Other Treatments of arthritis

Photopheresis
Photopheresis is a new form of treatment that exposes portions of the blood mixed with a light-sensitive chemical to ultra-violet radiation. Its object is to "immunize" the body against malignant T cells found in the immunological system. It has so far shown promise for the treatment of various Rheumatoid Diseases (Scleroderma, Lupus Erythematosus, Rheumatoid Arthritis), autoimmune diabetes mellitus, organ transplant rejection and AIDS related complex25. William Campbell Douglass, M.D. of Georgia reports excellent success with many otherwise intransigent disease conditions, using photopheresis, and especially against AIDS26.
Cryogenic Exposure and Exercise Treatment Japanese scientists first studied the effect of cryogenic exposure on degenerative disease. Tonis Pai27, M.D. of Tallin, Estonia continues this work reporting improvement among patients with various joint diseases, including Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis. Patients enter a chamber (cooled cryogenically by liquid nitrogen) for repeated visits for a duration of 1-3 minutes. They then exercise strenuously. Dr.Pai has reported improvement in various arthritic conditions.
Ge132: Bis-Beta-carboxyethyl
Germanium Sesquioxide
Dr. K. Asai of Japan designed Bis-Beta-carboxyethyl Germanium Sesquioxide (Ge132), finding thereafter many interesting and useful properties. Ge132 is a substance that does not easily enter into bodily tissues, and therefore has been found to be non-dangerous. It performs several valuable functions, among which is the ability to take up excess electrons from the cell's mitochondria, and flush them from the body. This function is analogous to increasing basal metabolism in that excess electrons can create free-radicals which
may lead to pain and inflammation. Ge132 also decreases pain by increasing endorphins in the brain. "In both humans and animals Ge132 has been shown to increase gamma interferon in the blood, activate macrophages and natural killer cells, bring blood hemoglobin levels up and white cell counts down, stimulate immunomodulation activity in the B cell system and demonstrate antitumor and antiviral activities. This substance, therefore, may be an excellent adjuvant (aids the operation) of immunochemotherapeutic agents. The effects of Ge132 on various immune parameters are almost identical to that of known gamma interferon immunomodulating activity. In addition, studies on immune-suppressed animals and on patients with malignancies or rheumatoid arthritis suggest that Ge132 normalized the function of T cells, B lymphocytes, anti-bodydependent cellular cytotoxicity, natural killer cell activity and numbers of antibody-forming cells. Obviously organic germanium has a `normalizing' influence on the immune system57,58,59," and it can be effectively used either sub-lingually or as an injectable. Caution: do not take Germanium Oxide, which can be damaging, even poisonous.

Live-Cell Therapy

According to Lester Winter, Ph.D.12, 85, 93, European Live-Cell Therapy has been available to the rich and famous since 1915. This replacment therapy now is available at a reasonable cost outside of the United States in Europe, Bahamas, Mexico and other countries. Briefly, either calf or piglet embryonic tissue is injected (or placed) in the body. For a period of one to four years, depending upon nutrition, metabolism and life-style, these foreign tissues supply hormones and other vital chemicals which the body uses as its own. In particular, according to Dr. med. Gerhard Shettler94, intraarticular cellular therapy is often effective in replacing joint cartilage.Live-cell therapy is well worth exploring for various health reasons, not just Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Diseases.

Homeopathy

Homeopathy is several centuries old, and was once a widely practiced healing discipline, until the dominance of allopathic medicine in many parts of the world. According to the Arizona Revised Statutes 32-2901, "Homeopathy means a system of medicine employing substances of animal, vegetable or mineral origin which are given in microdosage, prepared according to homeopathic pharmacology, in accordance with the principle that a substance which produces symptoms in a healthy person can cure those symptoms in an ill person. The practice of homeopathy [in Arizona] includes acupuncture, neuromuscular integration, orthomolecular therapy, nutrition, chelation therapy, pharamaceutical medicine and minor surgery66." As some practitioners of Homeopathy do not subscribe to the total practice as described herein, we will discuss only the first part of the above definition. Dr. Samuel Hahneman (one of Napoleon Bonaparte's physicians66, 69), Kent66, and others founded and defined the basic outlines of Homeopathy. On Napoleon's route to conquer most of Europe, Napoleon used "Dr. Hahneman to keep his troops free of typhoid fever. Hahneman created a totally new concept of medicine, which he called `Homeopathy,' derived from the Greek words, `homeos,' which means `similar,' and, `pathos' or `disease'. Hahneman's basic law was, `Let's cure a disease with the disease itself, or like cures like69.' Hahneman and other physicians observed and reported that an extremely minute dosage of a substance that could reproduce some of the symptoms of a known disease could somehow teach the body how to heal itself. Substances, therefore, are diluted to such an extreme dilution that scoffing scientists will describe the dosages as being the "essence of residual vibrations of a ghostly spirit passing quickly through the room one time." Carefully selected substances are sequentially diluted (and struck: percussed) to concentrations such as 0.9 X 10-61. The more diluted is the substance chosen, the more "powerful" its effect -- a phenomenon which stretches normal imagination beyond training of allopathic physicians.
Hydrogen Peroxide Therapy and
Ozone Therapy
Hydrogen Peroxide has been in medical use for several centuries34,37,39, and there are thousands of scientific studies on its use. What is not well known is that Hydrogen Peroxide is also used by many both internally37 and externally for many different disease conditions, including Rheumatoid Disease. Ozone Therapy35 is somewhat newer on the medical scene. These two are often referred to as "Oxygen Therapies," which is somewhat of a misnomer. One can take a breath of air and receive more oxygen than one can receive from Hydrogen Peroxide Therapy, and the use of Ozone Therapy32, although not entirely understood, is clearly not that of supplying additional oxygen. Like Photopheresis, a certain supply of blood is removed, treated with Ozone, and then replaced in the patient. In desperation for relief -- any kind of relief -- arthritics will gradually increase their oral intake of food-grade hydrogen peroxide, many reporting relief of their symptoms, and sometimes their degenerative conditions. Other physicians, including Charles H. Farr, M.D., Ph.D.31, have shown that the intravenous usage of hydrogen peroxide has a beneficial effect on many disease states. They have also shown that the good effects of intravenous hydrogen peroxide usage stem principally from its ability to activate oxidation enzymes. Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis have been historically
viewed by established medical practitioners as two far-ranging "unsolved" disease conditions. As established medicine admits to no answer despite a multitude of modern scientific tests and categorizations of phenomena, it is not surprising to find that trial and error medicine by those concerned and those afflicted have brought about some practical answers. What is surprising is that many of these answers have no clear or clearly known underlying basis. For example, among various proferred solutions to either the inflammatory conditions, or to the underlying unknown physiological mechanisms are Diet, Extreme Cold Therapy, Hydrotherapy, Poultices and Topical Treatments, Homeopathy, modern methods based on Professor Dr. Guenther Enderlein's work68, Biomagnetics, Colon Therapy, Sound Therapy, Color Therapy, Aromatherapy, Mental Healing, Ayurveda, Dental Involvement (replacing poisonous mercury amalgams), Live Cell Therapy, Hydrogen Peroxide Therapy, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Rolfing, Oxygen and Ozone Therapy, Photopheresis, Yoga, Chelation Therapy98 and many specialized organic substances from either the land61 or sea36. Obviously not all of these treatments work for 100% of the afflicted or there would be no reason for this chapter. The Rheumatoid Disease Foundation takes the position that -- since established medicine admits to no answers -- each person must search out the medical answer for him/herself, and that search may require openmindedly trying one recommendation after another. After all, to the afflicted, it is not the correct theory that is important, but whether or not desirable results are achieved.