Sure Remady and Osteoarthritis

The old phrase, "You can’t win for losing," has a lot of meaning for some people taking medications. Many times, taking medicine for one problem only seems to create new problems. If you suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee, this could very well be true for you.

Many doctors treat the pain that comes from osteoarthritis of the knee with large doses of anti-inflammatory drugs. However, that pain is not always caused by inflammation of the joint Sometimes the joint pain can come from other causes, such as stretching the joint ligaments, muscle spasms near the joint, microscopic fractures of the bones in the joint, or simple bone irritation due to the formation of scar tissue. If the pain is not caused by inflammation, then treatment with high doses of anti-inflammatory drugs is obviously not necessary.

The problem with using large doses of anti-inflammatory drugs is that those drugs frequently cause negative side effects, such as nausea, stomach irritation and ulcers. Using simple pain relief drugs often can help remove the discomfort of osteoarthritis of the knee without causing the negative side effects. Researchers recently tested the effectiveness of simple pain relievers that did not contain anti-inflammatory agents and compared the results with pain relief from anti-inflammatory drugs. About 200 people who suffered from knee-joint pain associated with osteoarthritis participated in the study.

Half of the people took daily doses of 4,000 milligrams of acetaminophen ( a very weak anti-inflammatory agent), and the other half took less than 2,500 milligrams of ibuprofen (an antiinflammatory drug) daily.

After four weeks of therapy, each group reported a 10 to 12 percent reduction in joint pain - both types of pain medicine helped relieve the pain and discomfort. However, the group taking the ibuprofen (the anti-inflammatory drug) reported more nausea, stomach upset and bloody bowel movements.

The results of the test indicated that simple pain medications without anti-inflammatory agents were effective in relieving some of the joint pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee without causing the negative side effects. Since some of the pain that comes with osteoarthritis of the knee is caused by inflammation, the researchers suggest starting with a pain reliever like acetaminophen, and if no improvements result, then try a pain reliever with an anti-inflammatory agent Ask your doctor which pain relievers are best for you.

MEDICAL SOURCE —————Emergency Medicine (24,1:104)

The ‘angel’ herb soothes arthritis

According to legend, this herb was given to humans by angels as a cure for the plague, and so it got its name, Angelica. It is a tall member of the parsley family, and many people use it as an attractive border around their herb gardens. But it can do more than border the garden. Angelica has been used in folk medicine as an expectorant cough medicine, a diuretic, an antiflatulent, and even a remedy for rheumatism.

Today, the herb is available commercially in the form of candied or crystallized stems. You can use the dry leaves to make herbal teas or as scent in your potpourri basket The leaves and stalks make marvelous cake decorations, and when cooked with rhubarb, Angelica helps reduce the tartness from the rhubarb.

MEDICAL SOURCE —————The Lawrence Review of Natural Products (February 1988)

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