Arthritis
How to Ease Joint Pain Without Suffering Constip…
Easing joint pain due to arthritis has been a concern for so long that there are scores, if not hundreds, of home remedies to take care of the problem. Just as with the response to pain-relieving medi…
NSAIDs Disrupt the Balance of Bacteria in the Gu…
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are taken by millions of people every day to treat pain and inflammation due to problems such as arthritis, bursitis or tendinitis. Such NSAIDs include diclofenac,…
Exerciser Needs Home Remedy to Overcome Knee Pai…
It is estimated that 30 million Americans take an NSAID-type pain reliever each day to ease their sprains, strains, arthritis and bursitis. Familiar brands include Advil, Aleve, Anaprox, Cataflam, Mob…
Chondroitin Stacks Up Against Celecoxib for Reli…
A small study just presented at the American College of Rheumatology meeting shows that the dietary supplement chondroitin sulfate is about as effective as the drug celecoxib in alleviating the pain a…
How Do You Make Gin-Soaked Raisins?
Q. I have heard you talk about the raisin remedy on your radio show and I have seen reference to it on this website, but there are a lot of details that are missing. First, how the heck do you soak th…
Knee Pain Disappears After Turmeric Treatment
Q. I want to thank you. A couple of months ago you wrote about taking turmeric for knee pain. I immediately went out and bought some. I have had constant knee pain for many years. After taking turmeri…
Save Money Safely With Authorized Generic Drugs
People have become suspicious of the quality of generic drugs. Is there a way to benefit from the lower cost of these copycat medicines without sacrificing effectiveness? What are Authorized Generic D…
Pain with Switch from Celebrex to Celecoxib
People with arthritis frequently rely on medication to fight the pain and inflammation of their condition. When a drug works well, they stick with it. It can be a disappointment to discover that a dif…
At What Age Do NSAID Pain Relievers Become Deadl…
Q. I heard the FDA issued a stronger warning about cardiac risks associated with NSAID pain relievers. Is this correlated with age? If older persons are at greater risk of heart attack and stroke from…
Reader Praises Voltaren Gel
Many people recognize that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs such as diclofenac (Voltaren) can provide relief from inflammation and pain but have some important side effects if they are used…
Certo Recipe for Joint Pain
The pain of arthritic joints can often be unrelenting. It is no wonder, then, that people are always on the lookout for strategies to help them manage it better. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs …
Cortisone Shot Won’t Help Tennis Player…
When sore joints start complaining, it can be tempting to grab for whatever will give the quickest relief and let you get back to your favorite activities. Sometimes that's not the best strategy. Pain…
Generic Celebrex Leaves Many People in Pain
Generic medications are supposed to provide exactly the same therapeutic benefit as the original brand name drug. That has been the FDA's promise since it began approving generic medicines. Now that g…
The Combination of an NSAID with a PPI Can Harm …
Using one medication to treat the known side effects of another pill often seems sensible. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work. In some cases, adding the second medicine can backfire. The combinatio…
Pineapple Compound Fights Inflammation
Foods with anti-inflammatory activity can often relieve pain nearly as well as medications, but without the scary side effects. A pineapple compound called bromelain is one that can be helpful, as thi…
Knee Pain Responded to Turmeric
People with chronic joint pain have difficult decisions to make. Do they take a pain reliever on a regular basis and risk the sometimes serious side effects, or do they limit their activities to what …
Topical Pain Reliever Eases Knee Arthritis
People with arthritis pain often find themselves caught between two terrible alternatives: suffer the pain, or suffer the side effects of the usual pain relievers. NSAIDS can have some serious drawbac…
Is Life Just a Bowl of Cherries?
Readers of our syndicated newspaper column have been singing the praises of tart cherries for decades. Back in 1999 we first heard that cherries could ease a gout attack: "I eat five tart canned cherr…
Gin-Soaked Raisins Offer Relief for Arthritic Pa…
Most people never consider that a home remedy or dietary supplement might interact with a prescription medicine. That is why this question is important. We wish more people would inquire about such in…
Tai Chi Practice Became Painful on Generic Celec…
Q. I've been a long-time user of Celebrex. Then my pharmacy gave me the generic. After the first week, I had pain all over and found I could do fewer and fewer things I've always found easy. My hour o…
Glucosamine and Chondroitin Measure Up to Celebr…
Glucosamine and chondroitin are popular supplements for joint pain, but several US studies of these compounds have been disappointing. Even though many people report benefit when they take glucosamine…
Why 9 Gin-Soaked Raisins for Arthritis?
Q. I've been taking gin-soaked raisins for over two months. I don't know whether or not they are helping my knee joints, but I don't care. They are delicious. There's only one thing: I don't have a cl…
Heartburn Drugs Don’t Protect Intestines f…
Warning: This is a man bites dog story. In other words, it contradicts conventional wisdom. Physicians have long recognized that popular pain relievers like aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen can harm th…
Massage Eased Joint Pain Without Side Effects
Q. I would like to tell others what has helped me. My doctor told me I am riddled with osteoarthritis. He didn't have a magic bullet for me, but suggested I might try massage. I have been getting a fu…
Shots or Pills for Sore Knees?
What works best to relieve symptoms of knee arthritis, pills or shots? A new meta analysis of 137 randomized clinical trials with a total of 33,243 participants concluded that injections trump oral me…
Does Glucosamine Raise Cholesterol?
Q. By fortunate coincidence, my total cholesterol was measured when I applied for an insurance policy one day before I started taking glucosamine and chondroitin for joint pain. I had a checkup a mont…
Skeptical Rheumatologist Wants Info on Turmeric …
Q. I have osteoarthritis and recently became unable to take NSAIDs due to a spike in my liver enzymes and a family history of heart disease. Then I read in a recent column of People's Pharmacy that tu…
Running Keeps Knees Moving
People who love to run will probably keep running regardless of the health outcomes, but others who are more ambivalent may worry about bringing on osteoarthritis in their knees with overuse. Research…
NSAIDs for Arthritis Tore Up Stomach
Q. I began taking meloxicam in April for inflammation. By June my stomach was so messed up I couldn't stand it. My pain doctor switched me to diclofenac, but I had the same stomach issues. My stomach …
Arthritic Foot Feels Much Better After Being Stu…
Why would anyone want to be stung by fire ants? The pain can be intense. That's because these critters are aggressive. First they bite you and then they sting you by injecting a toxin (solenopsin) in…
Does Arthritis Remedy Raise Cholesterol Levels?
Q. I read a letter in your column from a person whose cholesterol had gone up dramatically after taking glucosamine. I had the same thing happen. I started using glucosamine with chondroitin four mont…
Can a Leaky Gut (Intestinal Permeability) Cause …
Q. I have an underactive thyroid due to an immune reaction (Hashimoto's). I also have irritable bowel syndrome and don't tolerate wheat. My body aches all over and my doctor has diagnosed me with fibr…
Does Arthritis Remedy from the Grocery (Certo &#…
Q. Thank you for writing about Certo and grape juice. I was having excruciating pain in the metatarsal area of my foot, which caused me great difficulty walking. After two weeks of using Certo and gra…
To Keep Knees Working Well, Walk 6,000 Steps Eve…
A study shows that walking every day can help people with arthritic knees maintain their mobility. About 27 million American adults have osteoarthritis of the knee, and the pain that accompanies arthr…
Got Milk? A Glass of Skim a Day May Keep Arthrit…
A study of more than 2,000 people with osteoarthritis of the knee suggests that women who drink skim or low-fat milk may have a slower progression of the problem. The Osteoarthritis Initiative used a …
Study Shows No Benefit from Glucosamine for Knee…
Glucosamine remains one of the most popular dietary supplements for arthritis despite a lack of convincing evidence that it helps. Now a study from the University of Arizona has once again demonstrate…
Will High-Dose Fish Oil Work for Human Joint Pai…
Q. I am a veterinarian. In my world, fairly high doses of EPA and DHA (components of fish oil) are recommended for osteoarthritis. For instance, a recommended dose for a 50 lb dog is 3,200 mg. Is ther…
Natural Approaches for Arthritis May Provide Rel…
Many readers have noticed that as they add more candles to their birthday cakes, their joints may get stiffer and become painful. Although over-the-counter pain relievers are popular, they do have sid…
The Secret to Maintaining Joint Function Is to K…
People with joint pain might be tempted to become couch potatoes because it hurts to move. A new study demonstrates this is the wrong approach. Regular physical activity can actually improve function …
Tart Cherries Fight Pain and Inflammation Natura…
When most people experience pain they take NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Physicians prescribe medications like celecoxib (Celebrex), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), meloxicam (Mobic…