Acupuncture for Arthritis
May is National
Arthritis Month and there's no better time to take action. If you
suffer
with arthritis, acupuncture can help.
Arthritis is one of the most pervasive diseases in the United States
and is
the leading cause of disability. According to the Centers for
Disease
Control and Prevention, one out of every three Americans (an
estimated
seventy million people) is affected.
For most people, arthritis pain and inflammation cannot be avoided
as the
body ages. In fact, most people over the age of fifty show some
signs of
arthritis as joints degenerate over time. Fortunately, arthritis can
often
be managed with acupuncture.
What is Arthritis?
Arthritis is not just one disease; it is a complex disorder that
comprises
more than one hundred distinct symptoms and can affect people at any
stage
of life. Two of the most common forms of arthritis are
osteoarthritis and
rheumatoid arthritis. While these two forms of arthritis have very
different causes, risk factors and effects on the body, they share a
common
symptom—persistent joint pain.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis in the
United
States. OA begins with the breakdown of joint cartilage, resulting
in pain
and stiffness. Commonly affected joints include the fingers, knees,
hips,
and spine. Other joints affected less frequently include the wrists,
elbows, shoulders, and ankles. When OA is found in a less frequently
affected joint, there is usually a history of injury or unusual
stress to
that joint. Repetitive injury and physical trauma may contribute to
the
development of OA. If you have a strenuous job that requires
repetitive
bending, kneeling, or squatting, for example, you may be at high
risk for
OA of the knee.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory
disorder that
may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial
joints. Inflammation of the joint lining, called the synovium,
causes pain,
stiffness, swelling, warmth, and redness. The affected joint may
also lose
its shape, resulting in loss of normal movement.
Eastern View of Arthritis
In Oriental medicine, arthritis is called "Bi Syndrome." Bi
Syndrome manifests as pain, soreness, or numbness of muscles,
tendons and
joints. Arthritis is treated according to which type of Bi Syndrome
it falls
into:
1. Moving (Wind) Bi Syndrome: Pain in the joints is widespread and
moves
from one area of the body to another. This is often accompanied by
fever
and chills.
2. Stationary (Damp) Bi Syndrome: The pain is localized and does not
move.
The body and limbs feel heavy and there is numbness and swelling.
3. Painful (Cold) Bi Syndrome: Severe pain in one part, or over one
half of
the body which becomes worse with cold and diminishes with warmth.
4. Heat Bi Syndrome: The flesh is hot, the area of pain is red and
swollen,
and the pain increases upon contact.
The type of Bi Syndrome the arthritis falls into will determine
which
acupuncture points and other treatment options will be utilized. The
purpose of acupuncture is to trigger your body's innate ability to
self
heal. Treatments take all of your symptoms into account and are
aimed at
balancing the energy within the body, increasing the flow of qi and
blood
to the affected area, bringing down swelling and inflammation,
relieving
pain, and helping to prevent re-occurrence of the arthritis.
If you have arthritis and would like to learn more about how
acupuncture
can help, call now for a consultation.
Studies
on Acupuncture for Arthritis
Studies show that
acupuncture can stimulate the production of hormones that reduce
pain and
inflammation.
In a German study, 3,500 people with osteoarthritis of the hip
and/or knee
received 15 sessions of acupuncture combined with their usual
medical care.
The results showed that the patients that had acupuncture had less
pain and
stiffness, improved function and better quality of life than their
counterparts who had routine care alone. The improvements occurred
immediately after completing a three-month course of acupuncture and
lasted
for at least another three months, indicating osteoarthritis is
among
conditions treated with acupuncture.
Another study, published in the journal Pain, looked at the
effects
of acupuncture among 40 adults with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Among the
patients in the study, those who had a daily acupuncture session for
10
consecutive days reported greater improvement in their pain compared
with
patients who received a "sham" version of the therapy.
Resources:
Pain Online, December 15, 2009.
Arthritis & Rheumatism, November 2006; vol 54: pp
3485-349
It is not too
late to join the
supported Group Detox program
Sign
up to join our supported group detox program. Enrollment is ongoing.
Spring
is the optimal time to detox the liver. This program runs four
weeks,
includes a daily drink which supports liver function and intestinal
health,
weekly practitioner visits with abdominal massage and a practitioner
supervised yahoo group for community support, sharing recipes,
experiences
and questions. Because of the chemical load in our environment and
the
quality of our food supply, John recommends a focused detoxification
program at least twice a year.
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In This Issue
·
Acupuncture
for Arthritis
·
Studies on
Acupuncture for Arthritis
·
Anti-inflammatory
Diet
Anti-inflammatory Diet
Your diet plays a
crucial role in helping you avoid or control arthritis.
The first objective of a healthy diet is to help you lose weight if
you are
overweight. Being overweight can cause additional stress to your
joints.
Another way a balanced, varied diet can help ease the pain of
arthritis is
by providing vitamins and minerals that keep your joints healthy and
avoiding “damp” foods such as dairy products and greasy or spicy
foods.
Here are some other healthy and delicious choices to include in
your
diet.
• Ginger - Ginger has been found to be a natural
anti-inflammatory.
make tea by combining one-half teaspoon of grated ginger root with
eight
ounces of boiling water. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then
strain
and add honey to taste.
• Fresh pineapple - Bromelain, an enzyme in pineapple,
reduces
inflammation. Be sure the pineapple is fresh, not canned or frozen.
• Cherries - Recent research has shown that tart cherries are
an
excellent source of nutrients that may help to reduce joint pain and
inflammation related to arthritis.
• Fish - Cold-water fish such as salmon and mackerel contain
omega-3
fatty acids, which help keep joints healthy as well as reduce pain
and
swelling. If you don't care for fish, consider supplementing your
diet with
fish oil capsules.
• Turmeric - Another natural anti-inflammatory. You can
sprinkle
turmeric on scrambled eggs, add it to soups, or mix it into sauces
or salad
dressings.
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