The Arthritis Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to Alternative Therapies and Conventional Treatments for Arthritic Diseases

229 Pages·1999·1.65 MB·English

by  Craig Weatherby

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I WANT FIRST AND FOREMOST TO THANK MY WIFE, Laura Inouye, for
many words of encouragement and many hours of editing and extra parenting. I
am also deeply indebted to old friend and medicine hunter extraordinaire Chris
Kilham, whose timely invitation led me to become a health writer. Chris also
suggested the book’s memorable moniker, and introduced me to Paul Koether,
whose support made the research and writing possible (thank you, Paul). And
my agent, Anne Sellaro, deserves great credit for being such a creative, energetic
advocate.
Leonid Gordin, M.D., brought a trained, critical, medical eye to The Arthritis
Bible, and helped me understand the pain and mysteries of arthritic diseases. His
dedication, intellectual integrity, and curiosity make him an exemplary physician
and most congenial coauthor. I am also grateful to Les and Lorraine Marino of
the Marino Center clinic in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who facilitated our
authorial collaboration.
I would like especially to acknowledge the late John F. Prudden, M.D., for his
time, assistance, unpretentious attitude, and kind foreword. His pioneering
cartilage therapy research deserves enduring respect and recognition. And I
would be remiss not to acknowledge the brave iconoclasm of Dr. Thomas
McPherson Brown. His pursuit of patient benefit in the face of institutional
opposition benefited thousands and spurred vital research.
Many others provided assistance, leads, or cogent comments. I would like to
acknowledge Anthony Cichoke for illuminating German research on enzyme
therapy, and thank Pei Pei Wishnow, Ph.D., and Zhang Zhang Zheng, M.D., for
freely sharing firsthand information on Chinese use of Lei-gong-teng and herbs
in general. My thanks also go to Stephen Holt, M.D., for his candid personal
views on cartilage research and his fine book, The Power of Cartilage. Natalie
Koether, Esq., and Dr. Qun Yi Zheng, of Pure World Botanicals, provided timely
support and assistance, for which I am grateful.
At Healing Arts Press/ITI, I would like to thank my very able and painstaking
editor, Laura Schlivek, also Jon Graham and Rowan Jacobsen, and of course,
Ehud Sperling, publisher extraordinaire. Thanks all for your kind efforts on
behalf of The Arthritis Bible.
CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
FOREWORD
PREFACE TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH
Medical Biases
The Importance of “Bio-individuality”
Experimental Therapies
INTRODUCTION WHAT IS ARTHRITIS?
Connective Tissues Affected by Arthritis
Joint Structure
Key Supporting Structures
PART ONE: OSTEOARTHROSIS AND GOUT
CHAPTER 1 OSTEOARTHROSIS (OSTEOARTHRITIS):
A CASE OF DYSFUNCTIONAL CARTILAGE
Defining the Disease
Symptoms of Osteoarthrosis
Diagnosis of Osteoarthrosis
Surgical Options
What Causes Osteoarthrosis?
Who Is Most at Risk?
CHAPTER 2 PHYSICAL AND MENTAL THERAPIES: WORKING MIND AND
BODY TO REDUCE DRUG DEPENDENCY
Exercise, Physical Therapies, and Acupuncture
Psychological Therapies
CHAPTER 3 ASPIRIN AND ITS OFFSPRING
Mechanical Pain Versus Inflammatory Pain
Analgesic Options
Aspirin: The First Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug
(NSAID)
Synthetic NSAIDs
Stinging Nettles for Pain? Giving NSAIDs an Herbal Assist
Side Effects of Aspirin and Other NSAIDs
How NSAIDs Help and Hurt
Safer New NSAIDs: Natural and Synthetic Alternatives
Acetaminophen: Pain Relief with the Leading “Un-NSAID”
CHAPTER 4 THE CARTILAGE THERAPY REVOLUTION:
GLUCOSAMINE, SAME, CHONDROITIN, BOVINE CARTILAGE,
SULFUR, GELATIN, BOSWELLIA HERB
Cartilage: Creation and Destruction
Cartilage Protectors: Treating Root Causes
CHAPTER 5 GOUT
What Causes Gout?
Progression
Diagnosis
Drug Therapy for Acute and Chronic Gout
Diet and Natural Remedies
PART TWO: RHEUMATIC DISEASES
CHAPTER 6 RHEUMATIC DISEASES:
WHAT, HOW, AND WHY
Diagnosis of Rheumatic Diseases
Prognosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Inflammation: Why Arthritic Tissues Catch Fire
What Causes Rheumatic Disease?
Fibromyalgia: A Special Case
AN OVERVIEW OF RHEUMATIC DISEASES
CAUSATIVE FACTORS AND PAIN MANAGEMENT: AN ANALYSIS
FROM THE FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE BY LEONID GORDIN,
M.D.
Factors in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Leaky Gut Syndrome
Dysbiosis: Bacterial Overgrowth
Free Radical Stress and Cartilage Degeneration
Acute and Chronic Pain
Pain Management
CHAPTER 7 GETTING THE RIGHT MEDICAL HELP
Rheumatologists
Rheumatology Nurse Practitioners
Other Medical Doctors
Holistic Medical Doctors
Naturopaths
Chiropractors
CHAPTER 8 CONVENTIONAL MEDICINES FOR RHEUMATIC DISEASES
Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs)
An Aggressive New Stance on DMARDs
Cytotoxic Drugs
Corticosteroids
A New Approach: Biologic Response Modifiers
Alternative Options
CHAPTER 9 CONSUMER’S GUIDE TO RHEUMATIC REMEDIES
Using the Remedies Table
Ranking Rheumatic Remedies
CHAPTER 10 DIETARY THERAPY IN RHEUMATIC DISEASES
Leaky Gut Syndrome
Stomach Acid (Hypochlorhydria) and Rheumatic Disease
Therapeutic Diets
Oral Tolerance Therapy
CHAPTER 11 VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Vitamin A/Beta-Carotene
B Vitamins
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Boron
Copper
Selenium
Zinc
CHAPTER 12 TRADITIONAL HERBS
Ranking Herbs for Arthritis
Primary Therapeutic Herbs
Secondary Herbs
CHAPTER 13 NUTRACEUTICAL REMEDIES FROM NATURE
EPA
GLA
CMO
Emu Oil
Bovine Tracheal Cartilage
Capsaicin
Curcumin Turmeric
OPCs
Dietary Enzymes
Sea Cucumber
New Zealand Green-Lipped Mussel
CHAPTER 14 ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY
Bacterial Arthritis
Clues from the Heart and Gut
How Microbes Might Cause Rheumatic Diseases
Early Evidence for Microbe Theory
The Changing Fortunes of Microbe Theory
Germs on Trial
Antibiotic Therapy
Antibiotics as Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Are Antibiotics Right for You?
CHAPTER 15 HOMEOPATHIC REMEDIES
Less Is More, Ad Infinitum: The Paradox of Homeopathy
The Return of Homeopathy
Does It Work?
Homeopathy in Arthritis
CHAPTER 16 FOLK REMEDIES
Alfalfa
Bee Venom
Copper Bracelets
Honey and Vinegar
APPENDIX A RESOURCES
APPENDIX B MORE HERBAL OPTIONS
APPENDIX C TOP HERBS: SCIENTIFIC SUMMARIES
NOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
ABOUT INNER TRADITIONS
BOOKS OF RELATED INTEREST
COPYRIGHT