Your joints and connective tissue are much like the behind-the-scenes heroes of your body and many of us don’t really appreciate them… until something goes wrong. Especially as most of the conditions and diseases that affect these tissues result in pain. This can be temporary but searing, like that caused by a spell of sciatica or gout, or alternatively chronic such as the lifestyle-changer that is fibromyalgia. Fortunately, these conditions can be averted with a healthy overall lifestyle change, and a well thought out management plan to support the body’s innate intelligence to promote healing which will help relieve symptoms. A key fact to remember is that a chronic condition cannot be treated as a traumatic event, this is mainly because they are a result of continued 'assault' on the body. If you’re struggling with any of the following conditions you’ll be glad to know we’ve got expert advice on how to manage them best with help from Heath Renewal. Rheumatoid arthritis Rheumatoid arthritisis a well-known autoimmune disease which is characterised by the inflammation in joints leading to swollen, warm, stiff and painful joints. The symptoms are often worse in the morning and can be eased by a little gentle stretching. Typically it affects the hands, wrists, feet and ankles but any joint, including the neck area, can become a site of pain. If you’re a sufferer, your doctor will likely prescribe medication like nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or steroids to help reduce inflammation but in a symptomatic way. If we address the autoimmunity by dealing with all the imbalances that contributed to the autoimmunity in the first place, we are then able to improve quality of life as a whole in the long term. There is a major link between Rheumatoid arthritis and gut abnormalities like leaky gut syndrome which lead to a vicious cycle of body inflammation! When investigating blood and stool analysis, we can positively impact your health and illness experiences which will be extremely beneficial to you by looking deeper than the symptoms and offering you pain relief. One of the neatest modalities namely biopuncture can also help during the intensive care process. Osteoarthritis While it’s often confused with rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis is very different. For one, the former is an immune system disorder that affects your entire body and can have a rapid onset. Osteoarthritis typically affects just one joint, usually those that are load-bearing, like hips and knees, and is caused by wear and tear that erodes the cartilage over time. At Health Renewal, osteoarthritis is managed with a combination of cutting-edge nutraceuticals that fight against cartilage degradation and inflammation. We include botanical herbs, biopuncture and key lifestyle management strategies that address what lifestyle modifications you have to achieve in daily activities, and also how to improve physical weight loss that may be compounding the problem in the first place. A very interesting addition of Carboxytherapy performed once a week on the affected area, may also help ease symptoms alongside a comprehensive Integrative/Functional plan as this treatment causes increased blood circulation, and oxygen flow to the treated area. Whiplash Whiplash(associated most often with car accidents) is, when the muscles in your neck suffer a severe strain or tear, which can be caused by any jerking movement, be it a rugby tackle or horse riding incidents. Symptoms appear within 24 hours, but can sometimes manifest later and typically involve neck pain and headaches. Treating whiplash may involve medication like painkillers and muscle relaxants as well as physiotherapy, in worst case scenarios, wearing a foam collar to keep your neck stable can also be recommended. At Health Renewal, one of the ways we can assist with sprains and strains is via biopuncture. It involves injecting diluted ‘micro doses’ of homoeopathic remedies into the muscle where it encourages your body to kick-start its own natural healing process. Several biopuncture cocktails are available at Health Renewal, and your doctor can advise on the one best suited to your needs. Sciatic nerve pain If you’ve got sciatica, chances are you know about it. When your sciatic nerve becomes pinched it can result in searing pain that starts in the buttocks and radiates down one leg towards your feet. If it’s a mild pinch, you may experience mere tingling but if it’s serious it can be incapacitating. Fortunately, painkillers aren’t your only option. There are many innovative ways you can treat as well as ease the pain and these range from chiropractic adjustments to massage therapy. The latter two can help relax your muscles to the point that, in some cases, it allows your spine to move into a position where the nerve is no longer pinched. Biopuncture once again shows its versatility in the treatment of conditions such as sciatic nerve pain. To learn more about what you can do to help alleviate sciatica naturally visit Health Renewal online. Fibromyalgia Fibromyalgiais a condition that’s still misunderstood and can’t be definitely diagnosed via a single test. Fibromyalgia is characterised by a widespread chronic pain often linked to specific ‘trigger points’ in the body combined with fatigue, sleep problems, mental ‘fog’, anxiety or depression and gut disturbances. Hence it’s a cluster of varied symptoms. While said to be a conundrum in conventional medicine, this condition is a very real disabling sickness and affects women twice as much as men. To date most people suffering from fibromyalgia sadly chronically depend on painkillers, sleep aids, antidepressants treating just the symptoms but not the root cause. On an optimistic note, Fibromyalgia typically requires an Integrative approach. Recent research shows the link between underlying causes: toxicity, immune imbalances, nutritional deficiencies, systemic inflammation, adrenal fatigue, chemical brain imbalances, depleted cell function and gut abnormalities. In fact, it’s believed that the main problem stems primarily from the gut and manifests as many of the symptoms often seen. This condition can be well managed holistically. Let us at Health Renewal aid your journey in healing and stop the agony of feeling unheard. Gout A common form of arthritis, gout is caused by the defective metabolism of uric acid that builds up in the joints resulting in painful arthritis and kidney stones. Gout can affect just about any joint but is most common in the base of the big toe. The pain can be searing and last for just a few hours or extend to days on end. Several factors that can cause an inability to process uric acid, and these include genetics, taking certain medications, a high purine diet (red meat is particularly high in purines), excessive alcohol consumption and being overweight. This typically requires a complete lifestyle change that looks at addressing not only the process of eliminating triggers in foods but holistically treating the discomforting pain with wide range of natural medicines alongside, complete detoxification and rejuvenating your health in a very strategic manner. You certainly can avoid conventional painkillers and heal the condition. At Health Renewal, our doctors can advise you on a healthy way forward. Lupus An autoimmune disease that can cause a wide variety of symptoms that differ from person to person, lupus affects many parts of the body including the connective tissues and the musculoskeletal system. Symptoms can include but aren’t limited to, painful or swollen joints, fatigue, muscle pain and swelling, often in the legs and around the eyes. If you have with Lupus(SLE) you are probably on a cocktail of pain medication for joints and muscles besides the possible associated organ involvement, eg. heart, lungs, liver treatment. While some of these are important in the treatment, we integrate the approach of rebalancing the imbalances on a cellular level to optimise your outcomes. Root causes are actually cellular toxic overload: bacteria, fungus, parasites, leaky gut, hormonal imbalances, inflammation, environmental toxin sensitivities and heavy metal toxicity are just some of the contributing factors. Indeed the complexity of Lupus needs a well thought out Integrative treatment plan personalised specifically for you. Beneficial treatments range from ozone therapy and intravenous infusions. The last word If you’re struggling with any conditions, or diseases that affect your joints or connective tissues, all is not lost. As one reflects upon the facts around these conditions we can clearly see it requires a very systematic approach. Integrative medicine offers an opportunity to support your health through healing mind, body and soul to re-establish balance. Make an appointment with one of our doctors at Health Renewal to discover how our holistic approach can best help you heal. From in-depth consultation with your doctor, we will map out the best ways ideally suited for your well-being!