Treatment of arthritis had been discovered since the presence of this afflictive disease. The medical science have suggested many remedial which include Naturopathy, Herbal Therapy, Meditation, dietary supplementation, Ayurveda, Yoga, massage therapy and Homeopathy. However before starting the treatment of Arthritis, proper diagnosis of this disease is needed. To ensure it, the medical practitioners suggest some accurate tests that incorporate Arthrography which enables to detect joint damage and problems with surrounding structures and detection through Thermal imaging cameras.
Treatment of Arthritis through Naturopathy
As far as the treatment is concerned, Naturopathy includes several treatments for arthritis among which Water Therapy and Magnetic Therapy were taken for consideration since the medieval period. This alternative medical science suggests that Water therapy can serve as a good remedy for arthritis. The patients are advised to take hot and cold fomentation at the joints where swelling and pain have occurred. Application of cold pack wrapped up by woollen dry bandage or hot pack is the best treatment for such patients. Even hot mudpack can be applied to affected joints, to treat localized inflammation and pain, but direct cold baths should be avoided. Steam bath, once or twice a week or occasionally can also be practised. Full tub bath, warm water enema for cleansing of the bowels and neutral hipbath with Epsom salts can be effective for arthritic patients.
Magnetic Therapy can be traced as another effective and natural way of treating arthritis without any side effects. In Magnetic Therapy, magnets are applied to the palms of hands or the soles of feet depending on the portion of the body. Gradually, the duration of the treatment increases and an additional application of the magnets to the outer sides of knees are also advisable for betterment. An extra application may also be carried out in case of acute pain in the knee or wrist or any other joint after application of north-pole oil. Mixed magnetised water is absolutely essential in this disease to rid the organism of deposits of uric acid.
Treatment of Arthritis through Yoga and Exercise
Yoga is also helpful in curing many diseases though sincerity and patience are needed for recovery from this time consuming process. Helpful yogic asanas for treating arthritis are Shava Asana, Nauka Asana, Surya Namaskar, Tada asana, Katichakra asana, Kon asana, Padahasta asana, Ekpadotana asana, Supta Pavanmukta asana, Merudanda Ghumava-asana, Bhujangasana, Dhanurasana, Vajra asana, Gomukh asana, Siddha asana, Ardha Matsyendra asana and Pashchimottan asana. For positive results these are to be practised regularly. Besides these, Suryabhedi, Bhastrika and Nadi Shodhana Pranayama are especially beneficial in this disease. As an additional benefit in the treatment of this disease, experts advise regular exercises that include walking which increases bone mineral density. Pranayama which is practised through inhaling deep breath can prove effective for arthritis. Meditation is also a useful means to rub out negative stress which is a vital reason behind arthritis. The methods of meditation include progressive relaxation, visualization, and biofeedback.
Exercises may provide a healing remedy to arthritic patients. The parts of the body like brain, heart, internal organs, and muscles, all need the increased blood flow and stimulation that exercise provides. This enables the body to keep them fully mobile, strength in bones and muscles thus helping to reduce the chance of severity of osteoporosis. Movement of the joints helps to transport nutrients and waste products to and from cartilage.
Treatment of Arthritis through Herbal medicine
Another complementary treatment that has been believed to be a certain way of recovery without any side effect is herbal treatment. Herbal medicine and its aromatherapy use plants, herbs, and other natural substances including venom extracted from honeybees to stimulate the body to return to the state of internal balance. The herbs are less potent, more recognizable to the body as natural substances, and usually used in combinations and potencies that minimize side effects. Derived from plants, each oil has its own distinct odour that stimulates an array of emotional and psychological responses.
Treatment of Arthritis through Ayurveda
Since the ancient era, Ayurveda has been relied to be one of the effective treatments of arthritis. Being in Indian tradition since the fifth century B.C., Ayurveda considers the control of `Prana` to heal such diseases. Ayurveda describes `ama` and `vata` as the main causes of arthritis and concentrates in making the digestion of `ama` easy and reducing the `vata` and ensures the improvement of digestion process so that no further `ama` is produced. According to Ayurveda, fasting is very beneficial for digesting the `ama`. The fasting can be complete or partial depending on the strength of the person, season and place. Two tea spoons of lemon juice mixed in 250 ml. of warm water and a tea spoon of honey is good to take twice a day -morning and evening is beneficial for arthritic patients. Body massage with sesame or mustard oil, Vitamin C and `Guggul` herb intake help to reduce the `vata` and thus reduces the pain as suggested by the practitioners of Ayurveda.
Treatment of Arthritis through Homeopathy
Another reliable treatment of arthritis is Homeopathy, which cures this painful disease though it takes some time to cure it from within. The ways of alternative cure offers another treatment process of arthritis is the `gin and raisin cure`. This is a process whereby white (or golden), seedless raisins are soaked in gin for a period of seven days to two weeks, where all the gin is soaked up by the raisins, and the alcohol has apparently evaporated. General consensus indicates that one should eat nine of the gin soaked raisins per day, which in turn help ease the pain of the arthritis. Grapes have been heralded by ancient cultures as having healing properties and powers, from the Egyptians to the Greeks and Romans to the modern day alternative healers.
Treatment of Arthritis through Diet
The people suffering from arthritis are advised to check their diet as dietary changes can lessen the acuity of this disease by implementing alternative vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, some foods are advised to avoid as their components may increase the severity of the disease. Thus, foods like tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers, and tobacco should be avoided to get relief from arthritis. Sugar, dairy products, refined foods, fried foods, caffeine, spinach, asparagus, and rhubarb also fall in the list. The patients are advised to follow a diet that is rich in kale, artichoke, celery, turnip greens, mustard greens, lettuce, millet, barley, almonds, black mission figs, cherries, pineapple, blackberries, black currants, limes, olive oil, and gelatin. The Naturopaths advise to take foods that help to reduce constipation. In severe cases of arthritis, patients may be put on raw vegetable juice therapy for a week. Even fruits should be taken like sweet orange, sweet lemon, Mousami, Pineapple, Chakotara. Alkaline action of raw juice dissolves deposits around the joints. Raw potato juice is also effective. Even the juice of bitter gourd is also helpful for clearing the bowels. Even edibles like Amla, honey, lemon and green water helps in getting rid of the constipation, or else lukewarm anema should be taken. Cooked or boiled vegetables grown organically may include beet, cauliflower, carrot, brinjal, mushroom, green peas, spinach, turnips, tomato, etc. One should also intake green gram soups mixed with powdered fenugreek seeds. However, the diet of the patient should exclude foods of acidic nature like bread, eggs, oily and fried food all flesh foods like meat, fish, pulses, high protein diet, sprouts coffee, tea, chocolate and alcohol. Lists of the nutritional supplements that are known to affect the arthritis process include vitamin B6, vitamin C, calcium, and magnesium among others.
Treatment of Arthritis through Other Methods
In modern times, the scientific research has taken a step further and the treatment of arthritis as well. The application of gold salts or ionic chemical compounds of gold is called "chrysotherapy" and "aurotherapy" which are effective treatments for arthritis. Gold compounds, which accumulate slowly in the body and, over time, reduce inflammation, especially related to rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) and many other diseases. But this treatment can cause side effects after a significant accumulation of gold in the body.
Several treatments offered and suggested by the ancient, medieval and modern science to relieve the pain and bring curative effects to the arthritic patients. Even in present era, the scientists and researchers are still continuing their process further for the discovery of more effective medicines and ways to ease the arthritic pain with less or no side effect.