Total Health Breakthroughs: Alternative Solutions for Mind, Body, and Spirit

Considering arthroscopic surgery for that persistent arthritic knee pain that just won’t leave you alone? Maybe you should think again. And I’m a former knee surgeon, telling you this. The truth is, you may do just as well with conventional, alternative, or complementary conservative treatments and save yourself pain, risk, and money.

In a study published in the September 11th, 2008 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, a group of Canadian researchers from the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Center of the University of Western Ontario compared two groups of patients with known moderate to severe osteoarthritis.¹

One hundred seventy-eight (178) patients were randomly assigned to receive either surgery (arthroscopic lavage — a washout of the joint by saline and debridement — essentially a “clean out” of the joint), followed by optimized physical and medical therapy, or non-surgical treatment, i.e., physical and medical therapy alone.

Many patients come to me seeking pain relief. Whether it is back pain, neck and shoulder pain, or arthritis pain, my patients need solutions. Sometimes, the solution involves treating an underlying condition and putting an end to the pain. Sometimes, it means learning to manage chronic pain over the long term. Often, it simply means offering quick relief so people can get on with daily life. It’s this third solution that we’ll be discussing today.

Pain and Your Nerves

A back injury may be very different from chronic arthritis, but these conditions are similar in one aspect: both trigger a series of exchanges between the three major parts of your nervous system. These exchanges or messages are relayed through the body by neurons, the billions of cells that make up the nervous system. The result is the sensation you know as pain.

Pycnogenol is an extract derived from the bark of the French maritime pine tree. Many lab studies have shown that it has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. One study included 100 Slovakian adults with mild knee arthritis who were randomly assigned to take either 150 milligrams of pine bark extract or a placebo every day.

What’s Causing Your Pain?

When I say the word “inflammation,” it’s likely to evoke thoughts of painful joints and muscles, swelling, and a loss of mobility. But did you know that recent research shows that chronic inflammation in your body can lead to serious diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, some cancers, and Alzheimer’s disease, to name just a few?

The amount of inflammation in your body varies and is dependent on a number of factors including your activity level, the amount of sleep you get, the degree of stress in your life, and even the foods you eat. What you have to realize is that these factors are cumulative — meaning they build up over time. And the more that any or all of these factors get out of whack, the higher the risk for disease.

Early in life, these levels can be so low that you might not even be aware that you have any inflammation in your body. That’s because our bodies do a fairly decent job of controlling the inflammation — at least for a while. Then one day you wake up and you’re in your 40s and something is just not right. That’s when the fear begins to set in, and you think to yourself, What did I do wrong? or, What can I do now to help myself?

The first step is to get your C-reactive protein (CRP) levels tested. CRP is produced by the liver, and it rises when there is systemic inflammation in the body. Ask your doctor about this test (you may have to demand having it done). All it requires is a blood sample that will be evaluated by your doctor. And because diet can play a large role in how much or how little inflammation you have, you may want these levels looked at by a registered dietician who can help you formulate an appropriate eating plan.

Long before the medical establishment decided to get on board, I was hearing about glucosamine from vets. It helps dogs and people with the pain and stiffness of arthritis. Since almost all dogs eventually suffer from arthritis, and larger dogs frequently suffer with a painful joint condition called hip dysplasia, the use of glucosamine sulfate [...]

The vast majority of headaches are related to emotional stress, toxicity (just ask anyone who has experienced a hangover!), and/or structural (and body usage) issues. They may be painful and annoying, but most headaches are not emergencies that require immediate medical attention.*
With that said, here is a plan of action you can safely apply in [...]

“Oh that pain in my ______,” (you fill in the blank).
I hear it all the time from people suffering from everything from lower back pain to carpal tunnel syndrome. They tell me about how bad their pain is and how they’ve “tried everything”.
Well, the fact is, they haven’t tried everything. And if you are suffering [...]

Surgeries are not appropriate for many back conditions and don’t always work to resolve back pain. Medications are expensive and have many possible side effects! But there are effective lifestyle measures that can help you whisk away your pains. Incorporating these 3 simple steps into your daily routine will not only help low back pain go away, but will increase performance in daily tasks that once upon a time caused the pain.

Instead of drugs, how would you like to know about a way to sooth inflamed joints that has “side effects” such as reducing your risk of heart attack and cancer? I have two words for you: fish oil.

Normal wear and tear on our joints gets the better of most of us over time. Joint pain happens.