We are living longer with pain. People of all ages are becoming more proactive about their health with renewed realization that it is much easier to protect one’s health than trying to regain it after it’s been lost. No longer are we concerned with the length of life—we want quality of life!

But does it work? It depends on whom you ask. Ask someone diagnosed with Osteoarthritis whose treatment with Alternative Medicine was successful and you will hear a resounding "Yes!" Ask a Rheumatoid Arthritis patient whose experiment with a different therapy was an expensive failure and you'll likely be told it is a scam. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle.

Alternative medicine is a term used to describe more than 100 healing therapies not traditionally taught in medical school. Integrative medicine, is becoming much more practised as caregivers are focused on healing the whole person and actively encouraging you to participate in improving your own health and the prevention of illness. Emphasizing the use of natural, less invasive interventions whenever possible.

Well-conducted research has established that millions of Americans regularly use complementary and alternative healthcare approaches every day, often in conjunction with conventional care. http://ihpc.info/

As well as being trained in conventional scientific medicine, these providers/caregivers are open-minded and knowledgeable about these complimentary integrative practices. Along with Alternative Therapies which include acupuncture, massage and Hypnosis is the importance of empowering the patient to navigate the large field of therapies that are available for treating their own health issues.  The caregiver will advise on the appropriate use of suitable and effective dietary supplements including herbs which will help improve and maintain the health of their Immune System. And to adopt healthy practices such as how to manage stress, how to adopt a daily healthy eating regime, exercise, and the cessation of smoking. 

Basic Principles of Integrative Medicine*As stated by the University of Arizona Program in Integrative Medicine. http://integrativemedicine.arizona.edu/about2.html

• A partnership between patient and practitioner in the healing process
• Appropriate use of conventional and alternative methods to facilitate the body's innate healing response
• Consideration of all factors that influence health, wellness and disease, including mind, spirit and community as well as body
• A philosophy that neither rejects conventional medicine nor accepts alternative medicine uncritically
• Recognition that good medicine should be based in good science, inquiry driven and open to new paradigms
• Use of natural, less invasive interventions whenever possible
• The broader concepts of promotion of health and the prevention of illness as well as the treatment of disease
• Practitioners as models of health and healing, committed to the process of self-exploration and self-development

More and more research is showing that the mind can influence our ability to heal.  http://www.mindandlife.org/books.pubs_section.html

Some Alternative Therapies - Natural Treatments - Home Remedies

Keep in mind some alternative approaches have questions regarding their efficacy and safety.

Acupuncture - Traditional acupuncture, as now practiced, involves the insertion of stainless steel needles into various body areas. A low-frequency current may be applied to the needles to produce greater stimulation. Treatment is applied to "acupuncture points," which are said to be located throughout the body.

Aromatherapy – is the art of using Essential Oils to promote healing of the mind and body. Scent has a powerful effect on the human mind, and by stimulating the senses with pleasant fragrances, negative feelings and emotions will give way to peace and tranquillity. http://www.the-aromatherapy-guide.com

Biofeedback Techniques – Biofeedback is a treatment technique in which people are trained to improve their health by using signals from their own bodies. You have used biofeedback yourself if you have ever taken your temperature or stepped on a scale. The Thermometer tells you whether you have a fever and the scales tell you if you have gained or lost weight. Both devices “feed back” information about your body’s condition. 

Chiropractic / Manipulation - Chiropractic is a form of spinal manipulation, which is one of the oldest healing practices. When the chiropractor treats you, he may perform one or more adjustments. An adjustment (also called a manipulation treatment) is a manual therapy, or therapy delivered by the hands. Given mainly to the spine, chiropractic adjustments involve applying a controlled, sudden force to a joint. They are done to increase the range and quality of motion in the area being treated. For your safety, it is important to inform all of your health care providers about any care or treatments that you are using or considering, including chiropractic. This is to help ensure a coordinated course of care

Chromotherapy  also known as Color Therapy / Colorology - Color is simply energy—energy made visible. As human beings, it's the only energy we can actually see. Using color as an aid in healing is not based on any well-developed science. Living with a colour that you love can make you feel happy and relaxed

Copper Bracelets / Jewelry - Although folk lore abounds with stories of how the wearing of copper bracelets helps ease the pain and discomfort of arthritis. Copper bracelets cause no side effects other than easily reversible discoloration of the skin and occasional skin irritation in people with metal allergies which can cause contact dermatitis. Recent cases suggest that, when zinc is added, they can effectively treat arthritic pain in the hands. However, copper and copper-zinc bracelets have one counter-indication: Alzheimer's Disease. Individuals with arthritis and anaemia should consult their medical practitioners about the advisability of wearing a copper or copper-zinc bracelet.

Creams/gels - Topical pain killers come as gels, creams, lotions or patches that are applied directly to the skin over your aching joints. Three types of over-the-counter joint creams are sometimes used by people seeking arthritis pain relief, including:

Applications that make skin feel hot or cold -  Ingredients such as menthol, oil of wintergreen or eucalyptus oil will produce sensations of hot or cold that can distract you from your arthritis pain. They may also irritate your skin.

Aspirin-like pain rubs - (Note:If you are allergic to aspirin or are taking blood thinners, check with your doctor before using topical medications that contain salicylates.)

Creams made from chili pepper seeds -  Creams made with capsaicin are most effective for arthritis pain in joints close to the skin surface, such as your fingers, knees and elbows.

Over-the-counter topical pain medications may offer temporary relief from arthritis pain. Limited studies using these products showed reductions in pain. But studies have been small and poorly designed, making them less reliable. These topical preparations aren't intended to take the place of your arthritis medication and there's no evidence to suggest they can be helpful when used long term. According to a study, using anti-inflammatory creams to treat osteoarthritis provides only temporary relief.

Dietary supplements  – Antioxidants, minerals and fish oil supplements have been studies and show beneficial effects. Oxygen free radicals have been implicated as mediators of tissue damage in rheumatoid arthritis patients and low serum antioxidant levels appear to be a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis. Do your research. Learn as much as you can about the supplement you are considering, its known side effects and potential interaction with other drugs. Seek reliable sources of information, such as your doctor, scientific studies, etc. Stick with a reputable manufacturer. Choose products sold by large, well-established companies. Continue taking your current medications. Supplements should be taken along with your current medication and should not be considered as a replacement for effective drug therapies.

Exercise - Exercise is one part of a comprehensive arthritis treatment plan. Studies have shown that exercise helps people with arthritis in many ways. Exercise reduces joint pain and stiffness and increases flexibility, muscle strength, cardiac fitness, and endurance. It also helps with weight reduction and contributes to an improved sense of well-being. These include – Range-of-motion exercises, Strengthening exercises and Endurance exercises. Experienced doctors, physical therapists, and occupational therapists can recommend exercises that are particularly helpful for a specific type of arthritis. http://www.arthritis.org/exercise-types.php

Faith / Prayer  - Public opinion polls have shown that prayer is one of the most commonly used alternative therapies for arthritis. Research in behavioral medicine suggests that the interactions of the mind, body and spirit can have powerful effects on our health. But very few published scientific studies have examined the effects of prayer and spirituality. Adding or deepening the spiritual aspects in your life could be good for you and arthritis, and – unless you abandon your medication and/or other components of your treatment program – certainly won’t hurt you. http://www.arthritis.org/conditions/alttherapies/common_therapies.asp

Herbal Remedies - Herbal medicines are extracts of plants that have been used as medicines for thousands of years. All medicines, natural or conventional, work by altering some aspect of body function, such as lowering blood pressure or blood sugar. The active ingredients of natural remedies are chemicals that are very similar to prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Therefore, they have the same potential to cause beneficial and harmful effects. Although natural and conventional medicines work in similar ways, there are important differences between them. Herbal extracts may contain hundreds of chemicals, each of which can affect your body. Analyses by government and consumer organizations reveal that the contents of many herbal products do not match the ingredients listed on the labels. Therefore, one bottle of an herbal remedy can contain vastly different ingredients from the next bottle.

Homeopathy / Homeopathic – A treatment that aims to treat "like with like." Homeopathic formulas are based on the theory that even when a remedy is diluted to the point where no molecules are left, the water will contain energy and retain the "memory" of what it was once in contact with. Despite being widely discredited in scientific circles homeopathy has grown in popularity in recent years.

Humor / Laughter Therapy - Laughter is gentle exercise. It fills your lungs and body with oxygen, deep-clears your breathing passages and exercises your lungs. When we laugh our bodies release a cocktail of hormones & chemicals that have startling positive effects on our system. Stress is reduced, blood pressure drops, depression is lifted, your immune system is boosted & more

Hydrotherapy -  and hydrothermal therapy are chiefly used to tone up the body, to stimulate digestion, the circulation, and the immune system, and to bring relief from pain. Water seems to have special powers in getting rid of stress and rejuvenating our body. It affects the skin and muscles. It calms the lungs, heart, stomach, and endocrine system by stimulating nerve reflexes on the spinal cord.

Hypnosis - Hypnotherapy has been used successfully to treat all forms of disease by empowering your own mind to heal itself. Hypnosis is not sleep. When you are asleep your attention is diffused, when hypnotized, your attention is focused.

Journaling / Diary Writing- A journal is simply the daily record of your thoughts and observations about life as you live it. The benefit that a journal provides is allowing you to get your deepest emotions and thoughts out on paper and thereby release them from your body. The therapeutic benefits of journaling are vast

Magnets - Magnet therapy involves the use of a magnetic device placed on or near the body to relieve pain and facilitate healing. Static magnet therapy is believed to relieve pain by increasing circulation. The effectiveness of arthritis magnet therapy for relieving pain is still in question. Make up your own mind.

Massage Therapy  - Massage therapy can be a great way to ease the pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, and many doctors recommend massage to their patients with arthritis. Research has shown that massage can decrease stress hormones and depression, ease muscle pain and spasms, increase the body’s production of natural pain-killing endorphins and improve sleep and immune function. Make sure you find a massage therapist who is experienced and comfortable working with people with arthritis as some elements of massage may not be appropriate for you.

Meditation / Relaxation - Although you may be under the impression that what you need to alleviate your arthritis is ever more powerful drugs, it is unlikely that medication will ultimately solve your problem if you remain under high levels of emotional and physical stress. The purpose of meditation for relaxation requires no special training, and can be done at any time of day and in any comfortable space. All it takes is about 15 minutes of uninterrupted quiet.

Mobilization therapies - include traction (gentle, steady pulling), massage, and manipulation (using the hands to restore normal movement to stiff joints). When done by a trained professional, these methods can help control pain and increase joint motion and muscle and tendon flexibility.

Music Therapy - Music therapy has been found to ease the perception of arthritis pain an increase your mobility over an extended period. Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program. (American Music Therapy Association definition, 2005) At a minimum music can be very soothing and relaxing, and may take your mind off your pain for a little while.

Placebo effect - "The physician's belief in the treatment and the patient's faith in the physician exert a mutually reinforcing effect; the result is a powerful remedy that is almost guaranteed to produce an improvement and sometimes a cure." -- Petr Skrabanek and James McCormick, Follies and Fallacies in Medicine, p. 13.

Reiki - Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that  is a safe, gentle, non-invasive form of hands-on healing. Reiki works on all levels of awareness in body, mind and spirit.. Recipients report their experience of Reiki includes increased energy, reduction of pain, deep relaxation and a general feeling of well being.

Self-hypnotheropy - all hypnosis is really self hypnosis. Even if it's a therapist who talks and leads you, it is still you who accomplishes the hypnotic condition.

Spiritual healing is when energy is transmitted to the person who needs it. The treatment works on the body, mind and spirit, which are seen as one unit that must harmonize for good health. If a separate healer is involved, the healer will place the hand on the person being treated to channel the energy from the Higher Source. The spiritual healing can help mental and emotional problems and physical conditions such as a frozen shoulder.

Tai Chi - Tai chi is an ancient and gentle Chinese exercise form that is practised around the world. It involves slow, controlled movements to improve flexibility, muscle strength, balance and fitness. Studies show that Tai Chi for Arthritis helps to reduce pain and stiffness felt by people with arthritis. It exercises the entire body and helps to strengthen joints and muscles. Practising Tai Chi for Arthritis may improve your flexibility, help you to maintain correct posture and improve your general health. It may also help you to relax and improve your concentration.

TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation) where an electrical shock is transmitted through electrodes placed on the skin’s surface.

Ultrasound Therapy  - Therapeutic ultrasound is often used in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders. Ultrasound makes high frequency sound waves. The sound waves vibrate tissues deep inside the injured area. This creates heat that draws more blood into the tissues. The tissues then respond to healing nutrients brought in by the blood and the repair process begins.

Yoga -  There are ‘meridian’ lines (longitudinal lines or pathways on the body) which are energy lines that relate to the internal organs in the body. This is what Japanese Therapeutic Yoga works with to help the internal function and the external physical structure of the body. Studies have shown that yoga is a safe and effective way to increase physical activity that also has important psychological benefits due to its meditative nature. Additionally, physical activity is an essential part of the effective treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), according to treatment guidelines published by the American College of Rheumatology

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No one alternative treatment will work for everyone, just as no medication works on all people. Explore alternatives with an open but cautious mind, do your own research and ask many questions and you should do just fine. Just remember that -  

if it says it will cost you only a few cents,

if it tells you that you will have a cure within days,

it is not backed by any recognized research criteria,

if you can’t find any documentation for it,

and the ingredients are “a secret”

then just be prepared to be a bit sceptical.

If it sounds too good to be true, you can just bet that it usually is.