Inside Health: Arthritis

From insidetime.org

Q I have arthritis in both knees, and have used hemp cream in the past which eased the pain. I’m on antidepressants and already doing some exercise and buying oily fish and fruit. Is there a medication you can recommend that I can ask to try to help?

A Knee arthritis is likely to be osteoarthritis. We used to call it ‘wear and tear’ arthritis, but recently we have come to understand that it’s really ‘wear and repair’. The pain that follows exercise is caused by the healing process, something to embrace not avoid. So even if it causes pain, exercise is crucial in maintaining muscle strength and joint function. But after exercise, what else can maximise function and minimise pain?

You already take fish oils, which is very wise. Omega 3 fatty acids reduce inflammation and also protect the heart. However they are more likely to improve inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis rather than osteoarthritis. The best source is probably fish such as anchovies, mackerel, pilchards, sardines, but sadly not tinned tuna which is so prized in prison. Vegetarians may prefer to get their Omega 3 from seeds, spinach, soya and eggs, or buy Omega 3 supplements, where available! 

Paracetamol and Non-Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) are relatively safe. But opioids – even the weaker ones such as co-codamol – are no longer recommended for persistent non-cancer pain. Although doctors have given them out like Smarties for decades, we now know that in the long term they cause falls, constipation, suppress the immune system and reduce testosterone. Yes testosterone! Opioids slash the levels of sex hormones, which lowers sex drive and weakens the bones. In the U.S, 47,000 people die each year as a result of opioids, mostly prescribed by well-meaning doctors. That’s a greater death toll than died in Vietnam, every year.

Hemp oil may contain medical cannabis, but there is no guarantee of what you are buying. Commercial ‘medical cannabis’ products may contain wildly unpredictable amounts of CBD (cannabidiol), which does have a license for the treatment of rare epilepsy syndromes, multiple sclerosis and the treatment of sickness from chemotherapy. But it may also contain variable amounts of THC, which is the more addictive chemical, also linked to psychosis. 

So in summary, there is probably no silver bullet for arthritis pain. But natural is best: maintain your physical activity, and keep yourself busy. That’s safer than the alternatives. 

https://insidetime.org/inside-health-5/