Joint pain is a common issue for many people, especially those who are older, as it’s rare to find an elderly person who doesn’t complain about this discomfort. However, joint pain can also occur in younger individuals, including children, due to various reasons. Rheumatoid arthritis, being a systemic autoimmune disease, is a frequent cause of joint damage, characterized by its chronic nature and periodic exacerbations. Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with folk remedies may be necessary for people of any age, although it most commonly occurs after the age of 40, predominantly affecting women. When the disease is observed in children, it is referred to as juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, and its treatment, including folk remedies, will have specific characteristics considering the child’s age.
This time, we will focus on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in adults using folk remedies, which can effectively alleviate symptoms. The primary focus of such treatment is on strengthening the immune system of the affected individual, as it is immune system dysfunctions that cause rheumatoid arthritis. Although the exact reasons for these dysfunctions are not fully understood, experts highlight several factors that contribute to the development of such reactions in the body. These factors often include hereditary predisposition, past viral infections, existing chronic diseases, excessive physical strain, severe hypothermia, and stress.
The onset of this disease typically resembles ordinary arthritis, affecting the joints of the limbs, causing pain, swelling, limited joint mobility, and the joints becoming hot to the touch. In some cases, these symptoms may be accompanied by other general signs of the disease, such as increased body temperature, weakness, a decline in overall health, and loss of appetite. Usually, symmetrical joints of the limbs are affected, but sometimes only one joint or non-paired joints become inflamed, which is atypical for this disease. Other characteristic signs of rheumatoid arthritis include the formation of small nodules under the skin around the joints, morning stiffness, and potential joint deformation with prolonged disease progression.
Folk Remedies for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Bay Leaf: Bay leaf can effectively help with rheumatoid arthritis. Take 5 grams of bay leaves (15-20 pieces), crush them finely, pour boiling water (300 ml) over them, and simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the decoction into a thermos and let it infuse for 3-4 hours. To treat the disease, consume this remedy in small sips throughout the day, using the entire volume within 12 hours, but not all at once. Repeat for 3 days, then take a one-week break and repeat the course. It is recommended to follow a specific diet during these days, avoiding meat and fatty foods, and it is also advisable to cleanse the intestines before starting the course.
- Thistle Herb: Measure 20 grams of thistle herb, pour a glass of boiling water over it, and let it infuse for 30 minutes. Use this infusion for compresses on the joints affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Fresh thistle juice can also be used for this purpose. Additionally, take 2 tablespoons of thistle herb, pour 0.5 liters of boiling water over it, let it infuse for 10 minutes, and consume it throughout the day, dividing it into equal parts. If fresh thistle juice is available, take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day.
- Eucalyptus Oil: Eucalyptus oil can significantly reduce pain and inflammation in arthritis. Use it for compresses.
- Herbal Mixture: To slow down inflammatory processes in the joints and relieve pain, take hop cones, common St. John’s wort flowers, and medicinal sweet clover flowers, dry them, grind them into a fine powder, sift it, and measure 2 tablespoons. Add 50 grams of petroleum jelly to this mixture and blend until a homogeneous mass is obtained. Apply the resulting ointment to the inflamed joints. Store the remedy in the refrigerator.
- Marsh Labrador Tea: Take marsh Labrador tea leaves and shoots, finely chop them, measure 1 teaspoon, pour 2 glasses of boiling water over them, and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes. Take the decoction 3 times a day, 1 tablespoon at a time. This remedy can also be used externally to treat rheumatoid arthritis by rubbing it onto the affected joints.
- Herbal Decoction: Take 2 parts of Veronica officinalis herb and creeping wheatgrass rhizomes, and 3 parts of tricolor violet herb and great burdock root. Grind, measure 1 tablespoon of the mixture, pour a glass of boiling water over it, and simmer in a water bath for 10 minutes. Then remove from heat, wrap, and let it infuse for half an hour, then strain. Consume half a glass 30 minutes after meals, twice a day. This remedy helps not only with arthritis but also treats gout.
- Birch Buds Tincture: Mix 20 grams of birch buds with 100 ml of alcohol. Let it infuse for 3 weeks, then strain, press the raw material, and filter. Store in a cool, dark place in dark glass containers. Take 20-30 drops, diluted in 1 tablespoon of boiled water. Also use externally by rubbing into the joints.
- Nettle Mixture: In equal proportions, take nettle leaves, black elderberry flowers, parsley roots, and white willow bark. Measure 1 tablespoon of the mixture, pour a glass of boiling water over it, simmer on moderate heat for 5 minutes, then strain and cool. Consume throughout the day, dividing the total volume into several parts.
