arthritis remedies

I have heard a lot on TV about chiropracters offering Spinal decompression treatments, which looks to be sort of a traction method. I have not tried it myself. It looks to me like you could get the same effect if you could stand to hang upside down on the monkey bars. Nuff said about that. When I refused prescription pain killers, and cortisone shots, my doctor told me about two other, more natural remedies for pain. One is an over the counter cream that contains capsaicin--that is the oil from hot peppers. Zostrix was the original. It can make you feel like you have the beginning of a sunburn, you do not want it on mucous membranes of any kind, you can only remove it with an oily cleanser (cooking oil). It seems to work. About $11.00 per tube, available at Wal Mart, and I wear gloves to apply it. The second remedy is vitamin B6, 400 units, divided, for two weeks, cut back to two hundred units, when my pain is well under control then I cut back to 100 mg. daily. Cheap nutrient. Glucosamine & chondroiton seem to work after about six weeks, but are much more expensive, and the pills are a lot bigger. Ask also about compression stockings for during the day. Your pharmacist can even talk with you about the use of them for edema, or ask the doctor. Massage of the swollen area, with strokes brushing away from the heart is sometimes helpful as well. A treat for yourself would be an hour long massage at a day spa. I was given one as a gift once.

Yup! Increase your fluid intake. The extra blood volume helps push the fluid out of your legs. Always put your feet up on a basketball when sitting down. Keep moving the ball with your feet to increase circulation and ease edema. Don't add salt. The foods we eat these days have plenty enough already. Elevate the foot of your bed. Lastly, use TEDS when needed. These are the 'old lady stockings' that are flesh toned and compress the calves. You can get them at any medical supply store. They can keep you from developing phlebitis.

The only thing my grandmother said worked was something over the counter called Zostrix. It is a cream and she said it helped. Have you heard of it or tried it?