Arthritis and natural treatments

By * Dr Van Snick - Brussels

The most frequent arthritis is the rheumatoid polyarthritis

Also called ECP Evolutionary chronic polyarthritis the rheumatoid polyarthritis causes inflammation throughout the body, which distinguishes it from arthrosis.

The articulations of the hands, wrists and feet are often affected first and become deformed. The pain is mainly nocturnal. It often takes half an hour to relax the joints in the morning. The joints are swollen.

Often the disease begins in early adulthood, it is probably of origin autoimmune and activated by a receptive genetics.

The food and the negative habits aggravate the expression, especially tobacco.

This disease affects 0.5% to 1% of the western population, and twice as many women as men.

Blood tests or genetic analyses confirmed the diagnosis often visible also in the radiography.

Biologically, this inflammatory syndrome appears essentially in the blood tests.  They showed an increased sedimentation rate (ESR) and / or the presence of markers of inflammation such as C reactive protein, haptoglobin control of chronic inflammation - fibrinogen and alpha-2 globulin and the orosomucoid, alpha1-antitrypsin, alpha 1 anti-chymotrypsin, serum protein A, which are inflammatory proteins.

Other forms of arthritis are also common

Infectious Arthritis can arise when an infection reaches directly a joint and causes inflammation.

Reactive arthritis also appears following an infection, but it occurs somewhere else in the body, at a distance.

Juvenile arthritis is a rare form of rheumatoid polyarthritis which arises at the child's and the teenagers, it often eases with the age.

Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by hardening of the skin, which can affect the joints and cause the typical symptoms of arthritis.

Ankylosing spondylitis arthritis is a chronic inflammation of the joints of the vertebrae of the back that gradually expands and causes stiffness and pain in the back, chest and hips, called bamboo column. It is particularly invalidating and painful.

Sjögren syndrom  is a serious autoimmune disease, it causes chronic inflammation of connective tissue and often accompanied by rheumatoid polyarthritis.

Exceptionally some skin diseases such as psoriasis, may give, in addition to cutaneous and digestive problems, joint damage like arthritis that will be set in its context of systemic disease to be treated and which shows the links between different organs of an individual. We are in a real coverage of the biological ground.

Substances involved in inflammation, arthritis

The substances involved in inflammation are numerous.

Prostaglandins plays a role in mediating cell activity and in many processes related to inflammation.

Histamine is a chemical mediator of immediate hypersensitivity, it is secreted by white blood cells, basophils polynuclears, and mast cells, and then released when the hypersensitivity reaction. It is responsible for the redness.

Complement is a system established by enzymes made from proteins. He participates in the immunizing reactions antigen antibody, and plays a very important role in the destruction of antigens.

Cytokines are a glycoprotein secreted by lymphocytes and macrophages, which are the defense cells of the body responsible for absorbing foreign particles. They are involved in the development and regulation of the immune system, they ensure the defense of the body against cancers and microbial germs. They have for essential function to modulate the immunizing reactions.

Natural treatments for arthritis

Most of the arthritic diseases are chronic.

They are characterized by pain, joint destruction, loss of mobility and muscle wasting.

The treatment will take care of the inflammation, pain and possibly fight against the causes of departure (ex: excessive antibodies)

Many plants have an anti-oxidizing, anti-inflammatory and painkiller action. We shall treat here only with a few plants which in our experience have brought relief of inflammation.

They are united in adapted and synergic concentrations in ArthrInflam :

• Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) : Boswellic acid shows an anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting lipoxygenase and leucotriene synthesis
• Ginger (Zinziber officinalis) reduces knee pain in several significant studies. Its anti-inflammatory effect is due to inhibition of the cyclo-oxygenase enzyme and lipoxygenase.
• Cat's claw (Uncaria tomentosa) has an anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting prostaglandin E2 and the "tumor necrosis factor-alpha". Its action on mobility and pain of the knee arthritis is recognized.
• Glycine Betaine Basis  for its action to stimulate the natural production of s-adenosylmethionine : classically called SAMe, it is deemed active in depression. But recent published studies show a significant action on the pain of arthritis by acting on neurotransmitters. Besides, it stimulates the synthesis of cartilage proteoglycans. It reduces the inductors of cytokine and inhibits in a effective way the COX-2. To facilitate its natural production by a sufficient supply of Glycine Betaine Base will be more economic but also more effective than an external input because of a direct assimilation and thus physiological
• Tumeric (Curcuma longa) decrease the symptoms of polyarthritis also by inhibiting the COX-2, the prostaglandins and the leukotrienes.

In addition to the natural treatment of arthritis...

The authors of a synthesis published in 2003 identified at least 13 clinical trials conducted with 567 subjects. The results indicate that omega-3 may relieve some symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis including morning steepness. A recent study published in Nature in October 2009, confirm their action in polyarthritis, they would allow  to reduce the dosage of anti-inflammatory drugs. The mechanism transforms an Omega 3 into Resolvin D2, molecule particularly effective in inflammation. The beneficial effect may take up to three months before manifesting itself.

• Omega Océan concentrate of fish oil rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA 310 mg) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA 210 mg). Vitamin E (10 mg)

A healthy lifestyle is essential in the treatment of joint inflammations.
Rest, relaxation and sleep are important. Some studies show that the first weapon against arthritis pain is rest. Breathing exercises, mental management techniques, relaxation and meditation are so many manners to help the body reach the relaxation especially for people sensitive to stress, anxiety and nervous fatigue.