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eLearning Series: Arthritis
I Want Arthritis Relief Now!
Arthritis
Prevention & Self Care
To help with the
prevention and relief of arthritis, prescribe a proactive
plan for yourself. Take charge of your lifestyle
and see where improvements can be made, like with regards to
any of the following, listed in no particular order of importance
or affect.
Acupuncture
/ Acupressure - Acupuncture or therapeutic 'needle piercing" is
the insertion of fine needles into the skin in order to stimulate
targeted places in the body,
referred
to as acupoints. Along with the needles, the acupuncture
practitioner also generally applies any of the following
to stimulate the
points; suction, friction, heat, pressure or electromagnetic
energy impulses. The treatment goal is to stimulate the acupoints
in order to balance the body’s movement of energy (qi) and
restore health. Ask your healthcare provider for practitioner
referrals or look in directories under holistic services.
Acupressure, also
referred to as Relief with Fingertips, is similar to acupuncture,
but uses the hands for healing
technique instead of needles and other devices.
Depending upon the afflicted area and type of arthritic condition, a combination
of knuckles, fingers, thumbs and palm massage techniques are use in the
surrounding areas. Note that traditional Chinese described
four types of arthritic conditions
that work alone or in combinations; wind, cold, heat and damp:
Wind – Presents
itself in the body with moving aches and pains that are
worsened by the wind.
Cold – Presents
itself with swollen and painful joints sensitive to fog,
rain and high humidity conditions.
Heat – Presents
itself in areas reddish in color and inflamed; may feel hot
when touched.
Damp – Presents
itself with aches during colder, decreasing temperatures
and storms,
i.e. extreme weather changes.
Consult your healthcare
provider for practitioner referrals or look in directories
under holistic services
for charts and more information.
Aromatherapy
– Aromatherapy or "treatment
using scents," is another
holistic treatment used by some arthritic sufferers for pain
relief, skincare and revival, rejuvenation and stress management.
Treatment focuses on using
pleasurable aromatic botanical oils by either massaging them
into the skin, adding them to the bath water, inhaling
them directly or diffusing their scents
into the surrounding environment. The oils have been known
to affect moods, help with relaxation, lessen or end fatigue
and anxiety, and help the brain
and nervous system via olfactory nerves stimulation when inhaled.
Aromatherapy
is reportedly one of the fastest growing fields
in alternative medicine, used in home, clinical and hospital
environments
for pain
and stress relief.
Aromatherapy treatments
for arthritis vary and essential oils used can include:
- Cinnamomum
Camphora (Camphor)
- Cupressus Sempervirens
(Cypress)
- Eucalyptus
- Ginger
- Hhyssopus
Officinalis (Hyssop)
- Juniperus Communis
(Juniper)
- Lavandula Officinalis
(Lavender)
- Matricaria
Chamomilla (Chamomile)
- Rosmarinus
Officinalis (Rosemary)
- Styrax Benzoin
(Benzoin)
Recipe for
Arthritis Aromatherapy:
Add six drops
each of rosemary and chamomile oils to four ounces of a base
oil like almond,
avocado, sesame or
soybean. Massage
oil into
sore
arthritic
joints. For added pain
relief, relax for about 10 minutes in a warm tub of water
in
which
ten
drops
each of rosemary
and
chamomile oils
are added.
Other Aromatherapy
Oil Applications:
- Mix oil with
hot water and inhale the vapor that rises from the bowl.
- Add the oil in with a base oil and massage arthritic
areas.
- Lightly dab and wear as a cologne or perfume
- Add to bath water
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