5 Steps to Joint Pain Relief

The following is from a Real Age article on Joint Pain Management. Chronic pain comes in a variety of forms. Joint pain is a common one. If you suffer from stiff, achy joints, you're not alone. Twenty-seven million Americans have osteoarthritis -- leader of the pack when it comes to joint-pain culprits. You can thank other causes, as well, including ligament and tendon damage, muscle tears, excess body weight, age, bad posture, and poor biomechanics. Whatever the reason, there are special steps that can help ease painful hip, shoulder, spine and knee pain. Here are 5 of them:

1. Eat to relieve joint pain. Food can't prevent or cure joint pain, but certain nutrients not only enhance muscle and bone strength, they also take a bite out of joint pain. Fill your plate with foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, pain-fighting polyphenols, and vitamins C, K, and D. Stock your fridge with these 8 foods for pain.

MyAchingKnees comment: While Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin C are great nutrients for joint and connective tissue health, it is super hard for most people to obtain the quantity and quality of nutrients in today's nutrient depleted food supply. Hence the need to supplement with high quality nutritional supplements. And while you are at it - add Glucosamine.  

2. Move to improve joint pain. Resist the urge to hit the couch when your joints hurt. Move through the pain instead. Why? Exercise triggers the production of lubricating synovial fluid and feel-good brain chemicals, and improves joint pain, function, and range of motion. It may even boost cartilage growth in the knees. Ask your doctor about exercises that help rather than hurt your joints.

3. Watch your weight. If you're overweight, ask your doctor for a safe weight-loss plan. Every excess pound you shed takes 4 pounds of pressure off your knees, and can reduce hip and back pain, too.

4. Work with your doctor. Ask your primary care physician if a specialist can help you with your joint pain. An orthopedic specialist and/or physical therapist may be better equipped to tailor an effective pain-treatment plan. Use these tips to get better pain relief from your doctor's visits.

MyAchingKnees comment: Just be careful and use your own common sense as physicians sometimes are quick to go to pain medications treating the symptoms as opposed to the cause.   

5. Don't ignore joint pain. Pace yourself and avoid activities that aggravate your joint pain, such as running long distances, lifting heavy objects, or kneeling for hours pulling weeds. Use a daily pain diary to note the activities that worsen or improve your joint symptoms.

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Adverse Rx Drug Interactions - Check Out DrugWatch.com

MyAchingKnees.com has written several posts about the potential dangers of side effects caused by Rx medications, specifically medications for relief from chronic joint pain. What is posted on this site is a drop in the bucket compared to potential and actual adverse interactions of Rx drugs listed on DrugWatch.com

Our belief is that a prudent person, which you could also call an informed consumer, simply tries less invasive or less riskier solutions to chronic joint pain before they push the button on the nuclear options such as taking powerful Rx pain medications or having surgery. These less riskier possible solutions are, of course, highlighted by natural or nutritional solutions (or partial solutions) to joint pain. I am a very big proponent of high doses of pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements and the inclusion of optimizers such as the same quality Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acids. This is what I attribute the elimination of my joint pain (knees and back) and current exceptional mobility.

We have been informed on a web site, called Drug Watch, which is a very comprehensive site featuring extensive information about thousands of different medications and drugs currently on the market or previously available worldwide. DrugWatch.com includes up-to-date information about prescription and over-the-counter medications and includes details about associated side effects to aid in the protection of patients and consumers.

DrugWatch.com aims to educate the public about prescription, over-the-counter medications, medical devices, drug recalls and the side effects associated with thousands of different drugs, including pain relief medications. According to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical College, more than 30 million Americans take pain relievers daily. DrugWatch.com provides extensive information about these medications, including those prescribed to treat conditions such as headaches, arthritis and sore muscles, as well as those prescribed to help a patient handle the severe pain associated with certain medical procedures and diseases.

The resources available on DrugWatch.com are provided to offer visitors free and accurate information to aid in the understanding of various medications and conditions. The content on the site may help consumers formulate questions for medical professionals and alert the public about important information regarding potentially dangerous side effects associated with certain medications. By providing FDA alerts, drug interactions, and potential side effects on the site, patients have access to valuable knowledge that could enhance their ability to voice concerns with their doctor and improve their quality of care.

It boils down to the individual being responsible for their own health and well being.


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Blood Test by LabCorp

Received my lab results from LabCorp, which was conducted by HealthCheckUSA a firm that take provides a low cost diagnostic way of looking at many health issues.

I always have several tests, the technical test terms are: CMP14+LP+5AC+CBC/D/Plt; Iron and TIBC; Hgb Aic with eAG estimation; Prostate-Specific Ag, Serum; Testosterone, Serum.

I highly advise everyone to, even if they have to pay out of the pocket, to get routine blood tests. They can literally be a life saver and in fact a large factor in being concerned enough to try pharmaceutical grade supplements over 5 years ago. I had to pay $145 for the test, which I think is a good deal as I received a three page read out of my blood levels, and what they meant.

The good news is that CHD risk (mainly Hypertension and Diabetes) is way below even 1/2 the average risk level. Should be as I take the highest rated supplement on the market. However, not all was good. My Vitamin D level was low. And this is after taking 2,000 IU per day. The RDA level is 400 IU which Scientist now are saying is way too low to be effective. I have added another 2,000 IU per day and we'll see how that goes.

The value of Vitamin D to cellular health and a healthy immune system is getting more and more press. A healthy immune system can fight off oxidative stress caused by free radicals which can manifest problems in many ways: in common degenerative diseases such a diabetes and the inflammation from oxidative stress can be a factor in joint pain.

Pharmaceutical quality, high doses of vitamins, anti-oxidants and minerals are my front line defense not only against the onset of age related health issues but combined with optimizers such as Glucosamine and Omega 3 fatty acids provide me with an elimination of the chronic joint pain in my knees and back that I had lived with for almost 20 years.

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Do Herbs and Spices Help Your Health? Chronic Joint Pain?

A reader sent me link to an article written by Dr. Maoshing Ni on Yahoo! Health, entitled "9 Spices for Health, Energy and Longevity!" and asked me to comment on what Dr. Mao has written and the use of herbs and spices for health.

I am re-posting the article here (in italics) and my comments will be evident.

The colder weather is beckoning us back to our kitchens. Break out the spices to bring warmth, robust flavor, and a bounty of health benefits, including higher energy, increased immunity, and other life-enhancing surprises.

Considered to be dried seeds, fruit, roots or bark, spices have been valued for centuries by ancient cultures for their culinary and medicinal properties. For instance, a traditional Indian beauty trick was to spread turmeric paste on the skin to beautify it and prevent pimples. And Chinese doctors have used ginger since ancient times to cure aches and pains.

Here are some spices that you can start cooking with right away to elevate your longevity and health!

1. Garlic wards off heart disease

In addition to warding off Count Dracula, garlic, the spicy favorite in Italian fare, has been shown to improve cholesterol and lower blood pressure. According to the National Health and Medical Research Council, consuming half to one clove of garlic daily may reduce cholesterol by nearly ten percent. Your breath might suffer, but your heart will thank you. As an antibacterial, garlic is often used to treat minor infections.

I absolutely believe in garlic, not only for your health but for counter-vampire measures. The trick is to get raw and unprocessed garlic. Garlic like any other plant starts to lose potency once picked and removed from it's nutrient process. Whole garlic cloves, crushed or chopped and added to foods, without alot of cooking (heat) will certainly give your immune system a boost. But is not intended to replace either Rx medicines like antibiotics or high quality supplements. It is simply an additional tool for your tool box of health.

2. Spotlight on cinnamon


Another ancient spice to recently come under scientific investigation is cinnamon. In the United States, cinnamon is usually thought of as the delicious spice in apple pie filling, but in other parts of the world, especially India and Asia, cinnamon has been used as a healing herb for centuries. Research is finally catching up to the wisdom of the East; many clinical studies have linked cinnamon consumption to lowered blood sugar. Both in vitro and human studies show improvement in insulin sensitivity with cinnamon polyphenols, as well as improvement in total and LDL cholesterol. Cinnamon is also thought to detoxify the system and stimulate brain function. Its antiseptic properties give it the ability to fight bladder infection, and if taken in the first 48 hours, a cup of strong cinnamon tea might just nip a bladder infection in the bud. Keep in mind that mixed study results make it difficult to prove these benefits on paper -- but it doesn't hurt to sprinkle a teaspoon into your next bowl of oatmeal.

I think the best use of cinnamon is to replace other flavorings such as butter and sugar or (worse yet) the sugar surrogates. When added to oatmeal or steel cut oats, you are even doing better for your health, especially your cholesterol.


3. Curry for joint health

Are your aching joints not jumping for joy in these autumn days? Try sprinkling some curry on your veggie omelet. Curry, a staple spice combo in Southeast Asian cuisine, contains turmeric, the yellow spice that gives curry its distinctive color. The active component in turmeric is called curcumin. If you are a fan of curry, you will be happy to know that this substance is associated with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-amyloid properties; amyloids are plaque-like proteins that build up in brain tissue, and are responsible for diseases like Alzheimer's and rheumatoid arthritis. In one randomized control study 107 patients with knee osteoarthritis received either 800 mg per day ibuprofen or 2 grams per day Curcuma domestica extract. Both groups showed improvement in pain on level walking and climbing stairs.

Joint Health - my favorite topic! I can't stand curry in foods, but my pharmaceutical grade joint supplement, called Procosa II, has turmeric extract which enhances the Glucosamine. This product is what I attribute my renewed joint health. Previously I had knee pain so bad, walking up stairs hurt. Runnning not so much, but stairs and kneeling caused a good deal of joint pain,...and it was chronic pain in nature. So I believe in Turmeric,....but I think my supplement is greatly enhanced by taking a high doses of pharmaceutical grade supplement of multi-minerals and anti-oxidants as well.


4. Star Anise aids digestion

As the name suggests, star anise is indeed star-shaped. Though it is not actually related to anise, star anise shares a similar licorice flavor, due to its content of anethole. Used to bring out flavor in slow-cooked meat dishes and long-simmered soups, this spice frequently makes an appearance in Indian cuisine and is an ingredient of the traditional five-spice powder of Chinese cooking. Star anise has been used in a tea to remedy rheumatism, and the seeds are sometimes chewed after meals to aid digestion.

I have do idea what Star Anise is! But I sometimes take a digestive aid (especially after big meals), but it does not include Star Anise. My product is called Digestive Enzyme and contains pharmaceutical grade alpha-amylase bromelain, protease, lipase, lactose, papin and cellulase as well as spirulina.

5. Cardamom improves energy

Found in curries, rice dishes, herbal teas, and breads, cardamom is the spice that gives chai tea its main flavor. In Asia, cardamom has long been valued medicinally for its ability to increase circulation and improve energy. Considered an aphrodisiac in the Middle East, cardamom may also improve digestion, asthma, bronchitis, halitosis, and even help improve a bad mood.

I have spent alot of time in the Middle East and Coffee (Gawa) made over there most often has Cardamon to flavor it up. I liked it, and you should try it, however I don't know about it's health related benefits.

6. Clove curbs cramping

A delicious addition to cooked fruit, roasts, sweet vegetable dishes, and teas, clove has been used since ancient times in India to improve digestive function. You may chew on some to alleviate toothaches, sore throats, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.


7. Cumin boosts immunity

An excellent addition to meat curries, stews, vegetables, seafood, and sauces, cumin is thought to boost the immune system and also to improve liver function, reduce flatulence, and aid in digestion.

Don't know about Cumin either. But anything that will reduce flatulence in my dogs, I'll sure try.

8. Fennel Seed soothes your intestines

Often used to spice up recipes with meat, beans, or legumes, fennel helps digestion in two ways: It stimulates the production of gastric juices and also soothes the nervous system, regulating the action of the muscles that line the intestine.

I have often heard of fennel seed being good for you. So I routinely use it when I cook meats. I have had no adverse reaction.

9. Ginger: Remedies aches and nausea

A perfect compliment to vegetables, marinades, and sweets, ginger is also delicious in tea. Ginger may help relieve nausea, arthritis, headaches, menstrual cramps, and muscle soreness.

Ginger is another flavoring that can help one reduce sugars in drinks or other food based products. Give it a try,...start small as a little packs a hefty taste.

A word of warning: always discuss with your physician before treating conditions with spices to avoid any adverse interactions; for example, because garlic and ginger possess natural blood-thinning properties, individuals about to undergo surgery and those taking blood thinners should take extra precaution.

To maintain peak flavor, use spices within six months -- but the spice police won’t come knocking at your door if you keep them longer. They like to hang out in a cool, dark place in your pantry to preserve their oils and prevent loss of pungent flavors.

I hope you can use spices to make the most of your meals and your health! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

I think the missing point in this article is the overall fact that the consumer must understand that dried and processed foods, including spices and herbs, lose much of their potency after harvesting and through the processing procedures. If you could get a pharmaceutical grade source of herbs and spices, or grow them and pick them right before use, would most certainly greatly aid in the potency and purity in which you consume them.

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Magnets for Chronic Joint Pain Relief?

MyAchingKnees.com received a questions from a reader asking "If those magnets you see in the stores and on TV actually work to diminish chronic knee pain."

I have actually tried magnets about 10 years ago, receiving several different sets from a relative who knew about my (then) great knee pain. I tried them for at least three months using socks with magnets, a magnetic knee brace and magnetic knee elastic band, and also, an elastic magnetic band my elbows.

I think the idea behind the magnets is to promote blood circulation and therefore restoration of the damaged cells. But if you think about it this way,...that increased circulation doesn't do much of any good when your body is deficient in the nutrients needed for regeneration and the defense against degenerative oxidative stress and inflammation.

I know now the best defense against the ravages of degenerative disease and chronic joint pain is to give your body the highest quality nutritional supplements and optimizers to combat the oxidative stress and resultant free radical and inflammation damage.

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Doctor Warns Against Mis-leading Labels on Over The Counter Supplements

This weekend I was watching a Cable News program where the anchors bring a Doctor on to answer question relating to health issues in the forefront. What was interesting was that this Doctor, an older gentleman, was talking about nutrition and vitamins. Now I know that Medical Doctors normally received very little education or training in Nutritional Medicine, so I perked up and was happy to hear this Doctor talk about required nutrients and explain that in over the counter supplements what you read on the label is no exactly what you are getting. The example he used was “you may be getting 25% or even less what the label says as there is minimal government oversight on supplement manufacturing.” The exception is Pharmaceutical grade supplements where the manufacturing process from receipt of raw material to testing, production and more testing results in a United States Pharmacopeia (USP) certification on the label.

MyAchingKnees.com knows that baseline nutritional supplementation with advanced doses of nutrients are vital to the body’s ability to fight oxidative damage and inflammation. Only then can you add optimizers such as Glucosamine (for joint health and to help against chronic joint pain) and specific anti-oxidants and other optimizers such as Omega 3 Fatty Acids. You can be assured that you get what you pay for and obtain the nutrients that will help you achieve optimal cellular health by taking pharmaceutical grade supplements.


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Sleep Aids for Chronic Joint Pain ??

MyAchingKnees.com received a request to look into the use of sleeping aides, such as Rx prescription sleeping pills, as a treatment for chronic knee pain. Apparently there are some blogs and forums that have people talking about the use of sleeping pills to get to sleep when their chronic knee pain is such that it keeps them awake. Again, this is treating the symptoms not the cause and furthermore the use of Rx Sleeping pills can be addictive and dangerous.

However there is one sleeping aid, Melatonin, that is naturally produced hormone specifically made in the pineal gland of the brain. Melatonin helps control your sleep and wake cycles. Very small amounts of it are found in foods such as meats, grains, fruits, and vegetables. You can also buy it as a supplement, although you should ensure that the supplement is a quality product. Pharmaceutical grade is best as there is a guarantee for the potency, purity (lack of toxins), bio-availability and dissolution.

I have tried a pharmaceutical grade Melatonin product (called Pure Rest), not to alleviate chronic joint pain since I don’t have any knee pain anymore, but to test the Melatonin out so I can either recommend it or not to my customers. Produced in 1 mg tablets which you put under your tongue to dissolve about 20 minutes prior to when you want to nod off to sleep, these Melatonin tablets worked pretty good for me to gradually let me fall into a sleep. I woke refreshed and wide awake the next morning. However, when I tried a larger dose of 2 mg (2 tablets), I woke up pretty groggy, probably as I only sleep about 5.5 hours and the Melatonin level was still fairly high in my body.

More information on Melatonin:

Your body, through an internal clock, controls your natural cycle of sleeping and waking hours. In effect, your body clock controls how much melatonin your body makes. The level of melatonin in the body usually begin to increase in the mid- to late evening, remain high for most of the night, and then drop in the early morning hours when you wake.

Time of the year with the changing available light will affects how much melatonin your body produces. During the shorter daylight hours of the winter months, your body production of melatonin will change somewhat. Melatonin levels slowly drop with age. Some older adults make very small amounts of it or none at all.

There are some organizations that are looking at melatonin as a supplement stop or slow the spread of cancer, make the immune system stronger, reduce chronic headaches, and slow down the aging process. But these areas need more research.

Therefore MyAchingKnees.com subscribes to the belief that Melatonin, granted that is a quality product, is useful to help regulate sleep and may be a partial answer to people have trouble sleeping due to knee pain, but the primary answer has got to be to treat the cause of the chronic joint pain, and often that pain is either in whole or partially due to poor nutrition and lack of optimizers that are know to help achieve healthy joints and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation.


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Reader Question on Joint Pain Meds and Nutrition

MyAchingKnees.com received the following question/comment from Gerry in St. Louis: "I can understand that there is a difference in quality of joint pain reduction substances like Glucosamine, between food grade and pharmaceutical grade and even the difference in food grade and pharmaceutical grade nutritional supplements, but what does nutritional supplements have to do with chronic joint pain? And why can't I get everything I need from the Multi-Vitamin I get at Wal-Greens?"

Gerry, our bodies are constantly fighting oxidative stress which produces free radicals that harm our health at the cellular level and is manifested through many different degenerative diseases or magnifying a degenerative disease. The end product is often inflammation that sometimes is noticed as joint pain, or it could be cardio-vascular issues, or a host of other health issues.

Not only is the way supplements are manufactured, but the levels of the ingredients as well are at issue. By the way, I highly suggest you pick up a copy of the Comparative Guide to Nutritional Supplements, not only to see what quality of supplements are on the market, but to understand how nutrients (vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants) all affect our health.

The Recommended Daily Allowance is way too low across the board to provide our bodies with the nutrients needed to fight oxidative stress. All these nutrients, in advanced levels are necessary to work in synergy to provide optimum cellular health.

Ask yourself this? How much do I spend eating out at restaurants each month? Usually the answer is $100 or more, as most people spend much, much more eating out than they would providing their bodies with a monthly supply of pharmaceutical quality nutritional supplements needed for base cellular health.

I talk to people all the time that think nothing of spending $100 eating out, but would not spend less than half that with a quality nutritional supplement.

So, addressing chronic joint pain in a nutritional manner, in our view, is about getting the advanced nutritional supplements that your body needs for optimum cellular health AND addressing your joint issue with the optimizers, Glucosamine and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.

Athletes Search for Best Supplements

MyAchingKnees.com has been talking to several people who work in specialized aspects of law enforcement (SWAT Units) about their nutritional needs and problems areas,...such as chronic joint pain from the abuse they put on their bodies.

It is remarkable to see just how many educated, fairly young people, late 20's to early 40's, make two big mistakes: 1 - take way too much NSAIDS to put off the pain caused by the demands on their bodies and the chronic pains they think are inevitable, and 2 - concerned with only taking "body building" or "sports" supplements without regard to their basic nutritional needs which is the first step in their bodies defenses against degenerative diseases, some of which are the cause of joint pain.

The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) has long been a antagonist of nutritional supplements simply because there is no safeguard or guarantee for 'off the shelf' (OTC) supplements. Tests, both by the USOC, their International sister organization the IOC, as well as other organizations have revealed not only toxins but elements of baned substances in these OTC supplements.

Well, that was before the USOC and their Athletes became aware of pharmacuetical grade nutritional supplements. That not only meet the NSF and USP certifications for disinegration, potency and purity, but also have a guarantee.

Click on this link to see what Olympic caliber Athletes, some Medal Winners, are taking and why.

Link between Creatine and Chronic Joint Pain?

Creatine Monohydrate also sold in various other forms under the names of Creatine Anhydrous, Creatine Ethyl Ester, Creatine Phosphate and others, is a chemical normally found in the body, mostly in muscles. The body makes Creatine and it can be obtained from certain foods. Fish and meats are good sources of creatine. Creatine can also be made in the laboratory, hence the supplement - Creatine.

Creatine is commonly used for enhancing exercise performance and increasing muscle mass in athletes. There is some science supporting the use of Creatine in improving the athletic performance of young, healthy people during brief high-intensity activity such as anaerobic sports. However it is believed not to be very helpful for older athletes, say in their early 40's or older.

Creatine use is widespread among professional and amateur athletes and has been acknowledged by well-known athletes such as Mark McGuire, Sammy Sosa, and John Elway.

Creatine has also been used in treatment for congestive heart failure (CHF), depression, bipolar disorder, Parkinson’s disease, diseases of the muscles and nerves, an eye disease called gyrate atrophy, and high cholesterol. It is also used to slow the worsening of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease), rheumatoid arthritis, McArdle’s disease, and for various muscular dystrophies.

Even though Creatine is allowed by the International Olympic Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), and professional sports, MyAchingKnees had found some research to support that Creatine does have side effects, some of which can contribute to chronic joint pain.

Some of the on-line Creatine sellers advertise as follows: ” The best part about creatine-no adverse effects have been reported in any studies. NONE! Creatine is totally safe and effective. Creatine has never been shown harmfully toxic. “

To this I say Bull Crap! I have personally relayed information from several body building friends who will longer use Creatine since they experienced pain and in some cases severe pain in their joints, most notably the knees and elbow joints when cycling Creatine through 4 and 6 week supplementation cycles. In most of these personally relayed accounts, the joint pain stayed chronic for several months, but has not appeared to be permament.

Some of the chronic Joint Pain may be associated with tendonitis, as the tendons and ligaments on the joints cannot catch up with the growth in muscle, leading to pain and sometimes tremendous pain in these joints.

I have had other weight room addicts tell me that Creatine supplementation requires much greater amounts of hydration for the muscle cells and the kidneys and that when they cycle on Creatine they stop running as running not only requires more water, but puts a much greater strain on the knee joints.

Although Creatine appears safe for adults to use at the doses recommended by manufacturers, the long term side effects are just not known. I do not think the possible gains outweigh the potential risks.

Osteoarthritis - Chronic Joint Pain

We recently reviewed some information and followed up on a couple of web sites concerned with osteoarthritis treatments and were dismayed to find that these sites, while providing good information on what causes osteoarthritis, these websites seemed to only consider conventional medical treatments for this cause of debilitating joint pain through prescriptions medicines and therapeutic exercise such as Yoga and Pilates.

We whole heartedly believe in physical therapy and exercise, however we think pain medications are not a first line resort.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic problem caused by cartilage degeneration in the joints causing pain upon movement. When cartilage breaks down, there is less cushioning for the joints and can even lead to bones rubbing against each other.

Cartilage loses it’s elasticity through age and daily use/misuse. In some cases lack of sufficient cartilage can damage the bones producing bone spurs. Cartilage, as it loses it’s elasticity, becomes “brittle” and can break off leaving “floaters” in the joint causing pain and immobility.

One thing we should be able to agree upon is that Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disease, hence it is sometimes called “Degenerative Joint Disease” or “Degenerative Arthritis”. If this is so, then rather than treat the symptoms of joint pain, while don’t we look towards treating one of the root causes of all degenerative diseases and that is lack of nutrition?

It makes no sense to live with this disease without trying to alleviate the discomfort or pain in your joints. The easiest, certainly the most cost efficient and the method with the least side effects has to be ensuring that your body is getting the nutritional needs for optimum health. For joint health I have found that pharmaceutical grade Glucosamine and adding an Omega 3 (Fish Oil) supplement has greatly alleviated my joint pain without resorting to prescription pain medications (which can have side effects) or having surgery even minimally invasive surgery.