Osteoarthritis
is simple wear and tear on any joint that becomes stiff, sore and swollen after use. It usually affects unrelated joints throughout the body and is common in the fingers, knees, hips and back. At its worst, it may require the joint to be completely replaced. Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune condition, has a completely different cause. Here the body systematically attacks the joints affecting both sides of the body equally. It will often begin in the fingers or toes and work towards the trunk of the body.
F
or me, one of the cornerstones of treatment of any illness will always be to look at the diet. It is important to remember that the body doesn’t know the difference between medicine and food, and that our greatest sphere of influence is always through what we eat and drink. In the clinic, I find that reducing the acidity of a person’s diet can often be beneficial because it can help to reduce inflammation in the joints and this has a positive effect on pain levels. In fact, in the case of osteoarthritis, reducing acidity and increasing the amount of water a person drinks can often be enough for the earliest stages of stiffness and swelling. When I talk to patients about how this I usually ask them to remember that the body can only process a certain amount of acid in a day – the rest is stored away and can promote inflammation. So I ask them to stick my list of acidic foods on their fridge door and try to only to have one of the items on it a day. Often I find that patients may have a very healthy, Mediterranean style diet, but that the amount of tomato-based dishes, citrus fruit or shellfish is just too much for their bodies. Once they have avoided the worst offenders and their bodies have a chance to offload some acidity, they often find that their symptoms improve. I’m also careful to explain that eating the odd tomato might be tolerable for them, but that cooking with tomato paste, or eating tomato soup would be too much. Likewise with oranges – the occasional one is fine, but I urge them to avoid orange juice which would be much more acid for the body to work through. Many people are surprised to know that pork is considered to be acidic and of course the more cured it is the higher the acidity. Shellfish is the one that people often don’t know about and can add to the acid load when eaten often.
Rheumatoid arthritis
is a serious condition usually requiring ongoing pharmaceutical medication. Joints are painful, stiff and will eventually become deformed. Immuno-suppressant drugs will often be used in the treatment and this means that the person is more likely to be unable to fight off common infections and viruses.
Once we’ve looked at the diet, which is important for any kind of inflammatory condition, physical therapies such as massage can help to reduce pain around the joint. Improving circulation to the joint, particularly if it feels cold and the pain is better for heat, is useful and the general relaxation offered by massage can help contorted muscles to function more effectively. Medicated ointments can be very helpful here including the judicious use of chilli (Capsicum minimum) which contains capsaicin, a potent pain reliever. Of course, you need to take care to wash hands thoroughly after use! Deep massage with essential oils of ginger and rosemary help to improve the circulation to the affected joint and ginger is a helpful anti-inflammatory. Epsom salts baths are also useful for pain relief if the arthritis is better for heat and the salts assist the body to detoxify.
Issue 01 Autumn 2020
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