ALMOST every human ailment is the target for some form of quack treatment, but the disorders for which no cure has yet been developed are the most open for attack. Arthritis in its many forms is such a disorder.
There is a good deal that a doctor can do to relieve the discomfort of arthritis, and in many cases, to prevent severe disability resulting from it. However, there is as yet no fully accepted explanation of what causes all the various types or how to cure them. Many a discouraged sufferer is all too ready to listen to and believe in miracle cures. It is normal in the course of many types of arthritis for the disease to have its ups and downs. Some patients after having been troubled by pain for months suddenly feel free of all symptoms. This absence of pain may last days, weeks, and even months.
If by pure coincidence the patient had been wearing a copper bracelet just before this period of temporary improvement, he or she is very tempted to believe that he or she has indeed been cured by the gadget. He or she is then eager to share the great luck with follow sufferers, and thus does quackery spread.
Virtually nothing that is promoted as a quick cure or a sure cure for arthritis is any good at all. Most of them are medically harmless. All are tragically wasteful since they are almost always costly, and the expense is particularly burdensome to elderly patients who cannot afford it.
Even quack treatments that are of seemingly harmless nature can in the long run be damaging to the patient. A number of arthritic patients walk away from their regular doctors because the treatment of arthritis is slow and limited. This will delay treatment that might make a crucial difference in the course of his or her disease.
Although the patient?s doctor cannot always promise a cure, the patient will almost certainly institute a carefully planned treatment. The treatment is designed not only to keep the patient as comfortable as possible, but also to minimize the amount of deformity and disability resulting form the disease.
If the patient is relying on a worthless new diet treatment instead of patiently and conscientiously sticking to his or her physiotherapy schedule, he or she may find the disease has left him or her crippled.
Not all treatments for arthritis are medically harmless. Some rely on drugs which can be dangerous if used without constant medical supervision. Among these medications are those that make use of hormonal compounds known as corticosteroids, cortisone and prednisone, for example. These can be very effective in reducing the inflammation of arthritis and sometimes result in almost miraculous improvement in the patient, but they are extremely powerful drugs, and any responsible doctor who prescribes them watches his patient closely for adverse side effects.
In the so-called clinics operated by quacks, the patient is usually seen one time only. Patients are often given one of these potent drugs in massive doses which can gravely threaten their lives.
Quackery of this sort is outlawed in many countries but still exists in isolated areas. All too many arthritics treated by these quacks return home taking expensive medications that are not labeled.
Furthermore, efforts to obtain the exact content of some of these agents are usually fruitless, for the clinics refuse to give out any specific drug information, even if the patient is dying from a reaction believed associated with the unidentified drug.
Not all the practitioners of arthritis treatment quackery dispense dangerous drugs. Many of the so-called remedies are much less harmful. These include in addition to the incredibly popular copper fad, so called radioactive substances, a vast array of special diets, colon therapy, and overpriced aspirin-based medications. Except for the aspirin, the other medications are totally ineffective.
Aspirin is one of the accepted medications for relieving the inflammation and pain of arthritis, but should be taken only under a doctor?s prescription. Standard household aspirin is every bit as good and much less expensive than the fancy variations advertised as being specifically for the treatment of arthritis.
Many doctors who specialize in the treatment of arthritis are confident that a real cure will be soon available. Many new approaches are being explored including new drugs and new, early surgical treatment.
Do not experiment with a new treatment unless it is prescribed by a doctor who is familiar with your individual problems and your complete medical history.
The cures offered by quacks are a waste of your time, your money, and sometimes your health.