Recently, one can increasingly hear about such a disease as rheumatism. And the question is increasingly asked about how to treat rheumatism at home . This disease is very insidious and can lead to very dire consequences. There are various treatments for this problem. Folk remedies for rheumatism can also be placed in the same place as traditional medicine . They are also no less effective. Some note that such preparations are even healthier, since they do not contain chemicals and are based on natural raw materials.
Classification of rheumatism
The disease is classified according to its form and location.
The following forms of rheumatism are distinguished:
- Spicy . It appears clinically 2-3 weeks after the onset of symptoms of streptococcus infection. It develops rapidly, initially manifesting itself in the form of a common cold, but then more serious symptoms appear in the form of carditis, polyarthritis, skin rashes, and so on. The acute form of the disease lasts 3-6 months. If left untreated, various complications can develop, including heart disease.
- Chronic . It proceeds more calmly and is manifested by frequent relapses, which are usually provoked by hypothermia of the body. Most often, this form of rheumatism affects the joints and heart. The course of this form of the disease is long.
Based on localization, the following forms of rheumatism are distinguished:
- Rheumatic carditis. The inflammatory process occurs in the heart area. Clinically, this form of the disease is manifested by stabbing and pulling pain in the heart area, high fever, rapid heartbeat, symptoms of body intoxication, and heart failure.
- Rheumatism of the joints (rheumopolyarthritis) . It manifests itself as severe joint pain, joint damage, elevated body temperature, general weakness, hyperhidrosis, periodic nosebleeds, and symmetry of joint damage.
- Rheumopleurisy . Manifested by damage to the respiratory system. The patient regularly experiences chest pain, fever, shortness of breath, and cough.
- Rheumatism of the skin . It manifests itself as erythema nodosum or ring, the formation of characteristic rheumatic nodules, sweating, minor hemorrhages, and pale skin.
- Rheumochorea . This is an inflammation of the walls of small blood vessels in the brain. The disease manifests itself clinically as a disorder of motor coordination, motor restlessness, muscle weakness, mental disorders, and a disorder of the musculoskeletal system.
- Rheumatism of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Rheumatism of the eyes . It is one of the symptoms of rheumatism of other organs. Manifested by damage to the retina or other parts of the eye. In the absence of timely treatment, severe complications can develop, including loss of vision.
Symptoms and varieties
Its nature lies in an infectious-allergic basis. This disease affects connective tissues and blood vessels. It mainly occurs as a consequence of a complication of streptococcal infection. Many people say that older people are most susceptible to this disease, but this is not true.
There are 5 options for placing this disease:
- rheumoerythrema is a skin disease of the epidermis,
- rheumatic carditis - affects the lining of the heart,
- rheumochorea – rheumatic vasculitis of small vessels of the brain,
- rheumopolyarthritis is a disease of the joints,
- rheumopleuritis - inflammation of the bronchi, pleura, lungs.
The main symptoms of this disease are:
- swelling of the joints,
- pain and stiffness of muscles and joints,
- redness of the joints.
If you have even the slightest suspicion of this disease, then treatment should be carried out immediately. After all, delay can cause severe heart disease. To solve this problem, you can use folk remedies to treat rheumatism at home . But it is worth remembering that before starting any manipulations, you should consult a doctor.
Causes of rheumatism
Rheumatism is an infectious disease. Its causative agent is group A β-hemolytic streptococcus. Factors that can trigger the development of the disease are:
- poor nutrition;
- angina;
- hereditary predisposition;
- scarlet fever;
- frequent exacerbations of chronic tonsillitis;
- poor living conditions.
Once in the body, the causative agent of the disease begins to produce enzymes and toxins, which accumulate and have a damaging effect on the myocardium and connective tissue. The main lesions are the cardiovascular system and joints.
Symptoms of rheumatism
It is quite difficult to diagnose rheumatism based on the first signs. They appear several weeks after an infectious disease of the upper respiratory tract (tonsillitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis) and look like a relapse of this disease.
The patient experiences chills, fever, increased pulse rate, sweats profusely, and large joints are painful and swollen. Gradually, the inflammatory process begins to cover other joints.
They turn red, swell, the skin in the affected areas is hot to the touch, and the patient feels pain when moving and pressing.
Common symptoms of rheumatism are:
- headache, which is localized in the frontal region;
- increased body temperature (up to 38-40 degrees), which is associated with the reaction of the body’s immune system to the penetration of the pathogen;
- lethargy – the body becomes weak, the person constantly wants to sleep.
Specific signs of rheumatism:
- joint pain – first of all, large joints are affected, the pain is long-lasting, dull, nagging;
- vascular disorders – blood vessels become brittle, the patient often experiences nosebleeds;
- aching or dull pain behind the sternum;
- skin rashes - do not appear very often, look like a pink rash with rounded, uneven edges, no itching;
- rheumatic nodules - appear on the affected joints, these are immobile, dense, painless subcutaneous formations, do not form often and persist for about two months from the onset of the disease.
In children, rheumatism is more mild and there are usually no pronounced symptoms. The child complains of pain in the joints, general weakness, malaise, and no pain during physical activity.
Symptoms
The disease manifests itself a couple of weeks after a sore throat or pharyngitis. Pain in the joints, knees, ankles, elbows, means a sign of incipient rheumatism. Initially, after the onset of the disease, symptoms appear: lethargy, instant fatigue, weakness.
Rheumatic inflammation of the heart wall (rheumatic carditis) often leads to relapse, and heart disease begins to form. A skin rash may appear on the skin; it is a ring-shaped, subcutaneous nodule. Damage to the blood vessels of the brain is accompanied by headache, memory loss, drowsiness, muscle weakness, and a variety of neurological symptoms.
Symptoms of the disease are as follows: pain in the heart area; joint pain; stiffness of muscles and (or) joints; ovular rash; general weakness and fatigue.
Diagnosis of rheumatism
The main stages of diagnosing the disease are:
- interviewing the patient (the doctor is interested in how long ago the symptoms of rheumatism appeared, whether the patient has any concomitant chronic diseases, and so on);
- general examination - assess the condition of the skin, joints, perform auscultation of the heart using a phonendoscope;
- blood test (general) - reveals signs of inflammation (acceleration of ESR, increase in the number of red blood cells);
- blood test (biochemical) - also reveals signs of inflammation (increased gamma globulins, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen in the blood);
- blood test to detect antibodies to streptococcus;
- throat swab – to identify streptococcus;
- ECG and ECHO CG are carried out to determine the degree of myocardial damage.
In addition, additional consultations with specialists such as a cardiologist and rheumatologist are possible.
Treatment of rheumatism
Treatment of the disease consists of several stages. Initially, inpatient treatment is carried out. The patient is prescribed bed rest, the duration of therapy is four weeks.
At the second stage, the patient undergoes treatment in a cardio-rheumatological sanatorium. At the third stage, the patient’s health status is monitored by a local doctor in the clinic.
Rheumatism is treated with medications and physiotherapy. In addition, the patient must follow a special diet, in which it is necessary to limit the amount of salt and liquid consumed, and focus on plant foods and dairy products.
Medicines used for rheumatism include antibiotics, diuretics, potassium preparations, cardiac glycosides, ascorbic acid, and rutin.
Folk remedies for rheumatism
Now many doctors are opting for natural medicines, which are an excellent alternative to complex operations and potent chemicals. And although there is no scientific evidence of the effectiveness of this treatment method, these remedies can significantly improve the patient’s condition.
The most effective folk remedies to combat rheumatism
Turmeric
The substance “curcumin” extracted from this plant has a therapeutic effect on patients with rheumatism.
Propolis for rheumatism
- You will need propolis, from which you need to make a cake. It is applied to the sore spots while you sleep. To keep the resulting cake from cooling, you will need to wrap it with a scarf and secure it securely.
- As an option, you can purchase propolis ointment or a ready-made tincture in our herbal pharmacy.
Omega-3
Omega-3 polyunsaturated acid is an excellent solution for relieving joint inflammation. Moreover, the acid is effective not only for rheumatism, but also for arthritis and arthrosis. In addition to relieving joint pain, Omega-3 effectively relieves inflammation
pine needles
Prolonged chronic and often recurrent rheumatism can now be treated with pine tincture. It is made from May pine needles and medical alcohol. To prepare, you will need a full liter jar of pine needles, which should be filled to the top with alcohol. The contents of the jar must be closed with a tight lid and infused in a dark but warm room for three weeks, remembering to shake. As soon as the period has passed, the resulting product will need to be filtered and taken eight drops per lump of sugar 30 minutes before meals. The product must be taken three times a day before each meal for four to six months.
Folk remedies
You can also mention the following recipes that are effective in treating the disease:
- Birch leaves . Having collected as many birch leaves as possible, you will need to collect them in an old cast iron bathtub or a large wooden tub, placing them in the sun. You need to wait a few hours, during which the leaves will ripen, after which you can undress and bury yourself in them up to your waist for about an hour.
- Salt . Regular table salt (sea or iodized salt is recommended) is an excellent remedy for relieving joint pain. You need to stir a tablespoon of salt in a glass of not very warm water, after which you need to moisten gauze in the resulting solution, apply it to the sore spot, wrap it in cellophane and a scarf for several hours.
- There is also a fairly old method of dealing with rheumatic pain: swollen joints must be rubbed with salt moistened for 15 minutes, repeating this operation three times a day. At other times of the day it is necessary to resort to salt compresses:
Folk recipes
- One tablespoon of bearberry is poured into 0.5 liters of boiling water. After a couple of hours, the contents will need to be strained. For successful treatment of rheumatism, it is recommended to consume the infusion a day.
- Pour 20–30 g of lingonberry leaves into three glasses of boiling water. The boiling process lasts 10 minutes, after which the resulting liquid can be filtered. You need to take it three times a day.
- The milky stems of the blooming dandelion will prove very useful in the treatment of rheumatism. In addition to the stems, another proven remedy is used in treatment - dandelion juice.
- For compresses, a tincture of one tablespoon of white lilac flowers and half a liter of vodka is also suitable.
- For this decoction, one glass of boiling water will require two grams of fragrant violet herb. You need to take 2-3 tablespoons three times a day at a time. For treatment, it is permissible to mix violet with bean leaves, corn silk, birch leaves and other effective ingredients.
- For this recipe, one glass of boiling water will require 30 grams of raspberries. The tincture will be ready in twenty minutes. It should be consumed at night as a diaphoretic - two glasses at a time in case of chronic rheumatism.
One glass of boiling water will require 20 grams of dried clover leaves. The resulting tincture will need to be filtered. You can take two or three tablespoons up to 1/2 cup 3 times a day for chronic rheumatism.
- Powder from calamus rhizomes (no more than six grams) must be consumed with water; it can be consumed on an empty stomach. The recipe is effective for joint pain, rheumatism, and arthritis.
- Grind fresh onion to a pulp and apply to sore joints for half an hour three times a day.
- Also, an effective solution for rheumatism will be the external use of potatoes with the parallel intake of raw potato-based juice - at least half a glass per day for a month. In some cases, a repeat course may be necessary.
Ledum
What you need: wild rosemary herbs 25.
How to take: place the herb in a container and pour 1 liter of boiling water. Infusion time: 8-10 hours in the warmest place (oven). Take 0.5 cups after meals - 4-5 times a day.
Barberry
What you will need: 1 tbsp. crushed leaves.
How to take: place in a glass and pour boiling water over it. Infusion time – 1 hour. Take 1 tbsp. – 4-5 times a day.
Cowberry
Recipe No. 1
What you will need: 1 tbsp. chopped lingonberry leaves.
How to take: place the leaves in a container and pour a glass of boiling water. Infusion time is 30 minutes. Cool and take 1-2 tbsp. – 3-4 times per knock.
Recipe No. 2
What you will need: 1 tbsp. chopped lingonberry leaves.
How to take: place the leaves in a container and pour a glass of water, boil. Boiling time is 10-15 minutes. Take portions throughout the day.
Recipe No. 3
What you will need: 1 tbsp. fresh lingonberry leaves.
How to take: Place the leaves in a container and add 2 glasses of water. Take 0.5 cups – 2-4 times a day. The course of treatment is 1-2 months.
Recipe No. 4
What you need: lingonberries.
How to take: no more than 3 glasses per day of fresh or soaked berries.
Treatment with traditional methods
Diet for rheumatism
During an exacerbation of rheumatism, doctors advise sticking to a fruit diet for 3-4 days, and then it is recommended to switch to a balanced diet. Eat small meals approximately every 3 hours. It is necessary that the foods consumed consist of proteins and vitamins (vitamin C should be in larger quantities).
Completely eliminate unhealthy foods such as tea, salt, carbohydrates, fatty and fried foods, various spices, alcohol, etc. Healthy food will help not aggravate the disease; eating watermelons, fresh blueberries, jelly, infusions and decoctions of them, cranberry juice with honey can also help improve this.
Baths
Baths can be taken with sea mud or salt (1 tablespoon for every liter of water), with a decoction of birch leaves and pine buds or pine needles (2 large handfuls per 1 liter of boiling water). But it is important to remember that hot baths are prohibited during exacerbation of the disease, as they can intensify the inflammatory process.
Decoctions and infusions of herbs for oral administration
Birch bud tincture. In a 0.5 liter bottle. rinse and pour half a glass of young birch buds, add vodka. Close the lid, leave to infuse in a dark place, shake occasionally. Drink 2 spoons a day for 2 weeks;
Vitamin tea. Peel and finely chop the ginger root, mix with lemon zest, put all ingredients in a teapot and add a tablespoon of turmeric. Pour boiling water over and leave for 10-15 minutes. Use this solution for acute rheumatism of the joints.
Decoction of corn silks. A glass of water, pour 1 tbsp. spoon of raw materials, put on low heat and bring to a boil. Drink 2-3 glasses of freshly prepared broth per day for 6-8 weeks;
Celery decoction. Rinse the celery root well, chop it, then add 2-3 tbsp. water, cook until the liquid evaporates by two. Strain the resulting product and drink during the day in 3-4 doses.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a spice from which the beneficial substance curcumin is extracted; it can have a positive effect on patients with rheumatism.
The results of the studies show that it is curcumin that helps to stop: inflammatory processes that occur in certain types of cancer, intestinal diseases, and Alzheimer's disease. It positions itself as a fighter against autoimmune diseases and chronic pain.
A study took place for 2.5 months in which scientists observed and compared the condition of patients with rheumatism. In the group of patients taking curcumin throughout the study, pain symptoms decreased by 44%.
Another group took a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (diclofenac), which reduced symptoms by 42%. Considering the number of people suffering from rheumatism, which is 1% of the world's population, we can say that the research is useful and significant in this area. Since the disease takes a long time to be treated and forces patients to take medications on an ongoing basis, this method of reducing pain symptoms will be less harmful to them and more effective.
Propolis for rheumatism
Propolis is a multifunctional product; it is used in the treatment of various diseases. Its beneficial properties also help with rheumatism. Propolis is a safe, constantly available healthy product that can also be used at home.
- Recipe 1. Make a cake from propolis. It is necessary to apply it to those places that cause pain while you sleep at night. To keep the cake warm longer, it is recommended to wrap it with cloth.
- Recipe 2. Cool and then cut the propolis and then grate it. The finished mass is poured with wine alcohol, then you need to place the tincture for 10 days in a dark place. Shake and stand for 10 days. At the end of the aging period, put in the refrigerator for 10 hours and strain.
- Recipe 3. Propolis ointment has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties and will also help reduce symptoms of rheumatism. To prepare the ointment you will need: petroleum jelly (about 100 g), heat while the petroleum jelly is warming up, grind 10 g of propolis. Cool the Vaseline to 50 degrees and add propolis to it. The mixture is boiled for 10 minutes with the lid closed. After cooling, the ointment can be applied to painful areas.
- Recipe 4. Ointment. Lightly heat 1 kg of fresh butter and put 150 g of crushed propolis into it. Mix thoroughly until completely dissolved. Store the medicine in a well-sealed jar in the refrigerator. Apply to sore areas daily for 2-3 weeks.
Omega-3
The benefits of Omega-3 are quite great; it can relieve inflammatory processes in many diseases. Taking Omega-3 vitamins reduces joint pain, and reduces inflammation by 50% or more.
Three main mechanisms of Omega-3:
- When consuming acid, intra-articular lubrication improves, maintaining the elasticity of ligaments and tendons.
- Omega-3 slows down the breakdown of collagen fibers that make up joint cartilage. With the development of the inflammatory process, the breakdown of fibers intensifies.
- Omega-3 must be taken not only during the development of the disease, but also for the prevention of joint diseases.
Birch bud tincture
Pour 1/2 cup of fresh birch buds into 0.5 liters of vodka. Close tightly and leave in a dark place, shaking constantly. Drink 2 teaspoons per day on an empty stomach, the course of treatment is 2 weeks.
Ginger, lemon, turmeric
Grind a medium ginger root, add the chopped peel of 1 lemon, add 1 tablespoon of turmeric and pour boiling water over it. Leave for 15 minutes. Drink as a tea even during the acute phase of joint rheumatism.
Corn silk decoction
Pour 1 tablespoon of raw material into 1 glass of water and bring to a boil over low heat. Drink 3 glasses a day, each time preparing a fresh decoction. The course of such treatment is 6-8 weeks.
Celery decoction
Chop the celery thoroughly along with the roots, add 3 cups of water and cook over low heat until the amount of liquid is reduced by half. Strain and drink in 3-4 doses during the day.
Raspberry infusion
Pour 1 tablespoon of fresh or frozen raspberries into 1 cup of boiling water. Let it brew and drink hot overnight.
Black currant leaves
Pour 1 tablespoon of chopped currant leaves into 2 cups of boiling water and leave for 2 hours. drink ½ glass 3 times a day.
Potato compress
Grate the peeled potatoes on a fine grater. Apply the resulting mixture onto a thick linen cloth. Apply a compress to the sore joint and secure it securely, but do not squeeze. Be sure to wrap the top with a warm cloth.
Sand
You need to heat the quartz sand in a cast-iron frying pan, then pour it into a thick sock and apply it to the sore spot.
Rubbing
It is effective to rub sore areas with camphor oil or bodyagi ointment (1 part bodyagi powder and 10 parts lard or lard). Rubbing should not take longer than 15 minutes. It is also recommended to warm up well in the bath, then take an ointment of lard and salt and rub it on the sore spots. Then wash with hot water. If this procedure is performed several times, you can even get rid of old rheumatism.
False lingonberry decoction
False lingonberries are also called “bear ears.” Take 1 teaspoon with the top of the leaves and stems, pour 1 glass of boiling water, let it brew. Drink 2-3 cups a day.
Tincture of young shoots and leaves of lingonberry
Place the raw material in a bottle up to a third of the way, fill it with alcohol to the top, and let it sit in the sun. Drink a glass 2 times a day.
Lilac tincture
An alcohol tincture is also prepared from garden lilac flowers. You need to use it 10-15 drops per day.
Lemon juice
Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon, dilute with 1/4 cup hot water. Drink on an empty stomach every day.
Oats
Pour oats into a small fabric bag. Fill this bag with water and bring to a boil. Apply it to the disturbing area as hot as the patient can tolerate several times a day.
Onion
Grind fresh onion into a paste. Spread it on the sore spot, cover with cellophane and wrap it in woolen cloth for 0.5 hours. Onion compresses must be applied 3-4 times a week for a month.
Prevention of rheumatism
The main measures to prevent the disease are:
- rejection of bad habits;
- proper nutrition;
- avoiding hypothermia;
- hardening the body, strengthening the immune defense;
- timely treatment of infectious diseases that can lead to the development of rheumatism;
- regular sanitation of foci of chronic infection in the body;
- giving up a sedentary lifestyle - physical exercise, daily walks in the fresh air;
- compliance with hygiene rules;
- wearing loose shoes and clothes made from natural fabrics;
- normalization of work and rest regimes;
- timely consultation with a doctor when the first symptoms of the disease appear - this will help identify rheumatism at an early stage, which will significantly facilitate subsequent treatment and improve the prognosis.
Causes of the disease
Rheumatism of the joints is a tricky and risky disease that has a detrimental effect on the cardiac system.
The most unpleasant thing is that it manifests itself in more cases in children than in adults, therefore, treatment should be urgent. It is scary to look at the suffering of a child affected by this disease, knowing the possible consequences such as heart disease.
To treat the disease, it is necessary to take antibiotics for years, as a result of which immunity decreases. A vicious circle occurs: the patient easily becomes infected with that same streptococcal infection, this is a sign of rheumatism. If possible, increase the periods between outbreaks of the disease, and in these intervals continue therapy with folk remedies.
When symptoms of rheumatism appear, it is necessary to begin treatment immediately, since this disease has very dangerous consequences, such as the appearance of heart disease. A rheumatologist is a doctor who treats rheumatism in adults and people. In this article we will consider the variety of traditional methods of treating rheumatism.
Most often, rheumatism occurs in predisposed people after an acute nasopharyngeal infection caused by one of the types of streptococcus.
Rheumatism is an acquired disease; this disease is not transmitted by heredity. Nevertheless, there may be a predisposition to it, since the parents and the child have similar immune systems. Rheumatism is an immune disease, the causes and mechanism of its development are similar. There are also indirect reasons for its manifestation. This is influenced by factors that weaken the immune system, such as poor nutrition, hypothermia, fatigue and stress.
Where can I buy
You can find folk remedies for rheumatism and ingredients for them in our Russian Roots online store. In the Moscow region, courier delivery is available, while in other regions of the country delivery is carried out by mail. You can also visit one of our Moscow herbal pharmacies, where you will find suitable products.
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