Lupus Support Group

I wanted to share with you all what has been a tremondous help to me and has greatly reduced my pain levels and inflammation. MSM Here is an exerpt form THE NATURAL PHYSICIAN'S HEALING THERAPIES:

"I remember one of my professors in medical school saying that if you can't relieve a patient's pain quickly, the patient will not be coming back to your office.

It's true.

No one wants to experience pain_and when you're afflicted with it, all you want is relief. Yet chronic, ongoing pain is a major problem for many people. It's been estimated that one-third of all Americans have to deal with it, often as the result of disease.

I can't claim that the supplement called MSM will help everyone. But I do know we're fortunate to have it around. It's one of those breakthrough supplements that, for many people, works very effectively to reduce pain and inflammation.

MSM is the abbreviation for methylsulfonylmethane. It was originally discovered when research was being done on DMSO--dimethyl-sulfoxide, a related compund tht was known to alleviate pain. One problem with DMSO is that is has a very strong and disagreeable odor.

MSM doesn't have the odor, problem and it seems to be just as effective as DMSO--or even more so. Most of the research on MSM has been done by Dr. R. Lawrence of UCLA in California. Both have treated many thousands of people who are afflicted with painful conditions with DMSO and MSM.

In their book, The Miracle of MSM, they report that MSM can deliver numerous benefits, including:

Pain relief
Reduced inflammation
Increased blood flow
Control of overactive nerve impulses
Reduced muscle spasms
Softening of scar tissue

In addition, MSM has an atiparasitic effect-that is, it helps to resist the invasion of unfriendly parasites. It also has a normalizing effect on the immune system, which means it's useful in treating autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus."

He recommends 1,000-2,000 milligrams daily for preventive purposes and for therapeutic purposes the dosage varies depending on body weight, sex and individual need. I have found that 1,000 milligrams in the morning and evening work well for me, but there are times when I increase my dosage to 2,000 milligrams in the morning and evening.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS? (again from his book) Most people experience no side effects from MSM, thought there have been some reports of digestive upset on high doses. A few people are sensitive to MSM, and have stomach upset, cramping, or diarrhea-so I recommend people start at a lower dosage and then gradually increase the dose every few days. This helps the body adjust to the MSM and reduces the chance fo side effects.

If you do have an adverse reaction, you'll probably find that the symptoms go away if you reduce the dosage or-if necessary-stop taking the MSM.

I am commonly asked if people allergic to sulfites or sulfa antibiotics can use MSM. The answer is yes. Sulfites and sulfa antibiotics don't have the same chemical make-up of MSM, which contains the mineral sulfur.

For dhildren, I start with a very small dose of MSM. The gel or cream is particularly good to use with children for joint or muscle injuries.

Athought it has not been studied, the authors also caution against using MSM in conjunction with blood-thinning medications such as heparin. If you are on a blood-thinning medication, consult with your doctor before using MSM.

I (my words) hope this may be of help to some. It has already helped me, my stepfather who has RA and my husband who has an old knee injury. Please excuse any typo's as I was typing this with a four-year old vying for my attention.
Posted on 10/28/08, 06:10 pm