Hi all.

I'm way too sensitive to medications, allergic to many and scarred to try yet another new drug so I'm back to taking ibuprofen to try to keep the inflammation down. I don't drink coffee or alcohol and try to eat a well balanced diet.

Do you have any tips or treatments that have helped to keep the swelling down that you could share here.

Many thanks

MsL

Has anyone here been able to find any

Hi,
My daughter is also very hypersensitive to medications. Because of this, we had little option but to continue searching for alternative treatments. We finally discovered that hyperbaric oxygen treatments helped her immensely, actually to the point of stopping her pain. It is a good treatment for inflammation, so I just wanted to share that with you.
I wish you the very best in your search for help!!
Jeanne

I'm sorry that you have to deal with inflamation and that you are so sensitive to medications

I haven't really found anything that helps with the inflamation unfortunately. I have heard from a lot of people however who say that Epsom (sp?) Salt Baths can be really good in reducing inflamation/swelling.

I hope you find something that helps you real soon. You are in my thoughts and please keep us all updated when you can.

Alison

Hi Mslday,
Here are just some of the things I have come to known about inflammation. One of the best way to stop it is by taking enzymes. Proteolytic enzymes and your diet. Eat more anti-inflammatory foods an the food that cause inflammation. You start by getting Dr. Leo Gallands, M.D. book called the fat resistance diet.
You also can go to
The reason you would want to take enzymes like Bromelain, Papain, Amylase Pancreatin and Lypase is when our body becomes depleted of these then the immune system can not keep up with the inflammation that has been triggered off because of some injury or disease.
Every body system needs these to function well. If we don't get enough of these enzymes then over time inflammation grows out of control.
There are studies that show that these decrease pain and inflammation.
Hope this gives you a place to start.
By the way just thought I would tell you that is my real name. I like to just let everyone know that because they usually ask.
These things really work My husband and I have already have been doing these things and we know they work.
Take care Mslday and others.

I am not sure where you have RSD, but mine is in my right limb, hand to shoulder. I too am extremely sensitive to medications so I have had to find other ways to cope with the swelling.

1. One of the best techniques for me is to use compression on my arm if I have swelling. I grab a scrubbing brush or a towel and slowly scrub my kitchen counter back and forth in a rhythmic movement. This seems to really help hault the swelling most days.
2. I also elevate my arm (slightly) for short periods of time throughout the day. I alternate this with movement every 15 minutes in order to keep the limb warm and not so stiff.
3. I also use Epsom Salts baths quite a bit for inflammation when it gets bad. I fill up the sink using water that is 105 degrees and soak for about 10 minutes.
4. I will also drink a regular cup of coffee (I know, it sounds so wrong) but for some reason, it helps with swelling for me.
5. I also will get in a pool at a rehab center (it is warm water) and just slowly move about. I never notice the swelling gets better right after the water, but a few hours later, it really seems to kick in. I think the compression once again helps.

So these are my tricks I use and I use them daily because inflammation is a big problem for me. My fingers are always so swollen and stiff every morning. If it is bad, I start my day with an Espom Salts soak, this justs really helps sooth the arm and helps it move, which I think then helps with swelling for me.

Good luck to you. I hope some of these things will help.

Thank you very much to each of you for your suggestions, you have all inspired me to get back to what we know works like Epsom salts and to try new things. Jolaine you have inspired me to do more research and I'm going to the library tomorrow to see if I can locate a copy of Dr. Gallands book. A search on the internet also lead me to this article http://www.care2.com/news/member/818150751/439742 about an anti-inflammatory diet.
After reading this I realize that I need to make some adjustments to my diet especially since I eat way too much red meat.


Thanks again

MsL

has some ideas for you:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread1105.html

Hi Jolaine, pretty name by the way. I've been reading the book you suggested. It won't be a big change for us since we eat many of the suggested foods already. I mainly need to cut down on my red meat and add a few more veggies. I had never heard of the enzyme's before and I'm doing some research on that as well.

Since following this diet and taking the enzyme's to you find your pain is significantly reduced. Do you still need to take the RSD medications? Thank you for the tips.

Laura

Sorry to get in late here, but I was advised some time ago by a prof in the Dept. of Neurobiology at UCLA that the best way to control inflamation - and specifically sympathetic tone as modulated by the insular cortex in the brain - was through a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. He said that approx. 2,400 mg./day should be about right. To that end, please see the following abstract:

Modulation of inflammatory cytokines by omega-3 Fatty acids. Kang JX, Weylandt KH. Subcell Biochem. 2008; 49: 133-43.

Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 02114, Boston, MA, USA.

Many human diseases have been linked to inflammation, which is mediated by a number of chemical molecules including lipid mediators and cytokines. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids) are the precursors of the lipid mediators and play an important role in regulation of inflammation. Generally, omega-6 fatty acids (e.g. arachidonic acid) promote inflammation whereas omega-3 fatty acids (e.g. eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid) have anti-inflammatory properties. Omega-3 fatty acids dampen inflammation through multiple pathways. On the one hand, omega-3 fatty acids inhibit the formation of omega-6 fatty acids-derived pro-inflammatory eicosanoids (e.g. PGE(2) and LTB(4)), and on the other hand these fatty acids can form several potent anti-inflammatory lipid mediators (e.g. resolvins and protectins). These together directly or indirectly suppress the activity of nuclear transcription factors, such as NFkappaB, and reduce the production of pro-inflammatory enzymes and cytokines, including COX-2, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and interleukin (IL)-1beta. This chapter focuses on the evidence from recent studies using new experimental models.

What's also of note is what may increase inflammatory processes. While we all know about stress, there's been recent work done that shows the mechanism of "Association of catastrophizing with interleukin-6 responses to acute pain," Robert R. Edwards at al, Pain epub 2008.07.24, a copy of which is attached for anyone who's interested. It's a very interesting article that can probably be read on a number of levels, but it basically demonstrates that “catastrophizing” produces inflammatory cytokines in and of itself.

Ironically, it's also been established, at least in the context of arthritis that SSRI antidepressants may actually increase the inflammatory processes. See, "Alteration of central serotonin modifies onset and severity of adjuvant-induced arthritis in the rat," M.S. Harbuz et al, British Journal of Rheumatology, 1998 Oct; 37(10):1077-83, a copy of which is also attached. For what it's worth . . . (I know they drove my RSD induced spasms to insane levels.)

Mike

Attached Files

	Association of catastrophizing with interleukin-6 responses to acute pain - Edwards at al 2008.pdf (173.2 KB, 869 views)
	Alteration of central serotonin modifies onset and severity of adjuvant-induced arthritis in the.pdf (125.9 KB, 291 views)

Hi fmichael,
Thank you so much for the information and attached files. My internet in down now, so will get the information later. I'm looking forward to reading the info. I have full body rsd 12 years. I'm hoping to reduce meds with following healthy eating and building up my immune system. I also have fibromyalgia. How did you get rsd? Mine came the day following surgery. Misdiagnosed for several years and now with a very good Dr. and wanting to reduce meds if possible. Thank you again. Loretta