AUSTRALIAN NATUROPATHIC NETWORK
 Serving the community since 1998

The following case studies do not represent implemented treatment programs. They are protocols developed by students in the course of their studies, and should be taken as examples only.

Note - Anyone suffering from the conditions described below should seek advice from a primary health care practitioner. No responsibility is taken for any individual attempting to use the treatments described in these studies.

48 year old male suffering Rheumatoid Arthritis. Both his knees are swollen and painful, as are his shoulders. He wakes up very stiff and has to stay in the hot shower a long time to be able to move before dressing for work. The anti-inflammatory drugs are not working as well as they used to, so he takes a high dose and has been taking Panadeine Forte for extra pain relief. He has a meat and veg (not many) diet and is a 30 a day smoker.

Definition

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a disease of the joints and is a classic example of an autoimmune disease, where the joint tissue is attacked by the bodies own defences ². Almost all definitions of RA emphasise its chronic and inflammatory nature¹. This causes painful joints, loss of mobility, generalised soreness, and depression.

Mitigating Factors

• Microtrauma resulting in microvascular injury (ie blood supply to the joint capsule is either sluggish or imparied)¹

• Infection of the synovial membrane by virus or bacteria ¹

• Metabolic conditions being hostile to normal function of the joint, eg synovial hypoxia and increased joint acidity ¹

• Excessive synovial antibody production due to a number of factors ¹

• Increased viscosity of the blood resulting in poor nutrient circulation to the joints ¹

• Increased synovial fluid resulting in increased intra-articular pressure and hence obstructed circulation ¹

• Build up of toxins and wastes products in the joint space ¹

• A raised rheumatoid factor in the blood ¹

• Increased nitric oxide production resulting in inhibition of proteoglycan synthase causing lowered cartilage synthesis. ¹.

Treatment Goals

• Reduce pain
• Increase range of motion
• Improve joint condition
• Eliminate wastes
• Improve quality of life
• Heal and seal the gut

Dietary Considerations

Dietary Supplements

• Vitamins C, E, B3
• Minerals Selenium, Zinc, Calcium, Manganese, Magnesium
• Others Quercetin, Lecithin, CoQ10, and other antioxidants

Lifestyle and Other Considerations

• Reduce smoking
• Exercise – low impact as possible
• Epsom salts bath to aid elimination and ease pain

Herbal Protocol

As with the previous case I would attempt to use multiple mixtures depending on the patients disposition. In this case both the heal and seal mix and the sleepy mix would be considered. The main difference would be the arthritic mixture.

Arthritis Mixture

Antiinflammatory – to reduce inflammation and relieve pain

Alteratives – to aid with the elimination of metabolic wastes

Antispasmodics – to relieve muscle tension around joints

Circulatory Stimulants – to improve blood flow to affected areas and aid in removal of metabolic waste

Digestive tonics – to improve digestion

Herbal Formula

Dosage

Arthritis mix - 5 mls tds between meals.

Heal and Seal – 5 mls tds 30 minutes before meals.

Sleepy mix – 5 mls 1 hour prior to retiring.

Cautions and Contraindications³

General caution if patient is sensitive to salicylates.

References

1. Osiecki H, The Physician’s Handbook of Clinical Nutrition – 5^th Edition, Bioconcepts Publishing, Queensland, 1998.

2. Mills, S., The Complete Guide to Modern Herbalism, Thorsons, Great Britain, 1994.

3. McGuffin, M., Hobbs, C., Upton, R., Goldberg, A., American Herbal Products Association - Botanical Safety Handbook, CRC Press, 1997.