Arthritis Treated with Alternative Medicine

Reading this headline one might be forgiven for thinking that lymphoma is a natural progression of rheumatoid arthritis, not to mention the fear that this type of headline might engender.

Further research has enlightened me as to why lymphoma might be associated with arthritis. It appears that a number of people who have been prescribed methotrexate have developed lymphoma, and when the drug was withdrawn, the lymphoma regressed.

An article in Science Daily reported that: ” Two years or more of oral steroid treatment decreases the risk of rheumatoid arthritis related lymphoma”. Really? You may manage to avoid lymphoma, but what might be the consequences of long term ingestion of steriods?

Here are some of the possible side effects: Acne, blurred vision, cataracts or glaucoma, easy bruising, difficulty sleeping, high blood pressure,increased appetite, weight gain,increased growth of body hair,lower resistance to infection, muscle weakness,nervousness, restlessness,osteoporosis,stomach irritation,sudden mood swings, swollen puffy face (moonface) water retention, often referred to as a Humpty Dumpty appearance, worsening of diabetes, stretch marks, and wounds, ulcers, sores, which refuse to heal. All of this to avoid the possibility of lymphoma which is not normally associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

The treatment seems far worse than the original rheumatoid arthritis, not to make light of such a painful and debilitating disease.

“July 18th issue of the British Medical Journal, the study authors recommend “potent immunosuppressive treatment” for patients with rheumatoid arthritis to both treat their disease and to prevent against the development of lymphoma”.

The often used methotrexate is one of those ” potent immunosuppressive treatments” The possible side effects of this drug and others like it: Methotrexate has some possible very serious side effects attached to it, here are some: liver damage, lung damage,kidney damage, may cause a decrease in the number of blood cells, anemia, or othere problems with blood cells.Possible intestinal damage, a severe rash which may be life threatening, a decrease the activity of the immune system and result in severe infections. ” taking methotrexate may increase the risk that you will develop lymphoma”.Reference: MedlinePlus.

It’s hard to understand why mainstream medicine is so reluctant to credit cod liver oil as a treatment for arthritis. Around forty years ago there was a book on the market about the benefits of cod liver oil treatment for arthritis. Cod liver oil is a rich source of Vitamin A and D, and it’s also a very rich source of 0mega-3, sounds great, so why aren’t more arthritis sufferers taking it??

June 14 issue of Science reports on a study done by a team at the La Jolla Institute for Allergy & Immunology in California . A substance found in vitamin A, retinoic acid, may fight auto immune and inflammatory disorders, they are optimistic that the results of their experiments may lead to new discoveries for the treatment of these diseases.

If you take cod liver oil you have the benefits of the omega-3, and the benefit of vitamin A and D. Why would you want to wait for further developments re this new discovery to treat your arthritis? Many arthritis sufferers are ingesting toxic drugs on a daily basis to suppress their symptoms, but at what cost to their health?

A young track star’s death has been blamed on her over enthusiastic use of pain creams containing methyl salicylate, which is an ingredient in Ben Gay, Tiger Balm and Icy Hot. People who suffer from arthritic pains may be at risk if they use these creams too often, apply too vigorously, or apply them to large areas of their bodies. Any prescription medication taken while using these creams, may further increase the risk to health as a result of drug interaction.

This young track star was using more than one type of cream to relieve her muscle pain, so it’s unclear exactly what may have caused the death, this is the first death attributed to the overuse of muscle creams.

Although this is the only reported case of death from the external application of methyl salicylate , it is far better to err on the side of caution and follow the directions for use on the tube. It also appears that the warning of possible dangers from the overuse of these creams is not clear enough.

Be warned, more is not better when using this product, use sparingly. If you are taking prescription drugs, consult your doctor first before using pain creams.