Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition triggered by chronic inflammation that can destroy your joints and bones! Since persistent damage may be irreversible, diagnosing and addressing the root cause of the inflammation is vital to identify holistic strategies for your optimal health before damage ensues. Aside from joint and bone destruction, rheumatoid arthritis may also affect the processes in your body that help you function optimally every day, leading you to experience weakness while causing damage to your lungs, heart, blood vessels, and even brain! Knowing your personal risks of developing rheumatoid arthritis and holistically managing flare-ups when you are diagnosed with the disease are vital steps to bear in mind to not only achieve remission, but also nurture your long-term well-being!
Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis The exact reason behind what causes rheumatoid arthritis is actually unknown.₁ However, the condition is primarily driven by chronic inflammation which eventually damages and destroys your joints and bones. Simply put, patients with rheumatoid arthritis have autoantibodies that attack cells in the body instead of destroying a foreign invader! When not properly controlled, these antibodies may also attack your other tissues and organs, causing widespread damage! The tricky part is that the progression of the disease is gradual and fluctuating, with infrequent episodes of exacerbations that you may not notice until late in the disease, when joint damage has become irreversible and your daily activities have become affected.₁ This is precisely why we should take the first step to nurture our body’s natural ability to protect and heal itself! Knowing your risks of developing rheumatoid arthritis, as well as personal triggers that may exacerbate your condition if you were already diagnosed with the disease can already make a big difference on your long-term health! Of course, your health journey is best taken with your naturopathic doctors who are committed to guiding you in exploring natural and holistic options that not only relieve symptoms, but target the root cause of your health problems. 
Signs and Symptoms
The most common complaint of patients with rheumatoid arthritis is stiffness of the joints in the morning lasting for more than an hour that eventually gets relieved with movement or physical activity. Early in the disease, antibodies most commonly attack small joints, like those in your hands and feet. As the disease progresses, you may notice more involvement in large joints, like your hips and shoulders. The type and number of affected joints may vary depending on your case, but are commonly symmetrical (which means that matching joints of the arms or legs are affected)!
Allopathic Management
Rheumatoid arthritis is conventionally managed following three approaches with lifelong medications to reduce symptoms and achieve remission.₂ These may include non-steroidal inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids, and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, are given to relieve pain and discomfort from inflammation, but are not effective in regulating the proteins that drive inflammation itself.₃ Although equipped with strong anti-inflammatory properties, corticosteroids (commonly known as steroids) are associated with adverse effects to your body that limits their long-term use.₃ Lastly, DMARDs, such as methotrexate, are medications that can potentially prevent joint damage and destruction, but they can be toxic and their efficacy can be diminished as the disease progresses!₃ Additionally, these medications can cause nausea, rashes, and abdominal pain, all of which can cause discomfort and affect adherence to regularly taking the drug.
The Naturopathic Approach
The goal of naturopathic care of rheumatoid arthritis is to achieve remission and prevent further damage to your joints and other tissues. To do this, we work to minimize the burden of chronic and uncontrolled inflammation to your body and remove toxic materials that have accumulated as by-products of your unregulated inflammatory response. These can be achieved through a holistic approach that targets nutrition, lifestyle changes, and herbal remedies thereby nurturing your joints and preventing further damage.
Nutrition
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis may have low zinc and high copper levels in the body, with undiagnosed food allergies or sensitivities. Testing and appropriate treatment for insufficient or excessive levels is an important part of addressing the root cause of your condition. Since disease flares have been associated with a variety of triggers from your environment (especially the food you eat), identifying your personal food triggers and following an elimination and reintroduction diet may prevent exacerbations. Additionally, increasing your Omega 3 intake can be beneficial in regulating inflammation (click here to learn more)! Since rheumatoid arthritis primarily affects your joints and bones, keeping your vitamin D3 levels in check through testing and appropriate supplementation or adequate intake of food rich in this nutrient is important to maintain healthy and strong bones! Herbal Medicine The wonders of herbal remedies for rheumatoid arthritis are not limited to symptomatic relief, as these special plants have healing properties that help nurture your body as it naturally heals itself. These may include:
And a whole lot more! It is important to remember that the use of most herbs is contraindicated during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Talking to your primary care provider is important prior to exploring natural options for your case. Assessing whether a specific herb is beneficial for your health and selecting the right herbal remedies for your health problems is best done with the guidance of your naturopathic doctors who are always committed to guide you through exploring holistic and natural solutions for your optimal well-being.
The First Step
The naturopathic approach to manage rheumatoid arthritis begins with your conscious decisions to take care of your health. Since rheumatoid arthritis can affect other organs in the body, holistic steps should be taken to make sure exacerbations are alleviated and long-term health is nurtured (no more joint pain!). At Natural Path to Wellness, your naturopathic doctors are committed to assist you in every step of your health journey. Are you excited to take the first step? REFERENCES: 1. Radu AF, Bungau SG. Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Overview. Cells. 2021;10(11):2857. Published 2021 Oct 23. doi:10.3390/cells10112857 2. Chauhan K, Jandu JS, Brent LH, Al-Dhahir MA. Rheumatoid Arthritis. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; May 25, 2023. 3. Aletaha D, Kapral T, Smolen JS. Toxicity profiles of traditional disease modifying antirheumatic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2003;62(5):482-486. doi:10.1136/ard.62.5.482 4. Razavi BM, Ghasemzadeh Rahbardar M, Hosseinzadeh H. A review of therapeutic potentials of turmeric (Curcuma longa) and its active constituent, curcumin, on inflammatory disorders, pain, and their related patents. Phytother Res. 2021;35(12):6489-6513. doi:10.1002/ptr.7224 Comments are closed.
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