In the recent years, with the building work pressure and the increasing stress in our everyday activities, our regular lives have become choc-a-bloc with all sorts of engagements. This often renders our bodies prone to fatigue and listlessness. This phenomenon can often be observed in an intensified form by way of a disorder called Fibromyalgia or as it is deemed in common parlance, "rheumatism". 

Fibromyalgia is an ailment, which causes pain in the body tissues. The tender and fibrous tissues like muscles, ligaments and tendons are often affected by this disease. As a consequence of Fibromyalgia, one feels incapacitated to work or perform any physical activity. Sometimes Fibromyalgia is accompanied by extreme headaches, sleep disturbances, muscle pain and consistent dizziness. 

The degree of chronicity of the disease may vary but the underlying cause remains the same. Given the high incidence of the disease, the treatment for the same is also widely available. However, for a more effective and lasting cure, many resort to homeopathy. Homeopathy offers several remedies to Fibromyalgia, classified on the basis of the discrete symptoms of the disease. 

1. Rhus Tox: Rhus Tox is an excellent antidote for rheumatism induced stillness and muscle pain. When paired with suitable exercises, it can afford a lot of relief. 

2. Ruta Grav: Ruta Grav aids in relieving tendon pains and sustained usage helps in restoring muscle strength in case of Fibromyalgia.

3. Rhododendron: Often the Fibromyalgia pain gets aggravated with a marked change in the season. Rhododendron mitigates the intensity of the pain. 

4. Arnica: For any injury induced body ache, Arnica is an extremely effective cure. It also functions as the foremost option, when the precise causes or the symptoms are unknown. 

5. Causticum: Certain forms of Fibromyalgia are accompanied with soreness, weakness and a feeling of stillness. Causticum soothes such ailments.

6. Bryonia: Bryonia alleviates chronic pain in the soft tissues of the body. Exposure to heat needs to be avoided mandatorily in order to optimize the effect of Bryonia. 

7. Kalmia Latifolia: When besides the obverse symptoms of Fibromyalgia, the pain in the muscle is accompanied with a feeling of cold and numbness, one of the best homeopathic cures is Kalmia Latifolia. 

Fibryomalgia is an ailment, which not only manifests physical troubles but also affects one's emotional status adversely. Therefore, to mete out the best remedy, homeopathy carefully assess both the physical and the psychosocial bearing of the patient before recommending a particular cure.

Homeopathy and Fibromyalgia

Gout is a disease of the joints. It is a kind of arthritis, which is caused by the deposition of uric acid in the joints. The deposited uric acid causes inflammation of the joints. The disease occurs when our body fails to eliminate the excess uric acid in blood by excretion or the production of the acid is increased.

The level of uric acid in our bodies goes up when the amount of purines in our meals is increased. Purines are responsible for the production of uric acid. They are found in meats, alcohol, sea food and other food items. When digestion of these foods takes place inside the body, purine is released into the blood stream. Uric acid level is also increased by a sedentary lifestyle. Sometimes other factors like intake of insufficient water, consumption of medicines and obesity can also affect the uric acid level in the blood.

Symptoms of Gout

One will notice a redness and swelling around the affected joint. Gout commonly affects the big toe, ankles, hands and wrists. The patient has to deal with intense shooting pain in the joint. The patient also feels some itching in the affected region. Some patients develop nodules called tophi in the joints.

Homeopathy Treatment for Gout

In most cases, patients seeking allopathic treatment for gout take frequent pain killers to get rid of the pain. The pain killers will provide temporary relief. But the main problem persists. However, homeopathy treats the root cause of the problem and aims at eradicating the disease completely. In this article, three commonly used homeopathic medicines used for treating gout have been listed. However, these medicines may not suit all individuals with gout. The effectiveness of the medicines largely depends on the patient s lifestyle. These medicines are listed below:

    Colchicum: It is the primary medicine given to patients suffering from gout. It is good for the treatment of the chronic cases. It is given to patients who suffer from pain in the big toe. The pain is unbearable, when the affected area is touched. The region turns hot, red and swollen. In these patients, the pain starts from the left side usually. The patient feels feverish. Their problem will intensify in warm weather. Their joints get stiffer.

    Ledum Pal: It is for patients who suffer from gout pain travelling upwards. The pain is likely to start from the patient s feet and travel towards the knees. The patient will not be able to bear external warmth. The patient feels better with cold application.

    Benzoic Acid: This medicine is for patients who suffer from gout along with offensive urine. The odour of the urine is intolerable. The colour of the urine is unusual brown in colour sometimes. There is a cracking sound in the joints.

Homoeopathic medicines can be a big boon for all those who suffer from high uric acid. These medicines work by reducing the uric acids overproduction by the body and accelerating the removal of this waste product from through the kidneys.

Homoeopathy is known to control the uric acid diathesis and is also useful in acute attacks. Homeopathy helps in controlling the pain during the acute attack of gout as well as helps in preventing the recurrence of such episodes. It helps in reducing stiffness and improves the mobility of the joints.

One big advantage that homoeopathy offers in the treatment of high uric acid is that once treated the chances of relapse are very less, this is also subjected to the condition that diet and Alcohol and weight are well controlled.

With continued treatment from a specialised homeopath, the patient notices reduction in the frequency of attacks and intensity of pains with gradually leading to complete cure.

Suffering from Gout - Can Homeopathy Help in Treating it?

Gout is a form of arthritis which leads to inflammation along with severe attacks of pain and redness in the joints. It typically affects a single joint at a time, however, in a few cases, the gout is affecting numerous joints at a time. The large toe is most affected, but gout can affect other joints at ankle, foot, knee and wrists and hands as well.

What causes gout?
Gouty arthritis arises by the disposition of uric acid crystals in the joints which is derived from purines. Some foods comprise of copious amounts of purines, particularly organ meats and red meats along with alcohol, shellfish, and anchovies. When the uric acid is within normal limits, they get easily passed through the kidneys in the form of urine. But when the uric acid is at high levels, it causes gout.

How can homeopathy help in the treatment of gout?
In homeopathy, the approach to treat gout is to treat the affected person as a whole in place of the signs and symptoms of gout. Therefore, it is important to know about the constitutional type of the individual rather than determining the disease therapeutically. Besides taking appropriate homeopathic medicine, it is advised to maintain a healthy diet for proper management of the condition.

The homeopathic experts choose the remedies according to the entire picture of the patient and not just on the basis of the physical symptoms. Therefore, factors like mental and emotional state, lifestyle, character, stress levels, family history and other general factors come to play. Here are some of the most effective homeopathic medicines that are able to cure gout symptoms effectively:

Urticaurens: This homeopathic medicine helps in the elimination of uric acid from the body. You can take this medicine for hives like eruptions, pain in ankles, wrists and acute gout deltoid.
Colchicum: When the gout attack is so severe that you are not able to touch or move the affected area, you can take Colchicum. It is suitable for the treatment of inflammation, oedematous swelling along with coldness of feet and legs. It can also be used when the symptoms tend to be worse during the night and in warm weather.
Ledum pal: When the gouty pains shoot all across the foot, joints, and limbs, Ledum pal can come to your rescue. It can also be used when the ball of the great toe is swollen and become hot and pale.
Benzoic acid: This can prevent and cure the symptoms of gout especially, dark-colored urine and pain in the great toe. Typically, when the uric acid levels are increased, benzoic acid is indicated.
The treatments mentioned above are some of the best homeopathic treatments for gout, yet, it is recommended to consult an expert before you decide to self-medicate.

Effective Homeopathy Remedies That Can Cure Gout!

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an auto-immune disorder which induces inflammation in the joints. What causes the condition is not exactly clear, but a lot of studies have been done to establish a connection between various factors such as, diet, exercise, etc., with this condition. These studies have come up with correlation between foods and rheumatoid arthritis. There are some foods which should be a part of your diet, and some that should definitely be avoided if you have to keep the joint inflammation under control. Read on to know the top 5 foods to eat and to avoid.

What to eat?

Soy: Being rich in protein and fiber and low in fat, soy is a great food for RA. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids and vegetarians especially should ensure they get enough soy in their diet.
Fish: Salmon and tuna are fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and these are proven to be natural anti-inflammatory agents. Therefore, it is highly recommended that people with RA eat fish about 3 to 4 times per week.
Oils: While an oily diet is definitely to be avoided, some healthy oils should be included. These include sunflower oil, walnut oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. These are known for their anti-inflammatory properties and are beneficial in people with RA.
Green tea: Known for their polyphenols and antioxidants, green tea reduces damage caused by inflammation in RA. People with RA are recommended to have at least 2 servings of green tea daily.
Beans and legumes: The high content of fiber, protein, folic acid, zinc, iron, potassium, and other minerals makes beans a must-have for RA patients. The red and kidney variety of beans are the preferred ones.
What to avoid?

Grilled foods: Grilled chicken or red meat have high levels of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) which are known to worsen inflammation. So, while they are good for weight watchers, not so if you have RA. These also contain higher levels of saturated fat, which is again not advisable for RA.
Fried foods: These contain 6-omega fatty acids, which have been proven to worsen inflammation. They are also high in saturated fats, which is a strict no-no for inflammation.
MSG: Monosodium glutamate which is used generously in various Oriental dishes including soups, salad dressings, etc. should be avoided as it affects liver health and worsens inflammation.
Salt: Reduce overall salt intake. Limiting the intake of pickles, salad dressings and processed foods, etc., which contain high amounts of sodium.
Alcohol: This again increases inflammation and should be avoided in RA.
A healthy lifestyle improves not just the overall quality of life, but also reduces the severity of symptoms of RA.

Rheumatoid Arthritis - What To Eat & What To Avoid?

Knee pain is one of the most common and painful ailments that can limit mobility. Injuries can result in cartilage or meniscal tears or sprains too. Obesity is another reason because of which knee pain is on the rise. Also, regular wear and tear of ligaments and tendons around the knees due to old age is another cause. These days, with reduced physical activities and sedentary lifestyles, the rate at which knees are wearing out has also become accelerated. Whatever the reason, a correct diagnosis followed by prompt treatment can help. Over the years, physiotherapy has been playing an important role in treating knee injuries. Whether to supplement the various drugs to reduce pain and inflammation or to avoid surgery, physiotherapy has helped many and its popularity is growing every day. Here are some ways that physiotherapy can help reduce pain.

Improve flexibility of tendons: The knee cap is an area where there are lot of tendons and ligaments, coordinating to enable movement. Careful exercising can ensure that the flexibility of tendons and ligaments is improved, thereby making your knee movement easier and less painful.
Improves blood supply: As we all know, proper movement requires good blood supply. Exercising with special focus on the knee ensures that blood supply is improved, and thereby the supporting ligaments and tendons function optimally.
Enhances the knee cap function: The knee cap is that portion which joins your thigh bone to your calf bones. This is prone to slip out of place, especially with arthritis and injuries. This can be painful and limit movement to a great degree. Focused exercises aimed at improving knee cap function will ensure that the knee cap has a wider range of function, and does not slip out of its socket easily.
Reduce rigidity: Once you start physiotherapy, you will feel your knees getting more flexible. The rigidity that had set in as a result of injuries and/or old age will also reduce over a period of time.
Slow down the wear and tear: When you start physiotherapy after knee damage, continuing the exercise routine, of course with expert guidance, can reduce the pace at which further damage might happen. A word of caution though. Be sure to consult an experienced physiotherapist before you begin. Exercising in a bad manner can do equal or more harm than the original injury or old age itself.

Knee Pain and Physiotherapy

Why does PAIN occur? Understand the Mechanism of Pain

Pain is an unpleasant and distressing physical sensation caused by disease or injury, which induces hurt and anxiety in those suffering from it.
There are many different manifestations of pain, ranging from short term (acute pain) to long term (chronic pain). Other classifications include pain in the internal organs (visceral pain), injured tissue (inflammatory pain), nerves (neuropathic pain), etc.

The reason for the occurrence of pain depends on the cause and kind of pain being experienced. In most cases, pain acts as a warning sign that the body has been afflicted by a disorder of some sort, which may have arisen due to internal sickness or external wounding. Acute pains are generally cured on their own through rest or simple medication. Chronic pains, on the other hand, are more complicated in nature and the treatment requires more elaborate diagnosis.

The mechanism of pain

Pain is an extremely personal and subjective experience and affects each individual to varying degrees. The pain signals, which can arise in any part of the body, travel through the spinal cord to the brain along thousands of specialized nerves and nerve fibres. In the brain, it is processed in the centres associated with anxiety, emotions, memory, appetite, etc. Signals and pain inputs are then returned from the brain to the spinal cord, which may heighten or diminish pain.

In some cases, pain may also be induced by damage to the brain and spinal cord, which happens after a stroke.
A constant barrage of pain signals may cause the cells at the end of nerve fibres to become over-sensitized. This is known as 'wind-up' and is one of the most common causes of chronic pain that occurs even though the root of the problem has been identified and treated.

The causes and effects of pain differ from case to case depending on the signals received by the brain and its interpretation. It affects the individual's day to day activities and if persistent, can also have a harmful impact on mental health and psychosis. Pain is always handled, diagnosed and treated differently in all patients by drawing out the best possible solution to the problem.





Why does PAIN occur? Understand the Mechanism of Pain

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