Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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bigiblue 09/10/2009

I found a 1968 Copy of an old Med Book. The way they used to treat RA in those days was complete Hospital care for up to 4-6 weeks. Nothing but rest. They used alot of Aspirin and Gold shot treatment then. They also suggested to use splints for your wrists and braces for your ankles so they don't get deformed. The Beds should have a Foot Post with something to place on the sides of each foot so they can't move at night. Makes alot of sense. They didn't have alot of the Drugs we have today,but they also assured of a near normal pain free life by just taking these simple steps. they also said to do some activity when feeling better, to keep your muscles strong. They encouraged Carbohydrates and easy on the meat. Take all your important Vitamins/Minerals.
Nothing has much changed, exept the meds and Hospital stay. ( can you imagine the Insurance Companies).
In Germany you go to a Health Resort for 6 weeks, all paid for by the Universial Health care. Just one of the good perks.
Anyway just wantd to share that bit of info.

lycesq 09/10/2009

Love the look to the past - thanks for posting this!

Lynne

deleted_user 09/10/2009

Bigblue, Thanx for the post. I have always said that we are all over medicated these days. Ah for simpler times!

Rosemo 09/11/2009

6 weeks in a health resort sounds marvelous, sign me up : )

deleted_user 09/11/2009

I love the sound of the long rest.....but I was wondering.....did they think that was it? Have you rest for a month or so and then your done? And splints and braces from keeping you from getting deformed would not stop the pain and damage that was happening to your body from this..........wow, we've come a long way baby!! Thanks so much for this look into the past! :)

deleted_user 09/11/2009

I do think we've come a long way, and thank goodness

- and I don't think that aspirin and rest really provided a "near normal pain free life" - I think they may have hoped for that but I'm guessing it probably didn't happen.

Bistro 09/11/2009

Wow. Very interesting, thank you!

I wonder if we could get that with our new NHC?

deleted_user 09/11/2009

my mother and gandmother had very severe RA. They were on high doses of aspirin. My mother wasn't started on gold shots until she was almost wheelchair bound and so it was hard to tell if it would have helped early on. She was one of the first on the west coast to have plastic joint replacements in 1977. She had all the joints in her fingers (a total of 12 each hand) replaced and instead of the horrrible swan neck deformities, she actually had two hands that functioned fairly well. The removal of the diseased joints also contributed to a remission that lasted several years. A strange disease!!!DEB Also, I want to move to Germany.

deleted_user 09/14/2009

I'm all about the resort idea! : )

JillyT 09/14/2009

Ah, now see a health resort stay sounds like a lot of work (lol) but I'm willing to give it a try. Hey do you think they have group programs...we could all go together!

Caspiana 09/14/2009

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

deleted_user 09/14/2009

My bags are packed and I'm ready to go!
Ooooh I can feel that hot spa right now.

I have a 1928 medical textbook and it suggests for "Rheumatismus Longus" mixing an ounce of "Oil of cedar, Hartshorn, Spirit of Camphor, Spirit of Turpentine and Tincture of capsicum in a pint of alcohol. Apply twice a day with a feather or camel's hair brush". (Nice touch).

I guess if it did not give much relief, you just drink the pint of alcohol instead!
Thanks for sharing this with us bigi.

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