Gold therapy is primarily used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis And osteoporosis , and is an injection that contains real gold in a salt form. Not everyone responds to gold therapy, but those who do will see results in six to twelve weeks. The main side effects are skin rashes and mouth ulcers. Cortisone is also used to help with the pain. The side effects include increased appetite and anxiety. Other methods of pain relief include : Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS): A small device directs mild electric pulses to nerve endings that lie beneath the skin in the painful area. TENS seems to work by blocking pain messages to the brain and modifying pain perception. Pain may be temporarily relieved with the use of a small TENS device that directs mild, electrical pulses to nerve endings beneath the skin in the painful joint area. TENS blocks pain messages to the brain and modifies pain perception.Acupuncture: Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese practice. By inserting hair-fine needles into the skin along defined tracts called meridians, practitioners believe they can stimulate the flow of "qi," or vital life energy. Thin needles are inserted at specific points on the body. Scientists believe that this stimulates the nervous system to release endogenous, pain-relieving chemicals. This procedure should only be preformed by a licensed acupuncturist. Massage: Massage is to the human body what a tune-up is to a car. It provides a physical and mental boost to the weary, sore, and stressed. The benefits of massage include relieving mental stress, reducing anxiety levels, enhancing capacity for calm thinking and creativity, and satisfying needs for caring and nurturing touch. A massage therapist will lightly stroke and/or knead the painful muscles. This may increase blood flow and bring warmth to a stressed area. Arthritic joints are very sensitive, so the therapist should be familiar with this disease. There are many types of massage, including Western, Swedish, deep-tissue and neuromuscular. A massage therapist can teach you some do-it-yourself techniques.
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