According to an article on medicalnewstoday.com it has been found that a substance naturally occuring in pine bark, Pycnogenol, reduced pain by as much as 43% in a trial involving 35 volunteers suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee. It also reduced stiffness by 35%.
That sounds pretty impressive to me, and as a fan of the use of naturally occurring substances to control and relieve pain I look forward to furthur developments.
You do have to wonder how these things are found. I mean did someone just decide to have a chew on a tree because they were in pain?
If you want to check out the full article, and it is fascinating, click here.
Thursday, 30 August 2012
Saturday, 25 August 2012
Alcohol as a Remedy for Back Pain
Here’s an interesting little snippet I found on wddty.com. As you may know (if you didn't you do now) as well as red wine I am partial to the odd glass of cider, not that processed stuff whose name I won’t mention, but is advertised heavily and has never seen an apple in it’s life. But the proper article, again I am fortunate in having two local establishments within walking distance, one serving Stowford Press, and the other Aspells, lovely stuff.
Right, the point is that in this short piece it mentions that research done at Leiden University in the Netherlands has proved that people who drink alcohol regularly are are far less likely to suffer from any type of arthritis, but rheumatoid arthritis in particular, where the risk was lowered from between 30% to an amazing 99%.
Alcohol as a remedy for back pain, whatever next? Click here if you want to read it, you need to join the site, but it's free and there's some good stuff there. I’m off to the pub. Until next time.
Right, the point is that in this short piece it mentions that research done at Leiden University in the Netherlands has proved that people who drink alcohol regularly are are far less likely to suffer from any type of arthritis, but rheumatoid arthritis in particular, where the risk was lowered from between 30% to an amazing 99%.
Alcohol as a remedy for back pain, whatever next? Click here if you want to read it, you need to join the site, but it's free and there's some good stuff there. I’m off to the pub. Until next time.
Monday, 20 August 2012
Glucosamine Not a Back Pain Cure.
Are any of you taking glucosamine supplements as a treatment for chronic back pain? I have to say I have taken them in the past but now stick to cod liver oil and omega 3 capsules. Basically on the grounds of cost, as personally I couldn’t tell the difference.
Anyway it is a fact that many people with bad backs and arthritic joints have been taking glucosamine for years to help ease their pain.
A story reported on news discovery.com cites a study conducted in Oslo, Norway, funded by the Norwegian Low Back Pain Association, the Norwegian Chiropractic Associations Research Fund, and the Wilhelmsens Research Fund.
This is a study involving 250 people over a period of six months, which came to the conclusion that glucosamine supplements were no more effective than a placebo. In other words they don’t work. To read more about the study go here.
Obviously it does no harm to take them, and I personally believe that if you think something is doing you good then whether or not it’s all in the mind doesn’t really matter.
After all, it's all about what works for you in the end.
Anyway it is a fact that many people with bad backs and arthritic joints have been taking glucosamine for years to help ease their pain.
A story reported on news discovery.com cites a study conducted in Oslo, Norway, funded by the Norwegian Low Back Pain Association, the Norwegian Chiropractic Associations Research Fund, and the Wilhelmsens Research Fund.
This is a study involving 250 people over a period of six months, which came to the conclusion that glucosamine supplements were no more effective than a placebo. In other words they don’t work. To read more about the study go here.
Obviously it does no harm to take them, and I personally believe that if you think something is doing you good then whether or not it’s all in the mind doesn’t really matter.
After all, it's all about what works for you in the end.
Saturday, 18 August 2012
Spicy Help for Back Pain.
I’m sure we are all aware of the benefits of some spices for our particular problems. One remedy that I use regularly, is ginger.
Ginger has been recognised since Roman times, and probably before, for it’s medicinal properties. It contains both volatile oils and phenol compounds, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Making it a useful weapon in the management of pain in general, as well as back pain.
I know it does help me. You can take it as fresh ginger juice, and sometimes I do this with the aid of my trusty juicer, I usually add it to apple and orange juice. You can make up your own juice according to taste.
You can use dried ginger, but it is apparently not quite so effective, and I’m lucky to have a store that stocks fresh ginger quite close to home.
Because it can have quite a powerful effect it is generally recommended that you keep your intake to about a teaspoon a day, half a teaspoon twice a day. This is a long term thing and you should try, as I do, to maintain your intake each day.
One of my favourite ways to take ginger is as a tea. You can simply grate ginger into a jug, add hot water (not quite boiling) and there you are, strain into your favourite mug. Well, that’s the simplest form. I find that a bit harsh for me so I add honey and lemon to taste.
Try it and see what you think. Don’t expect instant results but I’m sure you’ll see a benefit after a while.
Talking of spices, it’s also well known that curry contains anti-oxidants that are most beneficial for treating inflammatory pain. Maybe we should get ourselves down to the local Indian take away, get a nice vindaloo and wash it down with a mug of ginger tea. Now there’s a thought!
Ginger has been recognised since Roman times, and probably before, for it’s medicinal properties. It contains both volatile oils and phenol compounds, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties. Making it a useful weapon in the management of pain in general, as well as back pain.
I know it does help me. You can take it as fresh ginger juice, and sometimes I do this with the aid of my trusty juicer, I usually add it to apple and orange juice. You can make up your own juice according to taste.
You can use dried ginger, but it is apparently not quite so effective, and I’m lucky to have a store that stocks fresh ginger quite close to home.
Because it can have quite a powerful effect it is generally recommended that you keep your intake to about a teaspoon a day, half a teaspoon twice a day. This is a long term thing and you should try, as I do, to maintain your intake each day.
One of my favourite ways to take ginger is as a tea. You can simply grate ginger into a jug, add hot water (not quite boiling) and there you are, strain into your favourite mug. Well, that’s the simplest form. I find that a bit harsh for me so I add honey and lemon to taste.
Try it and see what you think. Don’t expect instant results but I’m sure you’ll see a benefit after a while.
Talking of spices, it’s also well known that curry contains anti-oxidants that are most beneficial for treating inflammatory pain. Maybe we should get ourselves down to the local Indian take away, get a nice vindaloo and wash it down with a mug of ginger tea. Now there’s a thought!
Monday, 13 August 2012
Could the Devil’s Claw Beat Your Back Pain?
I’m sure many of you have heard of Devil’s Claw. This is a plant that is native to South Africa, particularly Namibia, which provides the majority of the worlds supply.
This ugly looking plant (just google devil’s claw plant on images, you’ll see what I mean) has been used as an alternative medicine for thousands of years. First coming to Europe in the early 1900’s, principally at that time as a digestive aid.
However it has been subsequently discovered to contain compounds called harpagosides, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and are very effective in the treatment of back pain and neck pain, also rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
Devil’s claw extract has now become one of the major sellers in the field of alternative pain relief. Especially in Germany, where it accounts for over 70% of sales for rheumatism relief.
It is quite a powerful treatment, and does have some side effects with some people. I personally tried this some years back, and whilst it did give me some relief from my chronic back pain it aggravated my tinnitus to the degree that I stopped taking it.
If you want to know more check this article out by Cathy Wong on altmedicine.com.
I’d also be very interested to hear of any of your experiences if you have tried it yourself, just e-mail me here.
This ugly looking plant (just google devil’s claw plant on images, you’ll see what I mean) has been used as an alternative medicine for thousands of years. First coming to Europe in the early 1900’s, principally at that time as a digestive aid.
However it has been subsequently discovered to contain compounds called harpagosides, which are known to have anti-inflammatory properties and are very effective in the treatment of back pain and neck pain, also rheumatoid and osteoarthritis.
Devil’s claw extract has now become one of the major sellers in the field of alternative pain relief. Especially in Germany, where it accounts for over 70% of sales for rheumatism relief.
It is quite a powerful treatment, and does have some side effects with some people. I personally tried this some years back, and whilst it did give me some relief from my chronic back pain it aggravated my tinnitus to the degree that I stopped taking it.
If you want to know more check this article out by Cathy Wong on altmedicine.com.
I’d also be very interested to hear of any of your experiences if you have tried it yourself, just e-mail me here.
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Tap Your Back Pain Away.
This technique actually relates to acupuncture, which we will no doubt look into in future posts. It’s called EFT or Emotional Freedom Techniques. It involves not needles, but tapping various acupuncture points whilst at the same time focussing on an upsetting feeling or memory.
In the story I found on prweb.com it is claimed that this can produce often dramatic results. This technique was first found to help stress, anxiety and depression. However others are focussing on physical pain whilst tapping and finding that too is dissolving, sometimes permanently.
Hertfordshire-based therapist Peter Donn first came across this technique back in 2003. He subsequently trained in both EFT and TFT (Thought Field Therapy) and started treating people professionally.
He offers one day workshops teaching the techniques, and the results do seem impressive. Including one lady who had suffered 18 years of back pain requiring daily pain-killers whose pain disappeared during her first session and hadn’t returned a week later.
Another participant at this workshop said 12 years of back and neck stiffness had disappeared (and remained gone three months later).
Sounds impressive, and I’m all in favour of non-invasive treatments where at all possible. If you want to read the whole thing go here.
In the story I found on prweb.com it is claimed that this can produce often dramatic results. This technique was first found to help stress, anxiety and depression. However others are focussing on physical pain whilst tapping and finding that too is dissolving, sometimes permanently.
Hertfordshire-based therapist Peter Donn first came across this technique back in 2003. He subsequently trained in both EFT and TFT (Thought Field Therapy) and started treating people professionally.
He offers one day workshops teaching the techniques, and the results do seem impressive. Including one lady who had suffered 18 years of back pain requiring daily pain-killers whose pain disappeared during her first session and hadn’t returned a week later.
Another participant at this workshop said 12 years of back and neck stiffness had disappeared (and remained gone three months later).
Sounds impressive, and I’m all in favour of non-invasive treatments where at all possible. If you want to read the whole thing go here.
Friday, 3 August 2012
Get Rid of Your Back Pain For Good With Just One Injection!
This sounds just too good to be true, but according to an article by Roger Dobson on dailymail.co.uk in a study by orthopaedic consultants in China, 19 per cent of patients treated no longer experienced pain, with a further 72 per cent having slight pain that required no medication.
This was after just one single injection of a substance called methylene blue. This apparently reduces the level of nitric oxide, which is involved in inflammation.
I seem to recall using methylene blue years ago when I kept tropical fish, to treat them for nitrate poisoning amongst other things. Very effective it was too. Also very cheap, but of course if this treatment works effectively for chronic back pain just watch the cost escalate.
Other specialists around the world are excited about this development.
One of these, Professor Nikolai Bogduk, pain specialist at the University of Newcastle's Bone and Joint Institute in Australia had this to say:
“If the results are true, this intervention will revolutionise the treatment of lower back pain. Spinal surgery for back pain will be rendered obsolete. Against these figures, the results of surgery, rehabilitation, behavioural therapy and any other treatment for back pain pale into insignificance.”
This is certainly one to keep an eye on. To read the full story use this link.
This was after just one single injection of a substance called methylene blue. This apparently reduces the level of nitric oxide, which is involved in inflammation.
I seem to recall using methylene blue years ago when I kept tropical fish, to treat them for nitrate poisoning amongst other things. Very effective it was too. Also very cheap, but of course if this treatment works effectively for chronic back pain just watch the cost escalate.
Other specialists around the world are excited about this development.
One of these, Professor Nikolai Bogduk, pain specialist at the University of Newcastle's Bone and Joint Institute in Australia had this to say:
“If the results are true, this intervention will revolutionise the treatment of lower back pain. Spinal surgery for back pain will be rendered obsolete. Against these figures, the results of surgery, rehabilitation, behavioural therapy and any other treatment for back pain pale into insignificance.”
This is certainly one to keep an eye on. To read the full story use this link.
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