osteo-arthritis

[Geranium]

A friend has just has osteo-arthritis diagnosed in the UK but with no suggestion as to how to treat it or to cope with the pain she has. Does anyone here have this and can you say what treatment you have received here?  I'm hoping I can give her some suggestions. 

[Sunday Driver]

If you do a Google search, you'll come up with dozens of sites giving information and support.

My wife has OA (very bad in the knees) and her treatment in the UK was basically limited to some ineffective suppressants and ibuprofen.  When we arrived in France, we asked our new GP about the possibility of treating her with Sinvic injections and he concurred, referring her to a local specialist.  Sinvic is a form of lubricant that's injected into the joints - three injections over a three week period, repeated annually.  Its success rate is stated as being 50:50 but in my wife's case, it hasn't really worked.  Trouble is, she's too young to have knee joint replacements.  She's now back on the suppressants (Structum), supplemented by paracetamol every four hours......

 

[Owen]

Hello,

Thermal cures are common here in France with over 100 centres throughout the country. They are used in the treatment of all sorts of conditions. Furthermore it is possible to obtain a level of cover from the CPAM if the cure is recommended by your doctor.

Regards

Owen

[email protected]

[Teamedup]

For those who don't know Structum is chondroitin and is reimbursed by the secu.

 

[Teamedup]

double post

[powerdesal]

This may not be relevant but.... My wife has just done about two months on a  daily dose of 1500mg of glucosamine plus 2 x 1000mg MSM daily. She can now sleep through a complete night and can definitely feel the difference. I cant quantify this but I dont think she is taking as many painkillers as before (paracetamol).

Be careful of Ibuprofen, if NOT taken after food it can lead to a stomach ulcer ( fact, it did!!)

We haven't tried choindrotin yet but its in the future plan.

[Bluebells]

Having been involved in a very serious incident many years ago and having suffered amongs other things o-s in my knees for many years, I avoid as much as possible all pain killers / anti inflamatories and by far the best thing I have found is exercise (strictly non weight bearing) this had been recommended to me by many consultants I have seen over the years and the best I have found was Water Aerobics, it is generally taught in chest depth water and gives an all over workout without the stress on the joints, increasing strength and mobility, it was taught to me at Headley Court the military reabilitation centre,  ask your medicin and give it a go, the results for my conditions were amazing.  I would also support Owen's thought on the thermal or hydro pool, in lovely hot water but doing exercise again for mobility and strength.  Best of luck

[Bluebells]

oh and one more thing, if you sleep on your side, put a pillow between your knees - believe me you will feel the diference - bon chance

[Geranium]

Many thanks for the suggestions so far which I have passed on. One problem though (as far as excercise goes), she has it in her thumb!  She says the pain is agony and I believe the doctor told her not to use it!  But then he didn't give her any other advice or help either.

[Poppy]

I suffered for years, two years in real agony with OA in the knees. Did an internet search last year and found apple cider vinegar and honey. The suggested dosage was two teaspoons of each in a glass of water three times per day but I have only had one dose a day and the results are amazing. I think you can also make poultices for direct application. I don't have any pain now and it has also cured my husbands tennis elbow, which prevented him working but he his back at work now. It did take a few months but I can't believe the difference. It has even cured my sister who was housebound with ME and had a particular problem with the hands.

 I am not usually taken in by miracle cures but my thoughts were it is a completely natural remedy and none of the internet sites wanted money.Great side effect was reduction in blood pressure.

Have mentioned it to lots of people and got 'the look' but all I can say is it worked for us and I'm so glad it did [:D]

[verviale]

I will tell you my story, which may be of help it certainly has transformed my life,the disease is in the family and I have inherited it but at 48 years old last year, I did not want to give into taking drugs yet.Last summer in France when I got out of bed in the mornings I could hardly walk,my O.H. was quite shocked when he came over for his holiday how much I had deteriated since I had come to France two months previous.When I returned to England in September I gradually improved still lots of joint pain but not nearly as bad as in France.So I began researching on the internet and came accross information that said alcahol can aggrevate the disease and in some cases make it a lot worse, there is a clear medical explaination but I will not go into that.Anyway realising that I drink far more in France than at home made me think, was there a connection with my condition, so last October I gave up alcahol in the week and only had a moderate drink on a Friday night,well the results were amazing, the joint pain got less and less and by Christmas I felt the best I had felt for years, I have had the odd blow out and it has not made any difference, so it was just a case of getting out of that habbit of a daily drink.After Christmas I also discovered by a process of elimination that I have a yeast inbalance , probably on the border line of having the disease candida, again I cut all yeast foods out of my diet and my arthritis has improved even more .1 in 3 people have this silent disease and it can worsen your arthritis.When I look back on it, I eat a huge amount of cheese in France and mushrooms, it is anything that contains mold.I am not saying I now never eat cheese,but I have it as a treat now, it is a shame because cheese and wine are my very favourites,but it has transfromed my life, I feel as though I have got it back again.I think the disease will get the better of me as I get older, but I feel I have improved so much without the aid of drugs and it has certainly worked for me.

[Poppy]

Verviale you might be on the right track. As well as the cidervinegar/honey potion I did stop my  daily tipple which was purely spirits. I did also consume previously an awful lot of cheese but decided to go on a diet at the same time. It's starting to get mind boggling but I do know that husband and sister who benefited from cv /honey, only drink wine, no spirits and very little cheese.

Hope this helps [8-)]

[verviale]

If you want to know if you have candida, there is a simple test, you take a clear glass of water gather some saliva in your mouth and spit into the glass, if the saliva falls to the bottom in strands and dots, you probably most certainly have candida, if your saliva floats nicely on the top you are healthy, it is a test that works best when you first get up in the morning,it has been used for years and apart from a medical test is the most reliable.I realise I have had this for years as I get unexplained rashes when I am in France, I feel itchy and my hayfever is worse.It certainly must have been the cheese as I eat it every day in France, plus a nice glass of pression when we are out and not to mention french bread, all foods with yeast, I am not saying to cut them out altogether, but if you have any of the symptons and you think you may have candida, then cutting down will only help.My Doctor in the U.K. was not in the least bit interested and I was careful not to go in with a self diagnosis, so if you think you have it, you have to insist on a test, there are antibiotics, but they can ruin your good bacteria, so doing it the natural way seems best.A vitamin tablet with a priobotic helps and zinc so I understand.Anyway I will see what a different summer I have this year, I am very confident it will be quite a different one.By the way vinegar and wine have yeast in them.