My "roaming arthritis" has come back after several years of leaving me alone. So far it only affects small joints -- fingers and toes. I've tried Aspercreme, IcyHot lidocaine cream, and Capzasin, all with no relief. Does anyone have other suggestions?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Arnica gel?
Posted by gz (Member # 43818) on :
Epsom salt soaks can be good pain relief, they help with magnesium levels too.
I've been reading about boron lately, it is said be very good for relieving arthritis, might be something to look into.
Posted by SLH516 (Member # 48060) on :
Arnica gel hasn't helped either -- forgot to list that. I'll give the Epsom salts a try and google boron. Thanks.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- gz's suggestion for magnesium - well, if Epson salts aren't enough for you, be sure to get magnesium in some other form. It's the first thing to consider. 3-4 x day, not all at once. And the right kind matters.
What are you doing from the inside out? Topical relief only goes so far when the trouble is deep inside.
Turmeric / curcumin capsules (to reach therapeutic dose) often help. I find Berberine to help tremendously with joint & muscle relief.
Avoiding gluten, too. Gluten (for some people) can cause tremendous pain - and damage - to joints. the inflammation connection.
Other dietary assessments might be helpful: dairy, corn . . . oxalates. Pay attention to see if any particular foods might "talk to you"
Cayenne can be a helpful thing, too, either in your food (if you can handle a little heat) or in CAPSULE FORM.
Organic foods are also best - as farm chemicals can really zoom up inflammation in the body.
Liver support is essential, too - again, inflammation is involved. As a stress or overloaded liver (or kidneys) can cause all kinds of pain in joints, too. Milk Thistle is a good basic. See the One Earth website below for a chapter on this.
of course, if tick borne infection is the underlying cause direct / assertive treatment for each / all of those matters yet these other things can help along the way, too.
And, if nerve issues are more a problem than inflammation, magnesium is still key there yet a medical mushroom called LION'S MANE can also be of some help to nerve health.
If this is with your hands / fingers, a wrist brace (like used with carpal tunnel issues) can help at night or when using your hands. -
[ 05-28-2016, 04:36 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
Look up Turmeric / Curcumin at site below. Then Prickly Ash Bark, Ginger . . . .
Though not at all about lyme, this is one of the best reference resources on my bookshelf that has wonderful chapters, many graciously available through their website.
The ONE EARTH HERBAL SOURCEBOOK (Tillotson, et al) -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Behavior. Look at what your joints go through each day, with each task. Assess your ergonomics, etc. You might need to adapt certain tools or habits.
FELDENKRAIS TECHNIQUE - body awareness, movement education
Google: SUGRU - it's a moldable rubber that can help make some items easier to hold / use.
Consider massage or PT - the kinds of ultrasound that PTs use can be VERY helpful.
Sometimes, the massage would not be to the actual painful joint but to a point that is tied to.
You might learn the kinds of self massage or acupressure for your situation. Acupuncture, too (needles usually do not go into the painful joint but to a corresponding point).
Tai Chi &/or Qigong - you can do this kind of movement even just sitting or lying. Start even with your hands & arms to just do a gentle dance of sorts. Good to get them moving without any stress of lifting. Breathe in and out slowly, rhythmically to your hand movements. -
[ 05-28-2016, 05:10 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I take capsules of turmeric to reduce joint and muscle pain. I get the turmeric in bulk at the health food store and dip empty 00-size capsules into it. Works pretty quickly to reduce the pain.
[ 06-02-2016, 05:12 AM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by SLH516 (Member # 48060) on :
Robin123, how many caps do you take?
Posted by bluelyme (Member # 47170) on :
Iv curcumin (main ingredient in tumeric )helped a bit ...has some antiparasite anti cancerginic action but can be hard on liver .
The venom cream venex was so good i uppednit upped it to full stings on evey major joint ...ones that hurt most swell the most get the most relief after 2 days pain ...my buddy uses a cannabis salve says he hets 2 day relief
Posted by LilaLee* (Member # 43649) on :
I too have migrating Arthritis, tried Boron (didn't help), tried Curcumin (nothing), topical Voltaren (not really), and ultimately have a arrived at a daily dose of 75mg of Voltaren. It can be taken at this dose twice daily but i only do that if the aching is really out of hand and then only for a couple days or it makes me dizzy.
And, have figured out 4pm is the ideal time to take it so it is still fully loaded when wake up (the super stiff time) and good coverage at bedtime.
Good luck:) Hopefully one of the other topicals will work but in the event that they don't, maybe the V will.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
IV curcumin? Huh?
Posted by bluelyme (Member # 47170) on :
Yea got the idea from here where a young romainian girl was treating and had bad vasculitis did theraputic doses and hbot and recovered ...i saw a cancer guy get it at the lyme clinic next town over and tried when i could afford ... it did dehydrate me but everything does..and i could feel inflamation going down or bugs dying in heart area. It is said to have anti babs ...stained tubing orange so i imagine its vasoprotrctive too... They use a compounding pharm outta arizona .pm if you want name jic ...
Posted by Bam (Member # 47540) on :
I read about a home recipe for arthritis that's gotten a lot of positive press, so I decided to try it.
The formula is 1 tbs apple cider vinegar (the kind with the mother)and 1 tbs honey, 2-3 times a day. This was too sweet for me and I deal with candida, so I reduced the honey to 1 tsp, even less.
To my amazement, after 10 days the achiness and swelling in my fingers went away, as well as my knee.
I stopped for a bit, and the achiness came back, so I resumed. Now I'm trying it with lemon instead of the vinegar, sipping it often over the course of the day. Hope this helps you too.
FYI, I don't have lyme so the joint pain isn't related to that. I'm on this forum as my daughter is getting treatment now.
Posted by SLH516 (Member # 48060) on :
Bam, if you find the lemon juice works as well, let me know.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
penetrex cream. nothing else seems to work. alot of stuff irritates my stomach.
Posted by makaka (Member # 48051) on :
volterin with scripts. Europe it's over the counter. my doc has a 5% made for me.
Posted by Eljay (Member # 48099) on :
quote:Originally posted by gz: Epsom salt soaks can be good pain relief, they help with magnesium levels too.
Please clarify... when you say they help with magnesium levels, is that help in increassing, maintaining or reducing magnesium levels?
My son is still in the diagnosis phase (well, *I'm* sure he has Bartonella & Lyme, but the doctors haven't figured it out yet). He was taking 800 mg/day of Magnesium Oxide to help with the migraines, for about six months, until we were told that the reason he had constant diarrhea for the last five months was from the magnesium.
I did take him in for dx about two months in and - I kid you not - his doctor said that the reason he had diarrhea was that he was constipated... and put him on a course of laxatives.
Anyhow... we've stopped the MagOx and he's taking B2 for migraines. What does the epsom salt do for magnesium?
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Epsom Salt is magnesium sulfate, containing magnesium, sulfur and oxygen. So, when you soak in it, you absorb magnesium through your skin.
This way, you are adding to the magnesium levels in your body.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Eljay, did the magnesium oxide help with the migraines?
Also, different types of magnesium have different absorption rates. Mag Oxide is poorly absorbed, so chances are your son wasn't really getting much magnesium into his system. He was just getting the side effect of diarrhea.
If you want him to get more magnesium, try a chelated magnesium.
See this quote:
"Magnesium glycinate is a chelated form of magnesium that tends to provide the highest levels of absorption and bioavailability and is typically considered ideal for those who are trying to correct a deficiency."
When I once went to a neurologist who thought I might be suffering from migraine, he told me to buy chelated magnesium. So, that is another doctor's opinion saying that chelated mag is the mag your son should take.
It is sold at Whole Foods and at health food stores. It can also cause loose stools, so take it 2-3 times throughout the day rather than one large dose. That should help with the loose stools.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
quote:Originally posted by SLH516: Robin123, how many caps do you take?
I usually take one in the first part of the day and one at the end of the day. I don't think there's any limit on taking turmeric.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
As long as your stomach can handle it. It does lower the DAO enzyme which helps clear histamine in the body .. that can become an issue.