Naturopathy Treatment for Arthritis, Rheumatism, Prevention and Treatment – 2

Arthritis/Rheumatism – Prevention and Treatment – Page 2

Arthritis Prevention – Loss Excess Weight

The heavier you are, the more work the back has to do. Since the excess weight is carried in front of the stomach area, it places additional strain on the low back, as it pulls forward, making your muscles work hard to keep you upright.

Arthrtis / Rheumatism Treatment – POSTURE

Correct posture is vital for the prevention of arthritis. Self-assessment of poor and imbalanced posture involving the tight muscles in the low back and neck can be done while sitting, standing, lying down, lifting etc. Sleep on a hard bed with a firm but comfortable mattress. The correct pillow is important. The spine should be straight from the head to the pelvic region (no bend). Sit upright and use some support, if necessary, such as a cushion in the low back and neck. Strong abdominal muscles keep the stomach from sagging forward. Sagging imposes dangerous stress on the lower or lumbar region of the spine. Weakness of abdominal muscles is one of the most common causes of back pain. While sleeping there should not be much body movement like twisting and turning. No support should be given to the lower back thus allowing maintenance of the normal hollow in the low back. A special pillow should be used to support the head, so that it does not drop below the shoulder. For those suffering from backache, the prone or ‘on the stomach’ sleeping position is not recommended, since it tends to extend and strain the back.

OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS – People with sedentary habits must realize the adverse effects of just sitting, lack of exercises, tension/stress, etc. and cultivate the habit of moving about, stretching the neck, shoulders, walking briskly/playing games/doing lot of exercises like Yoga. Avoid standing for long and bending forward with a jerk or lifting weight. As you get older, keep our spine mobile through changing postures, regular exercises, warmth and massage. You may also use neck collar and sacroiliac belt in case of severe pain of cervical and lumbar spondylosis and in the low back area. We pay a high price for sedentary living both in terms of back pain (commonly caused by inadequate musculature) and overall health.

TRACTION – Stretches the spine along its length and moves the vertebrae thus taking pressure off the discs. Traction can be mechanical i.e. with the help of equipments or manual, i.e. while lying down, the other person holds both ankles, pulling lengthwise, moderately and slightly upwards 30 seconds of pulling and 30 seconds of remaining idle – repeat 10 times). Or, fix a rod or a piece of strong 30 mm diameter pipe on your door frame, hold in your hands and hang, stretching the whole body and spine downward (with weight hanging on the arms) Do this 3 to 6 times, for 30 seconds each time every day.

Arthritis/Rheumatism – Prevention and Treatment

MANIPULATION – This treatment should be taken only from qualified and trained Osteopaths and Chiropractors to avoid severe damages.

INJECTION Treatment – are not of any help, though many doctors claim to achieve a variety of effects through their use.

ACUPUNCTURE Treatment – does help in some cases of back and neck pain, specially when used to relieve spasms of back muscle; if you believe in it, you can consider consulting a trained acupuncturist.

MAGNETIC BELT Treatment – may be used for 30-60 minutes intermittently, though it provides only symptomatic relief.

Arthritis/Rheumatism – Diet, Uric Acid and Gouty Arthritis 

This is, in fact, the most important factor to control and cure and any disease. Avoid or reduce sugar, white flour, fried, refined or processed food, additive such as coloring, flavoring, preservatives and vinegar, alcohol, salt, coffee, cola chocolate, cakes, biscuits, ice cream, canned fruit or juice, citrus fruits butter milk etc.

>>>Diet, Uric Acid and Gouty Arthritis