h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi! My partner has just asked me to see if I can find anything out about this for a friend on his degree course. She has not looked into alternative methods to alleviate her condition.

Any thoughts, everyone?

A

I know one person who has had extrememly good results from a largely diet based approach. She went from being constantly wracked with pain and severe mobility impairments to pretty much leading a normal, symptom-free life. I don't know much about the approach off-hand other than it beginning with a severe exclusion diet for a couple of weeks before slowly re-introducing other food stuffs, all in full consultation with her medical practitioner. I'll try and find out some more of the details for your friend.

Well, I´d just like to say i don´t think I´ve ever encountered a so-called alternative therapy that wasn´t simply placebo. Don´t waste your money.

Cod liver oil alleviates.So does a warm climate (the initial reason I started travelling)
I have had arthritis all my adult life. Since taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) the symptoms have gone and I can move all my joints without pain, but this is not the sort of information you're looking for, is it?

As with conventional medicine - some complimentary approaches work, and some don't. (Start looking at "evidence based medicine" and you will find out just rarely conventional medicine actually works - big secret, but there you go).

Western thought likes to assume that medical conditions are entirely physical and respond in identical ways to physical intervention. But talk to any decent doctor and they will admit that even if physical conditions are not "all" in the mind, they can be exacerbated and improved by mental circumstances.

So the most important single factor is the therapist, and the second most important factor is the therapy. The best way to find a therapist is to ask everyone you know in the area you are based, and take the advice of the people you like. And shop around. If you can't stand the guys beard, or the scented candles and crystals, then go for another therapist.

On the subject of individual therapies we should be very clear here - acupuncture, chinese herbalism, homeopathy, naturopathy, herbalism, diet, and osteopathy are all medical practices. Aromatherapy, reiki, shiatsu, and so on are more lifestyle things. That said, I have had very powerful reiki treatments, and it works on horses too.

Specifically for arthritis: diet works. There used to be a diet called the Dong Diet, which was a specific for arthritis. And a good keniesiologist would be able to help with diet and supplements (I know one I would recommend).

Herbalism, chinese or otherwise would probably also work, as might acupuncture. And stuff like reiki and aromatherapy wouldn't do any harm.

I sometimes mix and match therapies and approaches, but never more than two at a time, and I ALWAYS tell the practitioners what I am doing.

Wondrous things can be achieved - good luck.