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Arthritic Hands


Kelteglow

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Interesting old remedy for arthritis pains has just been sent through to me in amongst other old fashioned remedies

 

Rolled Oats for Pain Relief

 

Mix 2 Cups of Rolled Oats (Porridge) and One Cup of water in a bowl and microwave for one minute, cool slightly and apply the mixture to your hands for soothing relief from arthritis pain.

 

Al

 

Nice!

 

I was wondering what to do with the overload of oatmeal (individual packs) I bought.

 

I no longer use a microwave, but we have a Keurig coffee maker which we also use for water for oatmeal (or tea). So, I'll try that. Right now my biggest problem is bright red skin on my hands and face, possibly related to (psoriatic?) arthritis. (Going back to the doctor soon.)

 

Apple Cider Vinegar is good for relieving pain and redness, and itching. I've tried that. But, I have learned that ACV is quite strong and can smell like a skunk. I had to go to the hospital ER, had so much pain (not from the vinegar), and forgot I'd used the vinegar. The poor nurse thought I'd been sprayed by a skunk, I think!

 

Oatmeal.... better idea, maybe.

 

edit added:

I don't know for sure that my problem is psoriatic arthritis, though one or two doctors seem to think so. That's part of the problem... not really knowing, so far.

Edited by bellowbelle
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Wendy I guessed that your problem might be associated with Psoriasis.

My Wife and Son have problems with it. My Wife is prescribed a liquid which she uses on her scalp and wrist when it flares up which seems to control it.She gets it on prescription. There are a number of people as you probably know offer products which claim to be a cure, but it appears to be an inherited stress related problem.

I will find out the name of the liquid and let you know what it is as it definitely seems to work when there is a major problem.The arthritis as you know is related and is an unfortunate side effect of the illness.

I will report back

Al

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Wendy I guessed that your problem might be associated with Psoriasis.

My Wife and Son have problems with it. My Wife is prescribed a liquid which she uses on her scalp and wrist when it flares up which seems to control it.She gets it on prescription. There are a number of people as you probably know offer products which claim to be a cure, but it appears to be an inherited stress related problem.

I will find out the name of the liquid and let you know what it is as it definitely seems to work when there is a major problem.The arthritis as you know is related and is an unfortunate side effect of the illness.

I will report back

Al

Okay, great!

 

I haven't heard of a liquid, so far. I have a collection of a lot of prescribed topical ointments (steroids) that I quit using, mainly because they only made things worse. But, they were ALL prescribed previous to any real diagnosis, which I have had a very tough time getting! Shouldn't be that difficult, but the health care organizations around here can really test the 'patience,' though they may be lax in actually testing the 'patients.' Really gives incentive to pursue folk medicine. In fact, I'm almost finding that fun! Might end up looking like someone's science project gone-wrong, but I'll have learned something.... :) :huh:

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The liquid is called "Betacap" made here in the UK made for scalp treatment, but works on the hand.

It is a steroid treatment however, as most are.

I have a friend up North that has had a good result from a product made locally to here.

I will find out more information and let you know the details.

Al

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I have suffered most my life from eczema. It was much worse when I was very young and seems to flair up when the seasons change. Emotional stress and reaction to certain topical medicines also exacerbate the flare ups. Fortunately the flare ups and symptoms have abated as I got older. I used to soak in oatmeal therapeutic baths and used oatmeal based creams. Today there is a prescribed topical ointment called ENBREL that works very well.

Also several drams of Lagavulin dull the itch.

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Edited by Randy Stein
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I have suffered most my life from eczema. It was much worse when I was very young and seems to flair up when the seasons change. Emotional stress and reaction to certain topical medicines also exacerbate the flare ups. Fortunately the flare ups and symptoms have abated as I got older. I used to soak in oatmeal therapeutic baths and used oatmeal based creams. Today there is a prescribed topical ointment called ENBREL that works very well.

Also several drams of Lagavulin dull the itch.

rss

 

Many years ago I heard it said that some people were allergic to the consumption of oatmeal porridge because it brought about excema. I was discouraged from eating porridge as a child for that very reason. Coal tar ointment was the treatment that controlled my excema in those days but in more recent times I believe coal tar based medicinal products have been outlawed for being potentially carcinogenic....(if that is the correct word). I was never without my jar of coal tar ointment throughout the first 15 years of my life and it provided fast effective relief. No longer available I guess.

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Many years ago I heard it said that some people were allergic to the consumption of oatmeal porridge because it brought about excema. I was discouraged from eating porridge as a child for that very reason. Coal tar ointment was the treatment that controlled my excema in those days but in more recent times I believe coal tar based medicinal products have been outlawed for being potentially carcinogenic....(if that is the correct word). I was never without my jar of coal tar ointment throughout the first 15 years of my life and it provided fast effective relief. No longer available I guess.

 

Yes... I found some. It's sold in a product called Psoriasin, which is available over-the-counter (OTC). There are at least two forms of it. One is a gel and the other is an ointment (smellier than the gel, but more effective, I think). Bought some at CVS (in the USA....don't know for sure where you are, though!).

 

I'd already racked up about 4 or 5 different prescriptions (stuff meant more for eczema than psoriasis), and after they'd all had bad effects on my skin, I went looking for anything else.

 

I got the best results from the Psoriasin, at least temporarily. But, I have heard of the cancer warnings regarding coal tar. Also, I recently read something else about it... can't remember exactly, but something regarding it worsening certain types of skin problems.

 

It was AFTER using this product that I ended up needing 8 days of intravenous antibiotic for lymphangitis (infected arm from the hand up). I don't know that I can blame the product. For all I know, it may have saved my life. I did discontinue it for now, since there's a question about what's going on.

 

At least, I am still able to play my concertina a little bit!

 

When my hands are bad, they are horrible, it seems; when they are better, they're great.

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Well if anyone should be allergic to Porridge it should be me .I eat it straight out of the packet raw with milk and sugar most days. It is like muesli without all the extras.

Al

 

My excema problem had all but disappeared by my late teens, in the mid 1950s, and for years now I have begun each day with a substantial bowl of porridge with no ill effects.....of which I am aware !

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Both Psoriasisand Eczema run in our family from my Mum's line . It seems to come on with stress and in our case goes with age.

 

My son had that septicemia and antibiotics intravenously after painting his garden shed without gloves ( cos he reacts to rubber gloves!and cracking the skin which got infected. Now OK

 

 

There was a report by the lady who played young Saffy in Ab Fab , now a woman , who swears by homeopopathy for eczema treatment. Mezereum i think it was.

 

Thanks for all these treatment suggestions I will now soak my hands in porridge then eat it after!

 

I cook it in a pyrex jug in the microwave , easier to clean than a pan.

 

 

When I was young climber in the Lake District in the 50s I met a shepherd in Wastdale who had a jacket pocket full of dry oats and prunes he munched and followed by stream water to see him through a long arduous day. He went fell running after work for relaxation! i bet he was regularcool.gif

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  • 2 weeks later...

Does the weight of your concertina affect joint pain or RSI? I seem to recall reading that switching to a lighter instrument helps. I would think this would be especially true if you were standing up and holding the instrument without support while you play. Maybe it's time for us geezers to look for lighter instruments.

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Does the weight of your concertina affect joint pain or RSI? I seem to recall reading that switching to a lighter instrument helps. I would think this would be especially true if you were standing up and holding the instrument without support while you play. Maybe it's time for us geezers to look for lighter instruments.

 

 

I would only play my 26 button Jeffries Anglo in sessions , heavier instrumemnst would leave me with a wrecked shoulder but last weekend I played solid from Fri -Sun at the English Country Music Weekend and in fact felt better for it!

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Does the weight of your concertina affect joint pain or RSI? I seem to recall reading that switching to a lighter instrument helps. I would think this would be especially true if you were standing up and holding the instrument without support while you play. Maybe it's time for us geezers to look for lighter instruments.

 

I think a number of factors go into how easy an instrument is to play. Finding an instrument"s comfortable volume and voice and not "forcing" it to play outside of that range can make a difference. Balancing button springing with an instrument"s weight and response is another factor.

 

Weight alone can be a factor. I've was lucky to have a smaller, lighter concertina available when learning anglo and injuring myself going too fast and too long too soon. The lighter instrument enabled me to keep playing during the healing process.

 

On the english concertina wrist straps have been a big help in taking pressure off of arthritic thumbs. Position of the thumb straps and the instrument's balance point and overall weight of an instrument can make a difference in ease of playing along with the above comments.

 

Greg

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'I seem to have allergies, at least as part of my package deal of troubles. I never used to, when I was younger, but as of ten years ago or so, I've noticed that all I have to do is step outside my door and my arms will magically sprout red dots. I've always just said, 'poison sumac,' but I dunno. Anyway, the red dots have gotten meaner, though it's likely some other thing.'

 

There is some evidence that certain forms of arthritis are related to food intolerance which often seems to occur in middle

age. Food intolerance is not the same as food allergy.

 

In the 1970s the FDA (federal drugs administration in the U.S.A) published a research paper on the connection between diet and

arthritis although this research doesn't seem to have been followed up since. However these other symptoms you describe would

seem to make this something you need to investigate.

 

The only way you can investigate this is to change your diet to a 'High Tolerance Diet', don't worry it doesn't mean

you have to eat lentils all the time. You can find a good high tolerance diet on the BBC website. You have to follow it

religiously for three months and see if it helps. I know its a big pain to have to this but the pain of arthritis can be

even worse. After you have followed the diet for three months you can start to re-introduce other foods one by one to

see if your symptoms re-occur. If the diet is going to help then you should find an improvement quite quickly. Not

all forms of arthritis are related to diet so I can't offer this as a certain cure.

 

One of the food groups that many people develop intolerance to is the nicotine/belladonna family of plants. This includes

potatoes, tomatoes and peppers of all sorts including chilli peppers.

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Yes, I've heard that it may be helpful to avoid the 'nightshades' as they are called. So sad to think of never having tomatoes, though! A good tomato sandwich is a highlight of the summertime.

 

I definitely will benefit from making some dietary changes. Probably a worse contributor to arthritis, for me, is OVEReating -- not so much WHAT I'm eating. One book I've been looking over lately is 'Fasting and Eating for Health,' by Joel Fuhrman, MD. (Really, I don't need a book... just need to eat more wisely!)

 

For a duration of a few months, I am taking a low dose (half of the recommendation) of a formula that actually contains nightshade. This is my own idea and is so far having seemingly good results. It's LiverCare.

 

The greater problem for MY hands has been the skin condition -- less than the arthritis. It was so awful that I think I was quite a nice freakshow creature for a whole group of doctors being shown around, when I was getting antibiotics intravenously one day. (Much better, now.)

 

The very best treatment, so far, came from a worker at a local little store. She said I should soak my hands/arms in hydrogen peroxide. I thanked her but went home thinking, 'No...that's too extreme.' Tried it, though, out of desperation, finally. Now, it's not that I've never used H2O2; of course I have. But, only for cleansing. What this did, this time, was to help....well, I'm trying to sum this up.... it helped correct the problem that made none of the prescriptions work. It corrected the exfoliation processes. Hard to explain, and when I told my doctor about it he of course did not share my excitement, saying it's not a recommended treatment.

 

Recommended? Well, it's WORKED. And after trying everything and having it all fail, I'm happy about that.

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I wonder if people 'indigenous' to the Americas have the same problem with the Solanaceae (Potato) type plants?

 

I think probably anyone can develop an intolerance to a food. I once worked with an Indian who was intolerant

of all spices. This made life rather difficult for him but he had learned to cope with it. I never had any

problems with any food until I reached middle age.

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"I definitely will benefit from making some dietary changes. Probably a worse contributor to arthritis, for me, is OVEReating -- not so much WHAT I'm eating. One book I've been looking over lately is 'Fasting and Eating for Health,' by Joel Fuhrman, MD. (Really, I don't need a book... just need to eat more wisely!)"

 

It is said that food craving is often a sign of food intolerance. You need to think about which foods

you really like to overeat and think about whether they are the cause of the problem.

 

You may not be intolerant of nicotine/belladonna type foods there are many other foods including things

like seafood, dairy products or celery that can cause problems. The foods that I started to crave and

to overeat were bread, potatoes, pasta and beans.

 

I have no problems with sweet potatoes or products made from buckwheat flour. You might find that trying

a high tolerance diet for a few months can cure your overeating problems as well.

 

Making dietary changes can be a hit and miss affair since it can be really difficult to identify the

foods causing a problems and that is why the idea of a high tolerance diet, i.e. just eating foods

that are not known to cause problems for a few months can be valuable. You can then start to add back

into your diet foods like tomatoes to see if they do cause a problem.

 

Of course you might find that your arthritis is not food related, its just one more thing to investigate

but it is worth taking the idea seriously simply because arthritis is progressive, it damages your joints

and the damage and the pain cannot be undone. I was always sceptical about the idea of food intolerance,

it just seemed like another quack medicine notion until my NHS doctor mentioned it to me as something I

should investigate.

 

And in the end you have to judge by results. The reduction in my arthritic pain was dramatic. I just

wish I had known about the idea that diet and arthritis might be connected ten years ago.

Edited by shaunw
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