ARNICA MONTANA & Shark Cartilege for Arthritis Pain

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ARNICA MONTANA & Shark Cartilege for Arthritis Pain

JoAnn Guest

Dec 31, 2003 15:18 PST

 

ARNICA MONTANA

HEALTHY WAY MAGAZINE

ISSUE 30- ARTICLE 9

 

 

 

The German scientist and writer, Goethe (1749-1832) claimed Arnica

had saved his life. The history of this superb herb, Arnica montana,

goes back centuries. Known also as Leopard's Bane, it was discovered

as a medicinal plant by Europeans in the 16th century.

 

Growing wild in alpine meadows, it once covered the regions of

Europe and America with bright orange-yellow daisy like flowers.

In

the 1950s Swiss Naturopath Alfred Vogel wrote that, " Arnica may be

found anywhere in Switzerland up to a height of 8,500 feet. " Perhaps

this is how it became known as Mountain Tobacco. Now it is becoming

so scarce in its wild form that it is protected in many parts of

Europe.

 

Arnica is a perennial herb, which has a tall stem but very few

leaves. The large flowers, most of which are bent back to some

extent, bloom in the summer months of its second year.

It is only

the flower heads that are now used medicinally, and they are

difficult to grow successfully, needing patient and careful

cultivation in a specific type of soil.

 

Historically, Arnica was used both internally and externally.

However, during the course of time, it has been used externally much

more and today is only available internally as a homoeopathic

remedy.

 

Applied externally, it is a very popular remedy for easing the pain

and swelling of bruises as it is analgesic and has healing

properties.

 

But we now know that this amazing herb is beneficial for

arthritic aches and pains and even for muscular aches and sprains.

It has been clinically proven for its anti-inflammatory action on

topical application.

 

In fact, one of the most recent clinical trials investigated how

beneficial a gel made from fresh arnica tincture is for

osteoarthritis of the knee.

(Arnica Montana Gel in Osteoarthritis of

the knee: An Open Multicentre Trial, Kneusel, Weber & Suter, 2002)

 

The trial lasted six weeks, and almost 90 percent of the patients

improved. After the third week a significant reduction of pain and

stiffness in the knee was reported.

As so many people suffer from arthritis it is a blessing that this

herb

may help, and of course it can be used alongside MSM, glucosamine

sulphate and Devil's Claw.

 

So now there are even more reasons to store this treasure of a herb

in your medicine chest.

 

http://www.healthywaymagazine.com/issue30/09_arnica_montana.html

_________________

 

Shark Cartiledge

Treatment and Prevention of Arthritis

--

" Allergic and allergy-like sensitivities are very important factors

in a

large percentage of arthritis cases, " states Marshall Mandell, M.D.,

Medical Director of the New England Foundation for Allergic and

Environmental Diseases.

 

" Allergies may or may not cause arthritis, but they definitely play

a

major role in a majority of cases because they often aggravate and

perpetuate the condition.

 

When the substances to which the arthritic patients are sensitive

are

eliminated, avoided, or contacted less frequently, the arthritis is

relieved or eliminated. "

 

BATTLING ARTHRITIS PAIN WITH SHARK CARTILAGE

 

 

 

The link between arthritis and allergic reactions to different

environmental chemicals and foods was first pointed out by Theron G.

Randolph, M.D., of Batavia, Illinois, the founder of environmental

medicine. Dr. Randolph tested over one thousand arthritis patients

with

commonly eaten foods and chemical substances ranging from natural

gas,

auto exhaust, paints, perfume, and hair spray to insecticides,

tobacco,

and smoke to find out which of these substances caused their

symptoms.

 

The connection between arthritis and allergies was found to be quite

significant.

 

In his own tests of over six thousand patients, Dr. Mandell found

foods,

chemicals, grasses, pollen, molds, and other airborne substances

caused

allergic reactions in the joints of nearly 85 percent of the

arthritics

he tested.

 

Numerous other studies have shown various foods and food additives,

as

well as foreign invaders like protozoa, bacteria, yeast, and fungus,

can

also trigger or aggravate arthritic symptoms.

 

A typical procedure for identifying possible allergens begins by

isolating the patient in an allergy-free environment.

 

After fasting and taking in nothing but untreated and uncontaminated

spring water for five days, the patient eats one food at a time to

see

if an allergic reaction occurs.

After identification of allergens has been determined, the patient

returns to normal life, with the knowledge of which foods and

elements

to avoid altogether or to take or use very sparingly.

 

 

 

I. William Lane, Ph. D., an independent consultant specializing in

marine resources, reports that shark cartilage in capsule form is

now

being used successfully to combat the pain of arthritis.

 

Shark cartilage contains large amounts of mucopolysaccharides

(carbohydrates that form chemical bonds with water) which stimulate

the

immune system.

 

This reduces the pain and inflammation of arthritis. Since cartilage

is

living tissue, oral dosages are believed to actually help repair

damaged

human cartilage, according to Dr. Lane.40

 

Additional research shows the angiogenesis-inhibiting properties of

shark cartilage work synergistically with the mucopolysaccharides to

stop new blood vessel invasion of cartilage.

 

This eliminates degradation of functioning cartilage. Clinical

trials

and practical application have shown that shark cartilage orally

administered before meals is effective in reducing the pain score

for

many arthritic patients. Eighty percent of osteoarthritis patients

at

Comprehensive Medical Clinic in Southern California responded well.

The

percentage of response for rheumatoid arthritis patients studied in

other research was 50 to 60 percent.

 

Patients completing the various studies showed a decrease in pain by

5

to 6 points on a scale of 10, with 10 being unbearable pain. Some,

who

had suffered pain performing physical activities before using shark

cartilage, no longer experienced such pain after just three weeks of

treatment.

 

Arthritic patients should not expect instant results from taking

cartilage extracts, however. Since human cartilage does not have a

blood

supply, it is difficult to get new building materials into the joint

areas. Also, during the healing process, joints continue to be

subjected

to activity and stress-bearing. Therefore, the benefits of cartilage

supplementation tend to be gradual.

 

 

http://www.alternativemedicine.com/AMHome.asp?

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