Arthritis
Anti-inflammatory Alternatives to Ease Arthritis…
Q. I was crippled with osteoarthritis in the spine and pelvis, along with bursitis in the shoulders that no medication could help. In desperation, I used the Mediterranean diet as a basis for foods an…
Gin & Raisin Remedy Saved Knee
According to our 2018 calculations, over 70 million Americans suffer from arthritis. The CDC says 54.4 million have been diagnosed with some form of joint inflammation. It is estimated another 20 mill…
Looking for Non-Drug Pain Relief
Q. My doctor tells me that I can no longer take anti-inflammatory pain relievers for my arthritis because I have had stomach problems and my kidney function is not as good as it should be. I have give…
Doctor Pooh-Poohs Statins As Arthritis Trigger
Q. I took a statin drug to lower cholesterol for 3 months and developed severe joint pain. When I told my doctor about the pain in my joints he pooh-poohed it and said this medication doesn't cause jo…
Which Gin for Gin-Soaked Raisins?
Q. I have been using gin-soaked raisins for joint pain. However, the clerk at the store said that if I want benefits from gin-raisins, I must buy higher-quality, more expensive brands. I have been buy…
Will Sunshine Protect You from Rheumatoid Arthri…
Exposure to sunlight has been linked to a number of health benefits, including a reduced incidence of some cancers. New research suggests that ultraviolet light exposure may also cut the risk of rheum…
Meeting the Challenge of Easing Joint Pain
Q. I took Celebrex for over 10 years for arthritis but it eventually lost effectiveness. My new insurance company would not cover Celebrex unless I tried three other medications: meloxicam, ibuprofen …
Meloxicam (Mobic) Side Effects & Complicati…
Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are among the most popular drugs in the pharmacy. Millions of people swallow ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, etc) and naproxen (Aleve) that they buy without …
Arthritis Remedies Make Holiday Gift for Mother
Q. My mother has been sending me newspaper clippings with your remedies for years. I hate to admit it, but I didn't keep all of them. Now she is desperate for the grape juice and pectin remedy to ease…
Is Chocolate Bad For Arthritis?
Q. I was eating a piece of chocolate when a friend said, "That's not good for your arthritis." Since then, another friend told me to avoid tomatoes. All this advice is confusing me. Are there really f…
Topical NSAIDs Ease Joint Pain
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are extremely popular for easing a variety of aches and pains. Drugs like ibuprofen and naproxen are huge best sellers in the pharmacy. But such medicati…
Hot Chili Pepper Spices Up Dreams!
Q. About a year ago you wrote that some people use spicy gumbo soup to alleviate migraines. I have been looking for a solution for food allergy headaches and was willing to try almost anything. I star…
Platelet Rich Plasma to Repair Damaged Joints
Athletes who tear tendons or suffer from worn cartilage in joints are usually anxious for treatment that can restore pain-free joint use. They are willing to try therapies such as the injection of pla…
Gin-Soaked Raisins Rhyme for Arthritis
Q. Thanks for the information about gin-soaked raisins. My experience with them inspired me to wax poetic: This bod I used to use to sin Before arthritis did it in Has got another crack at life From g…
Glucosamine & Chondroitin vs Arthritis
Q. I have had rather severe arthritis for just over a year and have made considerable progress in recent months. I have added MSM, prednisone (3 mg cut back to 2), and Certo in a glass of grape juic…
Easing Joint Pain without Drugs
What can you do about easing joint pain? Lots of people take NSAIDs like Advil or Aleve for pain relief, but they can have unpleasant side effects. What else could you do or take to alleviate the dis…
Gin-Soaked Raisins for Arthritis Hip
Q. Three years ago I had bad arthritis in my right hip. After suffering for two years, I began taking gin-drenched raisins in desperation. I had much less pain in the hip within a few weeks. The past …
Desperate for Arthritis Remedy
Q. My 86-year-old mother got an email from her brother listing WD-40 as a pain relief aid for arthritis. Before she sprays it on her skin, please let me know if this is a safe remedy. A. Bad idea. The…
Corticosteroids Linked to Low Levels of Vitamin …
Millions of people take corticosteroids to ease symptoms of arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, and lupus, as well as allergies and asthma. A new study suggests that such medications are linked to seri…
Treating Arthritis without NSAIDs
Q. My cardiologist insists that I have to take low-dose aspirin and Plavix to prevent a heart attack. The trouble is that I have arthritis and bursitis. Because of the Plavix and aspirin I can't take …
Knox Gelatine Eased Arthritis Pain
Arthritis pain is not an inevitable part of aging, but sometimes it may seem so. When joints ache and complain, you may not want to get into a regular habit of taking NSAID pain relievers like ibuprof…
Home Remedies Help Joint Pain
Q. The California raisin producers should hire me, since I irritate my friends and neighbors by yapping nonstop about gin-soaked raisins. After reading an article on your website about unflavored gela…
Home Remedies For Arthritis
Q. A couple wrote to you that they were taking Certo in grape juice to relieve arthritis pain. Did they say how long to keep taking it? My mother-in-law is trying it, and says it is better than gin-so…
Cinnamon and Honey Relieve Joint Pain
Q. I have read about raisins soaked in gin for arthritis pain, but have hesitated because of the gin. Lately, someone sent me another remedy that I tried. I found it works so well that I thought you m…
Readers Disagree with Study Results for Arthriti…
The official word is in. The popular dietary supplements for arthritis, glucosamine and chondroitin (G&C), don't work. Researchers reviewed 10 studies involving almost 4,000 people with joint pain…
Gin-Soaked Raisins Eased Joint Pain
Q. My sister had always poo-pooed my use of alternative medicine and when I told her about gin-soaked raisins for arthritis, she determined that was the height of idiocy. She decided to try it just to…
Easing Arthritis with Topical Gels
Q. I play the cello in a chamber group. It is becoming increasing difficult to enjoy my passion, since my finger joints have developed arthritis. I recently read an article about using topical gels to…
Arthritis Supplement Raised Cholesterol
Q. I took glucosamine and chondroitin for about seven months. I had gotten little relief for my back pain, but I was willing to continue it to see if eventually it would help. Around that time I had b…
Coping with Arthritis and Joint Pain
Learn how to treat arthritis and joint pain with the People's Pharmacy Video.…
Beware Arthritis Drug Blockbusters
Rheumatoid arthritis can be devastating and unpredictable. It attacks joints and can leave people twisted, crippled and in pain. Ever since the 1950s doctors have been looking for drugs to ease pain a…
Glucosamine Fails Knee Test
A study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology reported that disappointing results from a study of the dietary supplement glucosamine. Over 200 subjects with mild to m…
Boswellia Fights Pain at a Price
People with arthritis are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they find a medication that alleviates pain, they may discover that it has unacceptable side effects. Popular NSAIDs like ibuprofen…
Should We Trust Tylenol?
When Tylenol was first introduced in 1955 it was a liquid prescription pain reliever and fever reducer for children. It wasn't until 1961 that Tylenol tablets were launched as over-the-counter pain pi…
Arthritis
No one really knows how many people suffer from arthritis and related inflammatory conditions. The folks at the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), who are in charge of tracking such thi…
OTC Pain Pills Hold Hazards for Weekend Warriors
hermits come out of their winter hibernation for outdoor activities. Digging, weeding and slinging mulch in the garden; spring cleaning in the attic or garage; and weekend running, tennis or softball …
Grape Juice and Certo Keeps Him Running
The best advice we hear about aging gracefully and joyfully is keep moving! Not only is mobility a pleasure in its own right, it can also help maintain range of motion in joints that could otherwise g…
Certo in Juice Alleviates Joint Pain
Q. I read in your column that someone used "Certo" in juice to relieve painful arthritis in the hands. Is this the pectin with which one makes jelly? I did buy some and started putting a tablespoon in…
Fighting Inflammation Naturally
Q. I have had patches of itchy dermatitis for years. More recently I developed "mildly inflammatory arthritis." Then I came down with carpal tunnel syndrome. In my dealings with doctors, these have al…
Bee Sting Against Arthritis Pain
Q. I'm a nurse in a rural hospital. Some of the mountain folk I care for tell me that a bee sting every two years or so will significantly decrease arthritis inflammation and pain. They attribute this…
Cherry Juice Eases Arthritis Pain
Whoever said "Growing older isn't for sissies!" probably had arthritis. Although it sometimes strikes younger people, the constant ache in knees and hips can make it hard to keep moving. Pa…