Natural Treatments for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis or RA is a disease that causes the immune system to attack the linings of the joints. This causes the joints to swell, and the person feels stiffness and pain. Most commonly, RA attacks the wrists and fingers, but it is possible for it to occur anywhere in the body joints. Many people do not want to take drugs for this disease because of side effects or for other reasons. Natural treatments are not a replacement for the conventional drugs that help RA victims, but they do offer additional possibilities of relief for some of the symptoms of RA.

Dietary Supplements

• Some patients with RA report some relief from RA symptoms when they take certain supplements. Thunder god vine or TGV is a plant that the Chinese use to treat inflammation. Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which the body uses to make substances that reduce inflammation. Ginger, curcumin and boswellia have a history of treating inflammatory conditions.

Nutrition

• Many believe that certain foods have an impact on their RA. These foods include dairy products, citrus fruits, sweets, coffee and foods with animal protein. The process includes eliminating one group of foods at a time from the diet for a period, such as two weeks, and checking symptoms during this time to see there is improvement in RA. If the RA does not change, you may add the food group back to your diet and continue to the next group.

Meditation

• Meditation is that practice of stilling the mind to create inner peace. Typically, one sits comfortably and watches his breathing or counts his breaths. This action causes the mind to become calm, and many people experience a feeling of well-being and painlessness. When a person with RA practices meditation, he may feel relief from RA pain for the meditation period.

Cupping

• Cupping is an ancient Chinese procedure for relieving pain by applying cups to a person's skin. The therapist heats the air inside the cup, which removes some of the air, and then the therapist places the cup on the skin quickly, resulting in creating a partial vacuum. The vacuum pulls the skin partially into the cup. There has been limited success in China with treating RA with cupping. There are many different forms of cupping (see References), and one must have a cupping therapist to get this procedure done. Call the Acupuncture Society at [phone] for a referral.

Warning

• Natural treatments for RA have not been tested enough to know for sure what positive effects they have on RA. Do not stop taking any conventional prescription medicine for RA. Advise your health care provider that you are interested in natural treatments for RA.Together, you can map out a plan of action, combining conventional and natural treatments.