How can Naturopathy help with musculoskeletal injury?
Musculoskeletal system refers to our muscles, tendons and ligaments, as well as bones and joints. Pain can occur in many ways, including:
- sprains, fractures
- epicondylitis, bursitis, tendonitis, tenosynovitis [RSI], rotator cuff syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome
- osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis
Chronic pain often begins with inflammation and, if not treated, will escalate. The most common pain involves lower back pain and joints, especially knees.
What’s the difference between Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and natural methods?
Anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit a single enzyme involved in the inflammatory response. However, this single-target approach is often associated with significant dangerous side effects and damage to the digestive tract.
- NSAID use in US results in approximately 107,000 hospitalizations annually for gastrointestinal complications and 16,500 deaths.
- NSAID toxicity is a “silent epidemic” that is little appreciated by the medical profession.
- The main effect of NSAIDs on the gastrointestinal tract is a decline in the gastric function, due to mucosal damage.
The following image shows damage to gastric mucosa just 16 minutes after taking Aspirin.
What are the options?
Natural methods regulate inflammation and support the healing process without unwanted and dangerous side effects. Supplemental treatments provide excellent support during manual treatments such as osteopathy, chiropractic, massage and physiotherapy.
In addition to supporting inflammation, pain and tissue repair, balancing the body’s pH is essential to musculoskeletal health. Acidity has been shown to escalate joint damage and pain. Reducing pH from 7.4 to 7 has been show to induce pain. [pH is a measure of acidity]
Ongoing acidity or latent acidosis is also a major contributor to bone loss. Calcium is one of our main alkalising minerals and when our bodies become acidic, it draws calcium from bones to maintain the essential pH. By so doing, we lose bone density leading to osteoporosis. Acidity can be caused by poor dietary choices [high sugar intake, caffeinated drinks, high protein intake], some medications, insufficient water intake, exercise, stress, and lack of sleep.
There are many products available through your naturopath which may not only help relieve pain but also reduce the inflammation and support tissue repair. For an assessment of your individual needs, arrange an appointment today and call True Medicine on 07 5530 1863.