune system. Probiotics can do this to a
certain degree, as well. It’s frustrating is when I see family doctors,
rheumatologists and orthopedic surgeons fail to explain to arthritic patients that these
lifestyle and natural remedies can be used along with the medications they’ve prescribed.
This is where I come in. The best thing you can do to understand all of this is to download
the eBook I’ve created called, Proven Natural Remedies for Joint Pain, Arthritis and Inflammation.
The booklet explains the exact lifestyle program that you should follow it if you’re an arthritic
patient of any kind. It will help you better manage your condition in conjunction with
whatever drugs or medical treatments you’re undergoing. Every single arthritis patient
should have a copy of this eBook, Proven Natural Remedies for Joint Pain, Arthritis and Inflammation.
At http://www.MeschinoHealth.com, you’ll see my other review papers, videos, footage
from my live professional seminars and other resources and downloads that I have created
which are free to you which contain information to help you lead a long, healthy and functioning
life. It’s not enough just to be alive; you want to be functional, too.
My review articles and teaching materials come complete with all the scientific references
to make sure you’re getting only evidence-based information on any health topic you’re looking
for. Make sure that you use http://www.MeschinoHealth.com
as an on-going, reliable resource for health and wellness information for both you and
your family members. Thanks so much for your time.
By
Dr. James Meschino, DC, MS, ND
Let’s talk about what are the best arthritis treatments. There are two types of treatments
– medical treatments and lifestyle, natural medicine treatments. Let’s talk first about
medical treatments. In terms of controlling the inflammation in
arthritis, there are non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs – like aspirin, ibuprofen, Voltaren,
diclofenac and indomethacin. There are also pain killers – acetaminophen and stronger
narcotic drugs. In auto-immune diseases – such as rheumatoid arthritis – there are also
drugs used called tumor necrosis factor alpha (or TNF) blockers, and drugs that are antimebolites
that interfere with the white blood cells’ ability to reproduce as easily; drugs like
methotrexate. When you have an auto-immune disease, certain white blood cells produce
inflammatory chemicals and antibodies that destroy your tissues. That’s when prednisone
and other corticosteroid drugs are introduced in order to act as anti-inflammatories.
The drugs work (and thank God we have them), but the problem is when you’ve taken them
over a long enough period of time – and it doesn’t matter which drug you’re talking
about – you can run into adverse side-effects. They all have adverse side-effects, some of
which can be life-threatening if you stay on them long enough.
I like to teach patients lifestyle and natural medicine practices they can do at the same
time in order to reduce their reliance on prescription and over-the-counter drugs and
decrease their total lifetime exposure to some of the synthetic agents.
What are the best treatments for arthritis from a lifestyle standpoint?
Osteoarthritis (the degenerative arthritis) – The best thing you could do is to use
glucosamine with natural anti-inflammatories. Rheumatoid arthritis – Tone down your body’s
immune system hyperactivity that’s producing anti-bodies and inflammation, destroying your
tissues. The same is true for Lupus, psoriatic arthritis and other auto-immune diseases that
affect the joints, and even Righter’s syndrome. We used to think osteoarthritis was the result
of wear and tear on the body’s joints, but what we’re seeing now as a hallmark feature
is after the age of 40, we all stop making optimal amounts of glucosamine. But our bodies
all need glucosamine to produce joint cartilage. If your body doesn’t have enough glucosamine,
the cartilage will breakdown at a faster rate than you can rebuild it. You can see it on
an x-ray; a thinning of the joint base as the bones get closer together and there is
less cartilage. For a long time, no one knew why this was happening, but in the 1980s someone
figured it out and since then, people have been taking glucosamine supplements, successfully
stabilizing joint cartilage. This is very important.
Also in osteoarthritis, it’s important to understand that there is a kind of saran wrap
around our joints. On the inner of this saran wrap type substance – or what is actually
called synovial fluid – there are immune cells called monocytes. As we age, those monocytes
secrete more and more inflammatory chemicals, causing pain and inflammation.
It’s not all about cartilage destruction. If you can suppress that inflammatory response,
it’s very helpful, too. This is why I like to see patients after the age of 40 – even
when preventing the onset of osteoarthritis – using a low-dose glucosamine supplementation
in conjunction with anti-inflammatory herbs – MSM, quercetin and bromeliad. (Taking
chondroitin sulfate is totally useless, by the way; it isn’t even absorbed.) When you
use a low-dose glucosamine supplementation in conjunction with these anti-inflammatory
herbs, along with an anti-inflammatory diet, it will decrease your likelihood of osteoarthritis
occurring. And if you already have osteoarthritis, it will help you manage it much more effectively.
When treating rheumatoid arthritis you are attempting to tone down an immune system that’s
sort of hyperactive in secreting a lot of inflammatory chemicals. But there are nutrients
that can create what’s called a bio-regulation of the immune system, helping to balance out
the immune system so it cooperates with the body in a more justifiable way. How is that
accomplished? Once again, you need to be on an anti-inflammatory
diet and supplementing with natural anti-inflammatory herbs – curcumin, boswellia, white willow
bark extract, ginger, quercetin, higher doses of Vitamin D, medicinal mushrooms and astragalus,
helping to modulate and bio-regulate your immune system. Probiotics can do this to a
certain degree, as well. It’s frustrating is when I see family doctors,
rheumatologists and orthopedic surgeons fail to explain to arthritic patients that these
lifestyle and natural remedies can be used along with the medications they’ve prescribed.
This is where I come in. The best thing you can do to understand all of this is to download
the eBook I’ve created called, Proven Natural Remedies for Joint Pain, Arthritis and Inflammation.
The booklet explains the exact lifestyle program that you should follow it if you’re an arthritic
patient of any kind. It will help you better manage your condition in conjunction with
whatever drugs or medical treatments you’re undergoing. Every single arthritis patient
should have a copy of this eBook, Proven Natural Remedies for Joint Pain, Arthritis and Inflammation.
At http://www.MeschinoHealth.com, you’ll see my other review papers, videos, footage
from my live professional seminars and other resources and downloads that I have created
which are free to you which contain information to help you lead a long, healthy and functioning
life. It’s not enough just to be alive; you want to be functional, too.
My review articles and teaching materials come complete with all the scientific references
to make sure you’re getting only evidence-based information on any health topic you’re looking
for. Make sure that you use http://www.MeschinoHealth.com
as an on-going, reliable resource for health and wellness information for both you and
your family members. Thanks so much for your time.