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Treating My PsA Naturally

My journey of treating psoriatic arthritis has been long but has also been a successful one. I went through two years of methotrexate treatment. It lessened the severity of the breakouts but not completely.

I suffered from pustular psoriasis of the hands and feet for 10 years. I had muscle spasms in my back, and arthritis pain throughout my body.

The decision to go natural

After two years, my rheumatologist ended the methotrexate treatment. I then tried various natural treatments which consisted of dead sea salt with partial body soaking which was mainly of the hands and feet.

I found this treatment to be very good for pulling the pain from my body and soreness from my feet. I began the dead sea salts with cool water and then heated the water as the twenty minutes of soaking continued so that open sores (pustules) could adjust to the saltwater without the stinging of the salt in the wounds.

I also applied a paste consisting of goldenseal powder and water to my hands and feet which helps to dry up and heal the pustules. It was very good for drawing out the soreness that accompanies psoriatic arthritis skin rash areas. I used this treatment for a year and a half, it gave me greater relief than the methotrexate.

I had to consistently use the dead sea salt 2 to 3 times a week as recommended. I found it to be very time consuming but helped with pain management and pustular healing.

The road to success

I finally found success after catching a bad cold and decided to increase my intake of vitamin supplements. It was a time when the flu was on the rise. I discontinued getting the flu shot after it left me with an eczema spot where the injection was administered.

Because of this reaction, I was always eager to avoid colds and the flu. After I started taking the vitamin supplements to support my immune system, my hands and feet begin to clear up.

This happened previously when I tried treating my psoriatic arthritis with apple cider vinegar, B 12 supplements, and turmeric capsules. I never took these immune system supporting supplements together, so the reduction of my flareups never lasted for very long.

Vitamins, vitamins, vitamins

After taking at least 1500-2000 MG of vitamin C, 30 MC of zinc, 200 IU of vitamin E, and B complex, my symptoms subsided. I found that by combining all of them, after a month passed, my hands and feet were clearing up, I did not have my regular monthly flare-up.

I also renewed my commitment to taking my multivitamin. Ten years before this I regularly took my multivitamins but became negligent, so apparently, this regimen of taking my multivitamins and vitamin C supplements was greatly needed. I also changed the body soap that I used to Castile lavender soap.

The over-the-counter Cortizone 10 ointment helped to control flareups as the vitamins and soap worked on my system. When I needed to use a topical ointment multiple times during the day, when I was on methotrexate along with the use of the dead sea salt, I did not use Cortizone 10. I used a milder topical cream, Exederm, for eczema and dermatitis, so that my system would not be so stressed.

The benefit of a good soap

It only took two weeks for me to see that boosting my immune system treatment and the use of Castile soap was working to reduce my flareups. After a month I could tell that my every two weeks to monthly flareups subsided. My pain and muscle spasms were reduced.

The vitamins I used are vitamins found in most multi-daily vitamins, but the dosage was too low to treat the issues of psoriatic arthritis which resulted in pustules quickly returning. I reviewed my supplements and their dosage with my doctors so that the knowledge was noted for any health treatment interaction.

Sticking to a routine

I was elated that my hands and feet completely cleared up, my muscles spasms cleared as well, and my overall pain was improved. I still had arthritis aches and pains but nothing like what I had with psoriatic arthritis. After a year, my psoriatic arthritis was still in remission.

I found that if I neglected to take my vitamins for a few days, early in the treatment, the scales and some itch would return and it reminded me to go back on the dosage of vitamins. As the months passed, I found that I could go no longer than about a couple of weeks, with a lower dosage of vitamins before I would see a few scales on my hands.

One year later

After a successful year and three months, I had a total knee replacement. I was very glad that I had my surgeon’s approval to continue with my vitamin C intake for my post-surgery vitamins. My vitamin C dosage was around 1500-1000mg for the pre-surgery period.

During my research, I found that vitamin C is now being used during surgery as a drip to reduce pain, so I was very glad that my main treatment for psoriatic arthritis could continue. I was anxious to see if the pain from the knee replacement would trigger my psoriatic arthritis. I was very glad that it did not.

I have found remission

I continue with my daily arthritis aches and pains but most of all continue to be free of the flareups of psoriatic arthritis. If I experience a flare-up, it is so slight I don’t notice that it was a flare-up and it does not interfere with my daily activities. If I experience an itch on my skin, I quickly treat it with a topical cream, and it goes away.

I am thankful that after a year and nine months of boosting my immune system with vitamin supplements and cleaning my skin with Castile soap or a non-drying soap, my psoriatic arthritis continues to remain in remission.

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