Arthritis Sufferers?

[KYBOY]

Well Ive got questions for you folks afflicted with arthritis? Not nessasarily caused by smithing but arthritis in general..Well we know that swinging a hammer isnt easy on an arthiritic joint..Is there any arthritis meds that you have tried that helps? Now of course if you would like to Pm me instead of posting this please do..I just dont know where else to ask..Lisa is suffereing from it and I do too..Ive actually got it in my thumb joint..The medication I take lossenes up the joint but dosnt take away the pain..Any tips there? Its something that runs in both our familys..Im almost to the point of getting a cortisone shot for it..Any help or tips would be appreciated..Id like to add this isnt a smithing technique issue..Its more of a "what helps you to keep smithing" issue..

 Also for you young guys dont treat your body like a rented mule for years just because you can handle it. Their are consequences to be paid.. :(

[Yetti]

I've done the shots, they don't help for long. one thing I found as I have been researching arthritis is to go Gluten free. something in the wheat gluten is very detrimental in the fighting of arthritis, I don't know why and how it all works but it does.

 a second thing I found is Diatomacious earth (food grade) it has helped with joint pain and keeps me working well up to this point. check out the link.

 

http://www.earthworkshealth.com/human-use.php

 

I buy it in 50lb sacks at the feed store. its about $33 here.

[bigfootnampa]

It isn't the gluten that is the problem!  Modern wheats have been bred and bio-engineered to be more pest resistant.  This has resulted in wheat that has far higher content of numerous proteins that give it more resistance to diseases.  Unfortunately these proteins are major culprits in autoimmune diseases and joint pain!  Try cutting your wheat consumption as much as feasible.  Other grains may be less harmful but not really safe either.  It is a real problem as wheat is so pervasive in our diets!  My family also struggles with this!

[LarryM]

I use a lot of deep heat ontiments.  Most of the time I try to ignore the pain and keep working.  One thing I can tell you never stop working.  The more idle you become the worse it gets.

 

Larry

[Aljeter]

I would be interested in this also. Was in a bad car crash years ago and have arthritis in my feet, knees, one hip and lower back. Between the car wreck and treating my body like it will never break down, im not sure how able im gonna be in my later years of life.

[knots]

My diagnosis is Rheumatoid Arthritus. I have not been as active forging as I would like to lately, mainly because of the state of my wifes health. However I still can forge using my power hammer and other labor saving tools, and with my hammer limited to finishing proceedures. I can still move metal but have lost a lot of movement range in my wrist and fingers so just want to preserve what I have. You know that you are in trouble when you pick up a cup of coffee and you wrist pops.

As you probably know, Rheumatoid Arthritus is an autoimmune disease. When I asked my new doctor about diet I got a blank look. So I have been reading everything that I can find regarding diet and find there is no simple answer. However I do believe that diet must be a significant part of the problem. Seems like a good idea to share on this subject.

I detect some reluctance to talk about hammer technique. I understand the reluctance because I have been treated disrespectfully when I have attempted to discuss the subject. Seems to me that this thread should remain free of dogmatic opinion regarding hammer techinque because I believe that there are modifications to what is considered good technique that can extend a forging life of a damaged body. I have already posted my thoughts on this subject on a few threads so will not recover that ground unless interest is expressed.

Even old guys deserve to have some fun. Keep forging ahead. And KYBOY thanks for starting this thread.

[Bentiron1946]

I have suffered from the affliction for many years and have taken most all of the NSAIDs and the best one I have ever taken is Celebrex. It was a life changer to my joints, low incidence of gastric upset and bleeding. I started out with the doctor prescribing aspirin, then Naprosyn, Clinoril and a couple of others that I can't remember the name of but all in the same class until none of them were working. Knees were killing me, shoulder, wrist, ankle, fingers, neck, back and then I got rear ended and the spine started to get worse real fast and I toughed it out for about five years on Clinoril and my guts got to hurting so the doc said let's try Celebrex. I'm up to the maximum dose and still no stomach problems but my hands are a lot better than they were. Getting old is tough unless you are young then it's really bad to have hand and joint problems. Take a look at how you are holding the hammer a see how you can change things up to ease the discomfort. Then find a machine to do the work that hurt you the most. Use your brain not your brawn.

[knots]

Keep your hands warm.   When my hands started giving me a lot of pain at night so I started wearing fleece mittens to sleep in.  The pain went away after about a week.  Haven't tried them yet but fingerless fleece gloves would be easier to get used to.  The cost of propane is high so we sleep with the house around 55 deg F.

 

The shop stays about that temperature during the cold months so I wear a pair of SUG fingerless leather gloves most of the time, except when more protection is needed.

[macbruce]

I have used bee venom therapy on my shoulders and the results were positive. It lasted longer than the cortizone shots and one 'injection' wasn't any worse than the other imo.......If you're alergic to bees forget about it or find out for sure because anaphylaxis shock can kill you.

There are many BVT products  offered on the internet including pills of pure venom for those who don't want to 'harvest' their own or for winter use...

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.beevenom.com%2Fbeevenomtherapy.htm&ei=rU5QUabvDYixqgGDkoDQAQ&usg=AFQjCNEbG6ecdQElnOUNRZ5xc2pbic5hDA&sig2=FM-MPvLYzOL5jEZtf4QECQ&bvm=bv.44158598,d.cGE&cad=rja

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cad=rja&ved=0CGcQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.medicinenet.com%2Fscript%2Fmain%2Fart.asp%3Farticlekey%3D50602&ei=rU5QUabvDYixqgGDkoDQAQ&usg=AFQjCNH05jIcu7SLO47GXuGmxg1Cvz0ZDg&sig2=BfmXFbt2QS8aP894_OxaEw&bvm=bv.44158598,d.cGE

[Charles R. Stevens]

I have ostioarthritis, hands, knees, shoulders and back. Jumping out of airplanes and humping packs that where way to heavy when your in your late teens, mechanicing, and wrasling horses is hard on your body. Keep moving, keep your teath clean, include antioxidants in your diet (e&c). MSM seems to help, as does keeping warm, and doing dishes when your hands really stiffen up.

[Bob S]

I have heard that piezoelectric sparkers give some relief. Haven't tried them myself but you probably have a few in your shop already.

 

http://www.masterformula.net/piezo_pen.htm

[Robert Yates]

Sent you a PM Brother  on what I take .

 

Sam

[Bentiron1946]

Take care of your body, God gave you only one, too soon too old so use the brain God gave you to make or find a machine to the most daunting tasks, that is the best pain reliever. Use heat and cold to relieve the worst of the joint pain. For heat I use ThermaCare heat packs, they truly do work at reliving sore stiff joints and if you know of someone that is a member of Costco or Sam's Club they are cheaper there in bulk than they are just about anywhere. The suggestion about gloves is a really good too, cold joints don't help when working, when resting cold can reduce the inflammation but I sure hate to do. Since I have lost my hundred pounds cold bothers me more than it used to but not my knees and ankles. Some of this goes back to repetitive motion damage and it adds up faster in some folk faster then in others sad to say. 

[KYBOY]

A good friend of mine told me once "if i knew I were going to live this long id have taken care of myself"..LOL Thanks for all the suggestions, I appreciate it..Ive been taking sulindac, it has helped but not completely..It has lossened up the joints but not removed any of the soreness or pain..Though it is a lower dose and the first try so Im not going to complain..Its till better than before...Im going to try some fo the heat/cold therapy you guys suggested too. Im in the process of chaning my diet so maybe that will help too..

[Bentiron1946]

Watch you stomach with it as sometimes it can cause gastric bleeds so be sure and take it with food. And yes it won't hurt to cut out foods high in purines either, I know it has helped me a lot over the years. Best wishes with your therapy.

[knots]

WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS  find a tool to get the job done:

 

When your hands or wrist gets to the point that you can hardly ( or can't ) unscrew a jar lid here is what you do.  Use a small channel lock oil filter plier .    A variety of other channel lock pliers also come in handy.    After all you need to eat to keep on forging

[K. Bryan Morgan]

Hey everyone, Great thread.  My issue is with my knees not my arms or shoulders.  Standing for long periods is impossible.  I solve this with a shop stool.  I lean on it more than sit.  But am having issues with leaning over too far and reaching with my arms to hit the stock on the anvil.  Getting close to the anvil has helped.  Basicly getting it between my knees.  But that makes it difficult to turn and get to my gas forge.  I don't have a coal forge in the shop quite yet but am working on that. 

 

My background is construction.  I swung a framing hammer for 30+ years and really don't have issues with my hands arms or shoulders.  Usually a 32 oz. or heavier hammer.  My current favorite hammer is a hammer that knots was kind enough to send me.  A 42 oz. straight peen that really moves metal well.  I really love the wide blunt peen it has.

[Frosty]

I've been really lucky with arthritis, by time Dad was my age he was pretty crippled up, still going but hurting all the time. Mother fared better but still hurt a lot. I've felt the early twinges for at least 25 years but glucosamine & chondroitin has worked really well for me. Two days after starting the first time my knees were feeling funny, they'd quit hurting. Works for Deb too, we have a really big bottle under the counter in the Kitchen and a couple double packs in the pantry.

 

Frosty The Lucky.

[Alan Evans]

You might check out Margaret Hills' diet and advice. She wrote a couple of books the first was "Curing Arthritis -  The Drug-FreeWay" ISBN 0-85969-449-6 which has meant my mother has been able to keep her arthritis and gout pill free for over 15 years.

 

I must admit I would probably not put up with having to give up foods that I enjoyed, but maybe some of the advice will suit someone...

[macbruce]

One product to avoid is Instaflex! I saw their proudct advertized on FB as well as here and it's a stone cold scam......I authorized a shipping charge of $4 for a ''free'' sample and got smacked for $75 for a 30 day supply then didn't recieve squat... :angry:

 

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CD8QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcomplaintwire.org%2Fcomplaint%2FRpsBAAAAAAA%2Finstaflex&ei=mVeOUfzhCsK0iwK0nIGADw&usg=AFQjCNHhsqWVdtoajPnXGcEhqVLOZv4M6g&sig2=BIs_1bwW2XO1MW5KDUYApA&bvm=bv.46340616,d.cGE&cad=rja

[knots]

You might check out Margaret Hills' diet and advice. She wrote a couple of books the first was "Curing Arthritis -  The Drug-FreeWay" ISBN 0-85969-449-6 which has meant my mother has been able to keep her arthritis and gout pill free for over 15 years.

 

I must admit I would probably not put up with having to give up foods that I enjoyed, but maybe some of the advice will suit someone...

 

I do agree that there is a lot of benefit to be derrived from a good healthy diet.  However the thing is that following a proper diet is a very difficult thing to do.  From my research, I have learned that if you really are serious about a healthy diet, you can just about forget the use of ANY prepared foods.   

 

Take sugar content as an example.  One of te Cardinal Rules of these healthy diets is to discontinue the consumption of sugar.  If you read the lables  you will find that almost every prepared food on the shelves of your supermarket contains sugar.

 

 The list of similar barriers to eating a healthy diet is long.   Another formadble barrier is that even if you are willing to make the necessary adjustments maybe your family is not.  This is especially true if the family cook is not a convert to the concept and benifits of these special diets.   Cooking with all organic products can be a lot more expensive than with regular supermarket produce.

 

I would like to hear from someone who follows one of these diets and find out how these barriers have been handled.

[K. Bryan Morgan]

Just my take on "organic" grown foods.  Its a gimmick.  I've read several studies and they all conclude the same thing.  There is no difference nutritionally between organic and other fresh foods.  So, I refuse to pay more for "organic" foods, just because they used cow manure instead of commercial fertilizers. 

 

I am on the Dash Diet.  I was surprised at how much bread I have to eat each day.  I have high blood pressure, more due to my being overweight.  Ok, FAT!  ;)  I'm following it to the best of my ability but I am eating more now that I was before and I am loosing weight.  Not a huge amount each month but a little.  This of course will help my knees and when I finally get new ones, it will also be better for me.  Its what I eat that has changed.  Fresh vegetables, fruit, and more whole grains.  I asked my doctor about going "organic".  She told me the research shows there is no appreciable benefit.  Its more of a perception. 

 

What I am doing works for me.  I am not espousing a lifestyle or diet change for anyone.  My experience tells me there is a bunch of misinformation out there.  "Its on the internet it must be true.  You can't put it on the internet if it isn't."  Just doesn't hold water.  I research and then talk to a professional.  Besides my doctor is pretty cute.  :P

[Frank Turley]

I have a little trouble with both shoulder/bicep areas, range of motion, some pain. I think it is mechanical, not something heritable, from overuse and trauma. I am not addicted to Sloan's Liminent, but it helps on occasion. It causes heat and is really old-timey. The bottle has a picture on the label of an ol' guy with his 1890's handlebar mustache The active ingredients are 47% turpentine oil and 0.025% capsaicin, the stuff that makes a red chile pepper hot. Don't laugh.

[knots]

Not laughing. Maybe crying. A chinese friend gave me a tin of some sort of salve that had a dragon on the can top. That was some hot stuff. You learn very quickly that if you use such a salve or lotion to keep your hands away from your eyes afterwards.

In the past I have had a couple of events where my shoulder and arm muscles went in a total state of spasm . Turns out that this was an indirect result of arthritis. What was happening was that the nerves to the affected areas were being pinched where they exit the spine. The ultimate non-surgical solution was an arrangement of pillows used at night that kept the spine in alignment. If you sleep mainly on your side the pillows need to hold your head at a height to keep your spine straight . If you sleep on your back the pillow(s) need to hold your head at a height that is conforms to the neutral position of the spine . That neutral is probably different for different people, and basically a position of neutral stress with the neck supported. The goal is to wake up i n the morning without a stiff neck. Since working through this I have not had a recurrence of this painful experience. The solution came from the experience of one visit to the chiopractor which maracuously but temporarily cured the afliction. That little light bulb lit up.