7 EASY WAYS TO BEAT ARTHRITIS

MILLIONS of arthritis patients can ease their agony with a combination of pain relief pills and complementary therapies.

A new study says a few easy steps dramatically improve the quality of life for sufferers crippled with pain.

Patients are increasingly turning to complementary and alternative therapies to manage their condition.

Two out of three believe the treatments can relieve the unbearable pain, help them sleep better and carry out daily tasks.

The seven key methods are herbal therapies, exercise, massage, acupuncture, yoga, meditation and dietary supplements.The study found that complementary and alternative therapies are particularly favoured by younger sufferers.

Lead author of the report, Professor Nada Alaaeddine, said it “underlines the importance” of health staff knowing about the potential of the treatments.

Nearly a quarter of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis said they used complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) to try to manage their condition. A total of 23 per cent used CAT as well as prescribed drugs. Just under two-thirds felt CAT improved pain intensity, sleeping patterns and activity levels.

However, there isn’t very much hard scientific evidence that many of these therapies actually work

A spokeswoman for Arthritis Research UK

The percentage who said that they experienced no pain rose from 12 per cent to 43 per cent after CAT. The number who slept all night went from nine per cent to 66 per cent.

The percentage claiming that their pain did not limit their daily activities at all rose from three to 12 per cent and the number who could do everything, but with pain, soared from 26 to 52 per cent.

Of those studied, more than two-thirds had rheumatoid arthritis and the remainder had osteoarthritis.

More than 10 million Britons have arthritis. Osteoarthritis affects at least 8.5 million people and is caused when cartilage wastes away, leading to painful rubbing of bone on bone, usually in the hands, spine, knees and hips.

Rheumatoid arthritis, a more severe form – when the immune system attacks joints, causing pain and swelling – affects almost 700,000.

There is no cure for arthritis but treatments can slow its progress. Drugs can relieve symptoms and surgery is an option for severe cases.

The new study, published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, found that CAT users had an average age of 45. The average non-user was 57.

The most common CAT used was herbal therapy at 83 per cent, followed by exercise (22%) and massage (12%). Acupuncture, yoga, meditation, and diet supplements were three per cent each.

Just under a quarter of patients using CAT sought medical care because of possible side-effects, including skin and gastrointestinal problems. More than half did not tell health staff they were using alternative medicine.

Prof Alaaeddine, of the Faculty of Medicine, University of St Joseph, Beirut, Lebanon, said: “CAT use is increasing and this study shows that it provided self-reported benefits.

“It is, however, important that patients discuss CAT use with their healthcare practitioner and that they are made aware of possible side effects, in particular the possible interactions between herbal and prescribed drugs.”

A spokeswoman for Arthritis Research UK, which is preparing a report on therapies such as acupuncture and yoga, said: “Many people with arthritis who don’t want to take conventional medication or who find they don’t work or have side-effects, turn to alternative therapies, thinking they are more natural. However, there isn’t very much hard scientific evidence that many of these therapies actually work.”

Ailsa Bosworth, chief executive of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, said some CAT therapies could have a beneficial effect for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

“There is no evidence that any of these therapies have any impact on slowing or halting the disease.

“We always advise caution as some products can have side effects or interact with prescribed medications. Before embarking on any new therapy it is important for people to talk to their healthcare professional,” she added.