Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a serious autoimmune illness
affecting the joints and bones and other organ systems of
the body. Damage to tissues results when the immune system
mistakes the body's own tissue as foreign and attacks them.
Free radicals are part of the cascade of effects that cause
inflammation and eventually can destroy joints. While there
are excellent prescription medications used to successfully
treat RA, many people prefer to use an all natural approach
or to supplement the standard therapies.
Many herbs have been identified as having usefulness in
treating the symptoms of RA and many are antioxidants and
anti-inflammatory in nature. We will look at some of these
herbs and discuss their use in RA holistic care. Even
though herbs and supplements may be all natural, they still
can be potent and may also interact with prescription
medications. An RA patient should always discuss the matter
with their health care provider before adding or
subtracting anything in their treatment plan, natural or
otherwise. It is a mistake to assume that herbs are
automatically safe and free of side effects.
Among the herbs identified as helpful in RA are: Angelica,
Bogbean, Borage oil, Boswellia, Bromelain (from
pineapple), Cat's claw (Also called Devil's claw),
Chaparral, Evening primrose oil, Feverfew, Galangal,
Ginger, Cayenne creams and lotions, Curcurmin (from
turmeric), Pokeweed roots, Alfalfa, Gotu kola, Honeysuckle,
Hops, Licorice, Lingum vitae, White poplar, Linseed,
Morinda, Mustard, Oregano, Sarsaparilla, Sesame seed oil,
Stinging nettles, Wild Yam, Black cohosh, Celery, Willow,
Wintergreen, Yucca.
And this list, long as it is, is just part of the herbal
formulary often used to control the problems associated
with RA! In fact, one old remedy for "rheumatism" which was
the catch-all term for all joint pain and aches was willow
bark tea. Willow bark contains salicylates, compounds
related to aspirin and to several current pharmaceutical
anti-inflammatory drugs. There is no question that this
could have been helpful for RA sufferers.
Cat's claw or Devil's claw is another old and often used
remedy. It is normally used in a dose of 250 mg of a
standard extract taken twice a day. One small study has
been done showing relief of RA symptoms when compared to a
placebo. Cat's claw must be taken with food and cannot be
taken by women who are pregnant or who could become
pregnant. Upset stomach is the most commonly reported side
effect, but is lessened when taken with food. Cat's claw
has anti-inflammatory properties.
A widely used compound for topical pain relief is a cream
compounded from cayenne pepper extracts. This reduces pain
and inflammation by stimulating circulation in the area of
a painful joint and is also useful for osteoarthritis. A
user must be careful to wash hands carefully since the
cream can burn the eyes and mucous membranes. It's also
important to note that hot packs and heating pads should
not be used over areas covered with cayenne products. Many
people also use this product to treat the pain from a
previous case of shingles effectively. It is available
without prescription.
Curcurmin is a product extracted from the yellow spice
turmeric that is being studied for several medical purposes
including RA pain and stiffness. Widely used in curries,
turmeric is also used as it is for RA and other uses.
Curcurmin has both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
properties. Antioxidants help to fight the free radicals
that play a part in joint destruction in advanced
rheumatoid arthritis.
An Indian herb called Boswellia has also been shown to
decrease inflammation in the body. It is taken in a dose of
150 mg three times a day. While it would take a book to
list every dose and herb used for RA symptoms, it is easy
to see how big a choice there is for natural products. The
resources given below are a great introduction to the use
of herbs in RA, and the Arthritis Foundation has published
a book that is a guide to herbal therapies.
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For more information visit the websites:
http://www.arthritiscures.us/common-symptoms-for-rheumatoid-
arthritis/common-symptoms-for-rheumatoid-arthritis.htm
Common Symptoms for Rheumatoid Arthritis
http://www.arthritiscures.us/templar-arthritis/templar-arthr
itis.htm
Templar Arthritis
http://arthritiscures.us/arthritis-Rheumatoid/arthritis-Rheu
matoid.htm Arthritis Rheumatoid
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