Rheumatism is the name given to the painful state of joints, muscles and other connective tissues like tendons or ligaments. The word ‘rheumatism’ has its origin in the Greek word ‘rheuma’ meaning swelling. Thus when rheumatism affects the supporting structures of our body, there is much pain, swelling, rigidity, soreness and hypersensitivity in the affected area. A person suffering from rheumatism may also have fever. Depending upon the nature of the supporting structures, rheumatism may be classified in to articular rheumatism and muscular rheumatism. Articular rheumatism inflames joints. It affects children and young adults in acute form and elderly people in chronic form. Muscular rheumatism inflames the muscles and is seen in aged people.
Rheumatism can affect both sexes alike, and acute rheumatism, if not taken proper care of, may develop in to chronic rheumatism, causing intermittent pain from time to time. Some of the several ailments that come under the master heading 'rheumatism' or 'rheumatic diseases' include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, myositis, capsulitis etc. Rheumatism turns out to be risky when it reaches the heart and inflames the valves and lining of heart. Some of the causes of rheumatism may be listed as follows:
1. Heredity
2. Acidosis or acid-alkaline imbalance
3. Poisoning of blood with acidic waste products
4. Damp or cold weather condition
5. Physically stressful work
6. Teeth infection
7. Tonsillitis
8. Gall bladder disease
Home Remedies
1. Mix 1 teaspoon honey in to a cup of bitter gourd juice and take daily. This alleviates rheumatic conditions.
2. To a glass of orange juice, add 1 tablespoon cod liver oil. Churn the mixture and drink every day before going to bed. This cures rheumatism.
3. Combine wintergreen oil, chloroform and rubbing alcohol in the ratio 1:3:12. Rub the combination on aching zones to get relief.
4. Mix the juice of 3 lemons in to a pint of warm water, add 3 tablespoons of Epsom salt and take a teaspoon of the solution in the morning and evening. This will surely have a healing effect.
5. Blend equal proportions of carrot juice and lemon juice. Take 1 tablespoon of the mixture to get cured of rheumatism.
6. Taking 2 teaspoons of raw potato juice before meals is the best way to deal with rheumatism.
7. Put 30 grams of potato peels in half a liter water. After sometime filter the decoction and have 4 times a day. This is an effective home remedy for rheumatism.
8. Mix 2 teaspoons, each of apple cider vinegar and honey in to a glass of warm water and take the mixture twice daily. This treats rheumatism sufficiently.
9. Mix 4 teaspoons of blackstrap molasses in to quarter of cranberry juice. Have a glass of the mixture daily. This is a beneficial rheumatism remedy.
10. Crush a green stalk of rhubarb and take with sugar thrice daily. This helps to do away with rheumatism.
11. Dissolve 5-10 drops of celery juice in to a glass of hot water. Take the decoction before meals. This checks rheumatism.
12. Consume half a dozen walnuts daily to keep rheumatism at bay.
13. Put few drops of rosemary oil in a bucket of warm water and dip the aching parts in that water. This relieves pain and swelling.
Read about effective Home Remedies for Rheumatism. Also know about Home Remedies for Psoriasis.