NATURAL REMEDIES FOR ARTHRITIS

Arthritis is a disorder of the joints. The term "arthritis” comes from two Greek words, "Arthon" which means joint and "Itis", which means inflammation.  Arthritis, then, means inflammation of the joints.  There are over one hundred types of joint disorders, though they are all related.  They are characterized by pain, swelling and stiffness and, at times, deformity.

Rheumatism is another word often used for arthritis.  However, its meaning is rather vague and means different things to different people.  In Nigeria, the term is used for various aches and pains in muscles and joints as well as for pains in general.

What is a Joint?

A joint is where two bones meet.  There are two categories of joints, namely: Immobile and mobile joints.

Immobile joints:
These refer to the inflexible and semi-flexible joints of the body. These joints do not move much as they have no cavity, for example, the head and spinal cord.  These joints are technically called Diarthrosis.

Mobile Joints:
These are the flexible joints of the body.  For example, the shoulder, knee, wrist, toe, finger, etc.  They all have a cavity.  These joints are called diarthrosis.

Types of Arthritis

There are two main types of arthritis, namely osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

 1.  Osteoarthritis

This is the most common type of arthritis.  It is degeneration or wearing out of a joint due to old age, over-exertion or injury.   Osteoarthritis affects the mobile joints of the body.

Causes of Osteoarthritis
Let us differentiate two kinds of osteoarthritis:  primary and secondary.  Primary osteoarthritis occurs when joint degeneration sets on its own without any abnormal or apparent cause. Secondary osteoarthritis is that which has a known cause. The causes can be any or all of the following:

Heredity:
Osteoarthritis can be hereditary when parents pass on to their children genes, which dispose them to a certain degeneration of the joint

Excessive Stress:
If a joint is dislocated or injured and yet is still being exerted, arthritis may occur.

Previous Damage:
Untreated dislocation or half-treated fracture will eventually lead to arthritis. Athletes who engage in physical exertions are often tempted to manage a dislocation or fracture. The eventual result is arthritis.

Over-weight:
Accumulation of excess calories add more weight to the body.  Extra body weight puts too much stress on the hips and knees. The result is arthritis.

Occupation:
One's occupation plays a major role not only in the development of arthritis but the quality of one's health in general. Those who stand for long hours every day are prone to pain on the knees. Those whose occupation requires lifting heavy objects or sit for long a stretch of time every day are prone to waist pain, technically called lumbago.

2.  Rheumatoid Arthritis

The second type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis.  It is an inflammation of the same joints on the two sides of the body. For example, the same pain experienced on say the right knee or shoulder is also experienced on the left. The symptoms tend to come and go. 

Rheumatoid arthritis is very common these days of processed and artificial food and drinks. It affects both the young and old, even infants.  It is more common between the ages of 25 and 55.

Causes of Rheumatoid Arthritis

There is no uniform agreement about the causes of rheumatoid arthritis. Below are some of the possible causes, over and above the ones already mentioned.

1. Viruses:
   Some scientists have proposed that rheumatoid arthritis can be caused by some kind of infection by viruses, leading to an inflammation of the joints. These viruses are peculiar and live in the body for a long time undetected before their influence is felt.
2. Immuno-deficiency Syndrome:
   This refers to a condition whereby the anti-bodies that are meant to fight against foreign agents in the body begin to attack the tissues of the joint as well, causing inflammation and pain.

Symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis usually begins with pain and stiffness in one or two joints, mostly the hands and feet. Initially, the pain comes and goes. It is often worse on waking up in the morning but wears off during the day. Gradually the pain becomes intense with constant swelling and inflammation in the joints.  Moving or touching the joints becomes painful. 

Arthritis may soon spread to other parts of the body such as the elbows, knees, hips, waist, ankles, shoulders and neck. The person affected feels generally weak, tired, feverish and pale. The eyes become dry due to a reduction of tears. The mouth also becomes dry due to a reduction of salivary fluid, leading to a lack of appetite, followed by weight loss.

Managing Arthritis

In treating arthritis, the aims are:

1. To strengthen the bones
2. Repair damaged joint tissues
3. Strengthen the weak joint tissues
4. Strengthen the immune system against bacteria and viruses
5. Eradicate the symptoms.

To achieve these aims, diet is very important. Processed or refined food and drinks like sugar, biscuits and ice-cream must be avoided. Stop taking coffee.  Smoking and alcohol of all kinds must be avoided.

Take plenty of water, especially on rising daily. Try to take nothing except water and fruits for breakfast.

Herbal recipes for Arthritis

FORMULA I

Materials:

A.  One bottle of lime juice

B.  One bottle of grape juice

C.  One bottle of honey

Recipe:
Mix all together

Dosage:
1 shot twice daily for two weeks.

Side Effect:
Intestinal pain for ulcer patients.  Should not be taken by ulcer patients.

FORMULA II

Materials:

A.  Six handfuls Pineapple peel

B  .Six handfuls Lemon peel

C.  Six handfuls Peel of unripe pawpaw.

D.  Ten bottles of water

Recipe:
Bring A, B and C to boil in D.

Dosage:
1 glass 3ice daily.

If you are too busy to prepare your recipes or you prefer to use our Pax products, I have recommended the three most important products here for you.

1. Paxherbal ASB Powder
   It is an extract from three African plants. At Paxherbals, we do not hide the ingredients in our products.
2. Paxherbal Pain cream
   This was first produced before 2003 (over 15 years ago), and we have a good record of its effectiveness.
3. The Paxherbal Logotine
   A liquid painkiller and anti-inflammation medicine was first produced some 20 years ago and has helped so many people with painful joints, chronic arthritis and rheumatism.