THE NATION THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2013
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THE NATION
NATURAL HEALTH E-mail:- health@thenationonlineng.net
CLINIC DAY Director, Pax Herbal Clinic and Research Laboratories, Father Anselm Adodo writes on arthritis; Provost, Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (FEDCAM), Lagos, Dr Idowu Ogunkoya answers question two.
‘Arthritis can be cured with herbs’ O
NE’s occupation plays a major role not only in the development of arthritis but in the quality of one’s health in general. Those who stand for long hours daily are prone to pain on the knees. Those whose occupation requires lifting heavy objects are prone to waist pain. Arthritis is a disorder of the joints. The term “arthritis” comes from two Greek words, “Arthon” which means joint and “Itis”, which means inflammation. Arthritis, then, means inflammation of the joints. There are over one hundred types of joint disorders, though they are all related. They are characterized by pain, swelling and stiffness and, at times, deformity. Rheumatism is another word often used for arthritis. But its meaning is rather vague and means different things to different people. In Nigeria the term is used for various aches and pains in muscles and joints as well as for pains in general. What is a joint? A joint is where two bones meet. There are two categories of joints, namely: immobile and mobile joints. Immobile joints: These refer to the inflexible and semi-flexible joints of the body. These joints do not move much as they have no cavity, for example, the head and spinal cord. These joints are technically called diarthrosis. Mobile joints: These are the flexible joints of the body. For example, the shoulder, knee, waist, toe, finger, etc. They all have a cavity. These joints are called diarthrosis. There are two main types of arthritis, namely osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. •Osteoarthritis: This is the most common type of arthritis. It is degeneration or wearing out of a joint due to old age, over-
exertion or injury. Osteoarthritis affects the mobile joints of the body. Causes of osteoarthritis Let us differentiate two kinds of osteoarthritis: primary and s e c o n d a r y . P r i m a r y osteoarthritis occurs when joint degeneration sets in on its own without any abnormal or apparent cause. Secondary osteoarthritis is that which has a known cause. The causes can be any or all of the following: • Heredity: Osteoarthritis can be hereditary when parents pass on to their children genes, which dispose them to a certain degeneration of the joint. • Excessive Stress: If a joint is dislocated or injured and yet is still being exerted, arthritis may occur. • Previous Damage: Untreated dislocation or half-treated fracture will eventually lead to arthritis. Athletes who engage in physical exertions are often tempted to manage a dislocation or fracture. The eventual result is arthritis. • Over-weight: Accumulation of excess calories add more weight to the body. Extra body weight puts too much stress on the hips and knees. The result is arthritis. • Occupation: One’s occupation plays a major role not only in the development of arthritis but in the quality of one’s health in general. Those who stand for long hours daily are prone to pain on the knees. Those whose occupation requires lifting heavy objects are prone to waist pain, technically called lumbago. • Rheumatoid arthritis The second type of arthritis is rheumatoid arthritis. It is an inflammation of the same joints on the two sides of the body. For example, the same pain experienced on, say, the right knee, or shoulder is also experienced on the left.
Question •I have just been diagnosed of arthritis, sir can you prescribe some herbal remedies for the treatment? -Ben Egbuonu, Abia State.
•I detest orthodox medicine. How do I treat anaemia naturally? -Aminat Usman, Kaduna State. •Father Adodo
•Ogunkoya
The symptoms tend to come and go. Rheumatoid arthritis is very common these days of processed and artificial food and drinks. It affects both the young and old, even infants. It is more common between the ages of 25 and 55. Causes of rheumatoid arthritis There is no uniform agreement about the causes of rheumatoid arthritis. Below are some of the possible causes, over and above the ones already mentioned. •Viruses: Some scientists have proposed that rheumatoid arthritis can be caused by some kind of infection by viruses, leading to an inflammation of the joints. These viruses are peculiar and live in the body for a long time undetected before their influence is felt. •Immunodeficiency syndrome: This refers to a condition whereby the anti-bodies that are meant to fight against foreign agents in the body begin to attack the tissues of the joint as well, causing inflammation and pain. Symptoms: Rheumatoid arthri-
tis usually begins with pain and stiffness in one or two joints, mostly the hands and feet. Initially the pain comes and goes. It is often worse on waking up in the morning, but wears off during the day. Gradually the pain becomes intense with constant swelling and inflammation in the joints. Moving or touching the joints becomes painful. The arthritis may soon spread to other parts of the body such as the elbows, knees, hips, waist, ankles, shoulders and neck. The person affected feels generally weak, tired, feverish and pale. The eyes become dry due to a reduction of tears. The mouth also becomes dry due to a reduction of salivary fluid, leading to a lack of appetite, followed by weight loss. Managing arthritis In treating arthritis, the aims are: to strengthen the bones, repair damaged joint tissues, strengthen the weak joint tissues, and immune system against bacteria and viruses, and eradicate the symptoms. To achieve these aims, diet is very important. Processed or re-
fined food and drinks such as sugar, biscuits and ice-cream must be avoided. Stop taking coffee. Smoking and alcohol of all kinds must be avoided. Take plenty of water, especially on rising daily. Try to take nothing except water and fruits for breakfast. Formula I Mix one bottle of lime juice, one bottle of grape juice and one bottle of honeytogether. Dosage: One shot twice daily for two weeks. Side Effect: Intestinal pain for ulcer patients. Preparation should not be taken by ulcer patients. Formula II Boil eight handfuls eucalyptus leaves, eight handfuls green pawpaw leaves, eight handfuls umbrella or fruits leaves, eight handfuls bitter leaf and 10 bottles of water. Dosage: One glassful thrice daily for one month. Materials: Six handfuls Pineapple peel, six handfuls Lemon peel, six handfuls Peel of unripe pawpaw and 10 bottles of water. Dosage: One glass thrice daily.
How to treat anaemia
•Sorghum bicolor
Ma
ANAEMIA is a condition in which the red blood cell count or hemoglobin is less than normal. The normal level of hemoglobin is generally different in males and females. For men, anemia is typically defined as hemoglobin level of less than 13.5 gram/100 ml and in women as hemoglobin of less than 12.0 gram/100 ml. These definitions may vary slightly depending on the source and the laboratory reference used. Anaemia is caused by either a decrease in production of red blood cells or hemoglobin, or an increase in loss or destruction of red blood cells. Some patients with anaemia have no symptoms. Others may feel tired, easily fatigued, appear pale, a feeling of heart racing, short of breath, and/ or worsening of heart problems. Anaemia can be detected by a simple blood test called a complete blood
cell count (CBC). The treatment of the anemia varies greatly and very much depends on the particular cause. What causes anaemia? Any process that can disrupt the normal life span of a red blood cell may cause anemia. Normal life span of a red blood cell is typically around 120 days. Red blood cells are made in the bone marrow. Herbs for treating anaemia Herbal preparation made from red seeds, sorghum bicolor (poroporo baba), cocoa bark (epo koko) and other medicinal leaves can enhance the blood production of an anaemic person. Causes Anaemia is caused essentially through two basic pathways. Anaemia is caused by either a decrease in production of red blood cells or hemoglobin, or an increase in loss or
destruction of red blood cells. A more common classification of anaemia (low hemoglobin) is based on the mean corposcular volume (MCV) which signifies the average volume of individual red blood cells. If the MCV is low (less than 80), the anemia is categorised as microcytic anaemia (low cell volume). If the MCV is high, then it is called a macrocytic anaemia (large cell volume). Looking at each of the components of a complete blood count (CBC), especially the MCV, a physician can gather clues as to what could be the most common reason for anaemia in each patient. Can inadequate iron cause anemia? Absolutely! As a matter of fact, iron deficiency is a very common cause of anaemia.