Natural Medicine “Unacaria Tomentosa” To Osteoarthritis
Introduction
Complementary and alternative medicines are increasingly being used to diversify the health care and medication, a situation that improve healthcare outcomes (Synovitz & Larson, 2013). Unconventional medications, particularly the natural herbs, are used to treat or improve the management of some diseases that were ineffectively tackled using conventional methods. The Cat’s claw, which is scientifically known as Unacaria tomentosa has been historically used to treat and prevent diseases in South America. The natural herb medicine is increased used as a remedy for a variety of health issues including viral infections. Despite the lack of scientifically proved the effectiveness of the herb, traditionally, it has been used to treat Alzheimer, cancer, arthritis, and improving, the kidney health (Dasgupta & Klein, 2014). Its inner back is used in making health extracts, teas, and capsules, which are undertaken to address the issues of concern.
Osteoarthritis is a disorder where the joints of the affected degenerate leading to adult disability. It is an infection affecting the synovial joint by degrading the underlying bone, ligaments, synovium, and articular cartilage. The destruction of the cartilage leads to a situation where the bones rub against each other, leading to stiffness in the joints, which undermine the individual’s mobility (Rosenbaum at al., 2010). The disease has no cure, and no treatment has proved effective in stopping or slowing its progress. The currently applied treatment including analgesics does not alter its progress, but reliefs the patient from the pain. Therefore, it is imperative to modify the current therapies to improve symptoms, arrest the condition, and slow the progress of this condition. According to Hardin (2007), nutraceuticals including food or products containing Cat’s claw can be used to prevent and modify symptom in Osteoarthritis.
Problem Statement
According to Miller et al., (2005), Osteoarthritis is usually a very painful joint condition affecting millions of people in the world. Despite the prevalence of the condition over the years, there is no optimal treatment option to cure and manage the disease. The pharmaceutical approaches applied today such as anti-inflammatory do not affect, stop, or lower the process. The severity of the condition varies from one person to the other depending on the affected joints, and the management approaches used. The most affected joints include the knees, hips, and small hand joints. In fact, the condition affects movement, a situation that reduces the activeness of an individual. The reduced mobility can affect the patients in their daily life on social and economic aspects (Bauer, 2011). Eventually, the disease can lead to adult disability, a condition that increases the burden on family members and the caregivers.
Since Osteoarthritis is not curable, the only option offered in the contemporary medical care is its management. In its mild state, the condition can be controlled using simple approaches such as regular exercises, putting on suitable footwear, maintaining a healthy weight, and using special devices (Setty & Sigal, 2005). The special tools, in this case, will reduce the strain while undertaking daily activities. People currently living with Osteoarthritis should be aware that the condition is a life-long condition whose right support and care can reduce the chances of getting into adult disability. The patients are encouraged to adopt self-care where they are encouraged to take responsibility for their health. Indeed, staying fit, through exercises, eating healthy, and taking medication as instructed are important steps in managing the condition.
Osteoarthritis is a long- term condition; patients should undergo regular review by contacting healthcare teams regularly. Establishing a good relationship with the relevant medical team offers an opportunity to discuss symptoms or concerns of Osteoarthritis affecting the patient. The discussion provides the team with more insight about the condition and helps the patient manage the condition effectively. In addition, patients living with Osteoarthritis are encouraged to undertake flu jab annually to protect themselves against influenza. The protection against the flu is necessary because it reduces the severity of Osteoarthritis in affected patients.
The prevalence of the condition, lack of cure from the contemporary medicine, and its effect on the patient and family life among other issues has increased the necessity to use complementary and alternative medicine. Cat’s claw is one of the identified alternative medicines to treat the health issue in this case. According to Steven Foster (2012), there are no enough scientific findings, which determine whether the alternative medicine treats any health condition. However, small studies have shown that Cat’s Claw is a possible treatment for some health conditions including Osteoarthritis. The concern in this aspect is that there is no large trail done to authenticate the possibility. According to Schulman and Dean (2007), Cat’s Claw is possibly effective in reducing the pain in the patient’s joints. The mouth intake of freeze- dried Cat’s claw relieves knee pain experienced during the physical activities within a week of treatment. In addition, taking a special combination of supplements containing Cat’s claw and maca (RNI 249) for about eight weeks reduces pain and stiffness. Therefore, those medical enhancements improve the physical functions and minimize the need for the intake of glucosamine sulfate.
Despite the lack of scientific evidence on the potential of Cat’s claw in the treatment, people continue to take its extracts as a treatment. Therefore, people use it to complement the contemporary medicine and enhance their opportunity of suppressing Osteoarthritis (Boon et al. 2009). The only problem likely to arise from the consumption of the herbal medicine is the potential side effects. They have been investigated scientifically to identify the consequences to the patients and the factors likely to bring about those effects. Nevertheless, there are some few potential results associated with the intake of the medicine. First, after the intake of the medicine, patients are likely to experience headaches, dizziness, and vomiting. Secondly, since Unacaria tomentosa is a traditional medicine used in preventing pregnancy and abortion, it can lead to miscarriage. In addition, the medicine is said to stimulate the immune system, which may bring health concerns if not controlled for individuals suffering from the immune system (Ladou & Harrison, 2014). In the bid to reduce the implications of the side effects, patients are required to observe the recommended dosages and avoid its usage while expectant. In addition, informing the healthcare providers about the intake of Unacaria tomentosa is important because it assists them to offer the best support.
Osteoarthritis being a long-term health condition whose progress may not be suppressed is a concern to the patients and their families. The severe state of the condition highly painful and reduces the mobility of the patients significantly (Castleman, 2009). Lack of the contemporary treatment of the condition and the poor scientific prove that complementary and alternative medicine such as Unacaria tomentosa in the treatment is a critical problem (Millis & Levine, 2012). More research would be required to compile more knowledge and information about the treatment of the disease using the herbal medicine.
Statement of Purpose
As evident from the problem statement, it is clear that millions of people are suffering from Osteoarthritis across the world (Morelli & Zoorob, 2010). There is no cure for the condition under the available contemporary healthcare and medication. In fact, many patients might be suffering from the condition helplessly. The condition has been in existence for many years, a situation that implies that the contemporary medicine has failed to provide its cure (Ladou & Harrison, 2014). The Cat’s claw has been used to treat the condition is many communities, particularly in South American. Therefore, it is imperative to find out how the existing research says about the potential medicine for the treatment of the condition.
The purpose of the study is to compile the data and information that would assist in increasing the exploitation of Cat’s claw, an initiative that would improve the treatment of patients (Ladou & Harrison, 2014). The complementary medicine has proved to be a potential cure, a solution that the current medical treatment has not been able to offer. The justification of this research is to extend the existing knowledge, increase awareness, and encourage further research, which will assist in exploiting the potential of Cat’s claw in treating the patients (Rosenbaum at al., 2010). The objective is to reduce doubts about the medicine and increase the number of patients treated using the alternative medication, which would suppress or cure the condition.
