Herbal Medicine

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that can cause pain, swelling and stiffness in joints.

It is what is known as an auto-immune condition. This means that the immune system, which is the body’s natural self-defence system, gets confused and starts to attack your body’s healthy tissues. In rheumatoid arthritis, the main way it does this is with inflammation in your joints.

---

One of the most complex Clinical Herbal Cases I've worked on is a client with Stage 3 RA. It is one hell of a condition to navigate not just from the perspective of the person who has the conditions (they are in constant pain), but also when trying to navigate a treatment plan for the condition.

Most people who are diagnosed in the UK tend to be first put on 'Methotrexate' which is actually an immunosuppressant and anti-cancer drug, in the hopes that it will ease the symptoms of the condition and slow down its progression.

'Methotrexate' is often with another DMARD (Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs) and a short course of steroids (corticosteroids) to relieve any pain.

After talking with others who suffer with RA and some medical specialists, it would appear that the NHS seem to choose this treatment plan first simply because it is cheap and many medical professionals have stated it's often not very effective.

The problem with the prescribed medications is that they often destroy the bodies organs and my client has have to suffer for years, with the toxic effects of these drugs, the side effects of which were not really discussed by her Doctor.

Since the original diagnosis of RA my client is now in the advanced stages of the disease and now has a Nurse turn up to her house in an armoured van, to administer a steroid injection costing around £1,200 per injection.

Like many people with issues Doctors struggle to solve, my client originally started trying various different supplements and remedies, as well as complementary medicines, most of which have failed and just cost her more and more money.

There is a problem within the 'Health' industry with many supplement companies using some what legal, morally shady marketing in order to convince people who are suffering with specific conditions to "take a punt" on this pill or that therapy.

In the UK we have fairly tough regulation as compared to other countries such as the United States, however it's still a problem.

---

To add  to the complexity of this case the client also has a number of other health / medical conditions, so if it wasn't already complicated, it's made even more complex by the other medications and issues.

Yet another thing that’s added to the problems for my client, is the failures of different Doctors and Medical Professionals, when it comes to talking to each other. Each Doctor alters my clients medications and there have been big issues with specialists not understanding the prescriptions of other specialists and making alterations which just make things even worse for my client.

If I was to recommend to another magical practitioner, then it would be not to take a herbal / physical approach to a client like this as you open yourself up to all sorts of problems. If the medical staff can't even keep up with the issues this client has then your average Herbalist is never going to. So from a magical perspective it would be far better and safer to work purely energetically.

That being said that is not the option I choose ...

One of the things my client came to me for was for my advice on how  to get hold of a specific salve they used in Australia. You see despite being British my client spent several years living in Australian and found possibly the only herbal remedies that works or at least "takes the edge off" of the inflammation and condition.

The problem was that this herbal product is not available in the UK and she only had an empty tub to show me.

Luckily for me herbal remedies have to show their contents / formula (in order of largest quantity first in most countries)

The Remedy that my client likes is below and I have since been working on improving it but it's going to be an ongoing experiment:

ARTHRITIS CREAM - 70 grams

(Ingredient quantities per gram of cream)

• Arnica Montana Flower Tincture (Equiv 24mg Dry Flower) - 480mcl

• Rosemary Oil - 40mg

• Eucalyptus Oil - 22mg

• Cajuput Oil - 10mg

• Melaleuca Oil - 5mg

• Camphor - 25mg

• Jojoba Oil

• Vitamin E Oil (for storage)

DIRECTIONS FOR USE

APPLY ON AND AROUND THE PAINFUL AREAS AND RUB IN. REPEAT UP TO 5  TIMES DAILY. IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST, TALK TO YOUR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. IF YOU HAVE SENSITIVE SKIN, TEST THIS PRODUCT ON A SMALL AREA OF SKIN BEFORE APPLYING IT TO A LARGER AREA.

THE CREAM'S ACTIVE INGREDIENTS ARE TRADITIONALLY USED IN WESTERN HERBAL MEDICINE FOR THE RELIEF OF -

• SYMPTOMS OF MILD ARTHRITIS

• MILD JOINT PAIN AND INFLAMMATION

• MUSCLE PAIN AND INFLAMMATION

• MUSCLE SPRAINS, STRAINS & SORENESS

• BRUISING

EXTERNAL USE ONLY

AVOID CONTACT WITH EYES AND OPEN WOUNDS. IF IRRITATION DEVELOPS, DISCONTINUE USE. STORE BELOW 25°C.

---

Another recipe I want to try is:

• Arnica Montana Flower Tincture (Equiv 24mg Dry Flower) - 488mcl

• Rosemary Oil - 30mg

• Eucalyptus Oil - 20mg

• Camphor - 20mg

• Cajuput Oil - 8mg

• Menthol - 0.3mg

• Jojoba Oil

• Vitamin E Oil (for storage)